Quick Details
Duration: 7 hours
Departures: 10:00 AM and 10:30 AM daily, starting in late May
Stops: Gull Island Bird Rookery, Eldred Passage, Seldovia
Tour Type: Scenic boat tours departing from Homer, Alaska. Great for families and wildlife lovers!
Adult
$ 99
Senior
$ 89
Child (12 & under)
$ 79
Infant (1 & under)
Free
One Way To Seldovia
$ 69
One Way To Homer
$ 69
What to Expect on Your Seldovia Wildlife Tour
Embark on a full-day journey through Kachemak Bay, offering unparalleled wildlife viewing, stunning coastal scenery, and a visit to the charming seaside community of Seldovia. This 7-hour tour is perfect for families, nature enthusiasts, and anyone wanting to experience the best of Alaskan wildlife and history.
Our knowledgeable crew will guide you through the waters of Kachemak Bay aboard the Discovery or Rainbow Connection, providing fascinating insights into the region’s ecosystems, history, and marine life.
Tour Itinerary
Departure from Homer
After checking in with your captain and boarding the boat, your adventure begins with a scenic cruise out of the Homer Harbor. We’ll then head out on the waters of Kachemak Bay for a day of wildlife exploration.
Gull Island Bird Rookery
Our first stop is Gull Island, home to a large seabird rookery. This bustling island is home to up to 15,000 sea birds, including Glaucous-winged Gulls, Black-legged Kittiwakes, Tufted Puffins, Horned Puffins, Pelagic Cormorants, and Pigeon Guillemots. We’ll also frequently spot bald eagles soaring above or perched on the cliffs. This rookery is a bird watcher’s dream!
Cruise Through Eldred Passage
Next, we’ll continue through the scenic Eldred Passage, a picturesque stretch of water surrounded by towering cliffs and lush islands. Keep your eyes peeled for sea otters floating in the kelp beds, sea ducks diving for food, and even whales or other marine life in the waters below. Our expert crew will share stories about the area’s history, geography, and wildlife as we make our way to Seldovia.
Explore Seldovia
We’ll arrive in Seldovia around 1:00 PM, where you’ll have about 2 hours to explore this quaint and historic town. Enjoy lunch at one of the local restaurants or pack a picnic to enjoy by the water. Take a stroll along the historic boardwalk, visit the visitor center and museum, or explore local trails. If the season’s right, you can even pick some wild berries or photograph the local beauty.
Return Journey
We’ll depart Seldovia between 3:00 PM and 3:30 PM, with a scheduled return time of around 5:00 PM. However, we often encounter whales or other marine life along the way, which can extend our journey a bit longer.
Why Choose Our Seldovia Wildlife Tour?
-
Wildlife Viewing: Encounter sea otters, whales, bald eagles, puffins, cormorants, and much more.
-
Family-Friendly: Ideal for nature lovers, bird watchers, and families looking to explore the Alaskan wilderness.
-
Scenic Journey: Cruise through the beautiful waters of Kachemak Bay, with breathtaking views of mountains, islands, and wildlife.
-
Local Insights: Our expert crew will share fascinating information about the area’s ecology, history, and culture.
-
Explore Seldovia: Enjoy free time in the charming town of Seldovia to experience local culture and take in the beauty of the area.
Book Your Seldovia Wildlife Tour Today!
Don’t miss out on this unforgettable day in Alaska! Book your tour online today and get ready to explore the wildlife and natural beauty of Kachemak Bay and Seldovia.
For more information and to plan your activities in Seldovia, visit www.seldovia.com.
-
-
Your day on the water can range from hot and sunny to chilly and rainy. Please dress for any weather!
- Camera
- Binoculars
- Warm clothes; layers are best and a waterproof jacket
- Hat and gloves
- Comfortable walking shoes to explore Seldovia
- Picnic lunch, snacks, drinks
- Strollers for little ones are very convenient
- Well behaved dogs are welcome aboard
There is lots of room to store extra items and you are welcome to leave them onboard while you explore Seldovia.
-
To late
1800’sAthabascan Indians, Aleuts and Eskimos have camped at Seldovia for hundreds of years, but its modern history began in the late 1800’s. It is possible that prehistoric evidence of a village site may lie beneath the Russian Orthodox Church or other homes in the Seldovia city. Other excavations of ancient skeletal remains have turned up around the MacDonald Spit. 1840Chief manager of the Russian Colonies in North America, Mikhail Dmitrievich Teben’kov, sent Captain to explore Cook’s Inlet, including Seldovia. 1852Captain Archimandritov named the bay “Zaliv Seldevoy” or translated, “Herring Bay.” The Kenaitze Indian name for the Bay was Chesloknu. 1867Alaska purchased from Russia. Many Russians departed for their mother country; however heritage of the Russian culture still remain in Seldovia. 1870Russians and Natives who were engaged in fur hunting and trading settled here by the 1870’s. This makes it one of the oldest settlements in the Cook Inlet area. Over the years the processing of herring, crab and salmon have been important. A Native village once flourished at the mouth of the Seldovia River. Also Captain Nathaniel Portlock discovered what may be the first coal mine in Alaska — 8 miles south of Seldovia. It was mined by the Russians for their settlements and the Russian fleet. 188410th U.S. Census Population of Seldovia: 74 (including “island” which may have been the Yukon Island) 1898The Post Office in Seldovia was established. 1900’sAt the turn of the century, Seldovia was a stop for prospectors enroute to the gold fields in the Interior. 1908First Public School in Seldovia was established. 1910The first salmon cannery was built around 1910. 1910Juneau became the capital city of Alaska. 1920A herring boom in the 1920’s brought Scandinavians to town and they stayed on to fish salmon, halibut, and crab. First record of a 4th of July Celebration in Seldovia. 1925More than fifty fox farms were established in the bays and coves of the peninsula, many of them using Seldovia as the point of supply. During these years, Seldovia was the commerce center for all of Western Alaska. Powder Island also had a sawmill, which caught fire and burned down. 1927Seldovia’s canneries were thriving businesses. 1931In 1931 a wooden boardwalk was built along the waterfront to facilitate travel through town. Businesses in buildings set on pilings flourished along the intimate wooden walkway, and Seldovia became known throughout Southcentral Alaska as “the boardwalk town.” The boardwalk was also a social gathering place. Even today, the charm of old Seldovia is retained in an original section of the old boardwalk which remains along the Seldovia Slough. 1945Seldovia’s first airplane service: Miller’s Seldovia Air Service – 6 passenger double wing Waco float plane, pilot was Dick Miller. The plane was tethered to the Seldovia dock. This was also the year that Seldovia was incorporated as a “Second Class City,” with 285 residents. Seldovia’s canneries were no longer a thriving business. 1946Seldovia’s current air strip was built. 1947Children’s ski tow built on the Frank Raby Hill (behind the old Beachcomber Hotel) by Dr. Melvin Belz and Everd Jones. The first radio telephone transmitter was installed in June, enabling communication between Seldovia and Anchorage. 1962Seldovia was reclassified as a “First Class City.” 1964The 1964 earthquake changed Seldovia forever. The land mass subsided four feet, allowing high tides to wash over the boardwalk and into its buildings, houses, and stores. The waterfront boardwalk was replaced and renewed with fill from surrounding hills so the the town could be rebuilt on higher ground, above high tides. 1971Construction began on the Susan B. English School.
First classes held on August 30, 1972.
Dedication Ceremony on September 30, 1972.1975Seldovia Native Association sold some of its logging rights to Robertson & Sons who milled about 5 million feet of Sitka spruce. In later years more logging was done. TodaySeldovia is an active and fun community, has a wonderful school (grades k-12), invites tourism, is an attractive retirement place, and supports the sport fishing industry.