Travel Tips & Adventures

By Guest Author Peggy Bradshaw

A whale watch is a rare and exciting experience that provides views of our fellow mammal, the whale. In Alaska, The whale watch tour we took began in Auke Bay at the marina and traveled through the Saginaw Channel to the Lynn Canal, the main summer feeding waters of the humpback whale. You are always assured of seeing at least one whale, and seeing just one is a rarity.

At times you can spot a group of whales “bubble-netting” a school of fish, bunching the fish together to ensure easy pickings for the whale. They swiftly rise from the bottom to breech above the surface to take their fill and to take turns feeding. Humpback whales can consume as much as a ton of krill and small fish per day in the summer. They migrate to the nutrient-rich waters of Southeast Alaska in the summer after having fasted all winter and then returning to the warm waters of Hawaii and Mexico in the winter to breed.

In Alaska, outside of Juneau, we chose Allen’s Marine with their fleet of catamarans, specially designed to navigate Southeast Alaska’s passages for our whale watching adventure. They are equipped with water jets and are fast, but stable. Large wraparound windows allow for maximum visibility and the large cabin keeps you toasty warm and comfortable while you are watching for the wildlife that lives in the water in and around Alaska. You can capture wildlife on film from inside the cabin or you can go up to the top deck, which is open for easy viewing from all sides.

Sea Lions sunning Photo by George Bradshaw

Along the way are picturesque lighthouses, such as the one at Point Retreat. Watch the buoys as you go by as they are a favorite places for sea lions to sun themselves. They are also a favorite perch for bald eagles as they scan the water for their prey of fish. The eagles’ nests can be spotted in the tall trees along the shoreline.

North Pass, between Lincoln and Shelter Islands is a favorite hangout for the Orca (killer whale) and they like to prey on the sea lions. The Orca is hard to spot because all that is usually showing above the water is their tall, thin dorsal fin. A sharp eye is required to spot them. You can also find Harbor Seals and Dall’s Porpoises in this area.

The whale and wildlife quest tour lasts about three hours and is well worth the money and time. We have taken the tour twice and have not been disappointed either time.

Tomorrow – A Trip in Time to Skagway, Alaska

Tags: Alaska, Tours, Travel, Whale watching

This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009 at 6:00 am and is filed under Family Fun, Scenery, Ship Travel, Travel. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.