Our next port was Icy Straight Point. Icy Strait Point is Alaska Native owned-and-operated, with all profits directly supporting the community of Hoonah, Alaska’s largest Native Tlingit village. In 1912, the Hoonah Packing Co. built a large salmon cannery north of town. The cannery operated on and off under different ownership until the early 1950s, and it sat shuttered for decades until the local Native corporation, Huna Totem Corp., purchased and rehabilitated the facility to create the private cruise port now called Icy Strait Point. It port had just opened to cruise ships when we were there.
We took a disappointing whale watching tour. If you want a close up and personal encounter you will need to do some research. The boat we were on was much too large and unable to get near the few whales we did see. I would recommend a much smaller boat that specializes in whales. Or better yet, Long Beach, CA. We talked with people that saw humpbacks that came right alongside the ship, dive underneath and pop up the other side. Some also saw pods feeding in bubbles. I used my 200 2.8. I would recommend a longer lens.