Alaskan Whale Watching Tours

Whale Watching in Alaska is something everyone should experience at least once in their lifetime, consider adding it to your 'bucket list'. Whether it’s your first Alaska whale watching tour or you have seen it all before, you just can’t help but to get excited after seeing one of these amazing creatures of the ocean. Southeast Alaska has two primary types of whales, Humpback and Orcas (Minke and Gray Whales occasionally). While Orcas are year around residents of the Alaskan waters; Humpback whales are only around Alaska during the summer months while migrating to Hawaii and Mexico for the winter (what a life!).

Black Rock Charters, is not only a Alaskan Charter Fishing company, but they also offer Alaskan Whale Watching Tours. Most of our clients combine the best fishing in Alaska and whale watching into the same trip. Often while anchored and fishing for Halibut the Humpback and Orcas will swim right by. Also your experienced captains have a nack for seeing the whales from a distance and piloting the boat into position for both fishing and whale watching. Even after seeing the whales everyday, our captains are still amazed by their size, and beauty. Watching a pod of Humpback whales gracefully feeding and passing by your Alaskan Charter Fishing Boat is a memory that you will never forget.

Alaskan Humpback Whale

In Icy straits we have a large group of Humpback Whales that come back year after year. One of my favorite times of the day is early morning when we head off from our fishing lodge in Alaska, to catch our bait for the day. We fish for herring at Pt. Adolphus in the tide rips right where all the whales also happen to be feeding on the same herring. It is the perfect way to start off a day of fishing, reeling in herring one after another with pods of humpback whales surrounding your boat diving and feeding all in perfect rhythm of each other. Sometimes they are so close that the mist of their blows will hit you in the face, and if your not already awake, you will be now!

Humpback Whale Facts:

• Scientific Name: Megaptera novaeangliae
• A member of the Baleen Whale Family
• Can live for 45–- 50 years.
• Grow to 40–50 ft
• Weigh on average 79,000 lb

Orca (Killer) Whales

As exciting as it is to see a Humpback Whale just off the bow of the boat, it even more magical when you see a giant Orca breach the water. Orcas due to their size and color are magnificent creatures. They often swim in larger pods than due humpbacks, so when you see one there are usually more near by. During the summer months, you often see new born calves with their mothers and fathers. Both parents stay to help care for the young calve.

Orca Whale Facts:

• Scientific Name: Orcinus orca
• A member of the Dolphin Family
• Males Live 30-50 years, Females 50-70
• Males grow to 19–26 ft, Females 16-23 ft
• Males weigh on average 12,000 lbs, Females 8,000 lbs