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When you visit Alaska, there are so many outfitters and tour companies that it’s hard to know which one to choose. We’ve done many guided excursions over our years of traveling, and our latest choice was with Glacier JetSki Adventures in Whittier, Alaska. It was amazing!
So, we’re here to share our experience and what you can expect when you book the Blackstone Bay tour. What a fun way to experience the Alaskan wilderness.
Let’s dive in!
What Is Glacier JetSki Adventures?
Located along the Prince William Sound in southern Alaska, Glacier JetSki Adventures is a tour agency dedicated to providing visitors with an immersive, one-of-a-kind experience. The company is in Whitter, Alaska, a small town made famous by the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel, which is required for road travel to and from the town.
Glacier JetSki Adventures is family-owned and operated. It offers visitors a chance to experience the beauty of Prince William Sound’s Blackstone Bay on a SeaDoo jet ski.
Two guides lead every tour, taking guests on an adventure to see glaciers, icebergs, and waterfalls. Glacier JetSki Adventures also offers custom multi-day trips. Just give them a call to learn more!
How Glacier JetSki Adventures Got Started
Charlie and Rebecca Howard founded Glacier JetSki Adventures in 2015. Their young son, Mason, and Alaskan mutt, Otto, complete the family. But they’ve also hired three excellent guides who lead adventures: Dannie, Jen, and Riley.
The idea for Glacier JetSki Adventures began a long time ago. Charlie was born and raised in Alaska and had always wanted to be a guide. He bought a four-stroke jet ski for a class he was teaching.
Then the idea for establishing a jetski touring company in Prince William Sound formed. His dream was to take tourists out on an adventure to Blackstone Bay.
When he met Rebecca, an Aussie on a snow machine tour Charlie led in Alaska, he shared his dream. She encouraged him to pursue it. The glaciers and fjords had taken her breath away, and she knew it would do the same for others.
So, after they married in 2014 and welcomed the birth of their son in 2015, they opened Glacier JetSkit Adventures and haven’t looked back!
How Is JetSki Adventures Different From Other Excursion Companies?
Glacier JetSki Adventures isn’t this huge company that takes visitors on tours every hour. They make two trips per day and limit each trip to only six people. This means you get personal attention. But it also means they value every customer.
You’ll receive excellent customer service and care from when you ask your first question on the phone to when you return from your excursion.
In addition, their gear is the highest quality, and they’ve built the Blackstone Bay jet ski tour with safety and comfort in mind. This family is living their dream by offering a dream experience for visitors.
About the Blackstone Bay Adventure
The Blackstone Bay experience begins at the outfitting post in Whittier. From there, you’ll join your tour guides on the adventure of a lifetime! Even if you have no prior experience, this tour is for you. This is one reason Charlie and Rebecca have chosen to keep tours limited to six people.
They want everyone to feel comfortable and get the one-on-one attention they need to enjoy the experience.
Details
The Blackstone Bay adventure is 4 to 4.5 hours long. The ride itself is about 2.5 to 3 hours long. Trips are offered daily at 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. from May to September.
This experience costs $360 per person plus $6 for the City of Whittier Passenger Tax. You’ll also have to pay the toll to travel through the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel to Whitter.
Guests must be at least 16 years old to operate a jet ski. However, children aged 12 to 15 can ride as a passenger with an adult with previous jet ski experience.
What To Wear
Alaska weather is unpredictable. Therefore, it’s best to wear layers. Drysuits are provided, but you’ll want to wear thermals or leggings, warm socks, and several upper body layers. Avoid wearing cotton if possible. Synthetics and wool clothing are better. You also might want to bring along a pair of sunglasses.
Pro Tip: Not sure what to pack while in Alaska? Check out our ultimate Alaska packing guide!
Gear Provided
Glacier JetSki Adventures provides high-quality, breathable GUL drysuits, Fly Racing helmets, life jackets, and NRS water boots for every guest. These helmets have a hands-free communication system, so you’re always in contact with the tour guides.
The SeaDoo GTX jet skis have all the latest features. The fully adjustable heated handlebars come in handy for guests of all heights. You’ll love the heated feature even during Alaskan summers. You’ll also have access to water-tight phone/camera storage.
What You’ll See
This excursion covers 60 miles on a jetski through the Prince William Sound. You’ll want to be in good physical health. After you get your gear and receive instructions about operating the jet ski, you’ll head into the heart of Prince Williams Sound’s Blackstone Bay.
Along the tour, you’ll see numerous glaciers, icebergs, and waterfalls. It’s a thrilling way to see Alaska’s famous landscape. You might also encounter sea otters, sea lions, various types of birds, whales, bears, and mountain goats. However, there is no guarantee to see any kind of wildlife.
This tour has no freeriding, so if you’re looking for a spin on the lake, maybe this isn’t the right adventure.
Graciously, the U.S. Forest Service and Alaska State Parks have allowed Glacier JetSki Adventures to operate their tours through the pristine wilderness areas under their protection.
Is a JetSki Ride Safe?
Highly trained guides lead every trip. One rides in front, while the other rides in the back. Every guest also receives training before departing Whittier. Ask as many questions as necessary to get comfortable with the jet ski if you’re a first-time rider.
Glacier JetSki Adventures operates with the highest safety standards and provides the highest quality gear. Even the in-helmet communication is part of their safety measures.
So even though there are always risks involved in riding a jetski, it’s as safe as possible.
Glacier JetSki Adventure Takes Their Environmental Impact Seriously
Any time you operate a tour in Alaska’s wilderness, you don’t want to harm the environment. Charlie and Rebecca are serious about reducing their impact at Glacier JetSki Adventures.
They chose the SeaDoo watercraft because it’s the most fuel-efficient in the industry. SeaDoos are also powered by quiet, clean-burning 5-star EPA-rated 4-stroke engines.
Besides the jet skis, Charlie and Rebecca have also stuck to the two-per-day tour limit to reduce their environmental impact. Even though the business has grown, and they could offer more tours or larger tours, they’re committed to remaining a small family-owned business that leaves a small footprint on this magnificent Alaskan wilderness.
What Other Customers Are Saying
Glacier JetSki Adventures has earned a five-star Google rating. Not only is the excursion unforgettable, but the customer service is top-notch.
One happy customer wrote, “Absolutely fantastic adventure. A definite must do! I suggest wearing multiple layers to keep warm. They provide everything else you could possibly need. All of the gear we received was top notch, clean and in perfect working order. You’re surrounded by stunning views all while enjoying the thrill of the ski.
The glaciers are unlike anything I have ever seen. Dani and Devin did a great job of helping us get super close to the glaciers, waterfalls, and beaches and made sure we got great pictures. Absolutely book this tour you won’t regret it.”
Another visitor shared, “Great experience! This is the best way to experience glaciers, big waterfalls and sea life. The guides made the tour very fun, those jet skis are very stable and safe to ride, also they provide the best gear to keep you warm and dry, and that makes the trip very enjoyable. Highly recommend it!”
Keep in Mind: While in Alaska, we also went on a Alaska Bear Adventures Tour! See if it’s actually worth it!
Our Personal Experience With Glacier JetSki Adventures
We had a great time on the Blackstone Bay tour. The heated handlebars and friendly guides made the trip comfortable.
The in-helmet communication was great, and we could easily hear the guides and learn about the areas we were jet skiing past. They also airdropped all the pictures they took at the end of the tour to everyone.
Not only was the actual adventure fantastic, but the owner was also really nice. Unfortunately, on the day of our tour, we went to the wrong jet ski place to check-in. Instead of leaving us behind, they waited for us to get to the right place so we didn’t miss the tour!
While this was one of the more expensive excursions we did in Alaska, it was worth every penny.
View Glaciers From a JetSki on Your Alaska Adventure
We consider our JetSki trip one of the highlights of our Alaska trip. The scenery was stunning, the adventure was thrilling, and the memories will never fade.
If you’re visiting the Whittier, Alaska area — which we would highly recommend — budget for a tour with Glacier JetSki Adventures. We share more suggestions in our article “The Quirky Reasons We Love Whittier, Alaska.”
Are you looking forward to a Blackstone Bay adventure when you visit Alaska?
