Humpback whales, known for their impressive size and acrobatic displays, are baleen mammals. They can reach up to 60 feet in length and weigh as much as 40 tons. Alaska’s nutrient-rich waters offer prime viewing opportunities.
Annual Migration Patterns
Humpback whales undertake one of the longest migrations, traveling thousands of miles each year. They spend winters in tropical waters near Hawaii, Mexico, or Japan, where they breed and give birth. As spring approaches, these whales journey northward to the food-rich feeding grounds of Alaska.
Their arrival in Alaskan waters begins late April/early May, with numbers increasing through June. The peak viewing season generally spans from May through September for feeding. By early fall, around September, they begin their return migration to their breeding grounds. This seasonal presence is driven by the abundant availability of food sources, such as krill and small schooling fish, in Alaskan waters.
Prime Viewing Locations
Alaska offers several premier locations for observing humpback whales. Southeast Alaska, including Juneau, Sitka, and Icy Strait (near Hoonah), is renowned for consistent sightings. The nutrient-dense waters such as Point Adolphus in Icy Strait create a concentrated food supply, attracting large numbers of whales. Many tours in the Juneau area offer high chances of spotting humpbacks due to the dense whale population.
Prince William Sound, with its sheltered fjords and abundant fish concentrations, is another significant feeding ground. Visitors can embark on tours from Whittier or Valdez. Further west, Kenai Fjords National Park near Seward provides glaciers and rugged coastlines, alongside opportunities to see humpbacks. Its food-rich waters near the open ocean offer access to marine wildlife.
Common Humpback Activities
While in Alaskan waters, humpback whales exhibit behaviors for feeding, communication, and play. A unique feeding strategy is bubble-net feeding, cooperative among whales. During this process, whales work together to blow bubbles in a circular pattern, creating a “net” that corrals prey like herring or krill into a dense ball. The whales then lunge through the center of the bubble net with open mouths, consuming food.
Breaching is where a whale propels its body out of the water before crashing back down. While reasons are not fully understood, breaching is thought to be a form of long-distance communication, to dislodge parasites, or a display of play or fitness.
Humpbacks also engage in tail slapping by lifting their flukes out of the water and slapping them on the surface. This may stun prey, communicate, or signal dominance. Additionally, pec slapping involves the whale rolling onto its side and striking the water with one or both pectoral fins, for communication or to remove external organisms.