Cruising Alaska's Inside Passage on a Small Cruise Ship
This waterway is renown for its pristine wilderness and breathtaking
scenery of glaciers, towering snow capped mountains, endless bays, inlets
and secluded coves, all encompassed by lush old growth forest abundant
in fish and wildlife.
Greetings Captain Dale
"I am writing this to once again thank you for a wonderful trip. Our experience greatly exceeded my expectations (and with the destination being Alaska they were pretty high to begin with). You and your staff were a joy to interact with. You have every right to be proud of the beautiful work you did with your boat. The common areas were comfortable and all of us enjoyed our time on the bridge hearing first hand about your experiences as fisherman and biologist. I'm sure it was a challenging task keeping a group of demanding photographers like us satisfied. I guess the best thing that I can say is that there have been several discussions about potential future trips and I know that all of us will be recommending you, your boat, and your crew to our friends and associates."
Bruce Norman
August, 2011
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The Wealth of the Rainforest
The ecological richness of S.E. Alaska has its beginnings in the warm
Japanese ocean current which sweeps across the Pacific to the Gulf of
Alaska. Moist water laden air is driven up the coastal mountains, where
it cools and falls as rain or snow. Rushing streams deliver a wealth of
nutrients to estuaries and coastal areas feeding an incredible web of
life. Starting as plankton, this organic bounty works its way up through
the food chain into fish such as herring, then cod, halibut, salmon,
steel head and on to mammals such as Dall porpoises, Humpback whales,
Orca, harbor seals, Stellar sea lions, and sea otter. Anadromous salmon
and trout returning to parent streams by the hundreds of millions,
feeding land animals such as bears, river otters, and timber wolves.
Meganser ducks, bald eagles and Pelagic sea birds also partake in this
bounty. Fish remains fertilize the forest floor bringing nutrients back
to the land completing the cycle. It is into this wondrous world that we
bring you! |
Benefits of Small Ship Cruises:
Hike on maintained wilderness with just a few of your friends and family. |
Alaskana
Alaska Coastal Quest's trips are a unique blend of the best of that Southeast Alaska has to offer. We expose you to pure wilderness, scenic grandeur, amazing wildlife and true Alaskan culture. Not only will you see the wilderness that you expect, but you will experience life in "off the beaten path" communities inhabited by folks pursuing a pioneering lifestyle based on fishing and logging. Also the area is rich in Native culture, particularly in evidence in remote villages where a subsistence lifestyle is still common. We visit these places. |
A pair of Orca Killer Whales (Orcinus orca) on patrol glide through the waters of Frederick Sound, Southeast Alaska. © Rick Harner |
The History of Alaska and Native Culture
Throughout the Inside Passage, evidence of early human activity can
be found in the form of remains of old Indian villages, stone fish
traps, mysterious petroglyphs, ruins of abandoned salmon canneries and
mines. Early explorers such as Captain George Vancouver and Juan Perez
left their mark there. Many of the places that we see have been named by
these early explorers. However, most of the areas that we visit are
little touched by man and consist of pristine wilderness.
Find out more about history of the exploration of Southeast Alaska. |
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Your Alaska Cruise Guide, Captain Dale Pihlman is especially knowledgable on Southeast Alaskan Native Culture. |
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