A Morning Mail Run and a Once-in-a-Lifetime Sight

 

“Witnessing Nature’s Grandest Show from the Cockpit of a Cessna 185”

Flying Southeast Alaska's Wild Coastline

There’s something about summer mornings in Southeast Alaska that’s hard to put into words. The glassy water, the crisp, salty air, and the endless stretch of rugged coastline — it never gets old. But every now and then, the wild heart of this place offers up something truly unforgettable.

One morning, my friend and I climbed into the trusty Cessna 185F, set for a routine mail drop to a logging camp just south of Long Island, beyond Hydaburg. It was one of those calm, perfect days — the kind that reminds you why you love flying in Southeast Alaska. The water looked like a sheet of polished glass, and the scattered clouds hung motionless over the islands.

The run to the logging camp was uneventful. We made the drop, exchanged a few waves with the folks below, and turned north to head home. That’s when the real show began.

As we cruised along the coast, just taking in the morning, I noticed something unusual in one of the coves below. At first, it looked like the water was boiling. From that altitude, you get used to spotting small pods of killer whales — maybe three or five traveling together — but this was different.

We circled lower for a better look, and that’s when it hit us — it wasn’t just a few whales. It was a super pod. Hundreds of killer whales, all moving together, slicing through the glassy water. Their sleek black and white bodies breached and rolled, the sunlight catching the spray as they surfaced.

In all my years flying over Southeast, I’ve never seen anything like it. It was as if the ocean itself had come to life.

We circled for a while, hovering above one of nature’s most incredible gatherings, completely mesmerized. It’s moments like that when you realize just how small you are out here — and how lucky you are to witness such raw beauty.

I’ve seen a lot flying over these islands — rugged coastlines, hidden coves, whales, bears, even the northern lights from the cockpit. But that morning, seeing that super pod of killer whales, is a memory etched in my mind. I doubt I’ll ever see something like that again.

Just another reminder of why Southeast Alaska isn’t just a place — it’s an experience.