Seaplane Questions

Hi...during our stop in Juneau in May on the Ovation of the Seas, I'm considering the 5-glacier seaplane exploration. There are several times offered but I was considering the first one of the day at 8:30 in order to fit in a whale watch and some other sights. Is there any time of day that's better than others for this excursion? I was wondering if fog is more likely a problem in the morning? Not everyone in our party is doing the seaplane so I didn't want it to break up the day in the middle.

Anyone that has done this or something similar....just curious how turbulent can these planes be? Is it very different than flying on a commercial airplane. Sorry if that's a silly question :D

Thanks for your help!

I did a sea plane tour in Ketchikan in August. If you compare it to a small prop plane, then no real difference. Our landing was very smooth and take off was quick. The only thing I have read is avoiding when the sun is directly above you, as it can cast shadows.

If you are nervous about turbulence, would it bother you if the plane tilted a lot to turn around? Ours did.

I went on this tour for the first time this summer. I don’t like small planes. It was bumpy, but the scenery was so amazing that I quickly forgot about it (and I live here!). The landing on the river was amazing, as is the Taku Lodge, so I recommend the tour that stops there for lunch if possible. We can have very foggy mornings, but they are not predictable. One year we hear ship fog horns every morning, and other years they are rare. A tour after 10am would be a safe-ish bet.

Any small plane is likely to be bumpier than a large plane. If you run into turbulence or up/down drafts, it could be worse. That is the way it is w airplanes.

DON

One thing to keep in mind with your time issue is that plane tours are generally short - 1-2.5 hours so don't consume a lot of time. Plenty of time left for whale watching. Both of the ones we have booked start 10-11am. No matter what time you fly, there will be shadows as someone mentioned, although less at solar noon (12:54 in Juneau late May) - sun at highest point. Ovation is in Juneau 19th & 26th. Our ship, Radiance will be there the 26th. The port load that day in Juneau will be 8,655 folks including the Coral Princess. BOOK YOUR FLIGHT EARLY!