Whale Watching Trips Solar Power Energy Generation Guide
Whale Watching Trips With Views Of Many Whale Species
By Genevieve Thomson
Alaskan whale watching tours are some of the most popular
whale watching trips in the world. During the summer
months, huge migrations of killer and humpback whales
move from the cold Alaskan waters down along the coast
of California to Baja, where they’ll breed and raise
their young.
Popular routes for humpbacks and killers include the
Inside Passage, Prince William Sound, the Kodiak archipelago,
Glacier Bay National Park and Kenai Fjords National
Park. The less flashy belugas tend to rest in the Turnagain
Arm near Anchorage or Cook Inlet. The bowhead whale,
which is the state marine mammal, can be found in the
Arctic Ocean and the Northern Bering Sea.
Look Out For Whales Breaching And Lunging
With regard to Alaska whale watching tours and sightings,
whale research experts say there are certain behaviors
you’ll want to look out for. Since whales are mammals,
they need air in their lungs to breathe, so it’s common
to see whales surfacing every so often.
When a whale leaps out of the water to catch a big
gulp of fresh air, it’s referred to as "breaching."
When less than half the whale surfaces to take in air,
it’s called "lunging." These behaviors are
often worked into their bubble feeding technique, (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJvfjiCTvq4),
where they use air to corral fish into smaller units
for mass eating.
Spy Hopping And Slapping On The Water
"Spy-hopping" is a type of curious behavior
most popular with killer whales, where they peak their
head out of the water to examine their surroundings.
"Lob-tailing" is when a whale lifts its tale
fluke out of the water and slaps the surface several
times in a row.
"Slapping" occurs when a whale lies on its
side at the surface and uses its fins or flippers to
slap the surface of the water. As you can imagine, these
moments make excellent photo opportunities!
Migrating To Southern California For Breeding
Alaska whale watching trips offer wonderful views to
review many whale species. Humpbacks hang out from May
to September (with peak viewing time from mid-June to
mid-August). Weighing up to 40 tons, these whales typically
migrate to the warmer waters of Southern California
and Hawaii for food, added sunlight and breeding purposes.
Fifteen to thirty foot killers congregate in hunting
and social pods year-round in Alaska, preferring the
colder weather and diverse range of prey, including
seals, squids, birds and porpoises. Gray whales are
another migratory species that travel a good 10,000
miles round-trip over a six-month period to have their
1,500 pound newborns in Baja, California.
Grays And Northern Blue Whales
These bottom-feeders are less commonly seen playing
at the surface but have been known to show little fear
around humans, especially when they feel their young
are threatened, which has earned them the moniker "devil
fish."
The best time to see grays is in April and October.
Northern blue whales, the largest animals on Earth,
can reach up to 80 feet in length and can weight 200
tons.
The Elusive Fin And Minke Whales
The best time to see them off the shores of Alaska
or on a cruise is from May to September, where they
feed around the continental shelves before migrating.
Fin and minke whales are less commonly spotted because
they tend to travel alone and remain fairly elusive,
although they may be caught spy-hopping from May to
September.
When you’re choosing between the many whale watching
trips in Alaska, keep in mind that the tours will all
take you to see the same whales in pretty much the same
areas. Your tour operator is required to stay at least
100 yards away from the animals (if they can help it)
and move on every twenty minutes.
Large And Small Boats For Whale Watching
Most of the tours last about 2 to 3 hours in length
as well, so your primary decision will be to choose
from the whale watching boats available. Some boats
are large and can accommodate 60 to 150 people, such
as the Allen Marine, and feature announcements over
a PA system.
A second category of boats are found on Dolphin Jet
Tours, Adventures in Alaska, Alaska Whale Watching and
Orca Enterprises. These fit 6-50 people and are smaller
than the largest of the catamaran boats.
Your questions can be answered by a marine biologist,
captain or local experts. Lastly, you may choose an
intimate "six-pack" tour, like Alaska Yacht
Charter that fits only six passengers.
About the Author:
Genevieve Thomson has written a number of articles on
Our Living Planet, Solar Power and Renewable Energy including
Endangered Animals,
Save The Earth,
Water Conservation,
Whale Watching Trips,
Solar Power System,
Solar Thermal Systems,
Alternative Power Systems,
Hybrid Car,
Recycling Programs.
Look out for new articles as they become available on this site.
Little Known Whale Watching Cruise Facts.....
What is a whale watching cruise?
A whale watching cruise is exactly
what it sounds like. It is a cruise that offers travelers
the opportunity to watch whales in their natural environment.
But you should know that the term "cruise" is used loosely
in some cases.
It may be just a few hours trip
or it could be a full vacation length cruise that could
span weeks. It really all depends on what type of cruise
you are looking for and can afford. Obviously the lengthier
cruises have more opportunity to view whales but are
going to cost more.
|
