The Last Frontier

With a longing to see whales in the wild, Julie Peasgood joins a luxurious Alaskan voyage on board Silver Shadow.

- Julie Peasgood

We’re the paparazzi of the ocean – cameras, mobiles and zoom lenses primed for an elusive shot of the marine megastar. Poised for action on our small boat, like troops awaiting a signal, we are silent and the sea is still.

Suddenly, a huge, sonorous, almost prehistoric sigh punctures the air and someone shouts: “There’s the blow – she’s straight ahead.” We swing round en masse to witness 15 feet of water shoot into the air, followed by a giant expanse of black as 40 feet of whale arches in slow motion above the waves. Breathtaking, tantalising and so graceful it makes me want to cry.

I don’t get my photo of the humpback whale; in the end I don’t even try. I want to witness the magnitude of this vast creature with my own eyes, rather than fumbling behind my iPhone for a decent shot. In the past 20 years I’ve been fortunate to notch up 66 cruises and have seen dolphins, seals, otters and even baby sharks in the wild, but never an actual whale... until today. So it’s a mighty tick at the top of my wish list, and I’m now declaring this Silversea cruise, my first, to be an unprecedented success, whatever follows.

We do encounter some rough weather on our first day of sailing in Alaska, but Silver Shadow remains steady in the open seas – the only rocking and rolling on board is reserved for the late-night 1960s disco. I spend a lot of time in my stateroom – not because I feel unable to move around the ship, but because the cabins are spacious and very comfortable, even at base level. Suites come in eight categories, all with ocean views, stylish and sophisticated in design, with muted colours and imaginative lighting; the smallest enjoying generous picture windows and the largest substantial verandas.