Glaciers: See Them Before They're Gone

I’ve always been impressed by the incredible spectacle that glaciers provide. I can’t think of a better way to see the forces of nature in action. Natural climate change accelerated by man-made global warming is causing many of the world’s glaciers to recede at a rate faster than ever recorded. Some of the glaciers most accessible to travelers are in danger of disappearing in our lifetime. So if you want to see them, travel soon and bring your camera.

Here’s where to see some of my favorite glaciers that are accessible without too much effort:

Glacier National Park, Montana: The largest concentration of glaciers in the Continental United States is melting away. According to the park website “The glaciers in Glacier National Park are melting. In 1850, 150 glaciers covered the landscape. Today in 2006, there are only 27 glaciers left inside the park, a 75-80% decrease. If current warming trends continue, it is projected that between 2030 and 2050, there will be no more glaciers in Glacier National Park.”

Glacier National Park offers the chance to see the disappearing glaciers from your car or from a bus tour. Hikers and backpackers can get much closer to the action.

Mer de Glace
Photo Credit: Christopher Gould

Chamonix, France – This fabled winter resort in the shadow of Mont Blanc is home to Europe’s second largest glacier, the Mer de Glace. A cog-wheel train travels to the glacier from the center of Chamonix in only twenty minutes. There’s a spectacular overlook and little cable cars will take you down to the glacier itself where you can explore a man-made ice cave, the obligatory glacial attraction. I love the unearthly blue glow within the ice with the constant dripping in summer. The industrious French don’t let the drips go to waste; the meltwater of the Mer de Glace generates electricity in a little hydroelectric station.

The steps to the Ober Grindelwald Glacier
Photo Credit: Becky Gould

Grindelwald, Switzerland – The postcard-perfect Grindelwald Valley is home to a walk-up glacier (if you don’t mind a 1500 step wooden staircase). The Ober Grindelwald Glacier is a small glacier that’s receding up its valley. It is a perfect geology lesson as you walk up the small valley with less and less life as you approach the glacier, the bare rock just recently uncovered for the first time in centuries.

Inside Ober Grindelwald Glacier
Photo Credit: Christopher Gould (timer)

Glacier Bay, Alaska – Glacier Bay National Park offers a large-scale version of the same geology lesson where the enormous Glacier Bay has been uncovered in the last 250 years as glaciers receded. Most visitors visit the park aboard cruise ships – it’s only accessible by water and air.

Viewing Hubbard Glacier from Radiance of the Seas.
Photo Credit: Becky Gould

Disenchantment Bay, Alaska – Located in the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Disenchantment Bay is home to Hubbard Glacier, the largest tidewater glacier in North America. Tidewater glaciers advance all the way to ocean waters where huge pieces “calve” and break off with a thunderous sound. Hubbard Glacier is advancing and its face measures over six miles wide. Cruise ships have recently begun to visit this incredible glacier.

Bernardo O’Higgins National Park, Chile – Hubbard Glacier’s South American twin is the Pio XI Glacier. South America’s largest tidewater glacier is most easily seen by cruise ship or tour boat.

Cruise Ship Trivia: Maritime Flags

You can tell a lot about a ship, including cruise ships, just by looking at the flags flown on the mast. In my example photo you can you can tell the owner, location and next planned action of the ship. Interestingly, you cannot tell the country where the ship is registered by looking at these flags.

The picture shows the mast of a cruise ship in port. Beginning on the port (left) side: the leftmost flag is called the house flag and represents which shipping line owns the ship, in this case Royal Caribbean International. The blue flag with the white rectangle just to the right of the house flag is called the Blue Peter. It is the signal flag that represents the letter “P” in the International Marine Signal Flag Alphabet. When flown from the mast it indicates the ship’s intention to sail. The two flags flying from the starboard (right) side of the mast are courtesy ensigns flown to represent the country in whose waters the ship is sailing. The captain may display additional courtesy ensigns for a particular port that the ship is visiting. In this case, the flag of the U.S. Virgin Islands and the United States flag is displayed The national flag of the ship itself is flown from the jackstaff at the stern of the vessel.

The mast in the photo belongs to Royal Caribbean’s Mariner of the Seas. It was taken just prior to sailing from Long Bay in Charlotte Amalie Harbor, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands in August 2005.

Photo Credit: Christopher Gould

Celebrities Aboard: How Queen Mary 2 is Creating a New Golden Age of Travel

Clark Gable enjoys a laugh with a Cunard officer aboard the first Queen Mary.
Photo Credit: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Collection

Travel used to be something glamorous. Press photographers would board every great ocean liner after it entered New York harbor, eager to photograph the famous actors, former kings and statesmen aboard.

Ambitious mothers might scrimp to afford an ocean crossing in First Class, hopeful that their beautiful young daughter would catch the eye of an aristocrat or millionaire. Perhaps you have your own family story of how Aunt Edna was always in the lounge on the Queen Mary so she wouldn't miss rubbing elbows with Clark Gable on a voyage in '49.

It's a wonderful romantic memory that Cunard Line, who had so many of those great liners, has worked hard to recapture. Since the debut of Queen Mary 2 in 2004 it's become apparent to me that the most expensive and ambitious liner in history has successfully enticed the Jet Set to cross the Atlantic in a more civilized manner.

I'll confess, I'm a really big fan of Queen Mary 2 and the experiences of myself and my clients has only caused it to grow. Queen Mary 2 is an ocean liner, not a cruise ship. She's an ocean liner in every sense: engineering, itineraries and ambiance. I will omit the superlatives for today because I want to share some photos that I've gotten a kick out of lately. These pictures show today's glitterati aboard today's most glittering ship. (Click to enlarge photos)


Actor Richard Dreyfuss (R) on the bridge with Commodore Warwick (L).
For this and following photos: Cunard Line (All Rights Reserved)


Actress S. Epatha Merkerson from Law & Order enjoys Manhattan views before setting sail from Cunard's new terminal in Red Hook Brooklyn.


Author Sir Harold Evans and his wife Tina Brown (founding editor of Vanity Fair) enjoy some fresh air on Deck 12 of QM2.


George Lucas accepts an award aboard QM2 from Commodore Warwick during the Cannes Film Festival.


Legendary screen siren Jane Russell sits in the Captain's chair.


Rocker Rod Stewart boards ship in Southampton.


Another Englishman, John Cleese, poses on Queen Mary 2's bridge.


Uma Thurman looks like she's already started to relax.

My Secret Cruise Ship Sport

It’s time to sail. All passengers were warned to be aboard 29 minutes ago. The gangplank has been run in and mooring lines are let go. The Captain and another white-shirted officer watch from the pier side bridge wing. He turns towards the helm position and gives an order to an unseen person. A long, earsplitting blast sounds from the ship’s whistle while the thrusters whirl to life and push the ship away from the pier.

Passengers are watching from the rail on the top deck, savoring the end of a day in port before heading to their cabin for a shower before dinner. A few, including myself, are focused intently on the street at the end of the pier; waiting for the inevitable drama. I raise my binoculars in time to see a taxi screech to a halt by the security gate. Three young women emerge waving their arms at the ship. They run, camera bags and backpacks flopping in every direction, down the thousand foot long pier. I can see by their expressions that they realize that a 962 foot long ship doesn’t stop for late passengers once it’s underway.

I’ve seen this happen on every Caribbean cruise I’ve been on – especially in ports with lots of bars. It never seems to happen in Oslo or Ketchikan, I guess because those ports don’t have a Señor Frog’s. If you miss the boat, you can rejoin at the next port – at your own expense.

This particular story has a happy ending, though. The girls are pretty and the gallant men of the Cozumel harbor patrol agree to ferry them out on the Pilot boat. So let this be a lesson for you: don’t miss the boat -- or, the next time you’re on a cruise, bring your binoculars out on deck when you sail away – that’s where I’ll be.

Photo Credit: Christopher Gould