Humpback Whales
of Alaska's Inside Passage

		Humpback Whales Photography Tour Details
		Dates	Aug 1–8, 2009
		Leader	Stuart Westmorland
		Fee	$6,295 from Juneau, Alaska
		Deposit	$400
		Limit	12
			Special Terms and Conditions Apply

Imagine capturing the peak moment with your camera: a mighty launch rockets forty tons of twisting whale skyward. Pectoral fins fling sparkling sheets of water, as its 45-foot-long body is almost entirely out of the water in a spectacular breaching display. This is a frequent occurrence in the late summer months in southeast Alaska, where one of the world’s greatest populations of humpback whales resides in the fertile waters near Glacier Bay National Park.

Chatham Strait and Icy Strait and the adjacent waterways of the Inside Passage are the summer feeding grounds for hundreds of humpback whales. Every year whales wintering in the warm waters of Hawaii and Baja California join the year-round population of humpback whales in the nutrient-rich waters of Alaska. This annual migration consists of mothers and their young calves and their accompanying escorts traveling thousands of miles on this epic journey.

Our photo group, cruising in a comfortable, private, 106-foot live-aboard vessel, will follow the largest congregations of these magnificent leviathans—and the boat is totally at our service! There is no comparison to the intimate proximity to wildlife that is accessible with this type of small boat cruising, in contrast to the giant city-size cruise ships, carrying thousands of passengers, normally traversing the Inside Passage.

Humpback whales offer some of the most exciting photographic moments of all the marine mammals. Besides breaching, they often slap their mighty tails repeatedly, or clap their 15-foot pectoral fins in the same fashion. Their feeding displays are absolutely breathtaking, including bubble-net and lunge-feeding techniques. It’s an incredible scene to photograph, and we will be on hand at the peak of the season to see this amazing spectacle! Dense forests and snowcapped peaks provide a pristine backdrop for classic Alaskan maritime imagery.

In addition to humpback whales, there may be opportunities to capture photos of orcas, sea lions, sea otters, bears and bald eagles. We will likely see spawning salmon with brown and black bears possibly feeding on them. Birdwatchers will enjoy seeing up close tufted puffins, black-legged kittiwakes, marbled murrelets, arctic terns and western sandpipers.

Join us for this unique, world-class photo shoot in the realm of the humpback whales of Alaska's Inside Passage. With incredible images created with the assistance of today’s new image stabilized/vibration reduction lenses and digital technology, this tour will define the best of topside whale photography for years to come!



Day 1 (Aug 1)
Participants should arrange to fly to Juneau, Alaska. We meet in the lobby of our hotel for a short orientation and then have dinner. (D)

Day 2
After breakfast we begin cruising the scenic Alaskan waterways. We should have plenty of photo opportunities, with stops at a Steller sea lion colony, and have good sightings of harbor seals, Dahl porpoises and, perhaps, some orcas on our way to the humpback "core" grounds in Icy and Chatham Straits. (BLD)

Days 3–6
We follow the largest groups of humpback whales as they travel throughout the waterways of the Inside Passage. With plenty of "shootable" daylight, we will have ample opportunities to capture breaching, tail slapping and lunge-feeding behavior. Shore excursions before dusk will be undertaken whenever possible and may include images of spawning salmon, forest scenics, waterfalls and possibly bears feeding on salmon. We will also visit a large population of sea otters for excellent photos of groups of them rafting together. (BLD)

Day 7
We begin our leisurely cruise back to Juneau, photographing en route. (BLD)

Day 8 (Aug 8)
We arrive in Juneau by midmorning for flights home. (B)

About Our Vessel
Our fantastic private boat is the 106-foot M/V Valkyrie, an elegant classic motor yacht built in 1944 that has sleeping accommodations for 12 passengers. M/V Valkyrie has a large covered stern deck, salon, dining room and a spacious bow. There are three "heads" on board with showers and six double cabins with portholes. Delicious, hearty Alaskan-style meals featuring fresh-caught seafood, homemade desserts and breads baked onboard daily are an integral part of our cruising experience. The boat is well suited for photography in both fair and moderately inclement weather with a great deal of space on deck for shooting wildlife and landscapes. We believe it is the best boat available for photography in southeast Alaska!