Where To Find a Whale Watch Cruise
A whale watch cruise offers an unprecedented glimpse into the lives of the world's largest and most mysterious mammals. You can watch the Alaskan orcas slapping their tails, breaching or spying above the surface. If you're lucky, you may see one of the shy minke whales breaching several times in a row and frolicking like a dolphin. You might see a barnacle-nosed gray whale following the boat out of curiosity or a 50-foot long humpback whale leaping like a gymnast to wow potential mates. You'll never forget the day that a 190-ton blue whale looked up at you, while rolling over on its side. All these adventures can be taken almost anywhere you can find an ocean. Since the massive conservation efforts to save endangered whales in the nineties, many tour operators will even offer you a money-back guarantee if you don't see one.
A whale watch cruise in the North is highly popular, with Washington and Alaska offering some of the most popular tours. From Seattle, the season for whale watching runs from April through September, where sightings of killer and gray whales are 98% guaranteed. Popular tour operators include Clipper Vacations, Island Adventures Inc, Outdoor Odysseys, Puget Sound Express or Mystic Sea Charters. The nearby San Juan Islands are one of the world's best places if you're interested in seeing southern resident orcas or transient killer whales. For more information, check out San Juan Safaris, San Juan Outfitters or San Juan Excursions. Island Mariner Cruises based out of Bellingham, Washington offers views of minkes, killers and grays. In Alaska, start out of Seward, Whittier or Homer to glimpse hundreds of humpbacks and orcas, particularly in August when the whales are most active. Tour operators include Alaska Whale Watching, Kenai Fjords, Alaska Whale Watching Tours and Sikumi.
If you're looking for a whale watch cruise in the South, consider going to Mexico. You can call up Discover Pacific Tours, Baja Whale or Go-South-Adventures to see fins, orcas or grays. Many people love to take their whale watching cruise in Mexico because this is where most of the whales migrate to feed and breed during the winter months. Baja is where most people begin their tours of this rich ecosystem that has much to offer by way of history and culture. The season runs from December through March, when most other areas die down.
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Tips For Whale And Dolphin Watching
Whale and dolphin watching is a thriving tourist industry, bringing in over $1.25 billion a year and whisking more than 10 million curious travelers around the vast oceans of the world. Whether you're visiting Boston, Alaska, California, Hawaii, Mexico or the Caribbean islands, you can add a whale watching cruise to your itinerary to get a closer look at these amazing animals.
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.
California Whale Watching Is Unique
California whale watching will take you out on a boat for the trip of a lifetime. While some whales are rather elusive, the humpback whale in particular is a curious beast. "By law, boats are required to stay one hundred yards away from whales," explains Benji Shake of Princess Monterey Whale Watching.