Southeast Alaska is a land of untamed wilderness, where towering glaciers meet ancient forests and the ocean teems with life. It’s a place where the natural world thrives in its purest form, offering incredible wildlife opportunities at every anchorage.
There are many things big in Alaska: big distances, big wilderness, big wildlife. Though as Raincoast Biologist and naturalist Misty MacDuffie puts it, “It’s quite amazing when the little things—like the choice to go slowly or the curiosity to explore—combine at the right time and place to deliver all that Southeast Alaska can offer in terms of remarkable experiences.”
Photo: Fred Cattroll
Misty MacDuffie is one of the many talented Naturalists you may travel with in Southeast Alaska. The mud she wears in this photo is glacier sediment from the grounded Baird Glacier, which we have had the opportunity to visit two years in a row as of writing.
For those looking to experience this wild frontier beyond the roadmap, a small ship cruise with Maple Leaf Adventures is the way to go. Our century-old, restored tugboat, Swell, brings just a dozen guests deep into Southeast Alaska’s wild beauty, with a crew of passionate naturalists and local experts who bring the landscape and its inhabitants to life.
Who Are Those Inhabitants? One Answer Lies Beneath the Water’s Surface
If the water is our road, then Alaska’s Frederick Sound is our superhighway. It encompasses an 80-mile area running from the mouth of the Stikine River Delta to the confluence of Chatham Strait and lower Stephens Passage.
These glacier-fed waters are home to some of the world’s smallest and largest marine life, from the tiny phytoplankton to mighty megafauna. In the summer months, the region becomes a vast feeding ground for humpback whales, orcas, porpoises and other oceanic predators.
One of the best places on Earth to observe their feeding behaviors, a multi-day expedition provides ample opportunity to see marine mammals breaching, fin slapping or demonstrating culturally-learned hunting techniques. Seeing one of these ocean giants breach the water’s surface, crashing back down in an eruption of ocean spray, is an experience that transcends most kinds of travel.
Photo: Jeff Reynolds
Frederick Sounds offers a spectacular display of nature, where humpbacks breach and orcas hunt.
Misty recalls a day where humpback whales breached repeatedly, slapping their scalloped pectoral fins and flukes on the water in spectacular displays. “It wasn’t just one whale, but many,” she says, describing how their behavior reflects the everyday life in this vibrant ecosystem.
Orcas are also a common sight, their sleek black-and-white forms slicing through the water as they hunt salmon. On lucky days, they put on a show, breaching the surface or riding alongside our boat. As Misty notes, “these antics may be for joy or for food, but either way, the energy is contagious.”
Dall’s porpoises, the smaller cousins of orcas, often race alongside Swell, playfully surfing the bow wake. And sea otters, floating on their backs with their breakfast balanced on their chests, add a sense of serenity to the mornings.
On Land—Alaska’s Wild Frontier Doesn’t Disappoint
While the waters teem with life, Southeast Alaska’s temperate rainforests are home to land mammals like the Sitka black-tailed deer, black bears, and the famed Kodiak bear—the largest subspecies of brown bear, and second largest of all bears. As spring turns to summer, black and brown bears forage along the shoreline, sometimes accompanied by their cubs, as Misty reports.
Photo: Phil Stone
Hallmarks of such small group trips are personalized attention, trips that feel unrehearsed because each is unique, and access to special, off-limits sites to view bears. For example, we hold an exclusive permit for bear viewing at Pack Creek where we often see brown bears fish for salmon.
“Our mornings are often blessed with the presence of furry animals, arguably some of the planet’s cutest. Sea otters floating with their hind flippers in the air, their breakfast on their chest, and a rock to help crack it open. And also grizzly cubs, watching their mother’s pursuit of clams below the surface of large intertidal mud flats.”
Misty’s observations of grizzly bear cubs on intertidal mudflats are just a glimpse of the magical encounters you may have here. Thanks to special permits and careful people management, guests of Maple Leaf Adventures’ Alaska tours are offered exclusive access into the lives of Alaskan brown bears, as they fish for salmon and go about their day.
Head to the Deck for a Bird Watcher’s Paradise
Southeast Alaska is also a paradise for bird lovers. Bald eagles soar above the fjords, their sharp eyes scanning the waters below for fish. Along the coastline, seabirds like murres and gulls create a symphony of sound as they nest and feed.
Photo: Phil Stone
Majestic and powerful, the bald eagle soars through the skies of Southeast Alaska, more than just a symbol of American beauty—but a rich and productive ecosystem.
As Misty shares, “Huge gatherings of surf and white-winged scoters can be found in the shallow bays at the mouths of fjords, while the tiny marbled murrelets pierce the calm sunlit morning with their sharp cries: keer, keer, keer.” These birds are a vital part of the region’s ecosystem, and with Maple Leaf Adventures, you’ll have the chance to see them in their natural habitat, guided by experts who can identify them at a glance.
The Sights and Sounds of Glacier Country
Alaska’s glaciers are both timeless and awe-inspiring, and no Alaskan supervoyage would be complete without venturing to the foot of these icy giants. Misty describes the magic of seeing humpbacks near the glacier face in Tracy Arm—an encounter that left even her amazed. “Humpbacks are usually just at the mouth of the inlet, but this one ventured all the way to the glacier face. It’s something I’ll never forget.”
As you kayak among icebergs or walk along the shores, you’ll feel the pulse of the landscape, where mountain goats graze on high cliffs and harbor seals haul out on ice floes. It’s a journey into a world shaped by ancient forces.
Photo: Jeff Reynolds
Here at Dawes Glacier, each calving event is thousands of years in the making; a real tour de force of Mother Nature.
Amid the rumble, our group watches thousand-year-old ice crumble spectacularly into a turquoise sea. There’s a hiss and crackle of tiny ice chunks all around as they melt into the water, while terns swoop above, calling out. Expedition guides pulls a clear bergy bit into the boat and take it back to the ship for an evening toast—a long-held tradition aboard Swell.
Embark on a Journey of Connection and Discovery
Traveling with Maple Leaf Adventures in Southeast Alaska is more than just a wildlife expedition; it’s a journey of connection and discovery. Our small group size and intimate setting allow for a deeply personal experience, where every day brings new surprises. Our naturalists, like Misty, bring the landscapes and wildlife to life with their stories and insights, transforming each moment into something remarkable.
Photo: Jeff Reynolds
Skip the cruiselines and embark on an Alaska’s Inside Passage tour aboard the historic tugboat Swell, surrounded by breathtaking glaciers and pristine wilderness, all while supporting responsible and sustainable travel practices.
Misty reflects on the experience: “Travelling with a handful of enthusiastic guests and crew aboard a classic restored tug that has traversed the wonders of the northeast Pacific Ocean for more than a century—this is Alaska in all its glory.”
Each day with us is a chance to connect with nature in its most pristine form, whether you’re watching a humpback whale breach at sunset or listening to the call of a loon across the water. Millions of cruisers travel Alaska’s Inside Passage each year, few ever experience it like this.
Whether you’re a seasoned traveler or embarking on your first wildlife expedition, Southeast Alaska with Maple Leaf Adventures promises the kind of experience that will stay with you long after you’ve returned home.
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