Seward Ak. Boat Tour Advice
Aug 21, 2017 09:41:18 #
Would bet that in Sept it will be really cold, at least in the morning, and possibly wet. So plan accordingly. But it is a bucket list trip for anyone so enjoy yours.
Aug 21, 2017 10:27:57 #
Aug 21, 2017 10:28:37 #
insman1132 wrote:
Would bet that in Sept it will be really cold, at least in the morning, and possibly wet. So plan accordingly. But it is a bucket list trip for anyone so enjoy yours.
Aug 21, 2017 10:46:55 #
nupshaw
Loc: Strasburg, VA
I second the opinion on gloves. A cousin had knitted me some fingerless gloves (before they can back) and I was so glad I had thought to take them! Without them I wouldn't have gotten many whale shots!
Aug 21, 2017 10:56:13 #
I was there in 2015 in an RV for a week. There is a public campground on the water in town which is nice. We went salmon fishing and sent home 22 lbs of dressed fish. If you like to fish - go out on a boat. We saw whales, puffins, and other wildlife just from the fishing trip. We also did a sunset dinner cruise to an island that also included looking for sea life. Again we saw whales, puffins,etc. There is the Bear Glacier with trips to it (http://www.alaska.org/detail/bear-glacier. ) Exit Glacier is in Seward and you can easily walk and see it at the bottom, but if able to hike - the hike (strenuous) is beautiful and you can hike up above it and all the way up to see the Harding Ice field. There are bears (so be prepared if hiking). They have ranger led hikes up there too. One last mention is the marine life center in Seward is well worth the time. You can see marine life up close and good for photography - especially the birds which are out in the open and easily to take pictures of.
Enjoy the trip - one of my most favorite places.
Enjoy the trip - one of my most favorite places.
Aug 21, 2017 10:59:19 #
ronf78155
Loc: Seguin Texas
Im looking at doing the Brooks Falls and Denali trip next year.
The lodging for Brooks fals is a 2 year backlog so Im looking at flying in for the day then renting a car fro Denali.
any recommendations are GREATLY appreciated !
The lodging for Brooks fals is a 2 year backlog so Im looking at flying in for the day then renting a car fro Denali.
any recommendations are GREATLY appreciated !
Aug 21, 2017 11:02:59 #
Japakomom wrote:
Kenai Fjords Tours is the largest outfit and does an excellent job. If they see something they will circle around and really try hard to let you see things. http://www.kenaifjords.com
Used them in June. Great experience. Board as early as you can. I thought the best seat was inside first level near the front and near a window and near a door. A lot of the best shooting was out on the bow. It was not hard to get up and move around for most items sited. As you get close to a glacier you may want to switch to a wider angle lens.
Oh and pay for the bottomless cup of soda/hot chocolate/tea/coffee. It was worth it!
Aug 21, 2017 11:07:37 #
Wanda Krack wrote:
Thanks sb. Denali I have reservations for. Sounds like Seward has several things to offer.
When in Seward, if you have time, make sure to visit the Seward Sealife Center. It's interesting and informative and worth the time to do it.
Also, Seward has some great places to eat, but they are all very expensive. Lots of neat shops, too.
Aug 21, 2017 17:10:46 #
My wife and I took a 12 day Alaskan land and sea cruise in 2016. A couple of tips if I may from experience. In Denali National Park, I would suggest a medium telephoto lens since the majority of your shots will be inside a tour bus. anymore than a 200 mm lens will be difficult to manage with people jumping in front of you while they jostle for position, and plus difficulty focusing quickly on moving animals even with auto focus. The highlight of cruise was Glacier Bay and I used nothing but wide angle settings on my zoom lens. I brought 2 camera bodies and 3 lenses and used my Can 18-55 mm lens over 90% of the time and my 24-105 lens in Denali National Park. If you're taking a cruise or sightseeing by boat forget the monopod or tripod. The vibration from the ships engine(s) will throw your focus to hell, even if you have built in focus stability. Don't brace your camera on the deck rails for the same reason.
Aug 23, 2017 11:51:33 #
Wanda Krack wrote:
Has anyone taken any of the boat tours out of Seward, and if so, any input, advice, recommendations? I expect to be there going on a boat tour from Seward on Sept. 4th or 5th and am looking for recommendations for the best one. Wildlife shooting, glaciers calving, and general scenery shooting is the plan. Thanks.
New here and more of a "picture-taker" than a photographer, but I'm learning so much here
We did the Kenai Fjors tours several years ago in July. Great trip but cold, rain and rough water. Lots of fun. If you have the chance hike the Harding Ice Field. Absolutely awesome. Still can't believe we (54 & 65) did it. Still talk about it and wonder how we made it! Love my pictures. Also went on a bear trip with Emerald Air to Katmai National Prk. Words can't describe the beauty or the bears.
Sep 1, 2017 14:21:43 #
Wanda,
I just returned from Alaska on the 31st of August and spend a day out on the Kenai Fjords. We used Major Marine Tours, a larger boat, as suggested by our travel agent. Northern Latitude Adventures "guarantees" whale sightings, but it's a small boat and the seas can get pretty rough. You should also look into Phillips Glacier Cruises, they have catamarans and claim to pass 26 glaciers.
Our ship came within 1/2 a mile of a glacier, got some great shots with a 18-135 mm lens, but the crowd of people on the bow presented some crowding issues. You're going at a great time, but be prepared for the possibility of cold rain and rough seas, it's been a wet summer in Alaska. Don't miss the Alaska Sealife Center in Seward. Be sure to pick up a copy of the Official Guide to Anchorage and the Local Flavor guide to restaurants.
Have a great trip, it's an amazing place.
I just returned from Alaska on the 31st of August and spend a day out on the Kenai Fjords. We used Major Marine Tours, a larger boat, as suggested by our travel agent. Northern Latitude Adventures "guarantees" whale sightings, but it's a small boat and the seas can get pretty rough. You should also look into Phillips Glacier Cruises, they have catamarans and claim to pass 26 glaciers.
Our ship came within 1/2 a mile of a glacier, got some great shots with a 18-135 mm lens, but the crowd of people on the bow presented some crowding issues. You're going at a great time, but be prepared for the possibility of cold rain and rough seas, it's been a wet summer in Alaska. Don't miss the Alaska Sealife Center in Seward. Be sure to pick up a copy of the Official Guide to Anchorage and the Local Flavor guide to restaurants.
Have a great trip, it's an amazing place.
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