"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."
– Mona Becherer
Kiel, Germany
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This sailing adventure focuses on two of Southeast Alaska’s greatest attractions – whales and wildlife. We’ll spend ample time watching both.
We’ll be observing and photographing the productive humpback whale feeding areas near Auke Bay, Shelter Island, and Admiralty Island, and at Icy Strait and Pt. Adolphus, on the northern coast of Chichagof Island. We also hope to see and photograph orcas, sea lions, sea otters, harbor porpoises, harbor seals, dall's porpoises, brown and black bears, eagles, and some of the numerous shore birds which inhabit the rainforest and coastal areas of Southeast Alaska
The whale behaviors we'll see during this expedition are unbelievable. The itinerary is relaxed, allowing ample time for photographing the wildlife and scenery. We'll take time for hiking, kayaking, relaxing, and beach combing. On this five-day expedition, we'll cruise through an amazing wilderness aboard the Kirsten Anne, a luxurious 49' ketch operated by Captain Neil Nickerson and Alaska Sailing Charters. This sailboat offers an outstanding platform from which to photograph the incomparable humpback whales and wildlife of Southeast Alaska.
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Join us for a superb five-day sailing adventure, and photograph the wildlife of Southeast Alaska. The Kirsten Anne offers an outstanding platform from which to photograph migrating humpback whales, brown bears, and bald eagles. Adventurers and photographers of all ages, especially those wishing to experience Alaska in comfort, will treasure this experience.
Starts: Juneau, Alaska
Ends: Juneau, Alaska
Duration: Seven days
Distance: 100 miles
Price and Sailing Dates: see 2012 Schedule
Accommodations:
Activities: Sailing, photography, whale watching, wildlife observation, kayaking, hiking
Highlights: Paddling among the whales, watching wildlife, photography, fantastic scenery, wilderness solitude.
Reservations: Please contact us for more information about this sailing adventure!
Trip Deposit: We require a deposit of 50% of the total trip cost at time of booking. The full balance is due 30 days prior to the trip departure date.
Cancellation Policy: Please be sure to buy trip insurance at the time of your booking. Due to the limited operating season in Alaska (plus the fact that the majority of our trips are planned and booked well in advance), we strictly adhere to the following cancellation/refund policy:
While we have a carefully planned schedule, each trip may differ slightly, depending upon wind and tides, weather conditions, wildlife viewing opportunities, and the goals of participants.
Day 1: Our group will meet at Auke Bay Harbor at 8:00 a.m. for an orientation, and a preview of our sailing adventure. The crew will welcome you at the dock, familiarize you with your quarters aboard the Kirsten Anne, and show you where to stow your gear. We’ll quickly settle into our cabins, take a tour of the beautiful vessel, and begin our journey.
This morning we embark on our five-day adventure into the heart of Southeast Alaska's whale-watching waters. We’ll have plenty of opportunity to hike along the beach, kayak and hike, and photograph whales, marine mammals, birds, and other wildlife. Traveling on a small skiff and on foot gives us a closer view of this elaborate ecosystem.
We begin our adventure with a cruise to Shelter Island, in Lynn Canal. We’ll pass the Point Retreat Lighthouse, which sits on the northern point of Admiralty Island.
It won’t take long before we’ll need our cameras and binoculars – off the coast of Admiralty Island, humpback whales often catch herring and other small fish using a technique called bubble-net feeding. Unique to humpbacks, bubble-net feeding requires a group of whales to work cooperatively. The process begins when a school of small fish is located. Humpback whales only eat tiny fish and krill, which are abundant in Alaska's waters. The group then gathers below the school of fish, and begins releasing bubbles to confuse the fish, and bunch them together. The cylindrical wall of bubbles they create acts like a net, which fish are reluctant to swim through. This ring of bubbles soon appears on the surface of the water. The entire group then suddenly surges upward through the bubble net, mouths agape – a dozen or more humpback whales all rising to the surface in unison. Each whale collects a huge mouthful of water, and then expels it, straining the fish through its baleen. Often the group will display this feeding behavior over and over again.
Throughout the day, we’ll watch for whales, sea lions, dall porpoises, orcas, and sea birds. After arriving at our evening desination (determined by Captain Neil), we’ll stretch our legs on shore. It’s a short distance by skiff or kayak to a nearby rainforest of Sitka spruce trees. Dinner will be aboard the Kirsten Anne.
Days 2-4: After an early breakfast, we depart for an all-day cruise, observing the movement of feeding humpback whales. Each day we can also choose to paddle our sea kayaks or cruise in our inflatable boat, for closer observation.
From the 1,000 foot depths of Icy Strait to the rocky shorelines, this is a sea kayaking paradise of immense scale and diversity. Every daym we'll have the opportunity to view and photograph the amazing humpback whales, as well as transient orcas, stellar sea lions, and harbor seals that congregate here to feed each summer. We discover that sea lions are huge, and seem curious about us. They surface near us, approach us boldly, and then drop into the chilly depths. Occasionally a whale fully breaches out of the water, in a commanding display of acrobatic power. Observing these dramatic moments adds an exclamation point to our adventure!
Our daily routine includes watching for eagles and bears. Giant trees along the shore support bald eagles' nests, sometimes up to a ton in size, and over eighty kinds of moss hang from tree branches, and thickly carpet the forest floor. Eagle Rock is a favorite gathering place for bald eagles, and we’ll stop there to photograph them fishing along the shoreline. We’ll take the skiff up Mud River to explore for brown bears, examine the forest wilderness, view flocks of ducks and geese in the open meadows, and photograph the vivid displays of lupine, irises, river beauties, chocolate lilies, bog orchids and Indian paintbrush. Bears in this area forage on the abundance of berries, and pink salmon make a mid-season run up the river. In a few special places, bears place their feet in the same spot each time they use a trail, leaving a series of footprints to mark their territories.
Numerous trails take us through old growth rainforests, salmonberry thickets, and into the alpine on the top of the island. During tide pool explorations, we’ll find hundreds of sea stars, sea cucumbers, spiny sea urchins, sponges, periwinkles and whelks –a few of the many species that "hang" around, awaiting the return of high tide. A hearty picnic lunch among the tumbled boulders at a secluded beach completes our day. It is not uncommon to hear humpbacks slapping the water, and releasing their explosive breath on the other side of this very narrow island.
Each afternoon we’ll return to the Kirsten Anne, and head toward a splendid anchorage among several small islands. In the evening, we’ll enjoy another delicious dinner, as we take in the magnificent vistas and stunning sunset.
Day 5: Even by Alaska standards, Icy Strait is an extraordinary place. Waves pound the shoreline, and tidal currents swirl, stirring the sea richly into a distinct greenhouse aroma that fills the air. Green waters teem with krill, herring and salmon, attracting hungry whales and marine mammals eager for their share. On our final day, we'll pass Excursion Inlet, as we retrace our route back to Auke Bay. We pass the northwest coast of Admiralty Island in early afternoon, and once again hope to observe humpback whales bubble-net feeding.
Kirsten Anne is scheduled to arrive in Auke Bay Harbor around 4 p.m. Participants should have ample time to settle into a hotel in bustling downtown Juneau, or catch an evening flight from Juneau Airport. If you're staying in town, join us at 7:00 p.m. for fantastic dinner at the Twisted Fish Company, on Frankllin Street in downtown Juneau.
If you need additional information about this trip, pleace contact us.
[ Whales! and Wildlife Expedition ]
Even with the information age upon us, it's difficult to match the level of local knowledge that our captain and guides have accumulated over the years. Our staff is always ready to assist you — if you have additional questions, please contact us today!