A Walk Through a Glacial Ice Garden

Sometimes nature can be the most incredible artist of all. Here in Alaska we have many thousands of glaciers. Glaciers are rivers of ice that slowly flow downhill. Some of these glaciers come all the way down to the ocean, like LeConte glacier near Petersburg, Alaska. When it reaches the ocean, huge chunks of ice can break off in an event we call 'calving.' These floating icebergs then drift with the ocean currents until they finally melt and become one with the sea.
Another phenomenon that we have here in Alaska is a massive tidal change, especially when we have a full or new moon. The difference between high tide and low tide can be 20ft, or over 6 meters! As I was making the schedule for this weeks expedition trip, I noticed that we would be in the Petersburg/LeConte area during a full moon. I've spent a lot of time in the area, and with my local knowledge, I guessed that a lot of the icebergs from LeConte Glacier would be stuck on the shoreline at the mouth of the fjord during this extreme low tide. This would give my guests the rare opportunity to walk through a sculpture ice garden, if we timed it right. And time it right we did!

Check out the photos below from our trip through one of nature's spectacles... and one that only last until the next tide rises and changes the entire thing. A moment in time, caught on camera, and another adventure to add to the life list.

It took a few tries to get this selfie just right.

The deep blue of the glacial ice is like no other color in nature.

The different shapes and forms were quite magnificent to behold. This iceberg was floating about thirty minutes later.

I was just hoping that this piece of ice over my head wouldn't fall on me as I had this picture taken.

Art in the ice.

What do you think this piece of ice looks like?

I even saw some wildlife amongst the ice. Here I used a separate piece of ice to frame a juvenile bald eagle on a beautiful piece of driftwood.

On of my fellow guides enjoying a moment of creativity with his photography.

The outcome when I took a photo of the piece of ice shown in the previous photo.

Hope you ejoyed,
Dai Mar Tamarack