Early each spring, hundreds of Humpback Whales migrate across the Pacific to Alaska. The whales have eaten little for months, and by the time they return to Alaska, they are hungry. Fortunately for them, schools of spawning herring are abundant, the perfect food supply. But Humpbacks have a strategy to make catching them even easier, a cooperative feeding technique called “Bubble-net feeding”. A whale, or more often, a group of up to several whales, dives down below a school of herring. They then circle, blowing a stream of bubbles from their blow-holes. They spiral upward and inward, forcing the herring into a tight ball. As they near the surface, all the whales lunge upward, their mouths agape, sucking down hundreds or thousands of fish in the process. This trip, based in the southeast Alaska community of Sitka, is timed to hit the window when the hungry whales are bubble-net feeding like crazy.

Independent Arrival in Sitka. I'll meet you at the airport, or arrange an airport transfer to our hotel. We'll meet for a group dinner where can get to know one another and talk about the next days' adventures. 

We'll average at least 8 hours a day aboard our chartered whale-watch boat. We'll usually head out early, just as it's getting light, but this is variable and depends on the weather and sky conditions. Aboard, we'll head out to likely areas in search of whales. Our local captain knows Sitka Sound inside and out and will be tuning in on the radio for news about where whale activity is happening. Once we find whales, we'll stick with them. Frequently, we will see dozens of lunges per day, an extraordinary thing to witness! Too, we may drop in on the local herring fleet where Bald Eagles congregate around the fishing boats, and whales too are often found. No matter what, a day on the water in southeast Alaska is a good day! Throw in pods of bubbl-netting humpback whales, and it just can't get better. 

Independent Departure from Sitka. I'll arrange shuttles to get you to Sitka's small airport for your flights home.