A Season Few See, but Everyone Should

When people ask our guides, “When’s the best time to visit Alaska?” they expect us to say July. The truth? Some of the most spectacular weeks in Southeast Alaska happen long before peak summer crowds arrive.

From May through early June, the Tongass National Forest is waking up. Waterfalls pour from every mountainside, humpback whales begin returning from Hawaii¹, brown bears start emerging along the shorelines of Baranof and Chichagof Islands², and the days stretch longer by the week. It’s a season of first light and fresh energy—what we call spring awakening—and it’s the hidden gem of the Inside Passage.

It also happens to be the favorite season of The Boat Company’s longtime environmental attorney, Paul Olson—a seasoned Alaskan fisherman and lifelong advocate for the Tongass. He calls this time of year “the moment when Alaska takes its first deep breath.”

The Waterfall Coast in Full Flow

In May and early June, meltwater from the island snowfields transforms Baranof Island’s eastern shore—the fabled Waterfall Coast—into a living sculpture of motion. For guests aboard our vessels, the M/V Liseron and M/V Mist Cove, it’s a front-row view to hundreds of temporary falls that spill directly into the sea.

By midsummer, many of these cascades slow to a trickle. But in May and early June, they roar. It’s the only time of year when every inlet feels alive with motion and sound—mist rising from cliffs, sunlight catching droplets in the air, and reflections shimmering across calm fjord waters. Photographers often say this is when Southeast Alaska feels most cinematic.

This coastline isn’t just scenic—it’s geological storytelling in motion, a snapshot of how meltwater shapes the islands every single year³.

Wildlife on the Move: The Great May–June Migration

May and early June in the Tongass are a feast in motion.

Humpback whales begin arriving from their winter nurseries in Hawaii, following schools of herring returning to spawn¹,⁴. Early bubble-net feeding—those breathtaking moments when small groups of whales work in perfect unison to herd fish toward the surface—may start to appear this time of year ¹.

Along the same currents, Steller sea lions and harbor seals gather to feed⁵. Brown bears can sometimes be seen along shorelines, foraging on sedge grass or tidal foods ², ⁶.

Overhead, the birdlife is extraordinary. Marbled murrelets, black oystercatchers, and pigeon guillemots begin nesting along rocky cliffs and sheltered coves ⁶. Bald eagles fill the skies—with Southeast Alaska hosting the highest concentration in North America⁷.

For birders, May is also prime time to potentially spot migratory shorebirds—including western sandpipers, dowitchers, and whimbrels—stopping briefly at staging areas such as the Stikine River Delta ⁸ before heading north to breed.

And in the muskegs and spruce, the soundscape changes: varied thrush, ruby-crowned kinglets, and hermit thrushes return from southern winter ranges ⁹.

Wildlife viewing is never guaranteed; every season brings its own rhythm. We travel with patience, respect, and gratitude for what nature chooses to reveal.

Solitude and Early-Season Calm

While large cruise ships begin increasing their numbers in Sitka and Juneau by late June, May and early June remain among the most peaceful times to explore. There are often fewer private yachts and sightseeing flights, and more quiet anchorages open to smaller vessels.

The Boat Company experience is always intimate—just 20–24 guests per ship—but these early sailings carry an extra hush. Towns are calmer, travel routes less hurried, and evenings stretch longer, filled only with the hiss of the tide and the call of a raven.

Even the light feels different this time of year. Daylight expands rapidly through May, bringing hours of lingering gold-blue hue that photographers treasure¹⁰.

It’s what we like to call the photographer’s Alaska—where light lasts long enough to breathe between shots.

Fishing, Weather, and Honest Expectations

By May, salmon runs have not yet begun, though lingcod and halibut fishing are open ¹¹. Lingcod season typically starts May 16 in Southeast Alaska, and halibut is available throughout the spring. It’s a perfect window for hands-on fishing instruction, casual skiff casting, or simply watching the landscape awaken around you.

Weather in Southeast Alaska is famously changeable. May and early June often bring a mix of bright breaks, misty rain, and calm seas ¹². Visibility for photography and wildlife viewing is frequently excellent, and the long light can make even moody skies dramatic.

Every year tells its own story—but whether it’s sunlit waterfalls or rain-polished cliffs, this season brings the Tongass alive in ways that surprise even locals.

The Energy of a New Season

The Boat Company crew often say the same thing every year: the first few trips feel like a homecoming. The boats gleam after winter refits, and everyone’s eager to see what’s changed—what birds have arrived, what glacier faces have shifted, what stories the forest will tell this year.

Guests often sense that energy without realizing it; there’s a shared excitement that comes from witnessing the wilderness as it reawakens.

It’s the time when everyone and everything—from whales to crew—is freshly tuned to the rhythm of the season.

Why May and Early June Are the Secret Season

Waterfalls at their peak
Earliest whale activity returning from Hawaii
Potential sightings of bears, sea lions, and seals feeding along shorelines
Peak May bird migration for both seabirds and songbirds
Longer daylight hours and cooler “cool-cation” temperatures
A more peaceful travel cadence before peak summer
The personal favorite season of Paul Olson, The Boat Company’s environmental attorney and longtime Alaskan fisherman

Experience Alaska’s Spring Awakening

For travelers who prefer authenticity over crowds, May and early June offer the purest version of Southeast Alaska—wild, luminous, and alive with possibility.

Sources

1. NOAA Fisheries – Southeast Alaska Humpback Whales: fisheries.noaa.gov/alaska
2. ADF&G – Brown Bear Natural History (Southeast Units 4 & 5): adfg.alaska.gov
3. DeArmond, R.N. & Roppel, P. (1997). Baranof Island’s Eastern Shore: The Waterfall Coast. Sitka: Arrowhead Press.
4. ADF&G – Pacific Herring Biology and Sitka Sound Spawn: adfg.alaska.gov
5. NOAA / ADF&G – Steller Sea Lion & Harbor Seal Distribution in Southeast Alaska: fisheries.noaa.gov
6. ADF&G / USFWS – Bear Foraging Behavior and Coastal Habitat Use in Southeast Alaska: fws.gov
7. ADF&G / NPS – Bald Eagle Abundance in Southeast Alaska: nps.gov
8. Audubon Alaska – Stikine River Delta Important Bird Area & Shorebird Migration: ak.audubon.org
9. Audubon – Varied Thrush and Songbird Migration Timing (Southeast Alaska): audubon.org
10. NOAA / US Naval Observatory – Southeast Alaska Daylength Data (May–June): aa.usno.navy.mil
11. ADF&G – Halibut and Lingcod Sport Fishing Regulations Area 2C (Southeast Alaska): adfg.alaska.gov
12. NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020) – Southeast Alaska Precipitation and Wind Patterns: weather.gov