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Arctic Thunder / Glacier Calving
Hubbard Glacier Calving, Alaska 2004
From fire (in my last post) to ice, here. The sudden release and breaking away of a mass of ice from a glacier is known as calving. Witnessing this phenomenon is a once in a lifetime experience.
The sound that occurs when the ice breaks off is like a resounding crack or boom you might hear in a severe lightning storm. All in all, one of the great natural acts one can witness that stays with you forever.
…On a separate note, sometimes a photograph can exhibit an image inside an image. If you look to the bottom right of the frame, you can see what looks likes a human face in the crashing icy water. I have isolated it below to exhibit its eerie likeness. Just a little something extra in an already phenomenal experience.
Ice Face, Alaska, 2004
If you build it, they will come.
Hubbard Glacier Calving, Alaska 2004
It has been a little while since my last post because we just officially launched the Blog and wanted to let some readership settle in. I am extremely grateful that within the first week we have had more than 500 visitors to the Blog (not bad considering I’m not Charlie Sheen). I thank you for the support and will continue to post images that I hope you all enjoy.
To that end, today we have Hubbard Glacier Calving. Several years ago I had the opportunity to visit The Great Land, Alaska. Cruising the Inner Passage, we eventually approached the Hubbard Glacier. Simply seeing a Glacier up close is enough to stir the soul. On this particular day we witnessed a spectacular show as the glacier calved, sending huge pieces of ice crashing into the sea.
To many, this image will serve as a reminder of the alarming effect of global warming. Hopefully it will also serve as a reminder for all of us to do our part to protect the planet.
For me, in addition to the inherent conservation message the image represents, it memorialzes a spectacular life experience. My photographic goal was to capture the randomly falling chunks of ice as they hit the frigid water. The sight and sound (akin to that of a lightning/thunder-storm) as the ice cracked off the glacier, is something I will never forget.
Here’s hoping that together, we make the changes necessary to protect the Earth, so that wild places such as this survive for future generations.
