Elite & Private Whales & Wildlife Excursion Ketchikan Alaska

We booked this charter for a very meaningful reason — to spread my dad’s ashes in Ketchikan — and Captain Scott could not have been more wonderful. From the start, communication was easy and seamless. He was incredibly responsive, accommodating, and understanding of our situation. He was completely open to customizing the day around what felt right for us and went above and beyond to make sure we had the experience we wanted. We also had such a great time out on the water. Captain Scott is genuinely one of the nicest people, and we loved chatting with him and hearing his stories. He made us feel comfortable right away, and it felt like we were spending the day with an old friend. We appreciated being able to bring our own snacks and drinks and make the boat our own for the day. We’re so grateful we chose this charter. Captain Scott helped us create such a special memory, and we can’t recommend him enough!

We went on the bears and whale watching tour with Scott the owner of Reel Alaska. We did not see any whales or bears but the worse part was Scott was rude to my family. He didn’t talk about Alaska or Ketchikan. He didn’t give any facts or commentary about the area. He didn’t tell us not to eat all his snacks. There were 5 of us on the tour and we ate 5 snacks. So imagine our surprise. Don’t waste your time or money on this tour or fishing. He also talked bad about everyone fishing in the area. Imagine our surprise at this behavior.

What a amazing day,capt. Jesse and Evan were great and knowledgeable,got to see whales and sea lions,the boat is great,take the trip you will enjoy it 😁

Kaylee was a great deck hand and our captain the best spotting baby humpbacks and seal lions. The eagle was fantastic and so close! Great value and experience!

Scott did an amazing job with our tour. We had the opportunity to see whales and go into Misty Fjord National Park. The boat is small yet comfortable with indoor room for the 6 people in my family, he communicated clearly throughout the whole process, and was VERY attentive to my family's needs. No guarantees that you will see all of this, but we had a chance to see a pod of orcas, eagles, porpoises. We didn't do the fishing, 10/10 regret not booking a fishing charter.

Captain Scott really made this trip. He has remarkable knowledge of the seas and bays in the area around Ketchikan and it paid off in whale sightings, porpoise sightings, seal sightings, bald eagle sightings and sea otter sightings. This trip had two couples. One person had never seen a whale and having that person see a whale was the goal. captain Scott made that possible. Our next trip with Captain Scott will be fishing.

Kind of a huge disappointment. We booked the whale watching tour and the boat captain was very nice and accommodating with picking us up at the pier after we finished the Lumberjack Show. We went around the harbor for 2 hours and saw not one whale. He stopped by a spot where there were some sea lions but you had to use binoculars to actually see them. Then he stopped at a spot where there was an eagle, but we didn’t pay almost $200 per person to see one eagle and a few far off sea lions. I get it, sometimes the whales are not there, but in that case I don’t think the whole $179 per person should be charged. Also I don’t think he was in contact with any other boats to find out where the whales were, we were just sort of riding around. At the end of the trip we were deciding if we should add on the bear watching part for an additional $100 per person, but I kind of felt like I didn’t want to waste any more money. I asked what the likelihood of no bears being in the place they were taking us to was, and they said there is a family of bears that has been there everyday and we would for sure 100% see bears. They said it was a mother and her Cubs and at least 2 adult male bears. So we paid the extra $$ and their driver took us to the side of the road 20 minutes away behind a fish hatchery, which was weird, and guess what? Not one bear. All in all it was a huge waste of time. I felt like I got completely ripped off.

Captain Scott's wildlife background extends to creatures above and below the water for immersive and complete Southeast Alaskan wilderness experience. When I first visited Ketchikan I was in need of a local guide to show me around the Tongass Narrows for wildlife photography. I was so impressed after the first trip that I immediately booked a second one. Having a small personable experience in search of whales, porpoises, eagles, and even bears on a small private vessel enhanced the experience greatly. This trip is ideal for the "fly in" guest looking to avoid the logistical hurdles of combining a personal itinerary with a cruise ship itinerary. The trip is tailored to what your goals and specific requirements are. To maximize your time in the Tongass Narrows you need a fast vessel, and this trip provides the speed you need so that you can cover plenty of water but also have enough time with whatever wildlife you encounter to take photos or videos. The scenery is breathtaking in all directions as well. Ketchikan from the late spring to the early fall sees a fair number of Humpback Whales, and the larger groups of them are further from town than shorter tours offer. It is also possible to witness Orcas, both Northern Residential Pods (Salmon Eaters) and Transient Pods (Mammal Eaters). I felt even more confident in my decision to book with Captain Scott as he abides by NOAA guidelines for safe and ethical whale watching. If you are traveling as part of a small group this is an ideal way to get a memorable experience with the privacy and comfort of your group guaranteed.