Whale acoustics vary depending on the whale's environment. Blue whales can make low frequency sounds that travel across oceans — over 1600 miles. Coastal humpback whales make higher frequency sounds that are more localized. The sonar clicks emitted by resident pods of orcas are very intense.
Learn more about our Photography Tours
Join us on one of our exciting sailing expeditions. We'll cruise through an amazing wilderness aboard the S/V Kirsten Anne, our luxurious 49’ ketch. This sailboat offers an outstanding platform from which to experience and photograph the lush, old-growth rainforests of the Tongass National Forest.
Alaska's legendary Inside Passage is an intricate network of pristine waterways, granite fjords, and islands of astonishing beauty. It is home to eagles, black and brown bears, humpback whales, orcas, deer and moose, mountain goats, stellar sea lions, sea otters, porpoises and harbor seals.
On our journey, we will see charming fishing villages, an incredible array of wildlife, and the breathtaking scenery of the Inside Passage. The crew will pamper you, while the captain maneuvers the Kirsten Anne to unique and tantalizing places that no cruise ship sails to. Adventure travelers of all ages will love exploring the wilderness of the Inside Passage aboard this handsome boat.
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Captain Neil Nickerson has been working Alaskan waters since 1988, as a Coast Guard officer aboard cutters, as well as on tugboats and passenger ferries. He is intimately familiar with Southeast Alaska’s Inside Passage and Prince William Sound, and has sailed north to the Arctic Circle, and as far west as Attu Island.
Neil holds an Coast Guard Master’s License for any tonnage vessel, any ocean, is certified in First Aid and CPR, and keeps the vessel up to a 5 Star Coast Guard rating for safety. There’s nothing Neil enjoys more than sharing the experience and grandeur of coastal Alaska with visiting guests.
Alaska Sailing Charters offers a safe and pleasant experience, whether you are sailing, kayaking, skiffing or hiking.
Brett Farrell's Coast Guard career spanned more than 21 years, and included numerous shipboard engineering assignments. Two of those assignments were aboard the Coast Guard cutter Storis and Coast Guard cutter Alex Haley, homeported in Kodiak, Alaska. Brett also served at the Coast Guard Marine Safety Office in Port Arthur, Texas, and on the staff of the Commander, Seventeenth Coast Guard District in Juneau.
Brett holds an Coast Guard 50-Ton License, and is certified in First Aid and CPR. Brett keeps the Kirsten Anne up to a 5 Star Coast Guard rating for safety.
Alaska Sailing Charters offers a safe and pleasant experience, whether you are sailing, kayaking, skiffing or hiking.
For a world-class charter expedition, sail the 49' ketch Kirsten Anne through the pristine waters of Southeast Alaska. On our well-planned trips, we'll observe whales, porpoise, otters, sea lions, bears, mountain goats, and seabirds from her decks, and explore the bays, channels, fjords, glaciers, and rainforests within her reaches.
Life aboard this beautiful yacht is fully experienced, when we take advantage of the kayaks or skiff for further exploration. We'll go ashore to hike along the beaches or deep within the rainforest, paddle our kayaks among sapphire-colored icebergs, before returning to the Kirsten Anne to enjoy another fabulous Alaskan meal!
Step inside the Kirsten Anne to get a feel for her spacious interior, and to see how she is laid out. There is a walk-in engine room off the master stateroom, and newly built davits off the stern to carry kayaks and our skiff.
Our support staff and guides have the experience and training to provide you with the safest, most enjoyable wilderness adventure possible. Our staff has knowledge of whales and bears, Alaska's geology, and much more.
Each year our on-board crew completes a training review, which includes safety and rescue, and in-depth training in tides, wind, current and weather.
Most importantly, our crew has the training and experience to:
Make things easier for you. Behind the scenes, our crew handles all trip planning, logistics, packing, and many other chores. So relax and make the most of your trip!
Keep you safe. Our experienced crew is highly trained to anticipate and avoid dangers, to help ensure your safety. Please understand that every outdoor activity entails an element of risk (we can't promise you won't get hurt), we have never had a serious injury that has required a client evacuation.
Keep you informed. Our crew will share their personal knowledge of the areas we visit. Not only do they know the names of plants and animals, but they can inform you about the complex interaction between many of the plants, animals, geology, ocean and weather!
"We are so excited to get to sail on the Kirsten Anne with you again!" |
"Best trip ever! With my best buds and a great captain. Excellent – thank you." |
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"Fantastic trip, fun time, great learning experience. Thank you for your trip selection!" |
"Thanks for a wonderful trip. You are a super hostess and a master captain!" |
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"Good travel, good food, good fishing, - the Alaska of my dreams!" |
"Thank you for taking such good care of us. It was a blast! A long lasting memory in the making." |
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"We think often of our wonderful sailing trip, and we love to watch our pictures. We are very thankful for the time we had with you on the Kirsten Anne! We hope you had a good summer and many more fun trips! ...mit vielen walen. We hope to be back again." |
"We had the trip of a life time, especially Chris who's 60th birthday treat it was which was great. Food, fishing and sights were magic. Thanks very much for looking after us so well and being so patient." |
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"This is truly the best vacation we have ever had!" |
"The trip was the best experience in my life. It was so impressive to be so close to nature and the whales. Just drifting through the water, and all you could hear were the blows of about twenty humpbacks. I'll never forget that." |
Special use permits are required to use national forest land for certain purposes. The majority of special use permits are issued to guides for hunting, fishing, and sightseeing tours. A special use permit may also be required for recreation, mineral exploration, and other commercial and private enterprises on national forest land.