Whales - Homer/Seward
 

We are coming to Alaska the first of August. After planning the trip, etc. one of our group of 6 seniors said that the main thing he wanted to do was see whales. I went on a great whale trip (small boat) out of Glacier Bay, but wondered if the Major Marine Tour we have scheduled out of Seward is the best one for whales OR is it mainly for glaciers?
We'll also be in Homer and Girdwood/Whittier.HELP

We took the longest Kenai Fjords boat trip to see calving glaciers. The glaciers didn't calve but we also saw humpback whales (close enough to smell whale breath but they didn't breach) and several groups of orcas which were amazing since the boat stopped so we could watch them. I think the boats communicate with each other when whales are sighted but it still requires some luck.

If you are planning on taking one of the Kenai Fjords tours only for the whale viewing, you may be disappointed. If you take the tour for the scenery and the wildlife, you will be pleased and you have a good chance of seeing a whale too.

when your in Homer stay at the Lands End Resort

http://www.lands-end-resort.com/

I awoke up one evening to the sound of whales right outside my window. I looked out of my balcony and no more than fifty feet away was a pod of killer whales. Watched for and hour before I fell asleep.

Aloha!

For clairfication, Kenai Fjords boat trips are NOT whale watches. Of my many trips, I've only averaged about 50% of my trips seeing whales.
Seward is also NOT "mainly for glaciers", it's mainly for varied wildlife. The Glacier viewing stop is probably only 1/2 hour. IF you want glaciers superior is to go out of Whittier.

Homer isn't a whale watch area either. There was one operator, who did do whale watches, but you will have to be on a longer boat ride I would assume??

You all are great! This is very helpful!

I took the full-day cruise out of seward last summer and saw a huge amount of wildlife--puffins, whales, porpoises--it was the highlight of the trip.

BQ sums it up well as always.

For general viewing, I've always favored Seward. Whittier is better for glaciers. Homer has the best harbor/town setting.

You can see whales out of any of the three ports but none are guaranteed. I've seen the most out of Seward . . . but most often fishing or just riding around rather than on a special mission for whales.

BTW, I think BQ's 50 percent sighting rate might be a little bit low. After all the great info -- she's clearly the No. 1 AK poster -- she has two choices:

1) post your Seward trip dates so others can schedule another trip increase their odds. :)

2) stop wearing that darn whale repellent or is it Eua de Harpooner perfume :)

OK Repeat- I will. :) ;) :)

Folks, when you mention the Whittier glacier cruise, do you mean cruising in the Prince William Sound area?

Yes, out of Whittier, the tours go to PWS.

Our experience is same as BQ's. We have done the 6hr tour in late May and saw humpbacks and orcas.In early Sep, we saw nothing and they hadn't seen any the two days before that either. It is still a nice tour.