“Good evening, Adventurers. We just noticed some whale action on the starboard side of the boat. A humpback calf is breaching and seems to be pretty active.”
Surrounded by Whales in Stephens Passage, Alaska
Our first whale sighting! A young, playful humpback graced us with its presence on the second night of our un-cruise in Alaska.
I don’t know why, but it seems Scott and I have unusually good luck when it comes to whale sightings. The week progressed with a few more humpback sightings here and there, in addition to two transient Orcas who came right next to our boat in Port Houghton.
Surrounded by Humpbacks
But… the real show began on Thursday evening as we cruised through Stephens Passage — en route to Dawes Glacier.
Our Captain and crew said they had never seen anything like it. Just before sunset, we found our boat surrounded by fifty to one hundred humpback whales — either feeding along the surface, tail slapping, breaching or showing off their tails as they prepared for a deep dive.
You couldn’t look in a single direction and not see a whale. They came in close as they slid along the surface with their mouths open — so close you could see their baleen!
It’s moments like these that remind us why we travel.
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A special thanks to Un-Cruise Adventures for making this magical whale experience possible.
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Great photographs of whales. Via kayak, I can’t imagine a better way to see them in Alaska.
Thank you! It was so much fun!
I too went to see Dawes Glacier on a cruise (you were on a cruise, right) in Alaska. Our captain said it was rare sunny and warm day when we arrived. We were lucky. But I guess not as lucky as the two of you to have seen the whales. Such magnificent creatures! I only saw the dorsal fins of some orcas during my cruise.
Yes it was on a cruise with Un-Cruise Adventures. Is that who you went with?
I’m going to check out UnCruise. I have heard good things. The pictures you have captured are also very beautiful!
Thank you!
Wow great photos, planning a cruise next year. Alaska is high on the list of places to visit. Was in Cruise Holidays during the week and was happily surprised with by the price.
Thanks, Tom! I would definitely do another un-cruise in Alaska.
Unbelievable whale shots and views of the ocean and the mountains in the distant.
Thanks, Ted! I kept hoping the whales would breach with a gorgeous background. It wasn’t that tough with so many whales. 🙂
Great photos! I hope to someday travel to Alaska myself.
Thank you, Anne!
This is so incredible whale! I once wanted to become a marine biologist focusing on whales and dolphins. I even started the beginnings of a program in college, but life took me another direction. I’m still in love with whales and dolphins though. I’d have been over the moon had I been on your Un-cruise!
I wanted to be the same thing when I was young. I’m still so fascinated with them.
I’ve been hearing a lot of good things about UnCruise – I have to check them out next year. I work right on the water in Alaska and sometimes we see whales or seals, but they’re too far away to get any detail.
I bet you see a lot of animal sightings in Alaska! We see dolphins often while surfing at home, but rarely ever whales — except the occasional spout way far out in the distance.