While on an Alaskan cruise with Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, Sitka was the port we were most looking forward to. My husband and I really wanted to see some of the amazing wildlife that we had heard all about. We were after a smaller, more personalized tour, not the ones offered directly through the cruise line, so I did some research and came across Gallant Adventures. I couldn't have made a better decision!! From the very beginning, Captain Paul was very helpful and professional, getting back to me almost instantly. He answered all my questions about the tour and even gave some pointers on what to do in Sitka afterwards. Booking and payment was easily done through email and the website for the 2.5hr wildlife boat tour. Upon arrival in Sitka, Paul met us where we stepped off the shuttle buss. The cruise ship uses to bring people into downtown. The process was quick and easy and as the bus pulled up, Capt Paul was waiting there with our names on a handsign. We were SO EXCITED!! The tour takes a maximum of 6 guests there were only 5 of us this particular day. His boat is about 50 yards from where we stepped off the bus and we were quickly away. We all comfortably fitted on the boat, with choices to sit inside or outside. Straight away, Capt Paul asked about what we were interested in seeing the most and we all just wanted to see as much as possible so we left it in Paul's very capable hands to chose the best area for us to go. Boy did he ever do an AMAZING job! Within minutes we saw HUGE sea lions and then everything else just kept coming - Humpback Whales, Grey Whales, Sea Otters, Seals hauled out on a beautiful rock, Sitka Black Tail Deer, Bald Eagles (including a nest), jumping Salmon and some of the most beautiful scenery we’ve ever seen! Paul is able to maneuver the boat to get you very close to the wildlife while being very respectful to the animal’s space too. He was also fantastic at predicting the whales next move and put the boat in the best position to see it when it next surfaced, which meant the closest viewing you could ever hope for. Along with getting us to the best spots to see the wildlife, Capt Paul was also extremely knowledgeable about the wildlife, Sitka and Alaska in general so he was a wonderful tour guide. He also had a great sense of humor and made you feel very welcome, doing anything to assist us to have the best experience. He also had waters and Alaskan beer on board. All in all, Capt Paul and Gallant Adventures made our trip to Sitka the most amazing day of our entire trip to Alaska and I couldn't recommend him enough to anyone looking for a fantastic tour in Sitka.
