Day 1: Seattle, Washington to Mill Bay
Distance: 120 Miles
8:00 AM Meeting Time
We will meet in the lobby of the Best Western Hotel in Edmonds, Washington for gear distribution and expedition briefing. Today the team will be crossing the border between the United States and Canada in route to the remote passages of the Canadian Inside Passage. Our journey will take us through Deception Pass and into the San Juan Islands. We will stop at Oak Bay Marina to clear customs and then continue to Mill Bay for the night. (Hotel/Dinner Included)
Day 2: Mill Bay (BC) to Campbell River (BC)
Distance: 145 Miles
Wake early and enjoy coffee as you watch the sunrise over the gorgeous Mill Bay. Breakfast will be delivered to your room and then the crew will meet for transfer back down to the marina. Today the crew will be traveling along the east side of Vancouver Island stopping in the ports of Nainamo, Comox, and ultimately Campbell River. Today?s passage will have a variety of riding conditions including the calm waters and protection of the lee islands to the open waters of the Straits of Georgia. As we push north civilization will slowly become sparser and marine wildlife will become more abundant. (Hotel Included/ Dinner on Your Own)
Day 3: Campbell River (BC) to Port Mcneil (BC)
Distance: 120 Miles
Today the team will be traveling to our northern most point on Vancouver Island, Port McNeil. We will travel up Discovery Passage and into the notorious Johnstone Strait. You will quickly see settlements disappear along the coast as we move north until we are totally isolated in the passage. The crew will now be entering a marine environment that is teaming with wildlife including Stellar Sea Lions, Humpback Whales, Orca, Bald Eagles, and enormous groups of Pacific White Sided Dolphins. You destination today will leave the team on the edge of the 'Great Bear Wilderness'. (Hotel Included/ Dinner on Your Own)
Day 4: Port Mcneil (BC) to Shearwater (BC)
Distance: 120 Miles
After a well-deserved night of rest the crew will be watching the weather conditions on the Queen Charlotte Sound. This body of water is open to the harsh winds of the North Pacific and will require an agreeable weather forecast for the team to cross this body of water. Once conditions allow, the passage is nothing less than spectacular with massive Stellar Sea Lion colonies, feeding Orca, and scenery that will leave you breathless. Our destination today is the capital of British Columbia salmon fishing, Shearwater, a small port in the middle of nowhere! (Hotel Included/ Dinner on Your Own)
Day 5: Shearwater (BC) to Hartley Bay (BC)
Distance: 120 Miles
Wake in the early morning to a hosted breakfast and crew briefing. Today we will be traveling into the incredible waters of the Great Bear Wilderness. The small passages with steep mountains and cliffs on both sides will leave you speechless. Very few people ever see these amazing sights and even fewer from the vessel you are traveling on. The expedition will weave in and out of narrow passages and stop for fuel in the native village of Klemtu before moving on to the old historic cannery of Butedale. Our final destination for the day is the native village of Hartley Bay. (Hotel/Dinner Included)
Day 6: Hartley Bay (BC) to Prince Rupert (BC)
Distance: 100 Miles
Wind, Waves, and Conditions permitting, we will continue our run North up the notorious Grenville Channel, across the mouth of the Skeena River and into the port town of Prince Rupert. Although this passage is protected, a strong north wind could delay our departure. As we move north, more unpredictable weather along with larger tidal makes forecasting even more important. As the plankton blooms strengthen so does the feeding frenzy of marine animals across all levels of the food chain. Herring and Salmon are now flooding into the fjords with predation behaviors continuing to increase. (Hotel/Dinner Included)
Day 7: Prince Rupert (BC) to Ketchikan, Alaska
Distance: 120 Miles
After an amazing night in Prince Rupert, the team will say good-bye to Canada and push to cross the Dixon Entrance and into Alaskan Waters. The Dixon Entrance is our second open water crossing with exposure to the West and North winds. Your guides will be watching a series of buoy's to determine when weather conditions will allow for a safe passage. In route, the crew will travel along Dundes Island with offshore waters that are known to be a nursery for newborn Orca. Once the crew passes the Green Island Lighthouse we will head for Cape Fox and in the inside waters of the Alaskan Inside Passage. Once safely at the dock in Ketchikan, U.S. Customs officers will clear the expedition's arrival. Welcome to Alaska and congratulations on completing this amazing route!
Day 8, 9, & 10
The is a true expedition with unknown variables including weather, winds, waves, mechanical, and gear issues. For this route we reserve 3 days for unforeseen, but necessary holds. When weather does not allow safe passage the expedition will hold in place. If the crew arrives in Ketchikan early all hotel rooms will be taken care of by Dangerous Water Adventures.
