October 20, 2003
The photo above shows Beloit Glacier, near Whittier, Alaska, calving into one of the many fjords of Prince Williams Sound. A glacier with a terminus below sea level is known as a tidewater glacier. One's sense of scale is often skewed when viewing images of glaciers. The surface elevation of Beloit Glacier rises about 4000 ft (about 1.2 km) from sea level to the crest visible in this photo, taken from several miles away. Approaching tour ships cross a submarine recessional moraine to reach a viewing distance of about 1/4 mile (402 m) -- considered safe enough to be able to maneuver in the event a calving iceberg generates a tsunami-like wave.