At the height of the Alaska summer, the waters off Point Adolphus in Icy Strait are the place to watch for humpback whales. The lumbering leviathans come here for good reason: the ebb and flow of the tides, together with the confluence of waters from Icy Strait, Glacier Bay, and Mud Bay, churn up rich nutrients that provide a lavish feast for whales and other marine creatures. Bald eagles and gulls eagerly skim off whatever is left over.

To spot a whale, scan the surface of the water for a vapour plume about 15 feet high. Watch for tail flukes, too; the humpback almost always shows its flukes before diving. Turbulence in the water, with gulls screeching overhead, is a good indication of whales feeding.

The most thrilling sight of all, however, is that of a humpback whale breaching. Daily boat tours or guided kayaking trips can be arranged from Gustavus or Juneau through Sea Otter Kayak.