While I visit Alaska often and have taken several whale watching tours, my most recent experience was with Juneau Lighthouse Tours. In this article, I share how they differ from other operators, and what you can expect on one of their excursions.
Alaska Galore Tours is the parent company of Harv & Marv and Juneau Lighthouse Tours. While they all offer whale watching excursions out of Alaska’s capital, guests can only explore a lighthouse with the latter.
Our boat excursion was part wildlife watching and part maritime history, as we toured one of Juneau’s historic light stations.
What’s Included
Typical Juneau whale watching tours last up to 3 hours. However, Juneau Lighthouse Tours’ newest excursion lasts 4-1/2 hours. Several staff members accompanied our trip, and one provided narration. We learned about the area’s wildlife and why Juneau became home to several lighthouses.
The tour includes tea, coffee, lemonade, and bottled water. Snacks are provided too, and for our trip, Rice Krispies squares and granola bars were offered to passengers.
On the way back, we sampled a piece of reindeer sausage, which was so good, and a fudge square from the local Alaska Fudge Company.
In addition to searching for marine wildlife, the boat travels to Sentinel Island to see the Sentinel Island Light Station.
History Of Juneau’s Lighthouses
During the Yukon Klondike Gold Rush, many get-rich prospectors traveled north through Juneau’s waters. The tides in the area experience significant rises and falls, creating shallow waters. The result was many shipwrecks. SS Islander is the most famous, near Douglas Island.
After hundreds of shipwrecks, Congress funded lighthouses to prevent future disasters. One of these is Sentinel Island Lighthouse, which we visited on this excursion. It was first lit in 1902 and remains in use today.
Depending on the route taken by your tour, you may view one of the other areas’ lighthouses from your vessel.
Our Whale Watching/Lighthouse Tour
Tours depart from Don D. Statter Harbor in Auke Bay, 20 minutes north of downtown. Whether staying downtown or arriving at the Juneau cruise port, transportation to and from the harbor is provided.
A life-sized sculpture of a humpback whales fluke at the harbor meets visitors. “Flame,” a humpback who visits Alaska from Hawaii, is known as a nurturing mother.
Our Touring Vessel
We boarded the Pharos, a 50-passenger touring catamaran. There were only 25 guests on our trip, 10 of whom were visitors like us and 15 locals. Enjoying a partially empty boat with room to spread out was nice.
The vessel has two decks, and we liked that Captain Dalton had an open bridge policy. There are outdoor viewing areas around the boat and heated indoor seating.
Seats were not assigned. While window seats might seem like the best spot to sit, the constant sea spray prevented us from taking good photos through the windows. In fact, the seats in the middle provided a slightly elevated view and a better location for spotting.
There are two washrooms onboard, at the back of the ships. They are good-sized marine bathrooms, larger than those on an airplane.
It wasn’t long before we exited the harbor and started our adventure.
The Touring Route
Unless whales were spotted near the harbor on the previous tour, the boat heads straight to Sentinel Island. That way, the rest of the time is spent looking for marine life. That was the plan for our tour.
However, our captain spotted orcas or killer whales on the way. They were probably the same pod they had seen on the earlier tour, but they expected the whales to leave when we headed out to sea.
We were thrilled by the sighting, knowing that orcas are rarely seen on these tours. During our many trips to Alaska, we’ve seen countless humpback whales but only spotted orcas one other time, in Ketchikan.
The captain positioned our vessel a distance from the orcas, in an effort not to change their daily habits. We watched intently, and it wasn’t long before a seal surfaced next to our vessel.
It was one of those National Geographic moments, and some wondered if the orcas were hunting it. My fellow cruise guests and I wondered if it might try to jump onto our vessel.
Our guide was confident these were resident orcas who eat fish, not larger prey. After taking some photos and marveling in the moment of seeing orcas, we moved towards Sentinel Island and the lighthouse, enjoying views of Eagle, Mendenhall, and Herbert Glaciers en route.
Sentinel Lighthouse
Arriving at Sentinel Island, our captain pulled up to a floating dock and lowered a ramp to access the island. Juneau Lighthouse Tours constructed the platform and hydraulic ramp. They have a special arrangement with the Juneau Gastineau Historical Society to bring tourists to the island.
We followed a set of metal tracks to the lighthouse, a short distance away. Sentinel Island Lighthouse was one of the first two lighthouses to be built in southeast Alaska after it was purchased from Russia.
Initially, this lighthouse had a lighthouse keeper, but by 1966, the light became automated. However, the keeper’s home and assistant foundations are still visible.
On the lighthouse’s lower level, informational plaques tell the structure’s history, and we viewed a lamp used to light the surrounding waters. At the entrance, a narrow staircase leads up the tower. We climbed the short staircase but could not reach the area that houses the light.
During our visit, we noticed the lighthouse’s paint was peeling, and scaffolding indicated it was under repair. Alaska’s wet and windy weather is brutal on structures like this, and like cruise ships, they need constant maintenance.
Even with peeling paint, it didn’t detract from its beauty or lovely Art Deco architecture. In December 2002, the National Register of Historic Places added the this Juneau lighthouse.
Noisy Sea Lions
Back out on the water, we visited a rocky area with a colony of Steller sea lions. Captain Dalton cracked a few jokes, some of which flew over our heads. Steller sea lions resemble their cousins in California but they have a noisier bark.
From here, it was on to whale watching, as we traveled back to the harbor.
Whale Watching
Humpback whales migrate to Alaska in the spring to feed in the state’s rich marine waters. 90% of the population comes from the Hawaiian Islands, while the balance migrates from Mexico. In Alaska, whales are so plentiful that most tour operators have a whale watching guarantee.
While orcas made a surprise appearance earlier on the tour, we knew our chances of seeing humpbacks on the return ride were pretty good. It wasn’t long before we enjoyed the first sighting – one of many.
Many newcomers to Alaska expect to see those gentle giants leaping out of the water. However, the whales are here to eat, requiring 20,000 calories daily to sustain their weight. So, they spend most of their time under the water seeking food.
Instead of breaching, look for their misty flumes, backs, and tails as they make a dive. Breaching and the rarer bubble net feeding are possible to view but are less common.
While we haven’t seen bubble net feeding, we have seen whales breaching in Alaskan waters.
Marine law states boats must stay at least 100 yards away from humpback whales. But marine mammals can approach your vessel, putting you in “whale jail.” I’ve witnessed this on one whale-watching tour, when three humpbacks swam under the boat.
When our time ran out and we headed back to the harbor, one humpback surfaced next to our vessel as if to bid us farewell. With the captain performing a sharp maneuver to miss it, it’s the reason there’s a speed limit in these waters.
If you’re looking to maximize your time in Alaska’s capital, we highly recommend Juneau Lighthouse Tours. With over 30 years of experience, knowledgeable staff, and a unique itinerary, expect it to be the highlight of your vacation.
Their narration adds an enriching element to the whale-watching experience, something not always provided by their competitors. Little touches like the included drinks and snacks made this a first-class tour.
Whether your whale watching tour includes humpbacks, orcas, or a playful breach, it’s an excursion that’s sure to please. Along with marine wildlife, you’ll enjoy an opportunity to tour a lighthouse and learn about Juneau’s maritime history.
