Our last Alaskan port of call this past summer was Ketchikan, a place Danelle and I had both visited in the past. On a whim, we booked an excursion on the Bering Sea Crab Fishermen's Tour -- a vessel that had previously been a part of the Deadliest Catch television show before being converted for tourism. We were skeptical, but assured by many that it was actually a blast.
It definitely exceeded our expectations! The captain and crew were fun, friendly, and informative. We got to see and handle lots of cool marine life. And the absolute highlight was when we neared an island that actually belonged to one of the local indigenous tribes. Our tour company had a deal with the tribe that allowed them to feed Bald Eagles in their waters, something that's apparently not allowed in the United States. So all the photos below are baited, but the birds themselves are wild.
Even with a light, steady rain I knew this was something I needed to get my camera out for. I headed up top and tried to frantically dust of my very rusty skills at shooting birds in flight. Somehow, this was one of my first efforts.
The birds were quite familiar with the routine. Our crew tossed the fish, and while the eagles sometimes caught them in the air they usually grabbed them from the water.
I found it interesting that the birds never seemed to fight for a fish. They took turns, clearly seeming to know who was up next.
Like the Humpback Whales near Wrangell, I could have gladly sat and watched these predators in action for hours.
I tended to get greedy and zoom in too close, resulting in clipping some of my subject out of the photo.
But often enough, I got a bird sharp and fully in frame.
The bright overcast conditions seemed to work in my favor -- like when shooting wildflowers -- reducing harsh shadows and extreme contrast.
No offense to
Benjamin Franklin, but these were a MUCH better choice for our national bird than the
Wild Turkey.
I know that Bald Eagle populations have recovered and their range is much larger than it was recently. I saw them close to home in both
Colorado and Texas in the past. But Alaska seems like their true home.
Everyone who claimed that spending an afternoon with the Bering Sea Crab Fishermen's Tour was absolutely right. While the eagles were the highlight for me, the whole outing was a great time. Highly recommend!
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