Star attraction of Prince William Sound is Columbia Glacier, one of the largest and most magnificent of the tidewater glaciers along the Alaska coast. The Columbia Glacier has an area of about 440 square miles. The glacier is more than 40 miles long. Its tidewater terminus is about 3 miles across. It has receded more than 5 miles since the early 1980's, and is expected to leave behind a 26 mile long fiord. A bay has formed between its face and terminal moraine. This bay has been filled with ice during the retreat, keeping boats away from the glacier's face.

In late 1995 the icebergs had cleared enough so that boats were able to approach and visitors could watch ice calving form the face. However, the bay again filled with ice in early 1996, blocking access to the glacier's face.

The face of the glacier varies in height above sea level from 25 to 200 feet, and reaches 1,000 feet or more below sea level. An abundance of plankton thrives here attracting great numbers of fish which attract bald eagles, kittiwakes, gulls and harbor seals. Seals can usually be seen resting on ice floes or swimming in the icy waters.

These pictures were taken aboard the tour boat Lulu Belle. Captain Rodolf managed to move the smaller berg around so we could get good view of the Glacier.

This is some of the ice that broke off of the face of the Glacier. It was bigger than the boat we were on. After I took the picture it rolled over and broke into three pieces.

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