Alaska Wildlife Viewing aboard the Sikumi

By Alaska Travel Writer Luke Chambers

When I was thinking about my Alaskan cruise I was probably most excited about the wildlife that I may encounter. Everyone knows about the massive Grizzly Bears that live in Alaska, as well as the menagerie of whales, otters, seals, birds, and moose. I thought a cruise would be the perfect way to see this wildlife that I had heard so much about.  

I had my first wildlife sighting before I even boarded the boat. On the ride from the airport I saw two moose, a bull and a calf, not twenty feet off the road. For a moment I thought the two were cardboard cutouts, they looked almost too good to be true. These moose were a sign of the many sightings yet to come.  

Millions of birds live in Alaska. It is a stopping point in the summer for migratory shorebirds, which travel by the tens of thousands. As a novice birdwatcher, I was particularly interested in these birds, which I began to notice in the harbor before we even pulled anchor!  

The Sikumi is a small enough vessel to get into the little nooks and crannies where animals are likely to be found. Each night we would pull into some secluded bay to drop anchor. These points ended up being some of our most fruitful wildlife viewing destinations. One morning we saw three Brown Bears looking for fish along the shore. Another evening I noticed strange pools of color in the water. As I looked closer I realized there were hundreds of Jellyfish below the boat. I guess sometimes when you’re looking for whales you get Jellyfish! 

I’m positive I saw some type of wildlife every day of my trip. On a kayak trip I had two playful Sea Otters swimming just off the bow of my kayak and tugging on the rope that dangled from its stern. On Fredrick Sound I saw an absolutely epic Humpback breach less then 100 yards from the boat. On a hike near Admirality Island we came across a mother moose and her two newborns. All of these sightings heightened my excitement and kept me on my toes, as you never know what you’re going to see in Alaska! 

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