On our visit to Ketchikan, Alaska, we booked an excursion to ride in a Blackbird Hovercraft over to Black Sand Island, where eagles and pods of whales are known to frequent. While we didn’t see any whales on the tour, the eagles more than made up for the lack of whales as they dove for herring and put on a spectacular show for us!
The Hovercraft uses air and a boat skirt to float above the surface of the water, and can seamlessly transition from land to sea for an ultra-smooth ride without the negative impacts on wildlife. This more eco-friendly method of transportation offers a unique and thrilling experience for water travel.
Our guide gave us some history of the immediate areas around Ketchikan and the greater Alaska territories and took us to a small rock island where harbor seals seek refuge from Orca whales in the area.
It was an unforgettable experience seeing the eagles swoop down for a morning snack, and we enjoyed the breathtaking wonder of these moments that will become indelible memories!
(Later in the day, somewhere between Ketchikan and Victoria, we did get to see the dorsal fin and tail splashing of a young male killer whale, according to the ship’s naturalist, right off the port side of the ship).
Common Threads 