Fishing
About 30 charter fishing boats operate out of Whittier, the closest saltwater fishing to Anchorage, mostly targeting halibut but also getting salmon at certain times. Contact the Whittier Chamber of Commerce or the Whittier Harbormaster for a list of operators. Bread N Butter Charters (tel. 888/472-2396 or 907/472-2396; www.breadnbuttercharters.com) has been around for many years. They charge $259 per person for a day of halibut fishing and have an office on the waterfront. Honey Charters, listed above under "Small-Boat Tours," has a similar service. You can also rent your own boat for fishing, camping, or even sleeping on board, from Whittier Boat & Tackle Rentals (tel. 907/632-1188; www.whittierboatrentals.com). The company carries quality equipment, including boats suitable for an extended trip. Full-day rentals range from $300 to $725.
Sea Kayaking
Whittier is a popular starting point for kayak trips to beautiful and protected western Prince William Sound. Day trips for beginners paddle along the shore near Whittier, often visiting a bird rookery, or take a boat 5 miles from the harbor to Shotgun Cove and paddle back. Longer multiday trips go by boat to even more interesting waters where you can visit glaciated fjords and paddle narrow passages. Several businesses compete in Whittier. Alaska Sea-Kayakers (tel. 877/472-2534 or 907/472-2534; www.alaskaseakayakers.com) offers 3- and 5-hour day trips, for $79 to $175; paddles at Blackstone Glacier that begin and end with a charter boat ride, for $300; and extended trips. Guides are well trained and they occasionally offer weekend instructional clinics (check the website for times). Offices are at each end of Whittier Harbor. They rent to experienced paddlers, too. Prince William Sound Kayak Center (tel. 877/472-2452 or 907/472-2452; www.pwskayakcenter.com) offers guided half-day trips starting at $75, as well as full days and other options, and rents kayaks. They've been in business since 1981.
Most self-guided kayakers charter a boat to drop them off among the islands beyond the long, deep fjord in which Whittier is located. Honey Charters, listed above under "Small-Boat Tours," offers a drop-off service. There are six Forest Service cabins in this idyllic area, which must be reserved 6 months ahead. Flat sites suitable for a tent are not plentiful on these rocky shores, which dropped in the 1964 earthquake, so do some research with the Forest Service or Alaska Public Lands Information Center in Anchorage before you go (the tent platforms at Surprise Cove State Marine Park make an excellent remote base camp). For information and cabin reservations, see section 3, "Chugach National Forest: Do-It-Yourself Wilderness."
Special Events
Whittier has an event that I'm quite sure you won't find anywhere else: the Walk to Whittier, through the 2.75-mile tunnel, June 14, 2009. Entertainment and shopping specials in Whittier reward those who complete the trek, then buses carry everyone back. The town also holds a summer-long halibut derby and fall silver salmon derby. Contact the chamber of commerce, mentioned above, for information on any of the events.
