Juineau whales wildlife tour vs. sitka wales and wildlife tour?

[happythoughts]

Trying to decide which location to take the boat tour to see whales and sealife. Any opinions? Sitka or juneau for this boat tour?

[Arusha]

Based on my experience in May 2013, I'd definitely go for the Sitka excursion. The name of the excursion was "Sea Otter and Wildlife Quest"; not sure if that's the same as the one you're considering.

 

We saw sea otters and their pups (close enough to hear them squeaking), a few whales (including a mother and baby), seals, and sea lions. Then the boat went to an island bird sanctuary at the outer edge of the harbor where we saw tufted puffins and other sea birds. This was my first excursion in Alaska and it was excellent... great variety of wildlife.

[Crew News]

Trying to decide which location to take the boat tour to see whales and sealife. Any opinions? Sitka or juneau for this boat tour?

The best whale-watching excursions are in Juneau for both humpbacks and orcas. Sitka is good for other sealife.

[happythoughts]

Thanks for your replies! Arusha, I know you were lucky to see whales too.

 

Does anyone know if Sitka is almost as likely of a chance to see whalesas Juneau?

 

Anyone know if Sitka is a port that is frequently missed in August?

 

Arusha, yes that is the excursion I am considering. Do you go with your cruiseline or book privately?

[Arusha]

Arusha, yes that is the excursion I am considering. Do you go with your cruiseline or book privately?

 

I booked the excursion through the cruise line. Expensive, but I'm just too lazy to bother booking independently, especially my first time in Alaska.

 

The Allen Marine Tours website has some info about the excursion:

http://allenmarinetours.com/sightseeing/sitka/index.html

Edited February 10, 2014 by Arusha

[JMorris271]

Oops

Edited February 11, 2014 by JMorris271

[JMorris271]

http://www.harvandmarvs.com seems to get the best comments from reviewers and they are out of Juneau. I can't personally vouch for them but I see plenty of folks that do. We booked our excursion on their website ourselves for a May cruise.

Almost everything I have read favors Juneau.

[travelbug11]

I can definitely vouch for Capt. Larry's ORCA ENTERPRISES in Juneau

[huskyguy]

We've out out on several whale watches in Juneau, mostly with Orca. We've been out with Jim Seeland twice at Sitka, and the overall experience both times has blown away any in Juneau, for the quantity ad variety of marine wildlife, though whales are not as prevalent (I've never see a whale in the Juneau area except at a great distance, from the ship). Seeland's site is http://www.sitkasoundtours.com

[Budget Queen]

I been been on boat tours out of both Sitka and Juneau. Frankly, if you can do both, it will be well worthwhile (what I do).

 

You do see humpbacks on most of the Sitika boat tours, but, less time spent viewing compared to the Juneau whale watches. Sitka is varied wildlife. The above poster mentions the inclusion of St Lazaria Island, which is the only "tour" area on the inside passage for puffin viewing- HOWEVER, there is no guarantee of this inclusion on ship tours. You are far better off booking independent for this priority.

 

As for Juneau, the whale watches are 100% sightings of humpbacks. Orcas are "sometimes" seen. Rare to see orcas in Sitka.

[huskyguy]

Whoops, I just noticed that in my post above I said that "I've never see a whale in the Juneau area except at a great distance, from the ship". I've seen many humpbacks up close in the Juneau area, but no orca.

[vbmom87]

We had only a very short sighting of a whale in Sitka. In fact, I had forgotten we even saw one until I looked back at my photos. It was that much of a non-event!!! Overall it was a bust of a day. From all I have read, it seems the tours are usually much better than on the day we went. We just had bad luck. We were supposed to go to St Lazaria Island, but the waters were too rough. All in all I was extremely disappointed in my tour in Sitka, but I do know others have been extremely happy. I even went with the vendor so often raved about on this site. (Davey of Esther G Sea Taxi) Not much he could do though about the wildlife being elusive that day.

 

If you want a whale watch, go in Juneau or Icy Strait if it happens to be on your itinerary. Do not plan on Sitka being a whale watch.

[JMorris271]

I know this doesn't help but I do believe it is just the luck of the draw. Kind of like seeing the northern lights.

[Budget Queen]

I know this doesn't help but I do believe it is just the luck of the draw. Kind of like seeing the northern lights.

 

Usual sightings are humpbacks and sea otters. High percentage of the trips. It is much more likely you will NOT see the Northern Lights.

[Crew News]

If you want a whale watch, go in Juneau or Icy Strait if it happens to be on your itinerary. Do not plan on Sitka being a whale watch.

 

All of the whale-watching tour operators in Juneau are connected by radio and will notify their whale sightings to their fellow tour operators. At that time, all of the boats will converge, within acceptable distance of course, so that their passengers can get their photographs. Now if an Orca decides to come to the surface next to your vessel, as you can see in my link below, the safe distance issue is forgiven.

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/?page_id=548

 

To say that one operator is better at finding whales than another is inappropriate. At least in Juneau, the difference in tour operators is the size of the vessel and passenger comfort. Larger vessels have better snacks, coffee, and souvenir hawking. Smaller vessels have more personal interaction with passengers for questions and just bottled water.

 

The central question is, do you want to compete with more than 150 photographers on a large vessel for a clear shot and often settle for just holding your camera over your head, OR have your own individually-opening windows on a smaller 16-passenger vessel for that perfect photograph?

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/?page_id=543

[Budget Queen]

All of the whale-watching tour operators in Juneau are connected by radio and will notify their whale sightings to their fellow tour operators. At that time, all of the boats will converge, within acceptable distance of course, so that their passengers can get their photographs. Now if an Orca decides to come to the surface next to your vessel, as you can see in my link below, the safe distance issue is forgiven.

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/?page_id=548

 

To say that one operator is better at finding whales than another is inappropriate. At least in Juneau, the difference in tour operators is the size of the vessel and passenger comfort. Larger vessels have better snacks, coffee, and souvenir hawking. Smaller vessels have more personal interaction with passengers for questions and just bottled water.

 

The central question is, do you want to compete with more than 150 photographers on a large vessel for a clear shot and often settle for just holding your camera over your head, OR have your own individually-opening windows on a smaller 16-passenger vessel for that perfect photograph?

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/?page_id=543

 

All the Juneau whale watch cpts have to do, is head for Shelter Island, and they'll see humpbacks. It is not true, that "all" the boats converge.

 

I don't know how frequently you go out of Juneau, but I have been on whale watches where we were the only boat at the sighting. It does depend on the cpt. and how well they know the areas. Speed of the boat is significant. Orca sightings are far more frequent now, then they were several years ago. The cpt. I go out with has been boating here for years.

 

I was on his second trip out that particular day. He had seen orcas on the first trip. We were talking and he was figuring out if he thought we could make it to the orcas who were swimming away from Juneau. I sat up front with him and starting scanning, when he told me, they should be in the area. He had calculated how far they would have gotten, heading down the Lynn Canal. We did get to them, and at the time, was a highlight tour, which no other afternoon whale watch saw. I happen to go with a cpt who does go off on his own. Rarely he is stacked up with other boats. This is based on probably 30/40 trips.

[Crew News]

All the Juneau whale watch cpts have to do, is head for Shelter Island, and they'll see humpbacks. It is not true, that "all" the boats converge.

 

.... This is based on probably 30/40 trips.

 

My apologies for using "all" and if I could edit my post, I would have used "those boats that I could see".

 

My experience is based on my eight whale-watching excursions out of Juneau.

[happythoughts]

Thank you all for taking the time to respond! I appreciate all your advice

[JMorris271]

Usual sightings are humpbacks and sea otters. High percentage of the trips. It is much more likely you will NOT see the Northern Lights.

 

Yep you're right. But it is still chance in either location.

Location Location vs Timing Timing.