{"id":185337,"date":"2025-09-30T13:01:12","date_gmt":"2025-09-30T13:01:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/?p=185337"},"modified":"2025-11-18T18:16:38","modified_gmt":"2025-11-18T18:16:38","slug":"rainier-in-lituya-bay-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/rainier-in-lituya-bay-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"The latest expedition in Lituya Bay: NOAA and National Park Service collaborate to update nautical charts"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>NOAA Ship <\/em>Rainier <em>charts volatile, glacially active waters in Glacier Bay National Park<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><em>By <strong><em>ENS P. Giamportone and ENS N. Greenlaw<\/em><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In August 2025, NOAA Ship\u202f<em>Rainier\u202f<\/em>pulled into Lituya (lih-TOO-yuh) Bay, an inlet tucked within the outer edge of Glacier Bay National Park. The name is of Tlingit origin, meaning \u201clake within the point,\u201d and the Bay has long been a source of sustenance and shelter. The entrance is narrow and turbulent, and the glacial walls make it vulnerable to rockslides and their following waves.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"750\" height=\"580\" src=\"https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Image-1.jpg\" alt=\"A black-and-white aerial photograph shows a bay surrounded by snow-capped mountains, with a prominent, light-colored trimline of destroyed trees along the shoreline. \" class=\"wp-image-185339\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Image-1.jpg 750w, https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Image-1-300x232.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 706px) 89vw, (max-width: 767px) 82vw, 740px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Photo of Lituya Bay post tsunami, summer 1958 (D.J. Miller, U.S. Geological Survey, Department of Interior)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lituya Bay\u2019s dangerous waters were famously documented during a 1786 expedition by French explorer Jean-Fran\u00e7ois de Galaup, comte de La P\u00e9rouse.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\n\t<style type=\"text\/css\">\n\t\t.slider-info-185332.bafg-slider-info .bafg-slider-title {\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tfont-size:\n\t\t\t\t\t22px\t\t\t\t;\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t}\n\n\t\t.slider-info-185332.bafg-slider-info .bafg-slider-description {\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t}\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t.slider-info-185332.bafg-slider-info .bafg_slider_readmore_button {\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\ttext-align: center;\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t}\n\n\t\t.slider-info-185332.bafg-slider-info .bafg_slider_readmore_button:hover {\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t}\n\t<\/style>\n\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"bafg-twentytwenty-container slider-185332  \"\n\t\t\t\tbafg-orientation=\"horizontal\" bafg-default-offset=\"0.5\"\n\t\t\t\tbafg-before-label=\"NOAA expedition in Lituya Bay, 2025\"\n\t\t\t\tbafg-after-label=\"La P\u00e9rouse expedition in Lituya Bay, 1786\" bafg-overlay=\"1\"\n\t\t\t\tbafg-move-slider-on-hover=\"\"\n\t\t\t\tbafg-click-to-move=\"\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img class=\"skip-lazy\" data-skip-lazy\t\t\t\t\tsrc=\"https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Image-6_1.3mb-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"NOAA Ship RAINIER at anchor in Lituya Bay, July 27th (LT Kevin Tennyson\/NOAA)\">\n\t\t\t\t<img class=\"skip-lazy\" data-skip-lazy\t\t\t\t\tsrc=\"https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Les_fregates_de_La_Perouse_dans_le_Port_aux_Francais_en_1786.jpg\" alt=\"La P\u00e9rouse\u2019s ships, the Astrolabe and Boussole, anchored in July 1786 - nearly 250 years before the Rainier anchored in the same location. Drawing by Gaspard Duch\u00e9 de Vancy, the official artist during La P\u00e9rouse\u2019s expedition.\">\n\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"bafg-slider-info-wraper\">\n\t\t<div style=\"\" class=\"slider-info-185332 bafg-slider-info\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\t\t<style type=\"text\/css\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/style>\n\t\t\t\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group table-align-top vertical-align-top has-grey-color is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-8f761849 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left vertical-align-top has-small-font-size wp-container-content-432d1f4f wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-style:italic;font-weight:300\"><em>NOAA Ship Rainier at anchor in Lituya Bay, July 27th, 2025  (LT Kevin Tennyson<\/em>\/NOAA)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right has-small-font-size wp-container-content-432d1f4f wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-style:italic;font-weight:300\"><em>La P\u00e9rouse\u2019s ships, the Astrolabe and Boussole, anchored in July 1786.  Drawing by Gaspard Duch\u00e9 de Vancy, the official artist during La P\u00e9rouse\u2019s expedition<\/em>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While conducting hydrographic measurements near the mouth of the Bay, La P\u00e9rouse lost 21 experienced crew members and two small boats to the powerful tidal currents exiting Lituya. The event was immortalized by painter Louis-Phillipe Cr\u00e9pin in 1806 in his painting <em>Shipwreck off the Coast of Alaska<\/em>, which now sits in the Seattle Art Museum.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"630\" height=\"452\" src=\"https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Image-2.jpg\" alt=\"A dramatic painting depicts several crowded boats battling rough waves on a lake, set against a backdrop of immense, snow-covered mountains.\" class=\"wp-image-185340\" style=\"aspect-ratio:4\/3;object-fit:cover\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Image-2.jpg 630w, https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Image-2-300x215.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 630px) 100vw, 630px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Shipwreck Off the Coast of Alaska, 1806 (Seattle Museum of Art)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Bay is fed by three large glaciers (Lituya, Cascade, and North Crillon) and is known for its record-breaking tsunami wave, a 1,200 foot wall of water in 1958 that washed up the nearby hillside after a portion of the mountain face sheared off. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Geological events such as these have altered the seafloor dramatically over time\u2013and continue to do so, particularly in Alaska. In fact, towards the end of <em>Rainier\u2019s <\/em>survey, a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ngdc.noaa.gov\/hazel\/view\/hazards\/tsunami\/event-more-info\/6045\">landslide<\/a> near Tracy Arm\u2013just 150 miles away from the ship\u2013caused a tsunami across Southeast Alaska with waves up to 15 feet high.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To gain a better understanding of how the seafloor changes with geologic activity, and to improve the accuracy of nautical chats, the National Park Service and NOAA\u2019s Office of Coast Survey partnered to have the NOAA ship <em>Rainier <\/em>conduct high-resolution bathymetric mapping using multibeam sonar. A comprehensive survey of this area has not been done since 1959.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"646\" src=\"https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Image-_3-1024x646.jpg\" alt=\"A bathymetric map uses a color gradient from red (shallow) to blue (deep) to show the underwater depth and topography of a coastal inlet and the adjacent seafloor.\" class=\"wp-image-185341\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Image-_3-1024x646.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Image-_3-300x189.jpg 300w, https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Image-_3-768x484.jpg 768w, https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Image-_3-1536x969.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Image-_3-2048x1292.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Image-_3-1320x833.jpg 1320w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Depth readings in and around Lituya Bay from NOAA Ship RAINIER survey in August 2025 (NOAA) <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Over the course of 5 days, a team of hydrographers drove 301 nautical miles to map 15.5 square miles of seafloor using high-resolution bathymetric sensors mounted to <em>Rainier\u2019s<\/em> 28-foot survey launches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"836\" height=\"627\" src=\"https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Image-4.jpg\" alt=\"A silver boat cruises across turquoise glacial water, with a backdrop of forested slopes and massive, snow-covered mountains under a blue sky.\" class=\"wp-image-185342\" style=\"aspect-ratio:16\/9;object-fit:cover\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Image-4.jpg 836w, https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Image-4-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Image-4-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">RAINIER&#8217;s 28-foot launch boat in Lituya Bay (NOAA)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The data revealed striking discrepancies between the historic charts and the modern seafloor.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"618\" src=\"https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Image-5-1-1024x618.jpg\" alt=\"A bathymetric difference map of Lituya Bay from July 2025 uses a color scale to show changes in seafloor depth, with extensive red areas indicating the bay has become significantly shallower\" class=\"wp-image-185343\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Image-5-1-1024x618.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Image-5-1-300x181.jpg 300w, https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Image-5-1-768x464.jpg 768w, https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Image-5-1-1536x928.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Image-5-1-2048x1237.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Image-5-1-1320x797.jpg 1320w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The comparison of existing charted depths as compared to the updated multibeam data gathered by NOAA Ship RAINIER. Green denotes no change; any other color is either a positive or negative change. Note that some sections are as much as 130m shoaler than what is currently charted. (NOAA)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt was a pretty unique situation,\u201d said Chief Hydrographic Survey Technician Jim Jacobson. \u201cThe entire head of the Bay had filled in\u2014on the chart, it showed depths of up to 129 meters, but in reality, it was walkable land.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This dramatic change is due to shearing rockslides believed to be the result of recent landslides and the natural glacial sediment load funneled through the valley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_3040-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"A white ship sails on dark, rippling water at the base of a steep mountain featuring a large scree slope, all under a heavy, overcast sky.\" class=\"wp-image-185344\" style=\"aspect-ratio:16\/9;object-fit:cover\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_3040-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_3040-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_3040-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_3040-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_3040-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_3040-1320x990.jpg 1320w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">NOAA Ship RAINIER in Palma Bay, near Lituya Bay\u2013shearing rocksides are visible on the mountain in the background. (Henry Wald\/NOAA)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve receives over 700,000 visitors annually and as the National Park <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nps.gov\/glba\/learn\/news\/glacier-bay-sets-visitation-record-in-2023.htm\">states<\/a>, \u201cThe vast majority of Glacier Bay visitors travel by water \u2026Most visitors never go ashore, visiting on cruise ships\u201d. Creating and updating accurate nautical charts is paramount to the Park\u2019s success and to ensuring the safety of its visitors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The data collected by <em>Rainier<\/em> and her crew directly contributes to the safety and utility of the Nation\u2019s marine highway infrastructure by supporting commerce, the blue economy, and a resilient coastal environment. Without this data, there is less assurance that all hazards to navigation have been located and communicated on NOAA\u2019s charting products. This data will also be used by scientists to gain a better understanding of how landslides, tsunami waves, and more shape the seafloor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Rainier <\/em>will continue her mission to map the waterways of Alaska, dedicated to survey, safety, and science.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Image-8-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"A group of people poses for a photo on the bow of a ship sailing on a calm bay, with a scenic backdrop of snow-capped mountains and glaciers under a clear blue sky.\" class=\"wp-image-185345\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Image-8-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Image-8-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Image-8-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Image-8-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Image-8-1320x743.jpg 1320w, https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Image-8.jpg 2047w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The crew of NOAA Ship Rainier with Cascade Glacier in the background (NOAA)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em><strong>More photos from the expedition:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_2933-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"A small boat travels across a wide, calm expanse of turquoise water, leaving a wake behind it, with a small orange boat in the distance. The far shore is lined with a dense evergreen forest at the base of a large mountain, all under a bright blue sky with scattered white clouds.\" class=\"wp-image-185367\" style=\"aspect-ratio:16\/9;object-fit:cover\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_2933-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_2933-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_2933-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_2933-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_2933-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_2933-1320x990.jpg 1320w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">NOAA Ship RAINIER\u2019s survey launch collecting hydrographic survey data, passing the RAINIER\u2019s dive boat (in orange) used to verify shoreline features in Lituya Bay (Henry Wald\/NOAA)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"830\" src=\"https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_2948-scaled-e1758028618144-1024x830.jpg\" alt=\"A small research boat with two people aboard cruises on calm, turquoise water on a sunny day. In the background, a large, tree-covered mountain range with snow-capped peaks rises against a blue sky with scattered white clouds\" class=\"wp-image-185346\" style=\"aspect-ratio:16\/9;object-fit:cover\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_2948-scaled-e1758028618144-1024x830.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_2948-scaled-e1758028618144-300x243.jpg 300w, https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_2948-scaled-e1758028618144-768x623.jpg 768w, https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_2948-scaled-e1758028618144-1536x1245.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_2948-scaled-e1758028618144-2048x1660.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_2948-scaled-e1758028618144-1320x1070.jpg 1320w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">One of NOAA Ship RAINIER&#8217;s survey launches returning to the ship (Henry Wald\/NOAA)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_2769-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Two crew members on the deck of a large ship use ropes to guide a smaller boat as it is lifted out of the water by a crane. Distant, hazy mountains are visible in the background under a cloudy sky.\" class=\"wp-image-185347\" style=\"aspect-ratio:16\/9;object-fit:cover\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_2769-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_2769-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_2769-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_2769-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_2769-1320x1760.jpg 1320w, https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_2769-scaled.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The crew of NOAA Ship RAINIER recovering the hydrographic survey launch with seafloor mapping data in Lituya Bay (Henry Wald\/NOAA)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_2940-1-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"A wide-angle view from the deck of a large ship on a sunny day, with a smaller NOAA boat secured alongside on the right.\" class=\"wp-image-185365\" style=\"aspect-ratio:16\/9;object-fit:cover\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_2940-1-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_2940-1-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_2940-1-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_2940-1-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_2940-1-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_2940-1-1320x990.jpg 1320w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">View from NOAA Ship RAINIER with a hydrographic survey launch in its cradle (Henry Wald\/NOAA)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_2983-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"A view from the stern of a ship looks past a large, black A-frame crane and other deck equipment out onto the water. In the distance, a majestic mountain range with forested slopes and snowy peaks stretches across the horizon under a partly cloudy sky.\" class=\"wp-image-185366\" style=\"aspect-ratio:16\/9;object-fit:cover\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_2983-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_2983-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_2983-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_2983-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_2983-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_2983-1320x990.jpg 1320w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Back deck of NOAA Ship RAINIER in Lituya Bay, showing the Moving Vessel Profiler (blue equipment to the left) that captures sound speed information as well as the A-frame (large black structure) used for deploying surveying equipment. (Henry Wald\/NOAA)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_3187-768x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"A view from the deck of a ship looking up at its tan-colored main mast, which is rigged with radar and other electronics. A string of colorful nautical signal flags, including the American flag, flies against a gray, overcast sky, with a foggy, forested shoreline in the background.\" class=\"wp-image-185368\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_3187-768x1024.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_3187-225x300.jpeg 225w, https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_3187-1152x1536.jpeg 1152w, https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_3187-1536x2048.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_3187-1320x1760.jpeg 1320w, https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_3187-scaled.jpeg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">NOAA Ship RAINIER&#8217;s forward mast, showing the ship\u2019s call sign (reading the square flags from top to bottom, WTEF) (Henry Wald\/NOAA)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>NOAA Ship Rainier charts volatile, glacially active waters in Glacier Bay National Park By ENS P. Giamportone and ENS N. Greenlaw In August 2025, NOAA Ship\u202fRainier\u202fpulled into Lituya (lih-TOO-yuh) Bay, an inlet tucked within the outer edge of Glacier Bay National Park. The name is of Tlingit origin, meaning \u201clake within the point,\u201d and the &hellip; <\/p>\n<p class=\"link-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/rainier-in-lituya-bay-2025\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;The latest expedition in Lituya Bay: NOAA and National Park Service collaborate to update nautical charts&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":185373,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[92,7,8,14,15,20,395],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-185337","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-alaska","category-hydrographic-surveys","category-hydrography","category-noaa-corps","category-noaa-ships","category-rainier","category-seascape-alaska"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/185337","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=185337"}],"version-history":[{"count":24,"href":"https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/185337\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":185394,"href":"https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/185337\/revisions\/185394"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/185373"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=185337"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=185337"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nauticalcharts.noaa.gov\/updates\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=185337"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}