Sitka private wildlife boat tour: Merchant Marine Captain guide

A Merchant Marine Captain steers you through Sitka Sound for whales, bears and seabirds

Private boat tour of Sitka Sound, Saint Lazaria Islands and Mt. Edgecumbe Volcano with a Merchant Marine Captain and crew aboard the Suzy-Q, a double-hulled aluminum safety boat. You pick your start time between 6am and 5pm, and the 3-hour tour adjusts its route daily based on weather and where wildlife is most active. Snacks, sodas, water and a heated cabin are included. The captain will reposition the boat if anyone in your party has mobility needs.

Step-by-step itinerary

Private scenic wildlife boat tour

• Start private charter from Sitka
• Cruise Sitka Sound and islands
• Spot wildlife and photograph scenery
• Visit Saint Lazaria Islands if seas allow
• Return to Sitka

The experience

Your guide is a Merchant Marine Captain with over 30 years on the water, operating out of Sitka year-round. The Suzy-Q is a Stabicraft 2500 Ultracab XL (a double-hulled aluminum boat built in New Zealand and Coast Guard approved) designed for safety and comfort in Southeast Alaska's waters. Every tour is custom-built: the captain reads the day's weather and seas, then routes you to the spots where wildlife is most likely to show. If conditions allow, you'll head twenty miles west to Saint Lazaria Islands, a nesting bird colony and part of the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. If not, you'll cruise Sitka Sound's islands and coves instead.

What you're watching for changes with the season and the day. Humpback and grey whales, sea otters, sea lions, dolphins, harbor seals, orcas, Baranof brown bears, eagles, puffins and assorted seabirds all move through these waters. Saint Lazaria Island itself is a volcanic plug whose cliffs hold more than half a million nesting seabirds. The island was designated a seabird refuge in 1909 and received official Wilderness Designation from Congress in 1970. Mt. Edgecumbe Volcano and the surrounding mountain and ocean views frame the whole route.

You choose your departure time any hour between 6am and 5pm, and the tour runs 3 hours. Snacks, sodas, water and a heated cabin come with every booking. The boat can be repositioned closer to the dock if anyone in your party has mobility concerns. Just let the operator know before you arrive. The captain guarantees return to your shuttle or cruise ship before departure.

What’s included

• Private charter with Merchant Marine Captain and crew.
• fully equipped and fueled Coast Guard-approved boat.
• snacks, sodas and water.
• heated cabin.
• all fees and taxes.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayLast departure this season: 10 Nov

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Easy physical levelPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Outer Coast Charters

Is this one for you?This is a private boat, so your group has the captain's full attention and the route adjusts to where wildlife is moving that day. Choose it if you want a custom experience built around what the captain knows rather than a fixed itinerary, and if you're comfortable on the water for three hours in Alaska's coastal conditions.

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Top questions

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What wildlife might I actually see on this Sitka boat tour?

Humpback and grey whales, sea otters, sea lions, dolphins, harbor seals, orcas, Baranof brown bears, eagles, puffins and assorted seabirds all inhabit these waters, though sightings depend on the season and where the captain finds them on the day of your tour.

What is Saint Lazaria Islands and why would we go there?

Saint Lazaria Islands is a nesting bird colony twenty miles west of Sitka and part of the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. The main island is a volcanic plug whose cliffs are home to more than half a million seabirds of various species, making it one of the richest seabird colonies in the region.

Can I pick what time my tour starts?

Yes, you choose any start time between 6am and 5pm on the day of your tour, and the captain will work around your cruise ship schedule or other plans in Sitka.

What happens if the weather is bad or the seas are rough?

The captain custom-designs every route based on that day's weather and sea conditions. If seas don't allow a trip to Saint Lazaria Islands, you'll cruise Sitka Sound and its islands and coves instead, with the same focus on wildlife and scenery.

Is the boat comfortable for a full 3 hours on the water?

The Suzy-Q has a heated cabin and is built for safety and comfort in Alaska's waters. Snacks, sodas and water are included, and the double-hulled aluminum design reduces motion in rough seas.