Alaska Sea Adventures: Trip A116 Extreme Whales! Focus on Whales/Photography

Humpback whales congregate here to feed on massive schools of fish and krill. With some luck, we may see these endangered giants as they use bubble nets to execute their cooperative feeding attacks. Our guide will introduce you to the world of the humpback whale-it's life cycle, anatomy, behaviors, migration, feeding strategies and current research. He will also share the secrets of getting great whale photos.

Although whales are the focus of this trip, we will also hike in vast rain forests, stroll on secluded beaches, and visit spectacular bays, using both skiffs and kayaks. We'll keep our eyes out for other wildlife too-killer whales, seals, porpoises, bears, bald eagles and other birds. And we'll visit a raucous Steller sea lion haul out and salmon spawning streams. Along the way, our guide will introduce you to Alaska's natural history, geology, Native culture, flora and fauna.

Join us for this incredible journey. Each day is a new adventure with a backdrop of beautiful forested islands and snow-capped peaks. This all inclusive excursion includes three gourmet meals per day, cozy accommodations, hot showers, all beverages including select wines with dinner, sea kayaks, skiffs, and the fun-loving company of our guide who is simply nuts about humpback whales and Alaska.

The cruise departs from the small community of Petersburg, which is centrally located in Southeast Alaska's Inside Passage. The excursion is limited to a maximum of 8 guests in 4 private cabins! It's an adventure of a lifetime and you can contact us for more details and reservations.

For more information about humpback whales, have a look at our humpback whale page. For a description of some of our Natrual History/Whale Watching trips, see our travelogues page.

Of course we always throw out the crab and shrimp traps to have that shellfish feast to celebrate an eventful day spent in pursuit of humpback whales.

Jim Nahmens
Natural History Guide
JIM NAHMENS (Nature's Spirit Photography) is a wildlife photographer from Northern California whose work focuses on marine mammals, especially humpback whales. He has been coming to Southeast Alaska for fifteen years and had guided trips on the Alaska Adventurer since 1994. Jim has been involved in humpback whale research projects in Western Australia, Hawaii and Alaska. Jim has a unique blend of observational skills and local knowledge that comes only with years of experience in the field. More on Jim

Dr. Adam A. Pack
Assistant Professor, University of Hawai’i Hilo
Co-founder and Vice President, The Dolphin Institute
Adam Pack, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor at the University of Hawaii Hilo with a joint appointment in psychology and biology. He is also the co-founder and vice president of The Dolphin Institute, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to scientific study of whales and dolphins and to the education of people whose activities affect these animals. Dr. Pack has been researching marine mammals since 1983 focusing on humpback whale behavior and biology, the sensory perception, cognition, and communication abilities of bottlenose dolphins, and the behavior of wild spinner dolphins. He has co-authored over 40 scientific publications on whales and dolphins. These publications cover such diverse topics as memory and learning in sea lions; male-male competition, sexual behavior, migration, song, social and reproductive behavior, mating systems, and the role of body size in determining potential mates in humpback whales; and social cognition, concept formation, symbolic communication, referential understanding, self awareness, imitation, and abilities for cross-modal recognition using vision and echolocation in bottlenose dolphins. Discoveries made by Dr. Pack and his colleagues have been featured in television documentaries (e.g., National Geographic’s “Wild Chronicles”, PBS’s “Dolphins with Robin Williams”, and the BBC’s “Dolphins: Deep Thinkers with Sir David Attenborough), magazine articles (e.g., Smithsonian Magazine, National Wildlife), and two IMAX films.

Dr. Pack is a research advisor to several organizations including the Northwest Chapter and National Branch of the American Cetacean Society (ACS), the Wild Dolphin Project in Florida, and Pacific Cetacean Group in California. Dr. Pack also serves as the research chair for the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council.