Our trip began in Vancouver, a beautiful green city, and proceeded up the “Inside Passage” through narrow fjords 2,000 feet deep and lined (sometimes on either side) by steep, snow-covered mountains that reach 7,000 feet into the clouds. We stopped in Ketchikan, Juneau, and Skagway before disembarking at Whittier. We spent more time on deck (and on our balcony) observing the scenery than watching entertainment extravaganzas or partaking of lavish meals and fine wines. We took this cruise for one reason: to see Alaska, to experience the power and beauty of its coast, to see the glaciers. No elegant cruise clothes for us. Warm gloves, rain-resistant, fleece-lined windbreakers, and a good camera (and lots of memory or film) were all the gear we needed.
I love glaciers, am fascinated by them, lured towards them, and in Alaska, as in the Canadian Rockies, they are disappearing at an alarming rate; soon (perhaps in our own lifetimes) they may vanish altogether. "See Alaska before it melts" is a phrase we heard multiple times on our journey.
The glaciers flow from beyond the clouds, practically glowing in surreal shades of blue - from sapphire to cobalt to aqua. They tumble into mirror-like glacial pools and the open sea, turning bodies of water shades of cornflower blue or emerald green. And the first sighting of a glacier or a small iceberg (called a "bergy bit") is always a big moment on an Alaskan cruise.
The glaciers and waterfalls and the mountains behind them appear large, but there is no real sense of scale from the tenth deck of an enormous ship. Then suddenly you realize that the glacier with which you are face to face is actually five miles away. Looking around, you see 100-foot trees dwarfed by the sheer immensity of these walls of blue, black and white ice. And as you hear the thunderous roar of 
a glacier calving spires of blue ice into the water, it’s nearly impossible to imagine that the mass of snow and ice cascading down the mountain and into the sea is the size of a high-rise building. And that small speck, that humble dot against the glacier’s face - a bird? No, it's another cruise ship, so dwarfed by the ice 
mountain’s majesty it seems a mere speck of dust.
Article comments
1 - Lisa Damian
I travel pretty extensively, but I've yet to experience Alaska. I'll definitely consider going by cruise, thanks to your vivid descriptions and photos. Thank you for sharing your personal vacation imagery.
2 - Barbara Barnett
Thanks Lisa. There really are no words to describe the power and beauty of that land. going by cruise is a great value (Alaska is so expensive to visit). I think I took something like 1500 photos in the week we were there! Thanks for reading.
3 - tink
Captivated by your imagery, I sent a friend to read this piece as he had also taken an Alaskan cruise recently.
His take? That you had come the closest in describing his experience than any other article he'd read.
4 - Barbara Barnett
Thank you, Tink. I appreciate sharing your friend's comments.
5 - Mary K. Williams
Very nice Barbara.
6 - Andy Marsh
I mad my first trip to Alaska last February. Mine was short, only four days, but I did take the time to wander some and it really is an incredible place.
Nice piece!
7 - Barbara Barnett
Thanks Mary and Andy,
I can't even imagine Alaska in February. The limited light must make for an extraordinary landscape. I'd love to get up there at a time when the northern lights are visible (it's been too light the two times I've been there).
8 - Andy Marsh
It got light pretty late, around 9, 9:30 and the sun went down pretty early too. I want to say around 4:30.
I was on Kodiak Island, which is part of what they say is actually temperate rain forest, but man it was cold!!! They also had an unusually high snow fall last winter, for the island anyway. It was quite stunning.
I only really had a day and a half to explore, the rest of the time I was either working, or watching the Superbowl, hey look, I'm a Gaint fan, I had to, Alaska or not!
I put up some pics from my trip. I'd love to take one of those inland passage trips. My folks took one years ago and still talk about it! I also want to go back in the summer, whatever two weeks that might be!