Alaska Land & Sea Photo Tour
Alaska, with its unique charm, always manages to surprise me with distinct and memorable moments on each trip. The Alaska Land & Sea photography tour spans eight days, and the standout feature is spending four full days on various boats capturing a diverse range of subjects in the Kenai Peninsula. Opting for smaller boats allows us to get remarkably close to wildlife and explore more remote locations compared to larger vessels.
Nestled in the heart of Alaska, the Kenai Peninsula is a breathtaking region renowned for its awe-inspiring landscapes, abundant wildlife, and diverse ecosystems. The peninsula is a nature lover's paradise, offering a perfect blend of rugged coastlines, towering mountains, pristine lakes, and lush forests.
One of the jewels of the Kenai Peninsula is the Kenai Fjords National Park, where immense glaciers flow into the sea, creating a stunning scene of ice and water. The Harding Icefield, a vast expanse of ice and snow, dominates the park's interior, and its meltwater feeds into numerous glaciers that carve through the rugged terrain.
The park gets its name, Kenai Fjords, from the network of fjords that cut into the coastal mountains. Fjords are glacially carved valleys filled with seawater, creating stunning landscapes of towering cliffs and icy waters.
Some of the glaciers in Kenai Fjords actively calve, which means they release large chunks of ice into the ocean. It is incredible to watch.
The coastal areas of the peninsula are teeming with marine life. From orcas and humpback whales to sea lions and puffins, the waters around the Kenai Peninsula offer a front-row seat to the wonders of the ocean. The charming coastal towns, such as Seward and Homer, provide a gateway to the peninsula's natural wonders and offer a taste of Alaska's rich maritime culture.
Humpback whales breach in a stunning display, leaping out of the water and creating a loud splash upon reentry. While the exact reasons are not fully understood, theories include communication, courtship, parasite removal, play, and navigation. Witnessing this acrobatic behavior is an incredible experience, showcasing the whales' power and grace.
Taking in the beauty of the pristine waters from one of our boats.
A majestic Bald Eagle in flight. I frequently zoom out when photographing wildlife to reveal the surrounding scenery. In this instance, I like the misty mountains creating a scenic backdrop.
Bald Eagle diving for a fish.
We dedicate a significant amount of time to capturing images of eagles during this tour. Our photography ventures lead us to areas in Alaska teeming with abundant eagle populations. Within a short drive from our accommodations, we're fortunate to have access to at least four nests. Additionally, our visits to a State Park reveal eagles perched along the beach and within the trees, offering diverse opportunities for observation.
While photographing these majestic birds, I particularly enjoy utilizing a small boat. The eagles are plentiful, accustomed to human presence, and it becomes effortless to obtain multiple eye-level, frame-filling photographs, making it my preferred method of capturing these awe-inspiring moments.
Sea otter mothers create floating nurseries by wrapping kelp strands around their bodies, providing a secure and anchored area where the pup can rest while the mother forages for food. This helps prevent the pup from drifting away in the currents.
When sea otters are on land they often roll and flip to groom their fur. Sea otters have the densest fur of any animal. To maintain their fur's insulating and buoyant properties, sea otters spend a significant amount of time grooming.
Alaska black bears often employ a sit-and-wait strategy along riverbanks. They position themselves strategically, patiently waiting for salmon to swim by. Once they spot a fish within reach, they make a swift and precise move to catch it.
We visited several puffin colonies. These are Horned Puffins not to be mistaken with the Atlantic Puffin that we see in Maine and Canada.
Horned Puffin taking off. This photo was taken from one of our boats.
A Tufted Puffin splashing in the icy waters of the Kenai Fjords. Tufted puffins are skilled divers and fliers. They use their wings to "fly" underwater, propelling themselves with powerful strokes of their webbed feet. These birds can dive to considerable depths—up to (200 feet—in search of small fish, squid, and other marine organisms, which make up a significant portion of their diet.
Parakeet auklets are known for their agile and acrobatic flight, using their wings to "fly" underwater in search of small fish and invertebrates. They are social birds and often gather in large colonies, especially during the breeding season.
The Parakeet Auklet gets its name from its vibrant and striking appearance, which includes bright orange-red beaks and a unique plumage. During the breeding season, these birds have vivid green feathers on their heads, resembling a parakeet, hence the name "Parakeet Auklet." This distinctive coloring is part of their courtship display and adds to the charm of these seabirds.
One year we had several Orcas (nicknamed Killer Whales). We photographed them 3 out of the 4 days that we were on the boat. Orcas are actually not whales but are in the Dolphin family.
Capturing an Orca against a breathtaking backdrop is a personal favorite of mine. Whenever possible, I like to take full-frame shots, highlighting the beauty and details. Yet, it’s also important to pull back to capture the Orca within its natural environment, creating an entirely different perspective that showcases the animal in the context of its surroundings.
We visited multiple rookeries and witnessed incredible biodiversity: Common Murres, Tufted Puffins, Horned Puffins, Auklets, Bald Eagles, Pigeon Guillemots, Eiders, Surfbirds, Scoters, Kittiwakes, Gulls, and Black Oystercatchers. We also spotted whales, seals, and sea lions in the area.
Common Murres
Harbor seals are a common sight in the icy waters of Kenai Fjords National Park, and they share the marine environment with other wildlife, including whales, sea lions, and various seabirds.
Sea lions are known for their agility in water and on land, but what sets them apart from seals is their ability to "walk" on their large, muscular flippers. Sea lions can rotate their hind flippers forward and support their body weight, allowing them to move on all fours and even climb rocky surfaces. This unique adaptation makes them quite versatile in their coastal habitats.
Alaska’s 100,000 glaciers cover 5% of the state. We see several by land and sea.
Glacier ice is blue because the red (long wavelengths) part of white light is absorbed by ice and the blue (short wavelengths) light is transmitted and scattered. The longer the path light travels in ice, the more blue it appears.
Windy Point near Anchorage is one of the many reliable places to see Dall Sheep. These sheep are excellent climbers and can maneuver steep, rugged slopes with ease. Their concave hooves provide them with exceptional traction, allowing them to navigate rocky cliffs and escape from predators.