May 16, 2011 - This is one of the coldest places in Alaska.  The Hubbard Glacier is over 13 km wide and terminates directly into  Disenchantment Bay, not far from the small community of Yakutat.  Think of Hubbard as one of the world's largest refrigerators, with winds constantly blowing off the face of the glacier out into the bay and directly into oncoming cruise ships.  Bring a hat, bring gloves, bring a blanket..... you will get cold out on the open decks - for a while.  Something magical happens the closer you get to the face of the glacier (and how close you get depends on the weather and the amount of ice in the water). You will reach a place where the winds pass over the top of the ship and you are left standing on deck in very calm - and if the sun is out - much warmer conditions.

On this voyage we were in for a treat as the Captain opened the forward helipad for us to scamper out on to for our viewing pleasure.  It was a bit of a climb up and down steep stairs and through the narrow passageways but the view was well worth it and we shared this space with several hundred of our fellow passengers.  Hot chocolate and other libations were available to ensure that no one became too cold and it was a great place to watch our final approach to Hubbard.  While we did not get as close as some of our other trips, given how early in the year it was and how much ice was in the water, we still got a great view on a beautiful sunny day.

The Captain brought us in as close as he could, spun the ship around so that port and starboard both had great views and then we eased ourselves back through the ice the same way we approached the glacier in the first place.