Valdez and the Shoup Glacier
  (click on images to enlarge)
Valdez itself was never covered with oil from the Exxon Valdez disaster and was a delightful place to camp and kayak.  We joined the tour with Anadyr, a local rental outfit, and paddled to the Shoup Glacier just west of town.  Nearing the glacier we heard what sounded like distant thunder, which was the calving of glacial ice from the main glacier .  The icebergs then float downsteam into Prince William Sound, and we pass them on the way upstream.
Linda in the front of the kayak approaching the glacier itself.  Caution is needed to avoid overturning the kayak in the large wave that is created by the mass of ice hitting the surface. 
Glacial calving of the Shoup Glacier.  On this particular day, calving would occur to some extent every few minutes, with tons of ice crashing into the bay each time.
12/1/04
Break time on shore.  A short hiking distance from here we searched unsuccessfully for gold nuggets deposited by the continuous glacial activity.  Although we found none, previous searches here have turned up large nuggets in the past.