Days 25-26 - Flotilla to Alaska - Petersburg and Le Conte Glacier

Flotilla to Alaska - Le Conte Glacier © Laura Domela

We decided to spend three nights in Petersburg. Part of the reason was practical: we arrived late in the afternoon, will depart in the morning, and will spend a full day out at Le Conte Glacier. This barely gives enough time to get groceries, fix any boat problems, do laundry, or explore Petersburg. Plus we really like Petersburg; it's a charming, proud small town. So the day after arriving in Petersburg, we sat still. Some of us explored town, all of us caught up on chores, and we made plans for visiting Le Conte Glacier the following day.

Le Conte Glacier is the southernmost tidewater glacier in the northern hemisphere and among the easiest to reach (just 22nm from Petersburg), yet it is seldom visited by cruisers. The only reason we can think of is the overly negative review in the Exploring Southeast Alaska cruising guide. That description makes it sound like near certain doom. We've now visited dozens of times, and can't figure out what the big fuss is. The entrance over the terminal moraine is straightforward and as charted as far as we can tell. The scenery is world-class. The glacier is as impressive as any we've seen.

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