September 18th  "End of the season :("
"All good things must come to an end."  So said a realist lacking optimism.  Today marked the end of the season and I had the pleasure of spending it out at Point Adolphus with a couple of serious Georgia  football fans and Atlanta residents.  The day was cool but promised to be pretty dry so we were optimistic as we left the harbor.  Reports of a pair of bubble feeding humpbacks the night before kept us on the lookout for them as we left the harbor.  They weren't there just yet so we headed out.  

The whales at the point have begun to move on toward their winter haunts and we were disappointed to find only a handful of whales, mostly sleeping.  When they weren't asleep, they dove deep and for long periods making them hard to track.  We spend a couple of hours waiting for something to happen but when it didn't, we decided to head back toward Hoonah to see if we could find the two bubble feeders.  

As is typical of Icy Strait, we should have expected the unexpected as we crossed paths with a pod of Orca on the way in and were able to enjoy them for about a half an hour as they milled around in the tide rips.  There were a dozen whales in the pod and three large males with huge dorsal fins.  They came close to us on several occasions and we were able to see one of them roll on its side and show us her stomach.  They certainly saved the day and though we didn't ever find the bubble feeding whales on the way home the flat calm water, no rain and beautiful sky made for the perfect end to another excellent season.  

Many thanks to everyone who came out with us this summer and we look forward to seeing some of you again this fall and winter as we patrol the east coast on our first vacation in quite some time.

September 16th, "Being color blind has its drawbacks"
We departed the harbor at 8:30, three couples and myself for a day of whale watching as I have done on many days this summer.  The group was anxious to see the wildlife and the whales in particular.  The whales have been gradually trickling out as the days have shortened and the weather cooled a bit, if that is possible from this summer.  The whales that have been frequenting the local shoreline were gone from sight so we headed for Point Adolphus.  We didn't see any whales along the way but at one point about mid-way to the point, someone pointed out an object in the distance, poking up just above the small waves and bobbing alone. I, the wizened captain, noted that it must be a sea lion.  As we approached the object, one of the guys on board, informed me that if it was a sea lion it was a pretty blue one.  Upon careful examination through the binocs, it soon was found to be a milk jug painted blue.  Someones halibut line.  The whole crew laughed and the gentleman cracked that if that was a sea lion he couldn't wait to see the whales I would spot.  

We made our way out and spotted our first real whale just past eagle point.  It was slow moving and not putting its tail in the air so we continued to work our way out to the point.  We finally found a few whales working the tide rips off of the point and enjoyed tails and puffing for about an hour.  We were completely alone on the water after a cruise ship sailed past and out of sight in the low mist and fog that hung just above the water.  Finally when everyone had sort of relaxed and perhaps given up on a great photo op, one of the whales that had been swimming our way from the distance breached broadside to the boat.  No one was able to get their camera up in time but almost everyone saw it and enjoyed the great splash.  It was the highlight of the day as for the rest of the time we were only able to get a little rolling on the surface from two of the about ten individuals we saw today.  We did see a couple of other breaches very distant but too far away to move closer to.

What a great day and a really enjoyable group of folks, four of whom hailed from the Houston area and had missed being home when Ike struck their area.  Neither of their homes suffered damage as they were in the western part of the city area.  They were thankful and lucky as so many others have been devastated by this most recent storm.

September 10th, "A private viewing."
As the season winds down, my wife Teresa and I were able to get out on the water to enjoy some whale watching together. A pod of six whales have been bubble feeding along the shore of Port Frederick the past week and we wanted to try to get some video footage with our new camera.  Most of what we have taken over the summer was too jumpy and out of focus to really enjoy.  You sort of needed Dramamine to watch it without tossing your lunch.  Anyway, we found the whales about a mile up into the bay and started to pace them as they worked along the shore cornering and surrounding the schools of herring and then charging to the surface to gobble them up.  Aside from being a little on the rainy side, the conditions were prime.  The water was still and unrippled, the seagulls were swarming over the whales, giving us the perfect indication of where they would surface so we got five or six really great sequence.  Much like the photos below, I think it was the same pod.  Their tactics and appearance as they surfaced was identical.  We spent about two hours with them, not another boat was on the water save the Ferry that was coming in at the end of the time.  The Ferry had to stop for a moment and wait for the whales to pass before it could make its final approach to its mooring.


Mid to late August
Many days have passed, each of them with whales to enjoy.  We have been treated to daily bubble feeding shows for the past ten days by a pod of five whales that have been working the schools of herring that have collected along the shore in front of town.  They have provided a welcome start to most of our days of fishing and have been there to welcome us home on many days.  

They follow a very predictable routine, with one of the larger whales seeming to be the dominant feeder.  It comes up first and the furthest out of the water when they crash to the surface through the ring of bubbles.  There is a young whale in the group who often waits on the surface some distance away while the other whales, it's mother included, go through their routine. The background of the photo about is the cannery complex that is known as Icy Strait Point.  The fishing continues as the whales work through the area.  There was not a ship in the day this was taken.


In the photo above, you can appreciate the size of a whales mouth when fully open, a small boat could easily fit in the pool formed by the bottom jaw and pleated throat of the whale on the left of the photo.  

An interesting thing happened the day the last ship was in.  This group had been working their way down the shore from town out to the cruise port.  They were poised to do a bubble feed in the space between the anchored ship and the tender dock, several local boats were waiting anxiously with their guests aboard for a great photo-op as the flat calm waters made the bubble ring easily visible.   Just as the ring was closing and we were set for the whales to come up through its middle, one of the ship's tenders came charging out from the ship and right into the middle of the ring.  The group broke off the feed and came puffing to the surface exhaling loudly, almost in disgust.  A sentiment shared by almost everyone on the dock, the boats in the area and along the rail of the ship as many had gathered there to watch the whales.  The tender drivers have yet to comprehend that there are other things going on besides charging back and forth to the ship.  No harm done except some sore feelings.

Thanks to Rob McIntosh for the great sequence of a whale breaching on the trip August 5th.

August 12th  "A very blustery day."

    The forecast was right for once.  By the time we left the harbor for the day of fishing the wind had come up and the rain continued.  As we cleared the breakwater we were treated to a special sight.  There were three whales bubble feeding along the shore right in front of town.  We were able to watch them through several bubble rings and lunges as they rounded up the herring into a ball and then swam through them with mouths wide, coming almost half way out of the water each time.  

    With camera set and the water flat calm between the bow of the anchored cruise ship and the dock at the cannery the ring of bubbles began to appear on the surface.  Just as the ring was closing up one of the tenders ran right into the middle of it and the whales had to abort their lunge.  Too bad, the folks on the tender and those watching from the rail and balconies on the ship missed a great photo-op and a wonderful experience.

    The whales continued to work the local shoreline and were still there while my wife and I walked along the shore after the day was through.  This was a good thing as the weather was really snotty and a trip to Pt. Adolphus would have been a very rough ride both ways and the larger waves would have made the whale watching much less enjoyable..

August 10th  "A symphony of Activity."
   
    A day of fishing with a wonderful couple from Maryland who have visited us many times offered the chance to spend the day at Pt. Adolphus.  With salmon very slow to show in the familiar local haunts, we were forced to head out to the point to hunt for the salmon trickling in off the ocean through the north and south Inian Passes.  The two day's previous effort had produced fish but in numbers very low for mid-August in Icy Strait.

    Fishing in the often turbulent waters off of the point, the strong west wind of the two previous days was gone and the water was glassy calm.  Almost as soon as we had the lines in the water, we hooked a large silver, the promise of a good day of fishing filled the captain and the fishermen.  We soon lost our focus on the fishing as a large humpback breached very near the boat.  As we trolled into the oncoming current, we were able to see in the distance three whales in the air at one time.  The splashes were magnificent and loomed larger than life across the mirror surface of the water.  The whales continued to perform, with as many as five whales breaching at different distances and in different directions at different times.

    The fishing didn't much improve, but we were happy to have the time to enjoy the magnificent whales as they celebrated being whales.  The towering mountains flanking Glacier Bay were visible through the patchy high clouds.

    Many people offer up theories as to why whales breach, some feel it is a display of irritation at the proximity of a boat.  With the number of boats few and far between, as is typical on Sunday, it is hard to believe they are doing anything but celebrating the fact that they can thrust themselves out of the water.  A display of prowess difficult to match.

August 5th  "Another day at the Breach."

    Spending many days on the water watching whales often begs the question, "do you get tired of seeing the whales every day?"  Sequences like the one above should be ample answer.  After a rough end to the month of July, wind, rain and rough water, the first week of August has been fantastic.  Flat calm waters with little or no rain have made for some great days on the water.

    Out for a whale watching trip with a family from sunny South Carolina, the day started out slow.  Our first whale was spotted forty minutes from the harbor and we slowed and enjoyed a few arched backs and tails before moving off in the direction of Pt. Adolphus and the three or four whales we could see spouting along the shoreline ahead.  The large pod of 10-12 whales that has been steady for the majority of July was nowhere to be found, at least not in a group.  It was likely that they were scattered doing their own thing for the day.  

    As the tide started to flood, a 18 foot run in today, things started to pick up.  We spotted a whale breaching about a half mile away and began to idle in its direction. We stopped and watched for a repeat performance and were caught in one of the great rip currents that Adolphus is famous for and began a four time teacup ride, making keeping the whale in sight almost impossible.  We finally drifted out of the whirlpool in time to see the splash of another breach.  Things calmed down and the whale moved on.

    We decided to run our around the final rock point to see if the pod was in tight along the shoreline toward Mud Bay and spotted another whale breaching far in the distance.  We began to head out toward the whale, watching it breach many times as we worked our way against the rushing tide.  Even though it took ten minutes to get close enough to see clearly, the whale kept breaching.  The two big cameras on board were able to capture the very predictable breaches many times and the final count for the day was sixteen full breaches and six or so half breaches.  The whale grew tired and our time was up so we left him heading toward Glacier Bay and turned for home.  

    On the run home we saw many of the whales we had passed on the way out, but somehow they didn't hold the same allure for those on the boat.  The sun shone bright for most of the day.  It just doesn't get much better than this.

August 4th  "Halibut with a side of Whale."

    The 4th was supposed to be a day spent fishing salmon with a family from south Florida.  Problem was the salmon didn't get the memo and have so far failed to appear. Soooo.  Anxious to get out on the water and catch something, we opted for halibut fishing.  The two youngsters, 11 and 13 were anxious to catch something bigger than the grouper they had hooked at home in Florida.  I decided to make the long run to Pt. Adolphus to try for the fish and explained it would provide the added bonus of excellent whale watching while we fished.  Everyone was up for it so we headed out.

    The run out is about 45 minutes and I could see the, "are we there yet?" in the eyes of the young man with his mind on fishing.  We fiiiinaly got our lines in the water and within a minute had our first halibut on.  Granted he was more suited for ping pong than framing a doorway, it was exciting and primed everyone for more.  Soon all four fishermen had mastered the technique and were working at turning the bites into fish.  

    The first whale cruised by us less than ten minutes later and came within fifty yards of the boat as he cruised by.  With fish on there wasn't anyone to take a picture but it didn't seem to matter.   Soon we had ample fish in the box for a fish fry in Florida so we pulled in the lines and headed out to watch the pod of 10 or so whales working off of the point.   We idled out and stopped a quarter mile from where the whales were spouting as they moved away to the west.  As we drifted east with the current, the whales did an about face underwater and scared/surprised us by surfacing very near the boat one after another and cruising by us in slow motion, spouting their less than pleasant breath into the air that drifted over us.  The whole pod filed by and then disappeared below the smooth water and were gone.  Everyone agreed that the day couldn't get any better, so we headed for home.

    The guys feathers were a little ruffled as they were beaten soundly in number and size by the ladies, something I am sure will be forgiven when the fish arrive in Florida and hit the table.

July 30th,  "A really amazing day!"

    Being that my odometer was turning over another year today, I wanted to spend the day at Pt. Adolphus.  Luckily, there were four people willing to spend it with me watching the whales. Two of them celebrating their wedding anniversary.  The weather was fine, the first day without rain or 20 knot winds for at least a week and we were just happy to be out on the water without rain gear.

    It took most of an hour to spot our first whale, but soon after we spotted the large pod that makes Adolphus their home all summer and headed out to see them.  Along the way we passed half a dozen single whales cruising along into the strong current as the tide flooded in.  

    As we approached the pod, there were several other boats positioned around them so we skirted them all and killed the engine about a mile away from the pod.  The current pushed all of us and the whales east into Icy Strait and for a while the whales were getting more distant.  But, as is their custom, the whales reversed course and began working their way back against the tide, remaining on station over the large schools of herring that were flipping all around the boat and into the distance.  Several other whales passed close to the boat as they traveled in search of food and the large pod disappeared for a very long time.

    Soon, we discovered why. They surfaced near the boat en mass, spouts and trumpets reverberated in the cabin and echoed off of the cliffs on shore It sounded like a fog  horn was being sounded and answered.  The graceful flow of these immense animals as they slipped by the silent boat thrilled everyone on board and offered some great photo ops.  The whales hyperventilated with a few last breaths and one of the whales trumpeted several times before the entire group sounded and were gone.  

    We drifted with the whales for another hour and enjoyed several close passes.  The sea lions were curious, as usual, and we had many approach the boat to within ten feet and blow at us as they rolled on their sides and dove beneath the surface.

    No killer whales were sighted but everyone was happy with the day and we cruised home enjoying the occasional break in the clouds that let that strange yellow ball that we have infrequently seen this summer shine through.

July 21st  "Just a lot of Extra Ordinary Tails"

    The choppy water in front of town left a little salt spray on the windows but once we rounded Christ Point, it gave way to glassy calm waters painted light gray by the low overcast that hung between the mountains on both sides of Icy Strait.  There weren't many critters to be found along the way to Pt. Adolphus, even the eagles seemed to be scarce.  Not to worry.

    As we approached the point, the clouds of seagulls circling over the tide rips hinted that the whales weren't far below.  Soon we spotted a pair of spouts about a half mile ahead and the day was on.  The two young ladies, 4th and 7th grade and already seasoned sailors and the 2 year old were thrilled at the sight of the distant whales.  Everyone was out on deck as we drew abreast of the pair and slowed to enjoy them.   As we drifted with the engine off, we began to hear many more whales in our immediate area.  After a few minutes idling west into the boiling tide rips that were running past the point, we cut the engine again and listened to the long and musical whooshing of the whales as they expelled great lung fulls of air and drew in deep breaths to dive down to feed.

    Pretty soon we found our selves surrounded by humpbacks at various distances.  Though none of them were inclined to perform today, the number of tails we saw was ample entertainment for everyone on board.  A few curious sea lions came to the side of the boat to check us out while we were surrounded by a huge school of herring whipped into a feeding frenzy and flipping so often around the boat that at times it sounded like it was raining fish. The only thing we hadn't seen yet were eagles and three or four obliged us at the end by diving down on the herring from above and grabbing the bright silver fish from the water in easy sight of the boat.

    As we headed home, everyone seemed happy to have seen so many whales and other wildlife that the uneventful ride home was spent discussing the day and looking forward to the adventures everyone had planned at their future ports of call.

Thanks to Mike and Adriene for the great photo from their trip on July 15th.

July 15th  "Yet another amazing day"

    At six am I could hear the rain pattering on the metal roof of the house, heavy drops plopping infrequently as they gathered on the leaves of the giant cottonwood that towers beside the house and splashed down. Not encouraging signs for a day on the water.  By the time we got up and had the coffee going it the rain had become a drizzle and by the time I headed down to start the boat and ready it for the day the sun had begun to poke out.

    Such is the weather in SE Alaska.  By the time my wife, Teresa, arrived with our five guests for the day everything was mostly dry and ready to go.

    The cruise to Pt. Adolphus was quiet and filled with anticipation as everyone was scanning the horizon for the telltale puff of steam that gives the humpback away.  We spotted our first whale 30 minutes out of the harbor, a loner cruising casually along the shore looking for a school of unsuspecting herring.  We watched as it swam slowly away and then continued on to the point.

    At the point we found the pod of 8 or nine humpbacks that have made Adolphus their summer home for as long as I can remember.  The same core group returns yearly with a new calf or two in tow.  They were very active and we saw a few breaches as we approached from a mile or more away.  Everyone was on their toes.

    We eased around a couple of individuals that surfaced between us and the point and then cut the motor and drifted in with the tide.  We put the hydrophone over the side and listened to them as they whined, chirped and burbled underwater and wheezed and blew on the surface.  There were a half dozen sea lions mixed in with the whales and they seemed to be playing with the younger whales.  The juvenile whales linger at the surface while the adults dive down several hundred feet to feed on the herring.  

    We caught several breaches and lots of flipper flapping, the sound of the splashes and smacks carrying far and fast across the calm water.  A few whales swam very close to the boat as we drifted for about two hours and provided some excitement for everyone, including the captain.

    We found no bears on the way home, but high tide pushes everything back into the trees.

    We topped the day off with a crab and an Amber at "The Office" the treat of Ted who said it was actually on Royal Caribbean and their generous slots.  We enjoyed the steamed crab all the more.

July 14th  "Whales, whales everywhere"

    Another fantastic day on the water, not a ripple of wind and only a few sprinkles.  Sunshine for the time we were watching the whales made for a special day.  
    The run to Point Adolphus was pretty dry, no whales along the way, only a few sea lions and a couple of porpoises.  Once we reached the point, all of that was forgotten. There were whales scattered everywhere. Singles and groups of two and three were spread out for several miles, working on the schools of herring milling in the current offshore.  The view into Glacier Bay was amazing, the mountains were out and the low clouds that hung on the hills glowed in the patches of sunshine.

    A pod of Orca were chasing a few sea lions just as we arrived and we got a chance to see the Orca from about 200 yards away as the headed east down Icy Strait.  

    The whales didn't disappoint, shortly after the killer whales left, a group of humpbacks got playful and we caught a few double breaches on film and video from about 150 yards away.  There was little going on underwater on the hydrophone.  A few sea lions slipped up beside the boat while we were watching the whales perform and checked us out up close.  Ten feet or less for a pair of curious males. One was close to 800 pounds.

    The big pod never got together and it seemed like most of the twenty or so individuals out there were resting up from a morning of feeding.  Lots of puffing and tails but after the breaching, not much else.  We headed home after a day well spent and found a couple of more whales along the shore back to the harbor.


July 10, 2008    "Another Day at The Office"

    On days like today, it really makes you appreciate that work can be so enjoyable. We headed out at 8am for Pt. Adolphus. Flat calm seas and a brightening overcast were encouraging signs that we would have a great day with the whales. Neither disappointed.

    We spotted our first whale, a warm-up whale, about 35 minutes out of the harbor and then began to pick up more as we approached the point. We watched a mother and playful calf for about five minutes until the calf tired of trying to breach. On the west side of the point we found two large pods, 6-10 whales each, working the feed along the shoreline and drifted down with the tide. The whales were actively feeding and the hydrophone picked up their squeals and chatter as they dove in the distance.

    Several single whales were breaching at various times around the boat and we saw a group of sea lions playing leap-frog over the back of one of the young whales. We saw plenty of sea lions, seal and eagles as well all chasing the herring and salmon that are so thick in this area.

    The sun came out for the ride home and warmed us up a bit from the cool of the morning. Visitors from Texas, Louisiana and Georgia made for excellent company and many stopped at the “Office Bar” on the way back to their ship for a locally caught, freshly steamed crab and an Alaskan Amber beer.  "The Office" offers you an excellent opportunity to meet some of the local folks and enjoy one of the tastiest seafood meals to be found.

July 4, 2008  "The Whales Were Awesome"

    If you haven’t ever had the opportunity to view the whales at Pt. Adolphus or many other locations around Icy Strait, you have missed out on one of the great outdoor experiences offered in the rich marine environment of Alaska’s Inside Passage.

    Having spent most of my life on these waters, I still find something that amazes and impresses me almost daily.

    For instance; Last week on a trip with a group of folks from Pennsylvania who arrived on one of the cruise ships that visit Hoonah, or Icy Strait Point we had the good fortune to find both humpback whales in abundance as well as a pod of several dozen Orca.

    At one point in the afternoon, we had about 20 humpbacks within sight and the Orca passed through the whole bunch. As we drifted out with the tide, we heard a loud “puff” from behind us and turned to see a large female Orca swimming broadside for the middle of the boat. She dived at the last second and we could see her large dorsal fin with gray shading as she passed directly under the boat. She surfaced about 10 yards beyond the boat and continued calmly on with the rest of the pack.

    While days like this are special, they are not uncommon. We were also able to catch a double breach as well as several individuals breaching. There were flipper flappers, tail lobbers, spy hoppers and innumerable sea lions and eagles moving around us as we drifted.

    These are the sights you can expect to enjoy on a longer, more intimate whale watching trip. If you are looking for an experience that will last you a lifetime, consider coming out to see the whales with us.

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