This excursion was a lot of fun and the captain and naturalist went out of their way to be helpful and informative and did the best they could on finding the whales out in the ocean for us to see. We did see a lot of them. We saw humpback whales, a gray whale and dozens of sea otters. It was very fun going to the beach to explore the sea life. We had no idea until we were on the beach that there was a bear for every quarter mile on this island which made for a lot of bears on that island! I would recommend this tour to anyone anytime. It is something we will never forget and made our 25th wedding anniversary trip to Alaska very interesting that day. Thank you!!!
I signed up for this excursion with my husband and two friends. The captain and naturalist for our private catamaran expedition were professional and courteous. They continually wiped the widows on the inside and outside of the cabin so that we could see the whale, sea otter and seals that we came upon and those that wanted to stay inside could take pictures due to the intermittent rain that day. The beach exploration was very interesting, as an avid beach comber I found beautiful sea glass, interesting rocks and shells. They had coffee, hot chocolate and snacks of local salmon. I saw more wildlife on this one excursion than on all the other days I was in Alaska combined!
While in Sitka, we took part in the Sea Other & Wildlife Quest tour. It was a 3-hour cruise in Sitka Sound on a waterjet catamaran. We saw a brown bear, lots and lots of whales (including a baby), otters, harbor seals, and bald eagles. The crew on the boat offered just the right amount and type of commentary on our trip – useful and interesting information, but not an endless stream of chatter. They provided a map of the ocean and coastline we explored and a pair of binoculars for everyone to use on the trip. They also offered complimentary hot coffee and hot cocoa for everyone throughout. Allen Marine Tours is a well-run, family-owned business. We loved this experience and highly recommend it.
This highly professional company guarantees wildlife sightings, or they will give you a $100.00 bill! Forget about getting any money – they knew exactly where to go in Sitka Sound to find sea otters (males and females with babies), whales, sitka deer and lots of birds. It was such a wonderful experience to watch these beautiful sea mammals in their natural habitat. They have complimentary coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and muffins on board. The Captain circled each sighting so all sides of the boat could see everything. Our Naturalist, Sylvia, was highly informative, and had reference books to show pictures up close. Marvelous. Do not miss!
It was the best experience and well worth the money. We saw so many otters and seals, a couple of sea lions, and a ton of bald eagles. We also enjoyed watching quite a lot of whale activity. Our captain, Greg, was very experienced and knew the area well. Our small boat went into little bays where we saw many animals. Our guide/naturalist, Denise, was an educated biologist with a background in zoology. She gave a very interesting and informative dialogue as we traveled and answered many questions about the area and animal behavior. I would certainly recommend this adventure to all age levels!
Geoff was our guide and one can tell he has a true passion for what he does. He taught me things about the art of fishing without making me feel too old or ignorant to learn, which has happened to me in the past. And, he made it fun, plus supplied snacks. We caught Halibut, Salmon, and Rock fish.
This excursion was the highlight of my vacation. I recommend this to anyone who is looking for a great catch and a great time. Be sure to ask for Geoff.
Our Boat Captain was John. He was the best he put us on fish from the time we stopped to the end of our trip. We caught all kinds of fish from Halibut, to cod and rock fish. He was as happy as we were when we caught fish and took all pictures for us with our fish. We were worn out from the amount of fish we caught. Captain John Rocks!!!
Our guide Chris was incredibly knowledgeable. He took us at least an hour out to find just the right spot, a shelf that rose to about 170 feet and we let our lines down. Fairly quickly I hooked a Halibut that initially ran and took me some time to get up to the boat. It was obvious it was too long, they have a 42 inch limit, and we let it go. We caught two more that were too long as well. Great fun, however, just to catch the fish. We did catch 3 rock fish and a cod and will be eating them soon. Everyone caught something and we walked away thrilled with our experience. They provided a snack, water, rubber overalls and boots. Highly recommend this company!
Hats off to our young guide for helping make this our group’s favorite day in Alaska. We loved the hands on approach to the experience, we saw sea life and eagles, we laughed and had a great time, AND WE CAUGHT FISH! The equipment was not fancy, but totally adequate. The camp site was rustically charming, and our compliments to the chef!!
My husband, two teenage sons and I really didn’t know what to expect when we selected this excursion. We hoped we would get our money’s worth on this deal, and our experience was amazing! The fishing itself was hard work. Be prepared for an upper body workout! We caught so many fish that we were able to share what we caught with others at the camp. The camp itself far exceeded our expectations. There were two big campfires waiting for us, and we drank hot chocolate and coffee while our guide cleaned and prepared the fish for cooking. I have never had a better meal! We have often talked about that experience, and can’t wait to go back!