A
boat tour to the Sawyer Glacier in Alaska
May 26, 2004 |
|
![cruising to Sawyer Glaacier](2004-06 - Alaska cruise/5-26-sawyer glacier/Skagway_05270004.jpg) |
![cruising to Sawyer Glaacier](2004-06 - Alaska cruise/5-26-sawyer glacier/website_tw05270005.jpg) |
![cruising to Sawyer Glaacier](2004-06 - Alaska cruise/5-26-sawyer glacier/05260038.jpg) |
![cruising to Sawyer Glaacier](2004-06 - Alaska cruise/5-26-sawyer glacier/05260037.jpg) |
Below: When you see an iceberg
in the water, it is safe to say that 75% of their bulk is still under
the water's surface. Icebergs form when a glacier reaches saltwater
or a freshwater lake. Ice chunks as big as a city block and as tall
as a 3-story building have been known to split and fall into the sea.
The process is called calving and this glacier, perched at the head
of Tracy Arm (a fjord) sheds a chunk of ice on the average of once
an hour. |
![iceberg in the water](2004-06 - Alaska cruise/5-26-sawyer glacier/ice.jpg) |
![iceberg in the water](2004-06 - Alaska cruise/5-26-sawyer glacier/DSC04881-SawyerGlacier.JPG) |
![Sawyer Glacier](2004-06 - Alaska cruise/5-26-sawyer glacier/DSC04835-SawyerGlacier.jpg) |
![Sawyer Glacier](2004-06 - Alaska cruise/5-26-sawyer glacier/DSC04878-SawyerGlacier.JPG) |
Below: Sawyer Glacier is
surrounded by snow-capped mountains at the end of Tracy Arm Fjord.
The area takes its name from a U.S. Navy crewman named Ford, who in
1899 paddled into a narrow waterway connected to Endicott Arm. For
6 hours, he was caught in surging tidal currents, surrounded by massive
crushing icebergs. He survived the ordeal and since then, this finger-shaped
waterway has been known as Ford's terror. |
![snow-capped mountains at the end of Tracy Arm Fjord](2004-06 - Alaska cruise/5-26-sawyer glacier/DSC04865SawyerGlacier.jpg) |
![snow-capped mountains at the end of Tracy Arm Fjord](2004-06 - Alaska cruise/5-26-sawyer glacier/DSC04849a.jpg) |
It is estimated
that during any given summer, glaciers in Alaska empty over 50,000
BILLION gallons of water into the stream flow. There are an estimated
100,000 glaciers in Alaska. |
![snow-capped mountains at the end of Tracy Arm Fjord](2004-06 - Alaska cruise/5-26-sawyer glacier/DSC04849-SawyerGlacier.JPG) |
![snow-capped mountains at the end of Tracy Arm Fjord](2004-06 - Alaska cruise/5-26-sawyer glacier/DSC04850-ToSawyerGlacier.JPG) |
![snow-capped mountains at the end of Tracy Arm Fjord](2004-06 - Alaska cruise/5-26-sawyer glacier/DSC04852-SawyerGlacier.jpg) |
![snow-capped mountains at the end of Tracy Arm Fjord](2004-06 - Alaska cruise/5-26-sawyer glacier/DSC04859-SawyerGlacier.JPG) |
![Sawyer Glacier](2004-06 - Alaska cruise/5-26-sawyer glacier/DSC04893-SawyerGlacier.JPG) |
v |
Below: Viewing Sawyer
Glacier form the boat. |
![Viewing Sawyer Glacier form the boat.](2004-06 - Alaska cruise/5-26-sawyer glacier/DSC04895.JPG) |
![Viewing Sawyer Glacier form the boat.](2004-06 - Alaska cruise/5-26-sawyer glacier/DSC04896.jpg) |
![Viewing Sawyer Glacier form the boat.](2004-06 - Alaska cruise/5-26-sawyer glacier/DSC04897.JPG) |
![ice chunks and Sawyer Glacier](2004-06 - Alaska cruise/5-26-sawyer glacier/DSC04898-SawyerGlacier.JPG) |