Rain gear for whale watch in Juneau

[kasil]

I'll be cruising Alaska the end of May and have a whale watch booked for my stop in Juneau. I have a rain coat that covers my hips and I'm planning to wear thermals under jeans and water proof hiking shoes. How wet will my legs get - do I really need rain pants that I'll probably never wear again? Would carrying a dry pair of pants be enough? The next stop on the excursion is the Mendenhall Glacier so there would be a warm place to change. Thanks for the advice.

[Kamloops50]

If your on a Zodiac tour( 25 or less) , rain gear will be supplied . If on one of the large boats( 150+) , no gear is required

[Coral]

You are from Michigan. You will be fine.

 

I have never brought rain pants or thermal underwear to Alaska. Usually the people who bring thermal underwear are from FL or CA.

[martincath]

Barring a survival suit being needed (and definitely supplied) vessels usually have an indoor section, so you only need to get wet if you choose to step outside onto open deck. Even on the big boats this is a necessity though if you want photos - there are simply too many pax onboard to fit at the windows! But it's rain-wet, not 'wooshing through the water so fast you get soaked as is sprays up onto the boat' wet!

 

If you book on a Gastineau boat you have the best of both worlds - stable but small, with huge windows purpose built for photography. If you want to go outside there is a front/back/both option, but when whales are on your side there's simply no need to go out at all - the windows open fully allowing easy picture taking from your seat. Any ship tour with 14 or 20 pax should be with these guys - we did the combo with Mendenhall and a photo walk through rainforest plus the whalewatch. Cost the same as the big boat versions so it was a win-win for us.

[joepeka]

You are from Michigan. You will be fine.

 

I have never brought rain pants or thermal underwear to Alaska. Usually the people who bring thermal underwear are from FL or CA.

Or Arizona. ;)

[Coral]

Or Arizona. ;)

 

Make sure you bring your Ugg boots also! :)

[joepeka]

Make sure you bring your Ugg boots also! :)

Ugh! No! ;)

[Crew News]

If you are planning on taking photographs and your camera is not water-resistant, bring a poncho in your daypack to cover yourself and your camera until you are ready to take a photograph.

 

Walmart had Frogg Togg ponchos for very little $$.