Located on Gastineau Channel in the rich waters of Alaska's famed panhandle lye's not just the town of Juneau but the Capitol City of Alaska too.

Photo credits: Theresa Soley.

Juneau Alaska Whale Watching Trips

By THERESA SOLEY, Contributing Writer, Alaska Campgrounds

Juneau Alaska is today the #1 seaside port town for whale watching in Alaska with countless tour companies offering whale watching trips of four hours or more. Every day throughout the summers in the port of Juneau you will find a number of world class cruise ships from companies like Holland America, Princess Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Lines and luxury class vessels from Regent 7 Seas and Oceania. For the past few years, Disney Cruise Lines has been sailing to Alaska as well making port calls in Juneau and offering whale watching tours for their customers too.

 

Humpback Whales of Southeast Alaska.

Physical Description of Humpback Whales; NOAA.gov:
Humpback whales are the most commonly sighted baleen whales in the Juneau area. When trying to distinguish humpbacks from other whales, there are a few unique features that can be used. Humpbacks have longer pectoral flippers (side flippers) than any other marine mammal. These flippers are striking in comparison to other whales, measuring roughly 1/3 of their body length.

One of the most incredible sights one might see when whale watching from Juneau is a strange feeding ritual called bubble-netting. 

Bubble-netting; NOAA.org: Occasionally, humpback whales in and around Juneau will feed in coordinated groups using bubbles to trap fish at the water's surface. This behavior is known as bubble net feeding. Bubble net feeding involves anywhere from 4-20 whales all working together to herd schooling fish into dense schools in order to maximize the feeding productivity of the group.

Not to get to into why whales do this, that will be discovered on the whale watching tours, it is something to ask about and cross your fingers in the hopes of being in the right place to witness this event. For those planning their Alaska trip to Juneau, the best time to see this phenomenon referred to as bubble-netting is from June through August.

Juneau Alaska Tours

• Allen Marine - 13391 Glacier Hwy Juneau, AK 99801 (907) 789-0081
• Weather Permitting Alaska - 19400 Beardsley Way Juneau, AK 99801 (907) 209-4221
• Gastineau Guiding - 1330 Eastaugh Way #2 Juneau, AK 99801 (907) 586-8231
• Orca Enterprises - 495 South Franklin Street Juneau, Alaska 99803 (907) 789-6801

Campgrounds in Juneau Alaska

• Auke Bay RV Park - 11930 Glacier Hwy, Juneau, AK 99801 – 907-789-9467
• Spruce Meadow RV Park - 10200 Mendenhall Loop Rd. Juneau, AK 99801 - 907-789-1990