The best time for whales in Hoonah
Whales and cruise ships keep almost the same calendar here. Humpbacks come north to Icy Strait to feed through the summer, and the ships call roughly May to September, so any port day in the season gives you a fair chance. What the month changes is the weather on deck and how many whales are around, and this guide takes each in turn.
Whale season and cruise season overlap
The listings put the season at roughly May to September, and Glacier Wind's booking calendar runs from May 1 to about September 22. That window matches the months humpbacks spend feeding in Southeast Alaska. Most of the region's humpback whales winter in Hawaii and swim north in spring to feed on herring and other small fish, then stay through the summer. Icy Strait, the channel between Chichagof Island and the mainland at the mouth of Glacier Bay, is one of their feeding grounds, and Point Adolphus near Gustavus on the far shore is well known for them.
Since your ship's calendar falls inside that window, every port day comes with a fair chance of whales. No month promises them, and no tour can either, whatever the listing says about guarantees.
Month by month
- May. The first ships and the first tours of the year. Humpbacks are still arriving from their winter grounds, so numbers tend to be lower than later on, and the weather is often drier than in September;
- June. The longest days, with about 18 hours of daylight, and whale numbers building through the month. Recent reviewers start reporting bubble-net feeding from June;
- July and August. The heart of the feeding season and the middle of the cruise calendar. Numbers tend to hold steady, and these weeks are the ones to book furthest ahead;
- September. Whale numbers tend to stay high into the month, while the rain picks up and the air cools. The calendar winds down in the second half as the cruise season ends.
These are tendencies drawn from the listings and recent reviews, not a forecast. A grey day in May can still bring a breaching humpback, and a sunny August trip can be quiet.
Bubble-net feeding and orcas
Bubble-net feeding is the sight many people hope for. A group of humpbacks circles a school of herring, blowing a ring of bubbles that traps the fish, then lunges up through the middle with mouths open. Recent reviewers describe it from June to September on some trips. It depends on the whales finding fish, so treat it as a bonus rather than a plan.
Orcas, also called killer whales, pass through Icy Strait in any month and keep no fixed calendar. Recent reviews mention them often, on Catch of the Day more than most. Whatever turns up, boats must stay 100 yards (91 m) or more from humpbacks under federal rules, though a whale sometimes swims closer on its own. Our wildlife guide covers the other animals you may see in the strait.
Sixteen seats and plenty of orca sightings
Catch of the Day is a locally owned 38-foot boat with a heated cabin and room outside, and recent reviewers mention orcas on many of its trips, from ~$236. Pickup is at the port's main entrance, and you can cancel free until 24 hours before.
Weather on deck
Summer highs in Hoonah run about 55–65 °F (13–18 °C), and it feels colder on the water once wind and spray reach the open deck. Hoonah lies inside the Tongass National Forest, a temperate rainforest, so rain is part of most visits. May and June tend to be drier than September, though no month here is reliably dry.
Every main tour has a cabin or indoor seats to retreat to, and Icy Strait Whale Adventures lends rain gear. Layers matter more than the month you pick, and what to wear whale watching in Alaska has the full list.
Wind and cancellations
Icy Strait is generally sheltered, and on most days the boats go out. Strong wind is the usual spoiler. A small craft advisory can cancel tours, and Icy Strait Whale Adventures, for one, runs in all weather except that. A refundable booking protects you on such a day, as does an operator that refunds when it calls off a trip itself, which Hoonah Whale Tours does for weather. Seasickness on Icy Strait whale tours covers where to sit when the water gets choppy.
Morning or afternoon
Your ship chooses the hour more than you do. Tours are timed around ship arrivals, so the departures on offer are the ones that fit the hours your ship spends in port. Whales feed at any hour, and no slot is known to bring more sightings than another. Pick the departure that leaves the widest gap before all-aboard. In June, with light for about 18 hours, even a late slot finishes in daylight. For camera settings in whatever light you get, read photographing whales from the boat.
Book months ahead
Every port day falls in the same short season, so the small boats fill early. Viator shows these tours booked roughly 100–170 days ahead on average, so booking soon after you choose the cruise is not too early.
Wooshkeetaan Tours' whale watching and bear search, from ~$275, shows why. It meets at the Excursions Hub for 3 hours, with bears and orcas seen occasionally. The catch is the boat's size, six guests at most, so its few seats fill fast.
For a group that wants a boat of its own, Hoonah Whale Tours' private boat, from ~$314, runs about 2.5 hours and is priced per person. Its catch is the refund policy, since it is non-refundable, so book it only once your itinerary is settled.
What a Hoonah whale watching tour costs shows which bookings you can cancel free, and Icy Strait Point: whales on a port day helps you time the outing around your ship.