Our Tours

We offer one tour daily into Southeast Alaska's legendary humpback whale feeding grounds in Icy Strait. Our tour departs at 10:00am and returns at 1:30pm. Our on-board naturalist provides excellent information on every tour. The TAZ is also available for custom charters. Wildlife viewing, special needs, or just about any other creative project — we're ready to work with you! We take pride in our professional service, reputation, and style. We commonly service camps, lodges, schools, communities, individuals, and special events.

Photo by LeRoy Zimmerman

The TAZ and crew are fully certified by the US Coast Guard for your safety. When you join us, you will have the best opportunity to see humpback whales and other marine mammals such as Minke whales, orca (killer whale), Stellar sea lions, sea otters, Dall’s porpoise, harbor porpoise, bald eagles, puffin, Arctic terns, glaucous-wing gulls, and a wide variety of other shore birds are often observed as well. All tours include quality binoculars for your use, snacks, and an assortment of hot beverages. We also offer custom whale watch tours and personalized group charters (up to 28 passengers).

Join us on the waters of Icy Strait for a wedding you'll remember and cherish. Exchange your vows in the presence and with the sounds of humpback whales. Your wedding charter will be tailored to your needs and wishes. We will do everything possible to make your "Wedding with the Whales" an enchanting event.

On a group charter, you share your experience with those in your own group. A group charter closes your trip to all other guests. Whales, birding, marine mammals, scenic wonders, wildlife viewing and photography, all in a single day! Our naturalist will explain much of the human and natural history of the area, while doing a boat trip past the mouth of Glacier Bay to Cross Sound, at the northern outlet of the Inside Passage.

We will take in a different view of the majestic Fairweather Range on the outer coast of Glacier Bay National Park, and we can even walk around the quaint board-walk village of Elfin Cove. Back onboard the boat, we'll set out to see a beautiful natural stone arch reaching nearly a hundred feet out of the ocean, visit bird rookeries, and observe sea lion haul outs.

We'll possibly get a close-up view of commercial salmon fishing operations, or halibut long-liners working their gear. The larger tides in this region create some of the most dynamic ocean currents in Southeast Alaska, and we will experience how they create a feeding frenzy for Bald Eagles and Sea Lions. Whales, Harbor Seals, and Sea Otter are not forgotten — and we will enjoy their presence during much of the trip.

Do you just need a ride? Kayaking is one of the most popular activities in the area. For safety reasons, many paddlers prefer not to do larger crossings, and need a drop-off or pickup at a remote location. Cross Sound Express, LLC offers dependable water taxi service, in a sturdy, fast, vessel designed to carry kayaks and camping equipment.

We specialize in working with large groups of kayakers. Our spacious deck allows The TAZ to easily handle your entire group, boats and gear! We'll maneuver The TAZ into sheltered areas, and then water drop-off and pick-up your group in a single transfer. We can also provide shuttle service using our skiff — whatever it takes to get you kayaking! Please call or email us with your requirements, and we'll provide you with a custom quote. We look forward to working with your group!

For standard dropoffs, you and your gear can be dropped off from the swimstep. For charter dropoffs, we would bring the Zodiac for a beach transfer. We can also schedule a time and place for your pick up, in the same manner. Whether base camping, or doing a longer paddle, check with Cross Sound Express about your needs. Tod Sebens can share his extensive knowledge about camp sites, and what to expect with winds, tides, and currents.

The M/V TAZ is available for transport of groups (up to 28 passengers) between various ports and locations in Southeast Alaska. We can comfortably take your group from Juneau or Hoonah (for example), to another remote community, or we can drop you off and pick you up at a location of your choice. We are also licensed to transport up to three tons of cargo on our decks, providing freight service (for example), to a remote building site for the construction of your dream cabin.

Contact us for a quote, and to check the availability of The TAZ for any of these services.