Each summer 15-20 humpback whales regularly feed in park waters, concentrating in the lower part of the bay. They migrate here from their winter home in the warm waters off Hawaii and can often be seen along the shorelines of Southeast Alaska. Special regulations go into effect when large concentrations of whales are in the park. The regulations affect vessel speed limits and travel routes in certain areas. Humpback whales are the most acrobatic of whales, heaving their massive selves by leaps and turns out of the water.
Humpbacks are both cosmopolitan found in all oceans and endangered.
Only about seven percent of their pre-whaling numbers remain. Coastal feeders who love shorelines, bays, and fjords, they are naturals for Alaska, which boasts nearly 34,000 miles of tidal shoreline. Humpbacks feed here on krill, shrimp, and various fish, including capelin. Humpbacks feed heavily because, unlike most birds and mammals, they do not feed year round. Humpbacks must store enough fat in summer to last the rest of the year.