Here are my top 5 tips to ensure you maximize your next the whale watch

1) Dress Appropriately

Yes, you will be on a cruise. But this isn’t the Caribbean. It’s southeast Alaska and we live in the Tongass National Forest. That’s 16.7 million acres temperate rain-forest, which is a lot of trees and they like the rain. And we get a lot of rain. So be prepared. Dress in layers and bring a packable rain jacket, gloves if your hands get cold and a warm hat. It’s better to not need them than wish you had them.

2) Bring Binoculars

If you want to make sure that you get the best view possible of the humpback whales, then bring your own binoculars. I have high quality binoculars on board for my passengers, but not all boats do. Having your own binoculars means that regardless of whether the whales are 400 yards away or cruising by the bow of your boat you’ll have the best view in the house. Also please remember your captain is legally obligated, by federal law, to keep at least 100 yards from the whales. Sure the whales might come close, which is fine, but the chances are you will be further away from them than you think.

3) Know your camera

The camera on your phone or iPad should be just fine for your whale watch, I use mine all the time. But be warned the camera on your phone  is not going to get you National Geographic style photos, especially if the whales are over 100 yards away. If you’re looking to use a better camera here are a few tricks that’ll help you get the shot.

a) Rent don’t buy. If you don’t have a camera or lenses then rent them. Plenty of websites now rent camera gear by the week. That’s a great way to use expensive equipment without emptying your bank account.

b) If you own or rent, know how the camera works. I see frustrated people every day miss the photo they want because they aren’t familiar with their camera. Take time to shoot the camera at home.

c) Be patient. The whales are mammals. They come up to breathe regularly. So if you miss the shot of the whale’s fluke high in the air as it dives don’t get frustrated. The whale will be back again when it needs more air and you’ll get a second chance.

d) Remember that taking photos of marine mammals is hard. The professionals spend weeks sometimes months trying to get one shot. Any photo you get is special.

4) Manage your expectations

We all want to see whales breaching, killer whales cruising near the boat, sea lions jumping out of the water and humpbacks bubble net feeding. However, the reality is that these are relatively rare occurrences. So take the pressure off yourself and just enjoy the tour. You’re going to see whales (On my tour we offer a money back guarantee if you don’t). Those whales are wild free-swimming sentient mammals. They are going about their daily business eating, socializing and being whales. The humpbacks in Southeast Alaska are very acrobatic… in Hawaii when they are breeding. When they are in Alaska they are focused on feeding. It doesn’t mean you won’t see a spectacular show. It just means they have other things on their minds.

5) Don’t forget to look around you while you are on the boat

Yes, you are there to see the whales but don’t forget to look at the scenery. The coastline of Southeast Alaska is a stunningly rugged mix of coastal mountains, islands and glaciers. It’s easy to get caught up with what’s happening on the water and miss the beauty that is all around you. Take a moment to put the camera or binoculars down and absorb the scenery. It will blow your mind.

#inCruises