Icy Strait: Whale Watching with Sightings Shared Small Group

Begin your adventure with a pickup from the Icy Strait Excursions Hub. Head to the Hoonah Harbor dock to meet your charter boat. Along the way, keep an eye out for local wildlife, including Alaskan brown bears, bald eagles, and blacktail deer. Once aboard, travel along the shorelines and look for bears, deer, coastal ducks, geese, blue herons, puffins, swans, terns, cormorants, and more. In the water, spot orcas, sea otters, sea lions, porpoises, and seals in addition to feeding humpbacks. Humpback whales come to Hoonah in huge numbers to feed on the nutrient-rich waters of Glacier Bay and Icy Strait every summer beginning in May before migrating south again in September for the winter. Humpback whales are large baleen whales that can reach over 50 feet in length and weigh as much as 30-50 tons. Humpbacks are amazingly active and typical whale sightings will include diving, blows, and flukes (tails). Lucky whale watchers may get to see breaching and bubble-net feeding, a cooperative feeding method where a pod forms a circle and dives under the water; they then blow air to create a wall of bubbles that force krill and plankton to the surface where the whales can eat them. Observing humpbacks practice bubble-net feeding is a real treat and a truly thrilling experience. The charter boat is built for speed and comfort and is perfectly suited for travel along Alaska's waterways. Stay warm and dry with viewing decks and heated cabins as you experience the wonder and beauty of the whale-watching trip. Return to the docks and be transported back to Icy Strait with plenty of time to board your ship or explore downtown Hoonah.

Your final excursion voucher with comprehensive Meeting Instructions will be issued 4 weeks before your excursion date.