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Sitka Expeditions

Join us for an unbelievable adventure in the most unforgettable place!

09/25/2026

One of the rarest wildlife encounters in Sitka!

An extraordinary encounter in Sitka Sound as a pod of transient killer whales launched an attack on a humpback whale!

The humpback put up an incredible fight, repeatedly slapping the orcas with its massive pectoral fins and powerful tail in an attempt to defend itself. Through sheer persistence, the humpback eventually managed to escape and swim away with what appeared to be only minor injuries. The orcas ultimately abandoned their attack and moved on.

These particular orcas were transients, displaying behavior noticeably different from other killer whales we’ve encountered in Sitka Sound.

Even after countless hours on the water, witnessing an encounter like this is exceptionally rare. Just when we think we’ve seen it all, Alaska reminds us how wild it truly is!

Video cred to our naturalist: Jac Ochoa

AlaskaWildlife WildlifeEncounters

08/26/2026

Getting “mugged” in Sitka has a whole different meaning. 🐋

A humpback whale “mugging” happens when a curious whale approaches a vessel on its own and decides to stick around. It can circle the boat, surface just feet away, or simply hang out nearby. It is an extremely rare encounter and something you can never predict or guarantee.

When it happens, we shut things down, give the whale the space it chooses, and let the moment unfold. Experiences like this are exactly why no two days on Sitka Sound are ever the same.

Join Sitka Expeditions and come see what is waiting for us out there. Humpback whales, orcas, sea otters, bears, sea lions, eagles, and more. You truly never know what Sitka will deliver.

🐋 Book your wildlife adventure at SitkaExpeditions.com

🎥 Video Credit: Jac Ochoa

Wildlife Disclaimer: This whale approached our vessel on its own out of curiosity. Sitka Expeditions follows the required 100 yard viewing distance and never intentionally approaches humpback whales within that distance.

WhaleMugging AlaskaWildlife SitkaSound VisitSitka

08/07/2026

Chaos in the wild.

A pod of killer whales moved in to hunt seals, sending the entire shoreline into a frenzy. While the seals tried to escape, the sea otters climbed onto the rocks to avoid becoming an accidental meal in the middle of all the chaos. Nature can be incredible, beautiful, and unforgiving all at once. Between the cries of baby otters and the loud splashing of the killer whales chasing seals in the rocks and running themselves up on rocks, it was a dramatic scene!

👀 Now it’s your turn… How many sea otters can you spot in this photo? Drop your guess in the comments before reading anyone else’s!

📍Sitka, Alaska

08/06/2026

Nothing compares to the moment when a humpback whale chooses to come to you.

This incredible humpback whale surfaced so close that it calmly passed directly beneath our boat, giving everyone an unforgettable view from above. Moments like these are incredibly rare and serve as a reminder that we’re simply visitors in their world. Every now and then, a whale’s natural curiosity creates an experience that none of us will ever forget.

Come book with us and see why Sitka is one of the best whale watching stops in Alaska!

🎥 Video Credit: our naturalist Jac Ochoa

Disclaimer: This whale voluntarily approached our vessel. We always follow all federal whale viewing regulations and maintain the required viewing distance. We never approach whales, and this encounter occurred solely because the whale chose to come to us.

07/28/2026

🐋 Nemo Update! 🐋

We have some exciting news!

After spotting this incredible humpback whale with only a single fluke, we submitted his identification photos to Happywhale. They let us know that this whale had never been documented before our submission, making him a newly documented individual in their catalog. He has now been assigned the official Happywhale ID HW-MN0401615.

To make things even more special, we donated to the Whale Foundation through the naming program and officially named him... Nemo!

We couldn't think of a more fitting name. Despite his unique injury, Nemo continues to thrive, proving to the other whales, and to all of us watching from the water, just how resilient these incredible animals are.

Something tells us Nemo is well on his way to becoming Sitka's biggest celebrity whale, and we can't wait to keep following his story for years to come.

If you happen to spot Nemo on one of our tours, you'll be seeing a whale with a story unlike any other. We cant wait to watch Nemo throughout the years!

https://happywhale.com/individual/161421

07/27/2026

Summer is in full swing, and the whale watching has been incredible. This has been one of the best seasons we’ve ever experienced, and some of the best whale watching you’ll find anywhere in Southeast Alaska.

Yesterday alone, we encountered more than 20 different humpback whales. If you’re visiting Sitka this summer, now is the time to get out on the water.

📸 video credit: our naturalist Jac Ochoa

07/15/2026

One fluke. Countless questions.

Yesterday, we had the incredible privilege of encountering this humpback whale, affectionately and unofficially nicknamed “Nemo.” Instead of the two tail flukes humpbacks are known for, Nemo appears to have just one functional fluke—something that is extraordinarily rare.

We’ve searched catalogs and compared photos, and so far, every resource we’ve checked suggests this whale may not yet be identified. It’s possible we’re looking at an individual that is completely new to science, though we’re still actively researching and working to confirm that. Until then, the mystery continues. Nemo is quite interesting as they do the infamous diving motion just to pop up seconds later each time to then do another dive for a long period of time. A very unique whale behavior for a unique whale!

Despite its unique tail, Nemo looked healthy and was swimming, diving, and feeding alongside other humpbacks—a remarkable reminder of how resilient these animals can be.

One of the best parts of spending so much time on the water is that there’s always something new to discover. Even after countless whale encounters, nature still finds ways to surprise us.

07/14/2026

There are few moments more incredible than listening to wild orcas communicate beneath the surface.

During this encounter, we lowered one of our hydrophones into the water, allowing our guests to hear the whistles, clicks, and pulsed calls these amazing animals use to communicate. But listen closely and you’ll hear something even more incredible: their echolocation.

Those rapid clicking sounds are the orcas sending out sound waves to build an acoustic picture of the world around them. As those sound waves bounce back, they reveal the shape, size, distance, and even texture of objects around them. During this encounter, you can actually hear their echolocation reflecting off our boat as they examined us. While we were watching the orcas, they were also checking us out.

Each orca pod has its own unique dialect that’s passed down through generations, almost like a family language. These vocalizations help them coordinate hunting, stay connected with their family, identify one another, and strengthen the lifelong bonds that make orcas one of the ocean’s most intelligent animals.

Using a hydrophone transforms an orca encounter from something you simply watch into something you truly experience. It’s one of the reasons we make a point of bringing one on our tours regularly, something very few operators do.

Seeing them is unforgettable. Hearing them is something else entirely. This is a compilation of sounds from about 20 minutes of listening to the orcas!

Echolocation WildlifeTour MarineLife VisitAlaska NatureLovers SitkaExpeditions

07/03/2026

7/2/26 • How good is the whale watching this time of year?

YES.

This is exactly what summer in Sitka looks like. Humpback whales are feeding throughout the sound, and close encounters like these are something we experience on a regular basis.

Every trip is different, but this time of year consistently delivers incredible wildlife viewing with whales, sea otters, sea lions, bald eagles, and often much more.

Come see why Sitka is one of the best whale watching destinations in Alaska.

📸 Video cred from our Naturalist: Jac Ochoa

Wildlife ExploreAlaska SitkaExpeditions

06/28/2026

One of the first questions we get is, “Was your boat making those sounds?” The answer is no. During this encounter, our sonar was completely turned off.

What you’re hearing is from a hydrophone (an underwater microphone) as a curious killer whale approached our boat. Those rapid clicking sounds are the whale’s echolocation, a natural sonar system it uses to explore its surroundings.

By producing clicks and listening for the returning echoes, killer whales can determine the size, shape, distance, and even the movement of objects around them. It’s one of the most advanced biological sonar systems on Earth.

Moments like this are incredibly special. We always keep a respectful distance and let wildlife choose the interaction. This whale decided to come investigate us, giving us a rare opportunity to hear and witness how it experiences the world beneath the waves.

The ocean has a language of its own, and this is what curiosity sounds like.

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Sitka, AK
99835

Telephone

+19077380289

Website

https://www.sitkaexpeditions.com/

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