kaleidoscope cruises

Barry Bracken, a former professor of marine biology, knows about sea life, geology and takes exquisite photos. He is also very safety conscious and does not take unnecessary risks when you are out on his boat. We had him take us to the Le Conte Glacier on a rainy, foggy and chilly day. In spite of the weather, we had a great trip.

I really thought the photos were touched up in photoshop, but it is all real. Amazing , beautiful and well worth the money. Barry was a wonderful skipper and took the time to circle around upon request. The glacier was spectacular and I am still in awe. We saw the seals, birds ans icebergs. Wow! We got to see an eagle on an iceberg, the glacier calving and shooter! thanks Barry!

We joined the first whale-watching trip of the year on May 28 2008. Because we were early in the season, there were only the two of us on the boat together with Barry. We were just hoping for a wonderful nature experience without any expectations concerning the humpbacks, because they were only just about to arrive in Frederick Sound. What we then experienced was without a doubt one of our most memorable wildlife days. We saw several humpbacks, including a mother with a calf and some were breaching right beside the boat. We didn's see the huge numbers since it was very early in the season but the ones we saw we had all to ourselves: nature at its best without any other boat anywhere near us, just the three of us. Together with the exeptionally calm waters the experience with the whales was very intense. Especially the sounds within the absolutely peaceful surroundings were almost surreal: you could hear the splashing from breaching humpbacks from miles away... Barry with his immense experience with whales and boating made it a perfect day for us. He went out of his way to have us enjoy the perfect wildlife experience. We are already looking forward to join his tour again on our next journey to Petersburg.

Great boat, small group size, and incredibly knowledgeable captain combine for an intimate look at the wild side of Southeast Alaska. We had the pleasure of spending three days with Captain Barry Bracken -- two days surrounded by humpback whales and one day experiencing up close and personal the incredible sculpting forces of the LeConte Glacier. Barry really wants his guests to appreciate the area and he goes all out to ensure you do.

We just returned from a great trip to the Inside Passage of southeast Alaska. We had the opportunity to take two trips with Kaleidoscope Cruises, one Whale Watching trip and then a trip to LeConte Glacier. Both were awesome experiences, let me repeat, "awesome!". The boat is very comfortable, safe and intimate. That translates to a cruise experience shared with up to 5-6 people, max. Barry Bracken's knowledge of nature and marine life is encyclopedic. He is a delightful combination of teacher and storyteller and spending a day on his boat was a joy. We had great opportunities for some memorable photography and a chance to see many things we don't often get to see. In addition, we were offered the opportunity to gain an increased awareness of the way the natural earth works in this part of the world. I would highly recommend that anyone visiting Petersburg make it a point to give Kaleidoscope a call.