Alaska Yacht Charter

Alaska Yacht Charter — An Adventure Like No Other

Alaska yacht charters in the Pacific Northwest are indeed the experience of a lifetime. Alaska . . . the word alone is almost foreign to the average person. To most, Alaska is a place found in a National Geographic magazine, where pretty pictures of wildlife and snow make interesting reading. In reality, the first views of the scenery alone on an Alaska yacht charter leaves most people speechless.

Alaska is big, and everything about it is big. The mountain on shore dwarfs the town of Ketchikan at its foot, making the buildings, cars, and machinery look like toys. Even the sky and water looks bigger than normal. As yachts make the journey up the Inside Passage, visitors will see more bigness as they watch giant grizzlies fish for salmon while a moose trots along the edge of the forest. When the captain points at eagles soaring above huge orcas frolicking nearly alongside the yacht, they realize . . . they are someplace very special. Where else could this scene be in their field of vision? One would think that all of Alaska’s bigness is awesome. But awesome is inadequate. Most say that Alaska’s bigness is overwhelming, overwhelmingly awesome.

The wildlife however, is not threatening. The creatures don’t need to be conquered or tamed. One cannot help but wonder if their indifference to visitors is not their way of saying “Welcome. Stay as long as you like, but be polite.” It doesn’t take long to come to terms with witnessing nature in the raw from the comfort of a luxury yacht. Visitors are quickly aware that if they were dropped off on shore to forage for themselves amongst Alaska’s wildlife, their position in the pecking order would change dramatically, and they would need the highest level of survival skills to contend with the rugged terrain and harsh environment.

An enormous humpback whale slapping its massive tail on the water less than a hundred yards away is not something seen every day from most yachts. But on an Alaka yacht charter, it’s a common experience on the Inside Passage, the network of islands protecting Alaska’s southern shores from the open ocean, and providing safe navigation for vessels travelling up and down Alaska’s coastline.

Ketchikan is the first town at the southern tip of the Alaskan peninsula, a good place to start an Alaska yacht charter. To put the location into perspective, it is approximately 650 nautical miles north of Seattle, Washington, and more than 250 nm south of Juneau, AK, the first major town on the journey north. As earlier stated, Alaska is big, by far, the largest state in the union, yet it is the most sparsely populated. Less than 750,000 people live in an area of just under 670,000 square miles. That’s a bit more than one person per square mile. The majority of the population lives in towns, leaving a tremendous area of unspoiled wilderness.

The immeasurable force of massive glaciers shaped Alaska’s Inside Passage millions of years ago. Now the area boasts wildlife-filled fjords and lush island scenery, and a habitat for bald eagles, sea lions, porpoises, and whales. Its mountains are covered with majestic forests. The Inside Passage is home to Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian Indians whose history is reflected on towering totem poles.

Although the Inside Passage lacks a plethora of five star hotels and dining establishments, nothing compares to catching a twenty-pound salmon from the back of a yacht and having the yacht’s chef plate it less than two hours after being caught. And fresh king, snow, and Dungeness crab are always available from the many fishing boats carving out a living in the brutal seas.

The first yacht charter to Alaska usually encompasses a trip around the islands on the Inside Passage. This includes a visit to Juneau, Alaska’s capital, with a stop at Glacier Bay National Park, as well as anchorages and sightseeing along the way. Charters in the late spring, summer, and early fall afford the best opportunities to see the sights and enjoy the warmer temperatures for swimming, paddle boarding, kayaking and diving.

Visitors to Alaska value the experience and usually return with a different attitude toward wildlife and nature. They are aware that the rugged terrain and harsh environment, though not suitable for easy human habitation, is fragile, and home to a variety of species that need that habitat if they are to survive. Without doubt, an Alaska yacht charter is overwhelmingly awesome.

Send us an email at charter@churchillyachts.com and tell us about yourself, and your interests. Also, let us know about your guests, their ages, and interests. The more we know, the easier it is for our yacht charter specialists to recommend the right yacht and crew, and tailor an accurate sample itinerary for your perusal so you can book an adventurous Alaska yacht charter as soon as possible.

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