Alaska: Temporary Presence but a Lasting Interference

The day ended up being much colder than the earlier days of the trip. The sun was in the sky, but it did not produce the heat that one would expect to gain from it. The ship was moving slowly. I think partially because of the potential danger of disrupting the environment surrounding us but also to give us tourists a better and more prolonged view of the scenery. Looking out the window, I saw little pieces of ice floating atop the water. It looked cold but still inviting, unlike the water back home. As we were passing by a row of glaciers, we decided to make our way up to the top deck of the ship for a better view, exposing ourselves to the full climate of the outdoors. 

The top deck allowed the breeze of the air to hit us. I shuddered but continued to look out at the ice banks on either side of the boat. They were far away, yet close enough to see the chips and cracks in the ice. I didn’t consider that detail much further. Despite the other guests who were also on the balcony the noise levels weren’t distracting. My mom had her camera out, taking pictures of the natural wonder that at one point would have towered over us. I too did the same.

There was a slight mist in the air that made the scene even more eerie and arresting. It was a vision that forced me to pause for a moment. I had no difficulty ignoring the fact that others were gazing at the same object, I thought that they couldn’t possibly be feeling the same emotions that I was. Maybe I convinced myself that their intentions were different from mine. That they weren’t as genuine, that they were taking this scene for granted.

A rumble sounded from deep down in the waters. At first barely audible and then increasingly it demanded attention. Heads turned, cameras shifted focus. My breathing slowed and movements ceased in anticipation. There was a pause and then without any other warning, one of the glaciers split. Snow puffed on either side of the crack and began to trickle down. As the glacier continued to break, larger chunks of ice began to hit the water. The continuous roar of the shifting ice only added to the marvelous wonder. It was a natural occurrence that could have happened without our presence, but it didn’t, and I was one of the few who got to witness this change. 

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Erik Cohen, an academic in the realm of tourism studies, challenges us to reflect on our tourist experiences and consider what the motivations were behind our desire to travel. Were they based on trivial and superficial reasons or was there an earnest quest for the authentic? Arguably, one of the main motivators for people to travel is to engage in leisure activities and new experiences. However, it should be noted how tourism, and in this case, viewing glaciers from the confines of a massive cruise ship, introduces complexities from a critical analysis standpoint.

The major factor that I wanted to discuss was the idea of temporary presence but lasting interference. The tourist attraction life cycle seems to take on the form of discovery, development and destruction. This cycle resonates as true since we tend to exploit and misuse something until it is unrecognizable. For example, Glacier Bay is a coveted destination for visitors due to its pristine forests, glaciers and marine wildlife, however, as the promotion of this tourist attraction increases, so will the traffic in the area. For companies it is all about what will make the most money regardless of the life forms that may be harmed. It is now common knowledge that ice-sheet thickness is starting to thin and glaciers are starting to melt. What is alarming however, is that instead of caution to this unknown and anticipated future, the destination is being marketed as a "last chance" wherein people need to visit it before it is lost. I am not excluded from being susceptible from this marketing. Many, like myself, chose to visit Glacier Bay because they know it’s a landscape they may never get to see in person again.

Not only are destinations like Glacier Bay already susceptible to enormous changes as a result of human actions, but the temporary visits of tourists don't convince them to be considerate. This is obviously an issue because if tourists are not reflexive they largely overlook the need to be accountable to themselves. Despite being aware that the ice was breaking because of global warming I overlooked how me being there and witnessing it added to its destruction. Therefore, there is a paradox of climate change and tourism. Visitors to the park arrive on large cruise ships which emit huge amounts of pollution into the air and water, however, we tend to rest on the naive side that our presence couldn't possibly be that big of a deal in the grander scheme. Ultimately, the public and the officials need to understand that the pollution situation is an important prerequisite for successful actions in the future. In many ways, it is a matter of priorities. Companies promote the tours as being “last chance” but do not entertain the thought of restricting access to the glaciers for sustainable reasons.

With all of that being said however, it would be hypocritical for me to say that everyone should have come to these realizations already and honestly, i'm not sure if the solution is as straightforward as simply promoting the harmful actions to get people to care. If I repeated the trip I would be more knowledgeable of the issues but if I had to change anything I’m not sure I would know what to change. Do I simply cease to travel due to the ethical issues that come with it? It would be easier to convince myself that the problem lies with the cruise ship companies and the tourism industry rather than my actions to simply participate like everyone else because despite being more aware of the harmful effects of tourism there are still places I want to travel to. My reasoning not being necessity or to critically assess but rather for pleasure. However, I do advocate that all individuals need to reflect on the long-lasting effects that tourism, in this case, glacier touring, will have on civilization and how our actions along the way ultimately led us to this predicament. I believe that long term sustainability should take precedent over temporary amusement because when dealing with any natural commodity the result of losing it will affect everybody, even those who at one point thought they were benefiting.