My wife and I joined a cruise with Stan Stephens Glacier and Wildlife Tours in May 2016 during our escorted 'Natural Wonders of Alaska' tour with Titan Travel. We were staying for 2 nights on a room only basis at the Mountain View Hotel, Valdez and the cruise was arranged as a part of our itinerary. We were booked on the 7 hour Columbia Glacier Cruise, sailing from Port Valdez past the Trans Alaska Pipeline Terminal into Prince William Sound. Our journey would continue past the Shoup and Anderson Glaciers and bays such as Jack and Galena, taking us into the waters of the Valdez Arm. We would then sail in between Glacier and Heather Islands into Columbia Bay to see the Columbia Glacier, a total journey of about 80 miles.
Our 80 foot cruiser Glacier Spirit, which could accommodate 149 passengers and has a maximum speed of 17 knots, departed Port Valdez at about 11.00am. It’s a very comfortable cruiser with plenty of room inside the main cabin and out on deck and we were fortunate that day that the bookings were fewer than usual for this popular cruise. It was a warm sunny day with excellent views in all directions and we commenced our journey as planned through the clear waters of Prince William Sound. I was fascinated by the Trans Alaska Pipeline Terminal and enjoyed wonderful views of the Shoup and Anderson Glaciers in the distance. We sailed the Valdez Arm, passing the beautiful bays of Jack and Galena, their still waters gleaming in the sunshine. We then turned and sailed north in between Heather and Glacier Islands and into Columbia Bay. There in the distance, about 4-5 miles from our cruiser, we saw Alaska's amazing tidewater glacier, Columbia Glacier. This was the closest we could get due to the sea of floating ice flows created by the ice breaking off in chunks from the face of this huge glacier. It was a marvellous sight through my binoculars even at that distance, watching the curves of the glacier descending from the Chugach Mountains into the sea. Our knowledgeable guide explained in his informative and entertaining commentary that this the largest tidewater glacier in South Central Alaska and the largest in Prince William Sound. It's a retreating glacier, about 32 miles (51 kilometres) in length, and has retreated nearly 10 miles (16 kilometers) since the early 1980s.
We were given plenty time to enjoy seeing the glacier and the ice of all shapes and sizes floating around the bay, be spellbound by the outstanding views of the Chugach Mountains and marvel at the wildlife we saw in the bay and throughout our cruise. We saw humpback whales, dolphins, sea otters, seals, bald eagles as well as sea lions lounging on the beach at Bull Head! We were fortunate to have on board an experienced crew skilled at knowing where to find and spot the wildlife! The Captain used his navigating skills to guide our cruiser safely in between the chunks of ice whilst sharing his vast knowledge on the amazing wildlife and the wonderful scenery all around us. He also referred to the fishing and mining industry so important to this area as well as some tragedies such as the effects of the 1964 earthquake on Valdez and the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Prince William Sound on Good Friday1989 after the ship ran aground on Bligh Reef. All the crew were welcoming, friendly and helpful and were very efficient especially when serving our included lunch - I had home made chunky minestrone soup and my wife enjoyed her sea food chowder – both were delicious and filling! This was an excellent cruise so thank you all at Stan Stephens Glacier and Wildlife Tours for a cruise which exceeded my expectations. It's a highlight of my tour of Alaska and should be included on all itineraries visiting this area of Alaska!