Due to an unexpected commitment our Whale watching tour by Capt. Josh was canceled, but he suggested we go out with a friend of his, Capt. Billy of Wooshkeetaan Tours. Capt. Billy steared us out of Hoonah, Alaska first looking for bears along the shore. We found two but they were not very close and somewhat difficult to see even with my telephoto camera lens. Then it was not very far to find our first humback whale bubble net feeding. That is where one or more whales swim in a circle blowing bubbles which surrounds the small fish in an ever tightening circle till the whale’s mouth opens at the surface capturing and swallowing all those fish. Then the whale swims and surfaces 3 or 4 more times till he finally dives down with one last majestic tail splash. We followed that same whale for 6-7 feeds. Capt. Billy communicated with all the boat captains on the water in that area to find then a large pod of whales swimming and feeding together. What an awesome sight to see that was with so many whales at once. As we cruised the Alaskan waters of Icy Straight Point we spied many otters frolicking, lots of eagles perched on the rocky shores, as well as some harbor seals lounging on a big harbor bouy. This whole morning was a truly memorable experience!

My wife and I had an amazing time whale 🐳 watching with Captain Billy as our guide. He was pleasant and extremely knowledgeable. Exactly what you want on an excursion like this. In addition to the pod of whales feeding for multiple events Captain Billy took us to see a Brown Bear foraging along the shoreline, sea lions hunting salmon, bald eagles and Ravens eating salmon as well. We had an awesome cruise and we both agreed this was the best experience of the cruise, the Hubbard glacier was a close second. We highly recommend this excursion! We took more videos than pictures so the pictures I posted don't do this justice.

Great boat trip to see whales while at Icy Straits Alaska. Captain Billy was very knowledgeable about spotting whales. Saw numerous humpback whales.He even spotted some bears and eagles on shore.

This was the most incredible experience we have ever been a part of. Captain Billy might be the most knowledgeable boat captain on the planet. He knew exactly where to find the whales, bears, and narrated our journey beautifully. He spotted a mama bear and two cubs from about a mile out, which means he may actually have super vision as well. Go see Captain Billy if you want to have an amazing whale watching experience!

We had Captain Billy. He was born and raised in Alaska. Hence, he knows the animals habits. We saw two bears and had the most incredible whale watching experience. A great plus was Billy’s boat was metal and amplified the whales singing. We would have chartered him longer and fished for halibut. He takes six people and has a heated stove to keep you warm inside. I highly recommend Billy for your Alaskan adventure!

Absolutely amazing experience with Captain Billy. We were able to see bears, orcas and humpback whales! He was very knowledgeable and made the trip fun for our whole family. Would highly recommend!

Billy was awesome. We told him we would really like to see Orcas and boy did he deliver. The Orcas came up right to the boat and were so amazing to see in the wild. We then followed some humpback whales and got to see them dive down showing off their tails. The young one was still learning this so his tail dive was crooked. It was incredible. Loved every minute and would highly recommend this tour.

We were lucky enough to book with Captain Billy on his excellent boat for a whale-watching tour. It was so fantastic to be on a boat with only six people on the tour! THAT is the way to go. We saw bears onshore and because we were a smaller vessel, were able to get pretty close! We saw many, many seals, seal lions, otters, whales and surprise Orca's really close off of our bow! (I was not quick enough to get the video, but my husband did! Amazing) Captain Billy is hospitable and knowledgeable. He packs snacks and water for his guests. I so very highly recommend him.

Capt. Bill was extremely knowledgeable and a great guide. Everything was excellent and we saw Humpbacks breaching, Orcas, brown bears and Eagles. It was an awesome day!

We were previous owners/operators of the vessel, Silver Spoon. (F.I.S.H.E.S.) We wanted to take our daughters out on our previous boat. Captain Billy Mills was great, we saw everything. A young bear wrestling with a large piece of Visqueen on the beach, humpback whales, Orcas, sealions, sea otter. The weather was overcast and the seas calm. We couldn't have asked for anything better.

Great time with Captain Billy - he got us up close to several whales and also showed us lots of wildlife like seals, otters, and eagles. The boat was clean and in good order. We did cut it close with our departure on the whale watching compared to our embarkation from the Disney Wonder cruise ship. We embarked the ship at 8am (first available) and met the transfer at 8:15. If the docking had been delayed at all, we would have missed our meet-up time. Something to consider. We were very fortunate with the weather, but layer up and take rain gear just in case. Overall an amazing experience and would highly recommend.

Billy our captain was great! We got to see whales, otters, sea lions, seals, and eagles. The whales put on a show and made this an amazing experience for us. Billy got us pretty close to get great views.

Our family of 6 booked a whale (and other wildlife)-watching boat tour with Captain Billy and had a wonderful, unforgettable experience! We always value a guide who is local and really knows the area, the culture, the people, the history, and Billy had all that and more. He is obviously well-known and well-connected in the community and had some great stories to tell as we cruised the waters. Right away we saw a mother and baby bear on cemetery island, and soon saw humpbacks, a harbor seal, a bunch of Stellar sea lions, more humpbacks, lots of sea otters, and a long look at another brown bear on the beach before heading back. The intimacy of the smaller boat without a crowd and with time to talk was a real bonus. There was a sheltered inside area to look out from and outer decks we could head to for a closer look with binoculars. Billy also stocked water bottles and chips which provided a welcome snack break midway through the morning. We would very highly recommend you take advantage of Billy's local expertise and book this tour! And we really enjoyed lunch at Fisherman's Daughter afterwards, while our teens loved the little local aquarium and touch tank next door. Fun way to finish our time in charming Hoonah, which will stay close in our hearts and memories.

I would highly recommend this tour. Captain Billy was great. His insights into the area were impressive. I would definitely use him again.

Upon arrival at Icy Strait Point we decided to look for a last-minute whale watching tour. We called and secured spots on Captain Billy's boat and could not have been more pleased with the results. It was just us and another couple, so it felt like an intimate private tour. Captain Billy entertained us with stories about the local culture and community, and was able to find us multiple whales and other sea life along the way, including a bear on shore at one point. Billy's charisma made this far more than just a whale watching tour, it felt like an afternoon on the water with friends.

If I could give higher than 5, I would! The entire experience from beginning to end was fantastic. Capt. Billy and his niece were excellent at making our trip fun and safe, all the while sharing a ton of history of the area and knowledge about the whales. I must comment on a 1-star review in which the individual stated that there are no orcas in Icy Strait. NOT TRUE!!! Orcas are quite elusive creatures. Anyone who has even done cursory reading about orcas would know that they are the killers of the ocean in part because their presence is often unknown and unpredictable! See my photos including the location info of Icy Straits and/or Hoonah. They are definitely there. Either way, it's completely unfair to blame the tour company if you don't see them. Wooshkeetaan folks are Hoonah locals and professionals and always do their best to bring the whales (whatever species) to you! We were fortunate because on our trip we saw humpbacks, orcas (close up due to Capt. Billy's excellent knowledge in positioning the boat) and even a bear on the beach! Capt. Billy took the boat close to the beach for great viewing of the bear. You'll have a great experience with Capt. Billy and Wooshkeetaan. They truly care about making the trip exciting and unforgettable.

Best experience EVER!!!!!! Angie was incredibly nice and went out of her way to make the Whale Watching Tour a reality for us. We could never thank her enough! Captain Billy is AMAZING! He is genuine and kind and went out of his way to make sure we also had a great time. Not only did he take us to see whales, but bears and harbor seals too! He's awesome to talk to and educated us about the area and its history. We would do this tour again and again!!!! HIGHLY RECOMMEND Wooshkeetan before doing any of the ships own excursions. You WON'T REGRET IT! :)

This whale watching trip was AMAZING….Captain Josh was very knowledgeable and his first mate was very helpful. The use of the drone was incredible, allowing us to get up close and personal with the wildlife. Our transfer back to the ship was expedited, so we didn’t have to be pier runners! Thanks for a “Whale” of a Time!

Captain Billy is one of the most genuine people you will ever meet. He made it his mission to not only find us whales, but to educate us about the area and answer any questions we had. His tours are limited to 6 people, so you aren’t crowded or fighting to get position for photos. I would highly recommend if you are cruising to Alaska, consider booking a tour with Wooshkeetan before one of the ship’s excursions.

WOW! Best experience EVER!! Captain Billy was AWESOME! This experience was the best part of my whole trip and I will do it again and again every chance I get! I think I will try the fishing next time! My advise for future customers is dress warm and don't touch the stove!! :)