Sitka Sound Tours is a family-run whale and wildlife adventure helmed by lifelong Sitkans Captain Rick and Sadie. Decades on these waters mean they know every hidden cove and feeding ground, weaving local stories, science, and res...
Captain Rick (or Ricky, as he prefers) clearly loves what he does, and it shows in every tour. Reviewers consistently praise his deep knowledge of Sitka's waters and wildlife, noting he's a lifetime resident who knows exactly where to find whales, sea otters, sea lions, eagles, and even the occasional brown bear along the shore. The small group size (maximum six passengers) gets mentioned again and again as a major advantage over crowded tour boats. People appreciate the intimate experience, the ability to actually communicate with their guide, and how easy it is to spot wildlife from the cozy vessel. The personalized approach really sets this operation apart. Rick adjusts tours based on what guests want to see, takes time at each wildlife viewing spot rather than rushing through, and shows genuine respect for the animals by maintaining appropriate distances. Several reviews mention thoughtful touches like providing snacks, motion sickness supplies, and even drop-offs directly at cruise ships to save shuttle time. Families spanning ages 6 to 81 have enjoyed these tours, and guests with ADA needs report feeling well accommodated. This family-run business (Sadie handles booking communications) earns consistently enthusiastic recommendations from first-timers and repeat visitors alike.
I LOVED this tour! There were four passengers total, although the max is 6, not counting Captain Rick (who expressed a preference for "Rickie") and there was plenty of room for us to sit comfortably inside the cabin (and optionally open windows to see quickly if we wanted to photograph something outside). I can't begin to express how amazing it was to be in a smaller boat where, after being herded in large groups everywhere else - into food lines, onto gang planks, and into busses or shuttles - I actually felt I was a real person again with a guide who was legitimately interested in and listening to what I cared about for the tour. My biggest hope for the tour was actually to see sea otters, as opportunities to see sea otters in the wild are rarer than whale opportunities, and Rickie stopped for the first otters we saw even though he knew (and told us) there would be more in a better spot a little way from there. (He was right, of course, but I REALLY appreciated his regard for our excitement to see the first ones as well and also for his good communication on his reasons for not wanting to delay too long with them.) When we got to the kelp forest with a whole raft of otters he stopped for a long time and made sure we had plenty of time to try to photograph and enjoy watching them play and swim (unlike other tours I'd read about that either go right past the otters or only stop for a few minutes in their rush to get to the whale spots). After we had drifted as close to the otters as they felt comfortable with without wanting to move away, we headed directly to a spot about 15 minutes further out where there were whales feeding. As with the otters, Rickie was very considerate both of the whales and of our desire to see them, not engaging the engine while it might disturb them but still maneuvering us closer or to a better angle for viewing when possible. Time flew but I would not be surprised if we spent a solid hour watching the whales! (On that note, I was not sorry at ALL to have selected a tour that lasted 2.5 hrs instead of the 2 hr or less tours that don't allow as much time for the patience required in wildlife viewing.) After seeing several whale dive cycles, Rickie offered to take us to other wildlife viewing opportunities but we were all happy to spend our time with the whales after already having seen the otters, so he stayed until the last possible moment, getting us back 5 min after the tour was scheduled to end, which really made me feel again that he cared about our wildlife boating experience while still being necessarily conscious of a schedule. (He also offered to take us back to our cruise ship instead of to town to save us the shuttle ride if we wanted, which was very considerate of him.) I am usually very reluctant to speak up about what I would like if I feel it would cause inconvenience so I want to especially mention how *easy* Rickie was to talk to. I felt comfortable with him immediately and could tell he was actively looking for communication from us on how to make the experience a great one for everyone. He was also so clearly competent with his vessel and intimately familiar with the waters we were in that I had not a single concern about the choppy waves we encountered at times. I honestly feel there should be a waiting list for this experience. Yes, I LOVED that we saw otters and whales, but more importantly I have complete confidence that no one could have or would have done more than Rickie would do to make the experience as good as it could be. The combination of his evident experience and his actively accommodating and easy personality make me sure I would not want to book with anyone but him for any future trips to Sitka. (We also had some questions about booking technicalities prior to our visit and we got excellent service from Sadie as well.) Thank you Sitka Sound Tours for being the highlight of my time in Alaska!!!
Tirius Flynn
May 29, 2025
I LOVED this tour! There were four passengers total, although the max is 6, not counting Captain Rick (who expressed a preference for "Rickie") and there was plenty of room for us to sit comfortably inside the cabin (and optionally open windows to see quickly if we wanted to photograph something outside). I can't begin to express how amazing it was to be in a smaller boat where, after being herded in large groups everywhere else - into food lines, onto gang planks, and into busses or shuttles - I actually felt I was a real person again with a guide who was legitimately interested in and listening to what I cared about for the tour. My biggest hope for the tour was actually to see sea otters, as opportunities to see sea otters in the wild are rarer than whale opportunities, and Rickie stopped for the first otters we saw even though he knew (and told us) there would be more in a better spot a little way from there. (He was right, of course, but I REALLY appreciated his regard for our excitement to see the first ones as well and also for his good communication on his reasons for not wanting to delay too long with them.) When we got to the kelp forest with a whole raft of otters he stopped for a long time and made sure we had plenty of time to try to photograph and enjoy watching them play and swim (unlike other tours I'd read about that either go right past the otters or only stop for a few minutes in their rush to get to the whale spots). After we had drifted as close to the otters as they felt comfortable with without wanting to move away, we headed directly to a spot about 15 minutes further out where there were whales feeding. As with the otters, Rickie was very considerate both of the whales and of our desire to see them, not engaging the engine while it might disturb them but still maneuvering us closer or to a better angle for viewing when possible. Time flew but I would not be surprised if we spent a solid hour watching the whales! (On that note, I was not sorry at ALL to have selected a tour that lasted 2.5 hrs instead of the 2 hr or less tours that don't allow as much time for the patience required in wildlife viewing.) After seeing several whale dive cycles, Rickie offered to take us to other wildlife viewing opportunities but we were all happy to spend our time with the whales after already having seen the otters, so he stayed until the last possible moment, getting us back 5 min after the tour was scheduled to end, which really made me feel again that he cared about our wildlife boating experience while still being necessarily conscious of a schedule. (He also offered to take us back to our cruise ship instead of to town to save us the shuttle ride if we wanted, which was very considerate of him.) I am usually very reluctant to speak up about what I would like if I feel it would cause inconvenience so I want to especially mention how *easy* Rickie was to talk to. I felt comfortable with him immediately and could tell he was actively looking for communication from us on how to make the experience a great one for everyone. He was also so clearly competent with his vessel and intimately familiar with the waters we were in that I had not a single concern about the choppy waves we encountered at times. I honestly feel there should be a waiting list for this experience. Yes, I LOVED that we saw otters and whales, but more importantly I have complete confidence that no one could have or would have done more than Rickie would do to make the experience as good as it could be. The combination of his evident experience and his actively accommodating and easy personality make me sure I would not want to book with anyone but him for any future trips to Sitka. (We also had some questions about booking technicalities prior to our visit and we got excellent service from Sadie as well.) Thank you Sitka Sound Tours for being the highlight of my time in Alaska!!!
Tirius Flynn
May 29, 2025
