Alaska Whale Watching Is Unforgettable
Alaska whale watching is one of the main draws to the region, along with the stunning glaciers and national parks. The season for whale watching extends year-round for the area's resident killer whales, as they are willing to brave the icy waters to get the best selection of prey. On a late-summer whale watching excursion, you'll be privy to many more species of whales that are just gearing up for their massive 10,000-mile migration to warmer waters. In this article, you'll learn all about planning an unforgettable, Alaskan whale watching tour.
With regard to Alaska whale watching tours and sightings, whale research experts say there are certain behaviors you'll want to look out for. Since whales are mammals, they need air in their lungs to breathe, so it's common to see whales surfacing every so often. When a whale leaps out of the water to catch a big gulp of fresh air, it's referred to as "breaching." When less than half the whale surfaces to take in air, it's called "lunging." These behaviors are often worked into their bubble feeding technique, (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJvfjiCTvq4), where they use air to corral fish into smaller units for mass eating. "Spy-hopping" is a type of curious behavior most popular with killer whales, where they peak their head out of the water to examine their surroundings. "Lob-tailing" is when a whale lifts its tale fluke out of the water and slaps the surface several times in a row. "Slapping" occurs when a whale lies on its side at the surface and uses its fins or flippers to slap the surface of the water. As you can imagine, these moments make excellent photo opportunities!
Alaska whale watching trips offer wonderful views of many whale species. Humpbacks hang out from May to September (with peak viewing time from mid-June to mid-August). Weighing up to 40 tons, these whales typically migrate to the warmer waters of Southern California and Hawaii for food, added sunlight and breeding purposes. Fifteen to thirty foot killers congregate in hunting and social pods year-round in Alaska, preferring the colder weather and diverse range of prey, including seals, squids, birds and porpoises. Gray whales are another migratory species that travel a good 10,000 miles round-trip over a six-month period to have their 1,500 pound newborns in Baja, California. These bottom-feeders are less commonly seen playing at the surface but have been known to show little fear around humans, especially when they feel their young are threatened, which has earned them the moniker "devil fish." The best time to see grays is in April and October. Northern blue whales -- the largest animals on Earth -- can reach up to 80 feet in length and can weight 200 tons. The best time to see them off the shores of Alaska or on a cruise is from May to September, where they feed around the continental shelves before migrating. Fin and minke whales are less commonly spotted because they tend to travel alone and remain fairly elusive, although they may be caught spy-hopping from May to September.
When you're choosing between the many whale watching trips in Alaska, keep in mind that the tours will all take you to see the same whales in pretty much the same areas. Your tour operator is required to stay at least 100 yards away from the animals (if they can help it) and move on every twenty minutes. Most of the tours last about 2 to 3 hours in length as well, so your primary decision will be to choose from the whale watching boats available. Some boats are large and can accommodate 60 to 150 people, such as the Allen Marine, and feature announcements over a PA system. A second category of boats are found on Dolphin Jet Tours, Adventures in Alaska, Alaska Whale Watching and Orca Enterprises. These fit 6-50 people and are smaller than the largest of the catamaran boats. Your questions can be answered by a marine biologist, captain or local experts. Lastly, you may choose an intimate "six-pack" tour, like Alaska Yacht Charter that fits only six passengers.
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The worldwide whale watch industry brings in roughly $1.25 billion dollars each year. According to outspoken Canadian animal rights activist Paul Watson, "Back in 1980, whale watching surpassed whaling as an industry.
Boston Whale Watching Opportunities
If you want to get away from the more popular Boston whale watching cruise experience and see something a little more remote, then you can take a pleasant 40 minute drive north to Gloucester. Here, you are conveniently situated between two prime feeding grounds; Stellwagen's Bay and Jeffrey's Ledge. Down in Stellwagen, you're likely to see humpbacks, minke and finback whales, as well as white-sided dolphins.
The Best Places For Massachusetts Whale Watching
Its close proximity to the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary makes the Provincetown port the best place for Massachusetts whale watching. Most of the Boston tours spend 45 minutes or so cruising down to whale territory, but visitors to Provincetown can often see the gentle giants breeching from the beach. On your whale watching cruise, you may see humpback, finback, right and minke whales, as well as marine birds, dolphins and sea turtles.