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Salty Paws Crew

@unearthing.the.wild

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ADVENTURE × CONSERVATION | 📍 Alaska-based explorers inspiring a deeper love for our planet through unforgettable experiences.

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Little surprises like these make our day!

Did you know? Baby harbor seals can swim within just a few hours of being born. Their mothers often leave them alone on beaches or rocks while they forage, so a seemingly “abandoned” pup is usually exactly where it’s supposed to be, waiting for mom to return.

Sometimes the best thing we can do for wildlife is give it space.

Good weather, great friends and <relatively> calm seas. 👍👍

#UnearthingtheWild #SaltyPaws #Seals taken in Alaska by @unearthing.the.wild

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4 months ago

While peacefully watching some humpback whales bubble-net feed off in the distance, these hungry giants decided to give me a rush of adrenaline!

What’s bubble-net feeding?

Bubble-net feeding is a cooperative hunting strategy of humpback whales. It is a complex, highly synchronized set of behaviors that involve communication and cooperation, demonstrating signs of high social intelligence. The whales dive deep below schools of fish and use bubbles blown from their blowholes to stun and trap fish closer to the surface. One whale generally leads the effort followed by the rest of the group. The leader will usually be responsible for blowing the bubbles and the other members will surround the fish, following them to the surface by swimming in spiral patterns to keep the fish trapped. The whales swim toward the surface with their mouths open and “gulp” the trapped fish.

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#alaska #kenaifjordsnationalpark #saltypaws #unearthingthewild #sewardalaska #humpbackwhale #whales #bubblenetfeeding #whalewatching #visitseward #seward #sharingalaska #travelalaska #resurrectionbay taken in Kenai Fjords National Park by @unearthing.the.wild

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a year ago

When a glacier calved, the ice thundered… and our dog growled right back!

What looks like chaos is actually part of a glacier’s natural rhythm. These frozen rivers creep downhill and, when they meet the ocean, their edges break into icebergs. That crash? It fuels entire ecosystems—feeding plankton, supporting salmon, sustaining seals, whales, and seabirds. 🌊🐋

Glaciers are more than scenery. They’re water reservoirs, climate regulators, and lifelines for wildlife and people. Protecting them means protecting everything they support.

#alaska #unearthingthewild #resurrectionbay #visitseward #sewardalaska #travel #dogsofinstagram #saltypawe #glacier @calving #icebergs taken in Resurrection Bay - Seward, Alaska by @unearthing.the.wild

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a year ago

We considered adding intriguing music but then you’d miss the little pitter patters and squeaks of these river otters seen at the Seward Small Boat Harbor.

Patience and time are the key ingredients to wildlife viewing.

Did you know? 🦦 River otters aren’t just river dwellers. In coastal Alaska, they regularly venture into saltwater to hunt, making Seward’s shoreline a perfectly suitable place to spot one.

#Otters #Alaska #UnearthingtheWild taken in Seward, Alaska by @unearthing.the.wild

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9 days ago

Who stole dinner from who? 👀

One minute, a gull has the fish.
The next, a Steller sea lion does.

And sometimes? The gull turns right around and steals it back.

Out here, a meal isn’t yours until you’ve actually swallowed it.

Seabirds and sea lions often take advantage of the same feeding opportunities, and when fish are concentrated near the surface, things can get competitive fast. Gulls are particularly good at spotting an opportunity—and they’re not above stealing a bite when they can.

It’s messy. It’s opportunistic. And it’s exactly the kind of unscripted behavior that makes watching wildlife in Alaska so fascinating.

You never quite know what you’re going to witness.

Consider this your invitation into the wild.

📍Resurrection Bay, Seward, Alaska

Wildlife encounters occur naturally and on the animals’ terms. We maintain appropriate viewing distances and follow applicable federal wildlife-viewing laws and guidance.

#SaltyPaws #UnearthingtheWild #SeaLion taken in Seward, Alaska by @unearthing.the.wild

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16 days ago

Some invitations change more than your plans for the day.

They take you somewhere wild enough to make the rest of the world go quiet.

Out here, you don’t know what will surface, what will appear along the shoreline, or what moment will become the one you remember years from now.

You just have to say yes to going.

And you may just encounter a pod of orcas.

Consider this your invitation into the wild. Something new is coming to Seward, Alaska.

Follow along as we get ready to share it.

#SaltyPaws #WhaleWatching #UnearthingtheWild taken in Seward, Alaska by @unearthing.the.wild

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18 days ago

Sometimes life gets too loud, too heavy, too much and the ocean is the only place that makes everything feel quiet again.

Maybe that’s why we keep coming back to the water.

For the space to breathe.
For the perspective.
For the reminder that there is still so much wonder in this world.

And sometimes, that reminder comes flying alongside the boat at full speed.

For a few seconds, nothing else matters. You’re just there… watching a porpoise race beside you through the wild waters of Alaska.

This is why we go to sea.

📍Resurrection Bay | Seward, Alaska

Follow for more moments that remind us why wild places matter.

Wildlife approaches are always on their terms. We never chase, pursue, or intentionally approach wildlife for a closer encounter. We follow applicable federal wildlife-viewing laws and guidelines.

#UnearthingtheWild #Porpoise #SaltyPaws taken in Seward, Alaska by @unearthing.the.wild

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25 days ago

Some things you probably shouldn’t say out loud in Alaska. 😂

We were headed back toward Seward Harbor on our final day on the water. We’d already been treated to orcas—an incredible way to close out the season—when I made one last comment:

“The only thing we’re missing is porpoises.”

A few minutes later, splashes appeared in the distance.

Then they turned toward us.

Within moments, at least four Dall’s porpoises converged on the boat, racing alongside us and slipping into the bow wave.

And these guys are BUILT for speed.

Dall’s porpoises are among the fastest marine mammals, capable of reaching roughly 35 mph. At speed, they create a distinctive spray called a “rooster tail,” which can actually help you spot them from quite a distance.

💡 But why do they ride the bow?

As a boat moves through the water, its bow creates a pressure wave. Dall’s porpoises can position themselves in that wave and essentially surf it, allowing them to keep pace with a moving vessel with less effort.

Think: tiny black-and-white Alaskan torpedoes catching a free ride. 💨

Cool Alaska fact: Dall’s porpoises are sometimes mistaken for baby orcas because of their striking black-and-white coloration. But look at that compact body, explosive speed and rooster-tail splash—and you’ve likely found a Dall’s.

And yes, they can be here year-round. Dall’s porpoises are commonly sighted throughout the year in Resurrection Bay, although where and how often you encounter them can change seasonally.

Orcas AND porpoises on our last run?

Resurrection Bay apparently understood the assignment.

Follow along as we uncover more of the wild lives, behaviors and stories hiding beneath Alaska’s surface.

The porpoise chose to approach us. It’s important to allow wildlife encounters to occur on their terms.

#SewardAlaska #SaltyPaws #UnearthingtheWild taken in Seward, Alaska by @unearthing.the.wild

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a month ago

There are worse ways to say goodbye to a season. 🖤🤍

Today was our last day taking Salty Paws out for the season. And just outside Resurrection Bay, Alaska decided we weren’t quite finished yet.

Orcas.

A pod moving together through the water, one last wild encounter before we pointed the bow toward home.

No matter how much time we spend out here, moments like this never feel ordinary. You can plan the route, watch the weather, study the water… but you can’t schedule wildlife.

Sometimes, you’re simply lucky enough to be there.

What a way to close out the season. Until next time, Alaska.

#UnearthingtheWild #Whales taken in Seward, Alaska by @unearthing.the.wild

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a month ago

S U R P R I S E! 😳

Cue the near heart attack. (Dog dad is laughing at dog mom.)

As the season winds down, @saltypawsak dog mom was filming dog dad cleaning the boat in slow motion—because apparently even boat chores deserve a cinematic moment.

What she didn’t realize was that a massive marine mammal was lurking just beneath the surface. 🤣

This curious Steller sea lion may have been drawn in by the splashing water. With fish scraps sometimes entering the harbor when fishermen clean their catch, these clever opportunists know that boats can mean the possibility of an easy meal.

Dog dad cleaned the boat.
Dog mom captured the moment.
The sea lion stole the show.

#UnearthingtheWild #SaltyPaws taken in Seward, Alaska by @unearthing.the.wild

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a month ago

They had a plan.

Five river otters. One poorly filleted fish. Zero intention of letting it go to waste.

While the youngsters waited below, one adult scaled the fish-cleaning station at Seward Small Boat Harbor and found the jackpot: a discarded fish with plenty of meat still on it.

The kids scattered to the other side.

The fish dropped.

Dinner was served.

And just like that, the whole family was on the bank enjoying their freshly commandeered meal.

Honestly, we’re not sure whether we just witnessed wildlife behavior or a very well-executed heist. 😂

Alaska wastes nothing. Especially when the otters are watching.

Would you have stayed to watch the whole operation?

Follow us for the wild, weird, and unforgettable moments that make Alaska… Alaska.

#SewardAlaska #UnearthingtheWild taken in Seward, Alaska by @unearthing.the.wild

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a month ago

And honestly? No matter how many times we see it, it still feels that way.

This is bubble-net feeding, one of the most incredible cooperative feeding behaviors you can witness in Alaska.

A group of humpback whales works together beneath the surface to corral schools of fish. One or more whales blow bubbles while swimming in a circle or spiral, creating a “net” that concentrates the fish into a tighter area.

Then comes the part that never gets old.

The whales surge upward together, mouths wide open, breaking through the surface in an explosion of whales, water, and fish.

What makes it even more remarkable is how coordinated it can be. The whales may use vocalizations and carefully timed movements to work together before lunging through the concentrated prey.

It can happen quickly. It can happen when you least expect it. And there’s absolutely no guarantee you’ll get to see it.

That’s part of what makes Alaska wild.

We’re building something for people who don’t just want to see Alaska, they want to understand and experience it.

Follow along as we share the wildlife, wild places, and moments that make us stop and say: “I can’t believe this is real.”

#SaltyPaws #Whales #UnearthingtheWild taken in Seward, Alaska by @unearthing.the.wild

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a month ago