Northern Passages and Glacier Bay

Day 1 : Juneau

There’s nothing like a hearty greeting from your crew and some bon voyage bubbly. With all souls settled in on board, you’re underway. From the bow, Southeast Alaska welcomes you with Coast Mountain views.

Day 2 : Captain’s Choice

Lynn Canal or Chatham Strait, your captain makes the call. Either choice, go with the flow. The water is fine. The guides help you gear up, and lead your adventure along the rocky outcroppings. By kayak or paddle board, take in the size of this wilderness. Bald eagles dot the tree tops. Harbour seals bob up and under. Pods of orcas – the largest in the dolphin family – skim along the water’s surface.

Day 3 : Glacier Bay National Park

What a privilege. At 3.3 million acres, this UNESCO World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve is massive. At Bartlett Cove, a park ranger joins in on your day’s exploration and shares the park’s history. Orange-beaked puffins, guillemots and marbled murrelets are just a few possible sightings. Keep a tally – the list will grow. Arriving at South Marble Island, you can hear and smell ‘em before you see ‘em – it’s a haulout for sea lions. Perched above around the bend, watch for mountain goats, and lower along shore, foraging bears. Up bay, glacial silt turns the water a milky white. Margerie and Grand Pacific Glaciers – one holding steady, the other retreating. Lounging harbour seals laze on bits of bergs. And if time allows, tuck up in Tidal Inlet. End this very full day with your feet up for the sail into Icy Strait.

Day 4 : Icy Strait

Nearly to the Pacific Ocean, Icy Strait is remote and wild. The plan? Whales and marine mammals. Spouts and fin slaps are certain giveaways. More rollicking sea lions and birds. But don’t forget to look straight down. Porpoises and dolphins may hitch a ride on the bow wave. And don’t worry about missing any wildlife; it’s a favourite mission of the crew to point out any creatures they spot. Make a break for it and head for a quiet pocket along the rugged coastline. A different sort of wild than the open strait, muskeg leads to forest bushwhacks. Skiff the shore and down along kelp-threaded channels.

Day 5 : Chichagof Island

Welcome to the west coast of Chatham Strait – one of the largest, longest, and straightest fjords on the planet. We’re deep within a nutrient highway, and endless coves and glacial fjords draw unsuspecting lines along the coast. Chichagof Island is home to the coastal brown bear – supported by the lush meadows, rich berries, and prolific salmon runs. Each cove and bay hold their very own microcosm of the greater ecosystem – and your guides are getting into the granular details of the connections between place, species, and time. The time of year dictates the destination. Spring meadows are filled with wildflowers. Summer salmon runs bring bears to the freshwater cornucopia of the largest return of nutrients from sea to land on earth. Fall colors in the alders beckon the return of the Aurora Borealis. There’s no “good” or “bad” time to visit this place – every season brings new surprises.

Day 6 : Baranof Island / Peril Strait

Baranof Island is our playground for the day. Glacially carved fjords become more exposed as we approach South Baranof Wilderness. We continue our search for the coastal brown bear and bushwhack up into muskegs that offer sweeping views across Chatham Strait towards Kootznoowoo. Whales transit the coastline in search of schools of herring and salmon that gather here in numbers beyond comprehension. Following the spouts west, we enter Peril Strait – an infamous stretch of water rich in indigenous and Russian history Tight channels and swirling eddies bring marine mammals to the area, here to take their chances at salmon returning to their natal streams.

Day 7 : Krestof > Nakwasina Sounds

There aren’t many straight lines along Baranof Island. Its western side is spattered with remote, uninhabited islands. These features mean endless opportunities for adventure. Secluded coves. Tree-covered islets. Drop anchor, pick your modus operandi, and get going. Kayak, paddle board, or skiff – you’re on the level with curious sea lions and possibly whales. Rocky intertidal zones make good beachcombing. Turn a stone or two to see what’s underneath. There are no groomed trails here – get out on a guided hike John Muir would approve of. Toast your voyage with a festive Farewell Dinner and a “photo journal” of your trip. A gift to you, from your expedition team.

Day 8 : Sitka

Cruise into Sitka this morning over breakfast. Farewell new friends! Disembark and transfer to the airport.

*Itinerary also operates in reverse.