Skagway - Flying Over Glacier Bay

Click here for the Video of Our Flight Over Glacier Bay

After returning from our day in the Yukon, we had just enough time to grab some salad from the buffet for a "pre-supper" and then walked from the ship to the airport for an evening flight with Mountain Air Service over Glacier Bay.The runway is literally right next to where we were docked so it was a quick walk! 

This photo of the Sun was taken once we were IN the plane!

The plane was fitted with skis to allow for landing on snow (which we did not do.)

The pilot, Paul, was waiting when we arrived at the airport and got the four of us plus two other ladies situated in the plane...and then we took off! 

Paul had given us each a headset so that we could hear him and talk to each other, but Laurel (who was sitting in the very back) could not hear anything. Paul suggested some "fixes", but nothing worked. Rather than have her go through the flight without a working headset, Paul landed the plane in Haines and pulled out another headset for her to use. Here we are getting ready to land in Haines...

Paul pointed out mountain goats on the side of this rocky face as we flew by. (They are the tiny, tiny white dots.)

A blurry zoomed in view of the mountain goats.

We flew over the Lynn Canal and several different glaciers. A couple that I remember were the Rainbow and Meade Glaciers. This one was high in the mountains and the melting ice was flowing down in multiple waterfalls. The dark area on the right side of the photo was evidence of an avalanche.

Kent & Laurel really wanted to do the longer 1 1/2-hour tour that goes over the western arm of Glacier Bay, but the added cost over the already expensive shorter 1-hour flight just seemed a little too extravagant for us. Kent insisted that they would pay the difference to pay me back for all of the planning I did for the trip and we finally agreed. In the end it didn't make any difference. When Paul tried to fly over the mountains to get to the western side of Glacier Bay, we were met with a wall of thick fog and clouds and he had to turn back. Still...seeing what we did in the eastern arm of the park was nothing short of spectacular!

From above, the glaciers really did appear to be rivers of ice flowing through the mountains.

Little pools of bright blue water dotted the ice and snow below us.

Paul brought the plane down very low and flew over one of the glaciers. We asked how low he was allowed to fly and he said "this is Alaska...there really aren't any rules."

Two glaciers coming together to form a larger glacier.

The glaciers pick up lots of rocks and dirt as they cut their way through the mountains and then break off as they reach the water forming giant black icebergs.

The melting glaciers deposit silt in the water making it a milky color. There is a distinct line where this glacial runoff meets the clear water.

Some photos as we made our way back to Skagway.

Back on the ground and a photo with our pilot, Paul Swanstrom.

Rather than head directly back to the ship, we walked down main street to look in some of the shops. It was around 7:30 pm by then which gave us an hour before we had to be back on board the Sun. The street was pretty empty and the stores were beginning to close up so we didn't stay long. 

After only eating a salad earlier, we decided to go to the buffet and have our 2nd dinner. At 6 pm there had been an interesting sounding show in the theater...a Skagway entertainer named Steve Hites. He told the history of Alaska through songs and stories as he accompanied himself on the guitar and harmonica...but he only did the one show and we missed it. 😞 A hypnotist was on the schedule for the 7:30 pm and 9:30 pm shows and for that we took a pass.

Sail away didn't happen until 9:30 and Bob and I went up to Deck 12 to the Observation Lounge. We went outside to the viewing area in front of the lounge, but didn't stay long...too cold and very windy. A few last photos as the Sun leaves Skagway and heads the short distance to Icy Strait Point.