The humpbacks were not rummaging through cruise passengers back pockets, nor were they being hauled away in tire-sized handcuffs.  Instead they were ”mugging the boat”.  These curious humpbacks swam right up to the Star of the Northwest, exhaling their breath and splashing the passengers on the half day cruise, it was an amazing experience for cruise goers.  The all day cruise also had an amazing whale viewing day with breaching, spy hopping, and tail lobbing orcas very near the boat.  On the way home there more terrific humpback encounters with a cow and calf coming right alongside the boat.  Another spectacular show along the trip was provided by a acrobatic black bear crossing the top of the glacier!  What an incredible day to be spent out amongst Alaska’s Kenai Fjords!

Today was a great day for wildlife!  The humpbacks were out in force.  We had about six different sightings throughout our cruises.  On the all day cruise we decided to vary the route a bit in order to chase down a pod of over ten orcas!  Porcupine cove continues to be the hot spot for the harbor seals, we saw about 30 plus lounging on the rocks and poking their heads up out of the water to get a peak at us.  The highlight of our half day cruise was an adorable pair of newly hatched eagle chicks.  All in all, today was another day that proves the fact that wildlife isn’t bothered by a little bit of rain.

With the exception of a coreographed song and dance number, the wildlife on Saturday’s cruises put on quite a presentation for cruise-goers.  The orcas in Ressurrection Bay put on a impressive display with the star being Dall’s porpoises playing in the bow waves.   Other highlights of the day included more than 50 harbor seals lounging in porcupine cove, and a great black bear viewing on the beach.  Every other marine animal living in the area made their appearance along the way including lots of sea lions and sea otters. Top it off with blue skies and calm seas, and the wildlife of the Kenai fjords may be well on their way to star status.  

Half way through the full day National Park Cruise we began to think we wouldn’t see any whales, when all of a sudden the radio nearly exploded with talk of Orcas and Humpbacks near the Chiswell Islands.  At Chat Island we ran into 12-15 Orcas and then again at Cape Resurrection we ran into another 15-20 Orcas.  In between the Orcas we saw a humpback whale.  With the warm weather you could say we had a toasted Humpback sandwich on Orca bread!

Last night on the dinner cruise after everyone splurged on some delicious salmon and prime rib we worked  off the food by joining a young humpback for some whale aerobics.  This “little guy” (and I use that term lightly) breached about 25 times before our very eyes.  No doubt his breaching efforts were to obtain food, not work it off, but he had the crew and all of the guests jumping out of their seats in sync with each breach.  The full day and half day trips were no ordinary ride through the park either.  Near Aialik Glacier a bear was scouring the hillside on the full day trip and we saw a plethora of wildlife in Resurrection Bay on the afternoon half day trip!

How could today not have been a wonderful day out on the water?? There was not a cloud in the sky, tempretures were in the 70’s and the sea was about as flat as she gets. The wildlife wasn’t hiding either. Humpback whales were spotted on all 3 cruises today, with a special lung-feeding performance by our friendly cow/calf pair out at the Chiswell Islands! We saw some transcient orcas as well making their way into Aialik Bay most likely on the hunt for some harbor seals, which we saw sunning themselves on the ice floes by the glacier. We also saw over 30 of these adorable “sea sausages” during a stop over in Porcupine Cove. Birds were on the rocks, in the air, and on the sea, bears and goats were on cliffs and porpoise swam under our bow! This was a day that made me very happy to be working in the most beautiful place on earth.

The last few days of spectacular blue skies have rewarded cruise goers with some of the best wildlife viewing of the entire season. Near the chiswell islands a cow and calf humpback were bubblenet and lunge-feeding.  Bubble net feeding is an ingenious technique the whales use to capture food. One whale swims beneath the school of fish and blows bubbles in a circle beneath them forcing the fish into a tight ball at the surface, making for easy feeding.   Birds were flocking around the humpbacks at the surface and stealing the fish that spilled from their baleen, making for an unbelievable show. Also in the last few days baby kittiwakes are starting to show up in the rookeries as tiny gray puffballs, making for another magical day amongst the Kenai Fjords!

Weather and sea conditions made for an incredible day amongst the Kenai fjords.  The chiswells were a fantastic sight to behold with the abundant wildlife.  Additionally there were multiple sightings of whales throughout the National Park cruise.  There were two seperate sightings of orcas, which have been a little more shy recently, and also two sightings of cow and calf humpback pairs.  To top it off there were some Dall’s porpoise playing in the bow waves and harbor seals lounging in front of Holgate  glacier.  This was one unlucky day that turned out to be a fantastic trip on the water!

 This year the whales in the area have been quite cooperative with all three trips today seeing Humpback whales.   Other marine mammals seen today were Dall’s Porpoise, Stellar Sealions, and Harbor Seals.  Even with a bit of a rock and roll ride around Cape Aialik passengers senses were rewarded at Aialik Glacier when it popped, cracked, and calved.  An important thing to remember that on the cloudy rainy days that we get here in Seward, is that glaciers appear more blue and make for better pictures.  There is always a positive for every perceived negative!

The humpbacks today seemed to be presenting a choreographed routine for passengers.  As we were making the return trip to the harbor a cow and calf humpback breached out of the water side by side making for a spectacular show.  We were also priveledged with great views of lunge feeding humpbacks and an orca pod.  To top it off a terrific black bear viewing was spotted on the beach in the Holgate arm.  Another great day amongst the Kenai Fjords!