Day 4 - Skagway - Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve

Day 4 – Haines and Skagway – Eagle Preserve June 11, 2026

The most adventuresome outing we chose was the Haines Jet Boating experience.  This was advertised as the best way to see Alaskan wildlife and I was hoping for some memorable photos.  The information provided by the cruise ship advised dressing for the cold with an outer layer which was water proof.  I was a little anxious the night before, hoping that I had the requisite clothing.  But my concerns were quickly laid to rest.

The meeting place for this outing was the dining room of the cruise ship and we were told be there at 6:45 am. We arrived at Skagway around 7:00 am and were tendered from the boat to the dock in small life boats. 

Once on the dock, we were directed to a bus which drove us a couple of blocks to where we caught the water taxi.  The water taxi was a comfortable boat much like a ferry. We sat inside by the windows and were offered coffee and tea for the 45-minute ride to Haines, Alaska. 

At Haines, we were met by a bus that drove us through the town of Haines and out to the jetboat site, another 20 minute ride.  The town of Haines is another small Alaskan town and our driver spoke of the town with customary humor but obvious affection.  She told us how there was no traffic lights, but there was often confusion when multiple cars simultaneously arrive at the 4-way stop. Haines does have a small airport, which is a requirement for every town in Alaska.  Most cargo arrives by plane, and cargo is a huge logistical problem for Alaskans. In the town of Haines, for instance, there is a grocery store, a hardware store and a few other shops.  But most goods must be brought in from the lower-48, and arrive by either ship or air.  Most Amazon packages take about 2 weeks.

The jetboat site is located on the Chilkat River, also in the Tongass National Forest.  We were directed to a shelter where we were offered an additional layer of clothing – a very heavy, waterproof jacket, and a warm fleece blanket.  After donning our attire, we were led to a jet boat.  Our boat held about 12 people plus the naturalist who was conducting our tour.

The scenery around the river was absolutely beautiful – thick, lush old-growth forests and the pristine waters of the Chilkat river.  After a brief safety talk, we were on our way for our 20 mile trek into the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve.  Our driver talked about the river system and the ecostructure of the area.  We passed an old hunting camp – a small wooden cabin which is probably 50 years old.  These cabins are treasured and passed down through families since no new cabins can be built within the preserve.

We kept an eye out for wildlife and were not disappointed – we saw several Bald Eagles, and on the far end of the tour, we saw a moose standing near the edge of the water.  We couldn’t approach too closely because they are very shy and leary of people.  A little while later, we also saw a mother moose with a calf.  Again, we had to view from a great distance.

On the way back, our guide decided to try another channel where bear had been reported, and we were rewarded with the sight of a pair of brown bears on a rocky slope. 

The brown bears that live in the forest are the same species as the grizzly.  The difference is their location on the earth – grizzlies live in the interior where they constantly hunt for elk, moose, and whatever food they can find.  These brown bears live near the coast and are well-fed on salmon from the rivers and streams.  The salmon has a high fat content which allows the bears to grow larger and have a beautiful shiny brown coat.  The abundance of food also makes them much less aggressive than the grizzlies.

A little further down the river, our driver and some members of our boat were very excited to see a pair of Canadian geese.  Being from Pennsylvania where they are not only abundant but quite a nuisance as well, we were less excited.  When we pulled into the dock, we saw more bald eagles, completing the trifecta of Alaskan wildlife spotting – eagles, moose and bears.

After turning in our coats and blankets, we were treated to a sack lunch and sat round the fire talking with the owner of the business.  She shared that last winter had been a particularly brutal winter with enormous 6-foot snowfalls.  We were asking her about her business and she told us that she is one of Alaska’s “alpha females” who moved here on her own and started this business.  She found her employees and turned a rundown dock into the great business she has today.  She’s been running the business for almost 20 years.

The bus trip back to the water taxi was narrated by one of the employees who entertained us with tales of life in these remote Alaskan towns.  She joked about their 4-way stop, which they were enormously proud of.  It’s the only one in the area and none of the towns have a stop light. And she pointed out the hammer museum, started by a local homeowner who needed several hammers to complete the renovations to the property he purchased, and he just kept collecting until he had several hundred which now constitute the Hammer Museum, and boasts the largest hammer in the United States.  She also told us there are about 7 men to each woman in Alaska, and she said with a chuckle, “The odds are good, but the goods are odd”. Alaskans seem to pride themselves on their individuality and lack of adherence to cultural norms.

Again, we returned to Skagway just in time to board our ship.  What an amazing day!