LIGHTHOUSE, TOTEMS, & EAGLES EXCURSION

LOCALLY OWNED & OPERATED

We pride ourselves on providing visitors with a view of Ketchikan through the eyes of locals. We are passionate about our home and we want to share it with you! Our tour provides a scenic, narrated wildlife excursion through the protected waters of our nearshore route of the Inside Passage, the Tongass Narrows.

EXCURSION DETAILS

Join your Alaskan captain and their crew at our dock in historic Ward Cove, one of the deepest and most protected natural harbors in Alaska. There, board your vessel, where we welcome you to settle into the inside heated main cabin or take a seat on the outside observation deck.

Warm your hands with a delicious hot chocolate or freshly brewed coffee and look to the skies and the trees for your first sighting of an American bald eagle. As the captain navigates your vessel along our developed shoreline, the crew will help you spot the many eagles’ nests dotting the coast. When we pause in front of Totem Bight State Park, home to an Alaskan Native clan house and 14 towering Tlingit and Haida hand-carved cedar totem poles, we’ll grow your understanding of Ketchikan’s vibrant Alaska Native culture, as well as the history of the park.

About halfway through the trip, you’ll leave the developed shoreline to head out to Guard Island Lighthouse, perched on its own island near the opening to Clarence Strait. (This fascinating landmark was established in 1904 and is still in operation today.) While here, take a minute to breathe in the fresh sea air and keep your eye out for the possibility of some of our favorite marine mammals – seals, sea lions, and, in May and September, sometimes even humpback and orca whales! You also may get a chance to see any number of seabirds, such as great blue heron, pigeon guillemots, or gulls.

On your way back to Ward Cove, your captain will bring your tour vessel along the neighboring island of Gravina, showcasing beautiful views of the old growth Tongass National Forest, our world’s largest temperate rainforest, and give you the opportunity to possibly spot some land-based wildlife, such as Sitka Blacktail deer or – if you’re really lucky! – a black bear.

Throughout the tour you’ll also get the chance to learn about the unique lifestyle of living on a remote Alaskan island directly from locals who make this place our home.