Whale or bear viewing excursion in Icy Strait and the opposite in Juneau?

We will be in Icy Strait Point (ISP) on June 18 and Juneau the 19th of next year. We are looking at booking a whale watching tour in ISP and Juneau is TBD. However, we could try and book a bear viewing/seeing excursion in ISP and then do the whale watching in Juneau. For those with more info I'd like you opinions. We don't have to do bear viewing, but if we waited for Juneau is there any that doesn't require a flight (I wasn't seeing any)? Also from what I was seeing we are going to miss the salmon run and if that's the case are the bear viewing excursions out of ISP not really worth it. Thanks

I don't have a specific answer to your question but we are doing NB on Radiance OTS in August just a few weeks after you.

In ISP, we booked a private whale watching charter with Glacier Wind. In Juneau, we booked a minivan/SUV and will drive to Mendenhall to explore on our own, and wherever else sounds interesting. We have long days in each port (as will you), so we tried to take that into account so we have a mix of excursion time and exploring time.

We booked a bear watching excursion with Hoonah Travel Adventures in ISP and Rum Runners in Juneau for Whale Watching. Hoonah Travel also offers whale watching also.

Your best option for bears will be Icy Strait Point. There is a combo whale watching and bear search offered for $ 249 per adult., if you want to do both. You can check IcyStraitPoint.com for details.

If you are in Juneau from at least 8:00 am to 6:00 pm, I highly recommend a Tracy Arm excursion with Adventure Bound. It is not a specific whale watching trip, but we did see whales and a bear in addition to seeing the North and South Sawyer Glaciers and Tracy Arm Fjord.

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Your best option for bears will be Icy Strait Point. There is a combo whale watching and bear search offered for $ 249 per adult., if you want to do both. You can check IcyStraitPoint.com for details.

 

If you are in Juneau from at least 8:00 am to 6:00 pm, I highly recommend a Tracy Arm excursion with Adventure Bound. It is not a specific whale watching trip, but we did see whales and a bear in addition to seeing the North and South Sawyer Glaciers and Tracy Arm Fjord.

 

 

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Juneau is better for whales. 1/3 of the humpbacks that normally summer around Icy Strait have not been seen in 3 years. This information is from the park service. Operators are reporting a decrease in sightings in ISP as well although I think they’d be reluctant to share this often.

We booked Harv and Marv for whale watching in Juneau. Still figuring out ISP excursion options.

Juneau is better for whales. 1/3 of the humpbacks that normally summer around Icy Strait have not been seen in 3 years. This information is from the park service. Operators are reporting a decrease in sightings in ISP as well although I think they’d be reluctant to share this often.

Not entirely accurate. yes the feeding at Point Adolphus has lessened, (west). BUT plenty of other areas, especially east. Pleasant Island as example. I personally went out 3 times this past season out of Hoonah and had plenty of action and sightings, including bubble netting all 3 times. :) I wouldn't dismiss Hoonah.

As for bear watching- Hoonah has the cheaper possibilities. Juneau will require a fly in with Pack Creek not being peak enough in my opinion. Of course you must be fully accepting of no sightings on any bear search.

The first post is from 10/19/17. The second is from today.

Tell me about accurate.

I went out on 3 whale watching trips, out of Hoonah, - this season and NONE had humpbacks there. May, June and August.

 

Vendor verified this trend as well.

 

Auke Bay is still loaded, with a simply circle around Shelter Island all that's needed for a "successful" whale watch.

Not entirely accurate. yes the feeding at Point Adolphus has lessened, (west). BUT plenty of other areas, especially east. Pleasant Island as example. I personally went out 3 times this past season out of Hoonah and had plenty of action and sightings, including bubble netting all 3 times. I wouldn't dismiss Hoonah.

I realize timing is everything with wildlife, but we had a great experience in Icy Strait Point / Hoonah in May. There were dozens of humpbacks bubble net feeding, tail slapping and more right beside the ship for most of the day. One group even swam between the ship and shore while we were re-boarding.

We took a trip with Glacier Wind and enjoyed it, but actually saw the whales much closer from our balcony than from the tour. The whales worked the area around the ship for most of the day.

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The first post is from 10/19/17. The second is from today.

Tell me about accurate.

Interesting your attempt to discredit me, when you only quoted a selected- partial - of my reply. Here is the entire post you reference- I am accurate- with this post- Point Adophus is if the subject- NOT Hoonah in general.

Posted October 19th, 2017, 05:16 PM

You are out of date. Point Adolphus is lacking for humpback predictability. They aren't congregating in this area in the numbers they used to. I went out on 3 whale watching trips, out of Hoonah, - this season and NONE had humpbacks there. May, June and August.

Vendor verified this trend as well.

Auke Bay is still loaded, with a simply circle around Shelter Island all that's needed for a "successful" whale watch.

Interesting your attempt to discredit me, ....

In both of your posts from October this year and today you indicated you went out of Hoonah three times. Once you saw bubble net feeding all three times and in the other post you saw no whales at all.

Maybe you went out 6 times? Maybe 2 different years?

Certainly conflicting information and both times it was in dispute or to correct someone elses post.

I have to say I am glad there are locals such as "Glaciers" on this board. There are a few others (Chenega and someone from Wasilla whose name escapes me) and I am appreciative to them also.

In both of your posts from October this year and today you indicated you went out of Hoonah three times. Once you saw bubble net feeding all three times and in the other post you saw no whales at all.

 

Maybe you went out 6 times? Maybe 2 different years?

 

Certainly conflicting information and both times it was in dispute or to correct someone elses post.

My reference was specific for Point Adolphus, only. .

The example with my trips attempted to indicate that. It appears it has not been clear.

Certainly at $170 per trip, I did not go out 3 times with no viewing. I will strive to be more clear in my references as I strive for accuracy.

I had 3 separate visits this year (no b2b's) to Hoonah. All 3 of the trips I had multiple humpback sightings with each offering multiple bubble net feeding cycles. 2 trips also had orca pod viewing.

Additionally 1 excellent whale watch out of Juneau with humpback and orca viewing.

5 Kenai fjords boat tours- 4 with humpback viewing- 1 bubble netting of the 4, and 3 with resident orca pod sightings. No whales on the 2 Prince William Sound trips.

So this season offered me, just excellent whale watching, with the success of hitting the peak of a herring bloom out of Hoonah.

Another season is coming up, lets see what that brings.