Juneau, Alaska is renowned for seeing whales. And sometimes orcas (killer whales) as well. Although the best time to see the whales is during the months of May right through to the end of September.
The flukes (tails) are enormous: you need to see it to believe it.
What Should I Expect?
You should expect to see humpback whales in Juneau! We can guarantee that you see whales, that’s a given. Your money back in full if in the unlikely event you don’t.
What we can’t guarantee is what the whales will be up to when you do see them. Sound confident, don’t we? Well, you might know the cetaceans are mammals just like us. As such, they’re air breathers that have to come up for air every 7 to 15 minutes. Awaiting you is a feast for your eyes, perhaps repeatedly and regularly! However, keep in mind these mammals are wild animals and, we can’t really predict when they will be at their most playful. Hoping you get lucky, you might see them: breaching, tail lobbing, rolling and peck slapping–their behaviors when feeding.
The blinding brilliance of a whale breaching.
Migratory pattern
It’s good to note that the humpback whales migrate on their annual journey starting in the North Pacific Ocean. During the summertime, the blue planet sees them cruising the waters of Alaska, East Russia and British Columbia. Then, during the winter they travel to mostly Hawaii, Central America, Asia, or Mexico for mating and rearing their young.
This humpback is brimming with excitement!
Humpback whales can migrate more than 3,000 miles. They make their rounds during the winter to then visit Juneau’s pristine and protected waters. Indeed, the whales leave with bellies packed to the gunwales. This particular species of whale does not live in family group; by nature they are solitary creatures who prefer to travel alone. That said, the humpbacks usually feed together in small pods.
Check out our post on bubble-net feeding to discover how the whales perform in this fantastic spectacle. Even though they might not be in big groups on their way here, many times we will see the momma humpbacks swimming alongside their calves where there can be seen feeding collectively at any one time.
The humpback whale show is one our favorites here in Juneau, Alaska. Come, join us this summer to indulge in a feast for the eyes. For sure, we want you to experience having an absolute whale of a time, we really do!
Making quite the splash!
