Gastineau Channel

The first European to sight the channel was Joseph Whidbey whilst serving on the Royal Navy's Vancouver Expedition early in August 1794, first from the south and later from the west.

[2][3] The channel is navigable by large ships, only from the southeast, as far as the Douglas Bridge, approximately 9.7 miles (15.6 km).

Between the bridge and Juneau International Airport, approximately 8.1 miles (13.0 km), it is navigable only by smaller craft and only at high tide.

During isostatic rebound, the Earth's lithosphere (crust) is slowly rising because of buoyant forces, following the removal of a large mass on the surface.

When the penny (glacier) is removed, the ice cube (lithosphere) "rebounds" and floats slightly higher.

Gastineau Channel, Juneau , Alaska
A small vessel heads south through Gastineau Channel, preparing to sail beneath the Douglas Bridge in February, 2011