Seward Alaska is the place to view hundreds of Humpback, Gray, Fin and Killer whales every spring. I

Seward adventure cruise virginia beach Alaska is the place to view hundreds adventure cruise virginia beach of Humpback, Gray, Fin and Killer whales adventure cruise virginia beach every spring. In April and May Whales return to Resurrection Bay and the Gulf of Alaska, from their winter calving grounds in Hawaii and Mexico. As the Whales congregate and transit through the Gulf of Alaska waters near Seward Alaska, and the nearby Fjords there is no better place to begin your whale watching adventure than Seward Alaska, and no better place to stay while in Seward than Hotel Seward. Contact the staff at Hotel Seward to book your Hotel and Whale watching package today. adventure cruise virginia beach 907-224-8001
The Humpback is characterized by it's tapered head and unusually long pectoral fins. They have the largest scalloped, winglike flippers of any whale species. The Humpback whales mates during the summer in Alaskan Waters. The Best time for Whale Watching and to view Humpback Whales out of Seward Alaska is May-September peaking adventure cruise virginia beach in Mid June and August. adventure cruise virginia beach Humpback whales can often be seen breeching, characterized by throwing themselves completely out of the water. You may also see Humpbacks swimming on their back with both flippers in the air or raising their huge fluke out of the water and slapping them on the water surface, also known as lobbing.
Humpback whales give birth during the winter months in Mexico, Hawaii, and the Western Pacific. Humpback Whales have a 11 to 12 month gestation period adventure cruise virginia beach and a newborn calves at birth average roughly 2 tons in weight and approximately 12 feet in length.
Humpbacks adventure cruise virginia beach can be found in matrilineal family groups of four to five called pods but generally travel and feed individually. While in Alaskan waters they eat one to one and a half tons of food a day. In winter months, the whales survive off of their fat supplies. A Humpback migrates about 14,000 nautical miles a year.
Conservation Status : Protected, In 1948 the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling banned all hunting of Gray whales except by aboriginal people. Today there are estimated to be some 26,000 eastern North Pacific Gray whales. However the Western North Pacific Gray whales are not doing as well with only about 100 animals left. All are now protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act while in the oceans surrounding the United States.
The name for the Gray whales comes from its mottled gray body color. They have robust bodies that are mottled gray, marked with orange patches that are caused by parasitic adventure cruise virginia beach whale lice. Their heads often have areas encrusted by barnacles. To spot this animal, look for a tall and bushy blow near shore as they feed in shallow water. Gray whales are the only baleen whales that are mainly bottom adventure cruise virginia beach feeders and the most coastal of the baleen whales. To feed, Gray whales fill their large mouths with mud from the sea bottom and filter it through their baleen to capture adventure cruise virginia beach tube worms, plankton, mollusks, and other small crustaceans. These whales adventure cruise virginia beach lack a dorsal fin and show their tails when diving.
adventure cruise virginia beach Gray whales are similar to Humpback whales with their migrating habits. Gray whales migrate between Baja California and the Bering and Chukchi seas each year, a distance adventure cruise virginia beach of over 10,000 miles round-trip. adventure cruise virginia beach They will deliver their calves in the warm, protected lagoons off the coast of Baja Gray The Best time for Whale Watching and to View Gray whales out of Seward Alaska is: Spring Fall . Peak Viewing Time: April May . Gray whales are usually alone or in small groups, called pods, however during adventure cruise virginia beach feeding and mating adventure cruise virginia beach season they form together in larger pods.
Conservation Status: There are estimates that between 14-18 thousand fin whales are in the north pacific. The International Whaling Commission gave Fin whales worldwide protection status adventure cruise virginia beach in 1966 and they are listed as endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act in 1973.
Fin whales, also known as Finback whales, are the second largest mammals and among the fastest of all whales. The fin whale received its name due to the prominent fin on its back, near the tail. These streamlined whales have long, sleek bodies with small flippers and a v-shaped head that is flat on top. Each side of the whale is different in color. The underside, right lip and baleen plate are yellow-white. The main body, left lip and baleen plate are light gray. Other names for this whale are Finback, and Razorback. They can be found in all the oceans, migrating from the warm waters during adventure cruise virginia beach the winter to the colder waters during the summers. The Best time for Whale Watching and to view Fin whales out of Seward Alaska is: May – September. Like all baleen whales, they feed on krill and other small fish. A fin whale may eat two tons of food every day. Fin whales prefer the open ocean, and generally travel alone, although pods of 5-6 have been seen together. These great whales prefer temperate and arctic waters. Whale watchers can see Fin whales along the Alaska coastlines near Seward Alaska, the Aleutians, the Inside Passage and Prince William Sound. Most migrate from their arctic summer feeding areas to more temperate winter breeding grounds. Fin whales are loners or sometimes are found in small groups.
Conservation Status: Current populations are about 100,000 Minke whales in the North Pacific. Minke whales adventure cruise virginia beach are the most heavily harvested baleen adventure cruise virginia beach whale today. Scientists note that the populations have actually increased as they have started eating food previously eaten by the depleted larger whale species.
Minke whales are the second smallest adventure cruise virginia beach baleen whale, about half the size of a Humpback whale. Another name for the Minke whale is the Little Piked Whale. Minke whales fall into two different species, the Northern adventure cruise virginia beach and Southern adventure cruise virginia beach or Antarctic variety. They are the most abundant baleen whale and can be found in all oceans and seas across the world. In the northern oceans, Minke whales primarily eat plankton, herring, cod and mackerel. Minke whales are dark grey to black with a white underside and a white patch on both front flippers. They often have a pale chevron behind their heads, a small dorsal fin, and a series of small ridges along the back near the tail. Minke whales are stocky, adventure cruise virginia beach having a layer of blubber several inches thick.
The Minke are usually solitary but may be seen in pods of up to three whales. They are normally quite shy and difficult to approach but some are curious and will come close to boats for a better look. The Best time for Whale Watching and to Viewing Minke whales out of Seward Alaska is: May – September . To spot Minke whales look for a low, bushy blow at the water line as well as watching for the broad black back and small dorsal fin. When the animal dives, the dorsal fin is visible well above the water but the tail rarely breaks the surface. Minke whales are distributed through out the pacific from Baja California in the winter months and in the summer months from the Gulf of Alaska coastal areas near Seward Alaska, Glacier Bay, the Bering Sea region north of the Aleutian chain, and right up to the edge of the icepack in Polar Regions, sometimes becoming trapped in the ice fields.
Diet : Consists of fish, squid, seals, sea lions, birds, dolphins, porpoises and other large whales. adventure cruise virginia beach An adult orca consumes on average of 100-300 pounds of food per day, depending on size and energy needs. Nursing females will consume 2 to 4 times this amount.
Killer Whales, Orcas are the largest and most powerful member adventure cruise virginia beach of the dolphin family and are not really a whale at all. Orcas are black in color with white undersides as well as white markings located behind the eyes and dorsal fin. To spot Orcas, look for their black dorsal adventure cruise virginia beach fins rising through the water. It is easier to spot adult males as their dorsal fins are tall and distinct. Also, scan the horizon for a rising puffs of steam known as a blow. Orcas are social animals and live and travel in matrilineal family-related groups known as pods. Pods may have of up to 40 members, made up of both males and females. Orcas unlike Humpbacks, do not display any regular migration patterns. There are three main classifications of Orcas, offshore, resident and transient. Resident pods that live in primarily in one area, seem to prefer fish whereas pods that are more transient prefer a variety of marine adventure cruise virginia beach animals. They are successful hunters because the whole pod participates and works together while hunting. The Best time for Whale Watching and to view Killer whales out of Seward Alaska is: May 5 June 5 during this period several pods of orcas are found feed on a small salmon run that congregates south of Seward. During the summer months, from June to September, the northern adventure cruise virginia beach resident whales can generally be seen from northern Vancouver Island to Alaska. They prefer to live in coastal waters in cooler regions. One thousand have been identified and photographed in Alaskan waters. Transient whale pods can be seen all along the western coast of North America, from Glacier Bay in Alaska to the southern California coast. They are also prevalent off the Aleutians. adventure cruise virginia beach Some killer whales ride cold currents south in the winter months.
The Dall s porpoise is named for the naturalist who first discovered them, William. Dall, member or the elite 1899 crew of scientists aboard the S.S. George W. Elder, during the Harriman Alaska Expedition, credited with the discovery Harriman Fjord in the Prince William Sound. The Dall's porpoise coloration is rather like that of an Orca. The main body is very dark grey to black with very demarcated white patches on the flank that begin some way behind the flippers, which are small and close to the head. The dorsal fin is set just back from the middle of the back and sits up erect. The upper part of the dorsal fin has a white to light grey frosting . The fluke has a similar frosting. The adult fluke curves back towards the body of the animal, which is another distinguishing feature The head is rounded and small while the body is muscular and powerfully built. Dall's porpoise are attracted by fast moving vessels and love to swim at high