Trip Leaders
Kevin Loughlin
2012 Dates
April 1 - 10 - Stikine River & LeConte Glacier
April 10 - 19 - Burners Bay & Dawes Glacier
April 20 - 29 - Hoonah Sound Eagles
2012 Dates
April 1 - 10 - Stikine River & LeConte Glacier
April 10 - 19 - Burners Bay & Dawes Glacier
April 20 - 29 - Hoonah Sound Eagles
May 1 - 10 - Seymore Canal
2012 Cost*
Suite: $6400 p/p
Std: $6000 p/p
From Petersburg, AK
Prices per person, double occupancy.
*Lower price is for Standard Cabin (2 standard cabins, shared bath)
Higher price is for Suite (1 suite, private bath)
Limit 6 participants.
Full payment required 160 days prior to departure date.
Price based on double occupancy. If a single room is preferred, a single supplement fee will be assessed as follows:
Hotels stays only: $200
Boat and hotel: +90% of trip cost
ALASKA: Eagles and Ice Photography Safaris
Never will you have a better opportunity to photograph Bald Eagles!
Being a small fish is a tough life... not only are they prey for those who soar the skies, but also for those who cruise the deep. Sea lions, seals and porpoises come to feed on the gathing as well... and behind them come the transient Orcas (Killer Whales) who feed upon the these sea mammals. Humpback Whales stay in deeper water, gluping down huge amounts of the nutritious herring before they get to the shallows. The little guys would have little chance to spawn if there were not so many of them!
Inaccessible to most, the wonders of the vast wilderness of Southeast Alaska are brought close at hand to a maximum of 6 guests (plus leaders) for this exciting adventure within the mosaic of islands and protected channels that make up Alaska’s Inside Passage. Our customized yacht is designed specifically for the waters of the Inside Passage--our captain has been on these waters for nearly 30 years.
Participation, Skill & Fitness Level: Maximum 6 Participants of any skill or fitness level—Kayaking available for some cove exploration. Motorboating with a crew member will be available for those who do not wish to kayak.
Itineraries
Our final itinerary for each trip will be determined while on the water, according to the schedule of tides, weather and most importantly, wildlife activity. We have the freedom to go where the activity is happening so that we can make the most of each minute of daylight!
Stikine River (10-Days: Start and end in Petersburg)
Travel around the Mitkof Island and Wrangell Island region, exploring the Stikine River by jet boat on one or two days during the peak of the Eulachon run. The Stikine was a favorite of John Muir--the ultimate adventurer. He even named his dog Stikine! Wrangell Island, Muir's home base for his "Travels in Alaska" is known for the wonderful rocky beach full of ancient petroglyphs. We will also explore LeConte Bay photographing stranded icebergs at low tide before continuing on to enjoy the icy seascape of LeConte Glacier... the southernmost tidewater glacier in the Norhtern Hemisphere, and the fastest moving glacier on Earth!
Hoonah Sound (11-Days: Sitka to Petersburg)
The Hoonah Sound herring spawn attracts a huge number of Bald Eagles into a small area offering great opportunities to photograph them. We will witness the herring fishery here which revolves around the use of "pounds" to herd the herring as they spawn on Macrocystic Kelp collected by the fishermen. After the spawn, the roe clings to the kelp which is then collected and shipped to Japan's sushi industry, and the herring are then released. This trip will also offer many opportunities for photographing other wildlife as well: seals, sea lions, porpoises, whales and more!
Seymore Canal (10-Days: Start and end in Petersburg)
The herring spawn in Seymore Canal attracts the resident population of Humpback Whales who often begin their bubblenet feeding at this time. A sight to see, bubble nets are created by the whales' blowing air from their blow-holes underwater to confuse and "trap" the herring in a ball through which the whales lunge to the surface to gather a meal. Seals, sea lions and Bald Eagles abound in this area--as do many species of sea bird and waterfowl. This is also the best area to find brown bears as they come out of hibernation. We will also explore Endicot Arm for mountain goats and enjoy Dawes Glacier as it calves into the sea!