This pamphlet was created by a group of high schoolers at Whittier School for the purpose of informing tourists with general information about boating in Passage Canal and Prince William Sound. It contains information on weather, animals, safety precautions, rules and even fun things to do while boating.
 

The following are required by state law to be on your boat at all times. 

* Personal Flotation Devices (PFD) 
* Fire Extinguishers 
* Visual Distress Signals 
* Sound Producing Device (bell/whistle) 
* Ventilation System 
* Backfire Flame Arrestor 
* Vessel Registration 
* Navigation Lights 

The following are suggested 
*VHF Radio 
* E.P.I.R.B. 
 
 

Source: Whittier Harbor Handbook

Source: Reed’s Nautical Almanac 
 

* Monitors VHF 68/16 
* Phone: 907-472-2330 
* 327 boat slips 
* Protected by floating breakwater 
* Controlling depths are 15 feet 
* Fuel, water, and repairs available 
* Two tidal grids 
* 30 ton boatlift  
 
 

Source: Reed’s Nautical Almanac 
 

Whittier is known for its weather and especially the snow.  Passage Canal and Whittier can receive a lot of rain, snow, and wind. The average annual snowfall is between 16 feet and 21 feet. The winds have  been over a hundred miles an hour at times.  The high winds in Whittier are caused by a bottleneck in Portage Pass. The wind is forced through the pass and passes through Whittier on its way through Passage Canal.  

Spring arrives in March.  The sun starts to shine more each day and the temperature begins to rise each day.   The average spring temperature from March to May is 37’F.  There continues to be a lot of precipitation, but it changes from snow to rain.   Spring usually ends mid-May when the tourist season begins. 

Summer arrives in mid-May.  The snow stops falling but there might be a few feet of snow in some areas of Whittier.  The average temperature in the summer ranges from 51 to 69’F.  Whittier is drowned with sunlight during summer because it rises over the steep mountains.  During summer there continues to be a lot of rain.  On numerous occasions it has rained for over 3 weeks straight.  

In August, the tourists start to decline, along with the warm weather, and the businesses get ready to close.  As August comes to an end, there is an increase in rain. Autumn’s average temperature ranges from the mid 40s to 50’s.  Snow may arrive  in September or  October.  

Winter begins with blizzards, storms, and a lot of snow on the ground.  Sometimes rain shows up and turns the snow to slush.  Whittier receives an amazing amount of snowfall averaging 21 feet annually. 
During the winter  the sun doesn’t shine much.  Darker clouds cover the sun and the winds increase.  Between October and February the sun doesn’t even rise high enough over the mountains to shine on Whittier. Sometimes the undeveloped areas of Whittier are so filled with snow, that the City of Whittier must dump the snow in the ocean.   Whittier’s winter temperatures may be a mild averaging  30 degrees in the winter, however the wind chill can reach to –70’F.  During this cold season,  many residents favor snow machining, hiking, snowboarding, and other outdoor activities.  

Source- http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/index.html

This is only a small list of some of the more impressive glaciers in the sound. There are many more that are not on this list. 

* Whittier Glacier 
* Blackstone Glacier 
* Harriman Glacier 
* Barry Glacier 
* Harvard Glacier 
* Yale Glacier 
* Nellie Jaun Glacier 
* Chenega Glacier 
* Tiger Glacier 
* Meares Glacier 
* Columbia Glacier 
* Shoup Glacier 
* Valdez Glacier 

Source: Glaciers of Prince William Sound, Alaska 

Here is a brief list of some of the animals you may see while in and around Whittier.
 

* Fishing 
* Kayaking 
* Jet Skiing 
* Diving 
* Snorkeling 
* Camping 
* Tours