La Perouse Glacier winds down to the edge of the Gulf of Alaska on the way to Lituya Bay
This grizzly was swimming from the mainland shore to an island in the bay as we were looking for a spot to anchor
One of the goals of the trip to Alaska for both Angie and Mike was visiting Lituya Bay. Although still in Glacier Bay National Park, it is seldom visited by cruising boats for three main reasons. First, the location is tough– it’s about 50 miles out into the Gulf of Alaska, and it’s the only protected anchorage within about 130 miles. Second, the entrance is very narrow and shallow with turbulent tidal currents that can run to 4 or 5 knots, so it’s only recommended to cross into the bay at slack tide. Third, it’s the site of the largest tsunami to ever be documented in the world.
The large gray slide areas behind the boat triggered the tsunami
In 1958, a nearby earthquake caused a good chunk of a mountainside at the head of the bay to drop into the water, which in turn displaced enough water to generate a huge wave.
The height of the tsunami is marked by a ring of younger trees – they extend all the way around the bay up to 150-200′ elevation
The narrow T shape of the bay amplified the tsunami, and as the wave raced out to sea it stripped the hillsides clear of trees.
We found this wolf print as we hiked towards one of the glaciers. In the dinghy on the way back, we saw him (or one of his pack-mates) on shore
Today, 58 years later, it’s still possible to see the “bathtub ring” of young trees all along the shore of the bay, which shows the high water mark from the wave. In most places the new growth extends to 150 foot elevation or so, which is pretty impressive if you consider that the wave was that high. But at the head of the bay, behind the top of the T, the wave crested about 1700 feet up the side of the hill!
There are still many trees on the beaches that were uprooted by the tsunami – they are all lined up in the same orientation – roots toward the glacier and tops toward the mouth of the bay
It turns out that the mountains surrounding the bay are unstable, and the geologic records of the bay suggest that a tsunami is generated here every 20 to 30 years. So, both Angie and Mike were a little nervous to hear the sound of falling rocks when exploring the head of the bay in the morning.
A remarkable place for both its history and natural beauty, and we were very lucky to have good enough weather to make the passage there. And of course back…
Crew of Madrone happy to have made it to Lituya Bay – and happy to have a good weather window for the trip back to protected waters
