We took the whale watching and bear search trip in perfect weather. Run by the Tlingit people it is the only privately owned port in the US. We did the whale watch first followed by the bear search. Good naturalist commentary on the whales and excellent information on the Tlingit people and the development of the port of Icy Strait Point by Kevin. Saw numerous humpback whales but the surroundings are so beautiful that the ride alone is worth the trip. The bear search was guided by Jacob who provided great details about the bears as well as his culture. We were lucky enough to see two brown bears on the way to the observation platform as well as a mother brown bear and 2 cubs at the platform. Several eagles were observed as well though the highlight was seeing a bald eagle catch a salmon in the ocean as we were returning to the port. The restoration of the cannery as a museum was interesting and the grounds were beautiful. We walked along the beach before returning to the ship, observing starfish, jellyfish and jumping salmon in the clear waters.
The surroundings are so beautiful that the ride alone is worth the trip!