Many glaciers are filthy. They have rock and dirt mixed in the ice making them grey and brown. Dawes Glacier was different. It was clean and pretty. I’ve decided I like clean and pretty glaciers the best.
The ice is so dense and compact that it appears blue.
We took our zodiac boats out to get a closer look.
It was very exciting when we saw it ‘calve’. This is when ice falls off the end and crashes into the water. Click here to see a great example of a glacier calving. You may want to turn down the volume on your computer. Those people are pretty excited…
When bits of a glacier break off, scientists call them different names depending on their size. The biggest ones are called icebergs.
”Bergie Bits” like this are smaller.
“Growlers” are the little ones.
Did you notice some of the glacier bits contain rocks? These rocks were once part of the mountain. As the iceberg slowly melts it takes those rocks far away from where they once rested.
Captain Minnoch was very careful to avoid the icebergs on our trip. It can be hard to tell how large they are beneath the water and can cause a lot of damage to boats. Remember what happened to the Titanic? Thank you Captain Minnoch.
Look what we found hanging out on the floating ice. I can think of few animals cuter than a harbor seal.
Harbor seals give birth to their pups on glacier bits. Their thick layer of fat keeps them warm on the ice.
Click on the video below. As glacier ice gets more and more compact it traps ice bubbles. Those pops are the air bubbles releasing from the frozen ice as it melts.
Doesn't it sound sort of like a soda fizzing?
