For a ‘Swell’ time, try a tugboat cruise on British Columbia’s waterways
Here’s a little tugboat that could: The aptly named Swell, a classic restored tug built in 1912, is making two inaugural voyages this spring as the newest member of Maple Leaf Adventures’ fleet....
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Vogue
How to Explore Canada’s Haida Gwaii, the Galapagos of the North
There are only a handful of vessels licensed to bring guests into the park, but the most comfortable and comprehensive service is Maple Leaf Adventures. The company’s new ferry-grade Cascadia catamaran provides a surprisingly stable ride through the notoriously choppy Hecate Strait, and is currently the only ship of its class bringing guests into Gwaii Haanas. They also offer a similar Haida Gwaii itinerary aboard the Maple Leaf, a classic 92-foot sailing schooner—should you really want to get your Arya Stark on....
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The Telegraph
The secluded coast that was too wild for the Royal Navy – and why I can't wait to go back
Even if you’ve been to British Columbia in western Canada before, you have to set sail in Desolation Sound, as well as experiencing all the other memorable moments the island-speckled coast offers. And a new go-anywhere, script-free trip from Vancouver Island – with expedition cruise pioneers Maple Leaf Adventures, from Port Hardy – means it’s easier than ever to disconnect from Wi-Fi and get lost in the personal wilderness of the splintered Pacific coast....
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The Globe and Mail
Experiencing secret splendour aboard the MV Cascadia in Haida Gwaii
Gathering in the ship’s comfortable lounge on the first day, expedition leader (and MLA’s co-founder) Kevin Smith briefs our group of 23 guests on what we will encounter on this voyage. Noting the rare and special privilege it is to travel here – that very few operators have a license to tour this place (and no new licenses will be granted) – he observes that only 3,000 people visit Gwaii Haanas every year. “Our goal is to never see another group,” he says....
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The Great Bear Rainforest isn’t exactly on the honeymoon circuit. And with a bunk room for eight, two small “heads” (shipspeak for toilets), and no more than three showers per person—all week—neither is the Maple Leaf. It is, however, one of the most beautiful old wooden boats you’ve ever seen. ......
World’s Best Cruises for 2016 – Fodor’s
Launched in 2015 by Canada-based Maple Leaf Adventures, the gorgeous little MV Swell tugboat has been brilliantly re-imagined as a plush 12-passenger vessel.......
Canadian Geographic Travel
Confessions of a Naturalistus Ignoramus by James Little
I am standing on board the 28m schooner Maple Leaf, chatting with Canada's best-known wildlife artist, Robert Bateman. We've only been scanning for a few minutes, and already it seems that wildlife is everywhere around us.
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Sunset Magazine
Top 10 Reasons to Cruise Now
Beer for breakfast, beer for lunch, beer for dinner. It's not officially called the Sudsboat, but if the shoe fits, the MV Swell should wear it. The 1912 tugboat makes its annual autumnal run throughout B.C.'s Gulf Islands with beer historian Greg Evans on board - talking through every sip of the 50 craft beers, every spoonful of the cheddar and ale soup, and every forkful of the stout brownie....
GEO Special Magazine
Auf Grober Spritztour by Beatrix Gerstberger
"Dolphins swim, whales are singing, and on shore a grizzly appears: On Canada's Pacific coast, man is rare. With a sailing ship, our author went into the wilderness - a world of islands, fjords and a rainforest, which is almost as rough as Ireland, the Great Bear Rainforest."
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Vogue Online
Exploring Canada's West Coast Like Will and Kate by Celeste Moure
The best way to explore the islands is by sea aboard Maple Leaf Adventures's classic, wooden tugboat. The 88-foot Swell accommodates 12 guests and features private ensuite cabins, a hot tub with a view, and lounge areas from which to view puffins, whales and bears."...
Stories
Los Angeles Times
For a ‘Swell’ time, try a tugboat cruise on British Columbia’s waterways
Vogue
How to Explore Canada’s Haida Gwaii, the Galapagos of the North
The Telegraph
The secluded coast that was too wild for the Royal Navy – and why I can't wait to go back
The Globe and Mail
Experiencing secret splendour aboard the MV Cascadia in Haida Gwaii
Sunset Magazine
The West’s Best Place for a Wildlife Safari
World’s Best Cruises for 2016 – Fodor’s
Canadian Geographic Travel
Confessions of a Naturalistus Ignoramus by James Little
Sunset Magazine
Top 10 Reasons to Cruise Now
GEO Special Magazine
Auf Grober Spritztour by Beatrix Gerstberger
Vogue Online
Exploring Canada's West Coast Like Will and Kate by Celeste Moure