Kenai Fjord Tours - Seward, Alaska
Written: Jul 08 '08
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Pros: One of the best things to do in Alaska
Cons: They don't control the weather or the seas
The Bottom Line: One of the best things to do in Alaska.
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| realtraveller's Full Review: Kenai Fjord Tours |
For nature and wildlife lovers, there are three big things to do in Alaska: Denali National Park, a cruise of Prince William Sound out of Valdez and a cruise of Kenai Fjords National Park out of Seward.
For cruising, Kenai Fjords National Park, I highly recommend Kenai Fjords Tours . They are the largest cruise/tour operator for seeing the park. They offer 12 different itineraries, some short cruises of Resurrection Bay, the bay on which Seward sits, longer cruises to the tidewater glaciers in the national park and even a 150 mile tour that goes to the farthest fjord from Seward. The other two operators, Major Marine and Renown, don't have as many choices, and their boats did not appear to be as large, new or comfortable as those of Kenai Fjords Tours. We reserved the National Parks Tour with the Fox Island salmon buffet stop. It was scheduled to leave Seward at 10am and return at 6:30 with dinner on Fox Island, a private island in Resurrection Bay owned by Kenai Fjords Tours.
The National Parks Tour was to go through Resurrection Bay to Aialik Bay to see Aialik Glacier and Holmes Glacier, both large tidewater glaciers.
Kenai Fjords Tours has a large office easily found near the small boat harbor in Seward. We stopped in the day before to check in and we were told upfront that the weather was turning bad and that there would likely be a weather warning put out on our tour.
It Was A Dark and Stormy Day
When we showed up at the tour office the day of the tour, we weren't surprised to be told that indeed a weather warning was in effect. The boat captains were talking to other boat captains to see exactly what conditions were but that it was likely that we would not be able to go to the glaciers. They were frank and up front. We were given three options: cancel outright, take the tour and if we weren't able to go out to the glaciers we would get a partial refund, or rebook for another day. Since the next day's weather was predicted to be even worse, we took the tour and took our chances.
While Resurrection Bay had only a slight chop, the problem was that to get to Aialik Bay in the national park, boats have to venture out into the notoriously rough Gulf of Alaska. The day of our intended trip, near the end of June, had gale force winds and 12 foot seas in the Gulf of Alaska. And while I was willing to see what such high seas were like (picturing Deadliest Catch or The Perfect Storm) a former Alaskan commercial fisherman who was on the trip told me that in seas that high, water would be coming over the deck and into the interior compartments and everyone onboard would be upchucking. None of the tour operators were taking the chance. At one point we got close to the Gulf and headed into some high waves. I was at the prow and had a wonderful time. It was like a stand up roller coaster with a stiff wind and blowing salt water in my face. I loved it.
What We Saw In Resurrection Bay
So our tour turned out to be just of Resurrection Bay. No glaciers, but lots of wildlife, and despite the high gray clouds the mountain scenery was still spectacular. We saw several pods of orcas. They were fishing for the salmon. The summer salmon run was just starting. Naturalists have studied these orcas for years, know the family histories of the pods, and know the individuals by their black/white patterns. Orcas are matriarchal, ruled by the dominant female. We also saw puffins, horned and tufted, and learned the difference. (I had told one of the hands that I was particularly interested in seeing puffins, and he sought me out to show me where the puffins were and whether I could identify horned versus tufted. A little personal attention I appreciated). By the way, horned have white bellies and tufted are all black.
We also saw one humpback whale, three sea otters, and many other sea birds like kittiwakes and murres. Bald eagles sat on tops of spruce looking for salmon to catch and Stellar's sea lions lazed about on rocks grunting and moaning. It was a great wildlife viewing day.
The captain who narrated the tour was very entertaining and relayed a lot of information about the bay and its wildlife. Not to mention, he was able to inch the prow of the boat right up to the sheer rock faces of the puffin rookeries.
The boat was large and comfortable. Plenty of outside deck space but also seating and tables inside for warming up.
Fox Island
Around 12:30, we pulled into the dock at Fox Island for the salmon buffet we were supposed to have had for dinner. The grilled salmon wasn't as tender as what you'd get in a restaurant, but it was good, the rice pilaf was excellent. There was salad, vegetables, rolls and lemonade or coffee or tea. Dessert was small squares of pecan pie. After lunch there was time to walk along Fox Island's pebbly beach or listen to a lecture by the park ranger.
What To Wear and Bring
It was cold (in the 50's) the day we went. Wear many layers, including a water resistant layer on top. I wore a knit cap (bought at the last minute in Seward). In the wind, a hood blows right off. I also wore my 'boat suit' with its windbreaker type pants. Bring a back pack with your camera and binoculars. Puffins are much smaller birds than they look on the nature programs.
Refund
Since our tour was shortened and we couldn't see the glaciers, Kenai Fjords refunded us $50 each in cash at the office as we got off the boat, reducing the cost to what a Resurrection Bay tour would cost. I thought it was fair.
Conclusion
This tour is a must for anyone planning a trip to Alaska. It's one of the big three.
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Families
Tour type: Individual
Tour format: Boat
Tour length: Several Hours
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Member: Kathryn
Location: North of Malibu, East of Eden
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