WHALE WATCHING

The Alaskan Anglers can count on seeing some amazing wildlife during their stay. Each day on the ocean there are daily encounters of humpback whale pods breaching and feeding. During certain times of the year one can witness whales feeding in certain areas of the Icy Strait. Whale sighting is not limited to just humpback whales, Orcas have also been spotted feeding on sea lions and otters.

The summer months mark the return of the humpbacks to these National Park waters. As guests of the Great Chinook Lodge and our fishing fleet, you are visitors of the most acrobatic of whales, the humpback, which heaves their massive frames with leaps and turns out of the water.

Because humpbacks feed heavily during their summer visit, adults average 40 to 50 feet long, females even larger. These enormous creatures weigh in at about three-quarters of a ton per running foot. As they eat, a whale filters about 150 gallons of water with each gigantic gulp while their mouth plates filter the edibles. Glacier Bay humpbacks have been observed working singly or in pairs to cast a “net” of bubbles about their prey and then harvesting the hapless creatures, probably shrimp and other slower moving organisms, caught in their airy illusion.

Whales live in family groups, aid each other in distress, and talk to each other. Some serious observers credit whales with rational thought.

Glacier Bay waters boast 2 species of baleen whales, the Minke and the Humpback, and 1 toothed whale, the Killer Whale.

One of our staff members recalls, "We were on our way to Point Adolfus to catch our bait for the morning, and noticed what we thought what was a log. As we approached we recognized the log as a moose, swimming between two islands. No sooner had we recognized the moose; a family of orcas attacked the moose! it was a truly unforgettable experience to witness nature's food chain at work."