Of all the magical experiences available in Southeast Alaska, kayaking with across the glassy water of a cove with orcas swimming around you has to be among the coolest. Head to Ketchikan in picturesque Southeast Alaska for an day of beauty and adventure. This sea kayaking trip is straight out of your dreams, and only in Alaska.
Ketchikan is home to about 13,000 people and lies in the far southeast corner Alaska. It is on Revillagigedo Island, 235 miles south of Juneau and 700 north of Seattle.
The city is built on the water, and many people spend as much time in their boats as they do on land. Sea kayaking, and other sea sports, are popular with people in the area. Try your hand at it when you visit Ketchikan, Alaska's first city.
Southeast Sea Kayaks offers this beautiful day trip to Orcas Cove, as well as a shorter in-town tour and a full-day adding a flight-seing trip to Misty Fjords National Monument for spectacular views of mountains and glaciers.
They provide everything you need to stay dry on this adventure in a boat, in a rainforest. After you are geared up, you will head out paddling on the ocean in a close group.
Once in the cove, travellers are encouraged to explore the secluded coves and rainforest islands in their sea kayaks. The old growth forest grows right to the shoreline with small islands dotting the cove.
The shallow tidal pools are full of sea creatures: a variety of colors of sea stars, urchins, crabs, and sea cucumbers. You can see them without getting out of your kayak!
Being on the water in Ketchikan for hours offers an excellent opportunity to spot marine wildlife including humpback whales, porpoises, seals and sea lions. Along the shore, look for river otters, mink, deer and even occasionally, black bears.
A large dock called the Mothership lies anchored in the cove for guests to begin and end their kayak adventure. A snack of locally smoked salmon and hot beverages are offered after the kayak explorations.
Although the name of the location is Orcas Cove, there is no guarantee that any orcas will appear. But when they do, it makes the adventure all the more amazing.
