Vancouver Island's Wild Side (northwest)
Sample Itinerary
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1: Welcome aboard, orientation, exploring “hanging rainforest gardens” or abundant intertidal life onshore. Optional evening kayak, Quatsino Sound. Cruising to Klaskish and East Creek. Bear viewing, shore walk in East Creek meadow and along river.
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2: Cruising around the wild Brooks Peninsula. Weather permitting, cruising the continental shelf region, where seabirds (albatross, puffins) and marine mammals forage. Wildlife viewing. Solander Island (from the water), an ecological reserve for puffins. Anchorage and remote beach exploration.
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3: Rainforest and beach walks. Optional morning kayak. Anchorage in Nesparti Inlet. Exploring beautiful Nesparti Inlet by boat and on land.
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4: Kyuquot Sound exploration, sea otter viewing, traditional indigenous salmon bake around campfire with gourmet dinner.
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5: Exploration of offshore group of islands and Rugged Point with sandy beaches and salal-rich headlands. Cultural site visit. Heading north around Brooks Peninsula. Evening anchorage in Vancouver Island inlet, and exploring ashore. Possible black bear viewing, creek and meadow exploration.
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6: Cruising and exploring the Cape Scott area, rounding Vancouver Island’s northern tip. Bear viewing.
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7: Whale watching on Vancouver Island’s northeast side, and cruising to Port Hardy.
Note: Trips are either this route or the exact reverse. For either trip, you fly into / fly out of Port Hardy. If the trip starts in Coal Harbour, this is the itinerary. If the trip starts in Port Hardy, the itinerary is the reverse direction of this one.
You can find information about each day, by clicking on a number
Note that as with all expedition cruises, the itinerary may change based on weather, wildlife activity, and interests of the guests. This itinerary is to give you a general idea of the trip.
Departures (prices listed in Canadian dollars)
| Date | Price CAD* | # of Nights | Start Port | End Port | Ship |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | |||||
| Date: Jul 09 - 15 | Price CAD: $7800, $9150, $10450 | # of Nights: 6 nights, 7 days | Start Port: Port Hardy | End Port: Port Hardy | Ship: Cascadia |
Description
Explore Vancouver Island's rugged and beautiful north coast.
Brooks Peninsula (a glacial refugium), Solander Island (home to puffins), Kyuquot Sound (including sea otters and the village of Kyuquot), lush inlets and sandy beaches, as well as a cruise around the northernmost tip (Cape Sutil) and on the protected eastern coast.
Wildlife includes otters, black bears, whales, sea lions, and seabirds.
This trip is for those who love to adventure beyond the norm. It explores a mostly un-roaded area. You'll walk in the rainforest, beach-comb on the sand, boat into wild creeks that empty into the sea, and cruise around Brooks Peninsula, which juts out almost to the offshore continental shelf.
Seven miles off Brooks, the coastal world changes to the oceanic one, and on a fair day we might cruise to the shelf, where the ocean turns from green to blue, and wildlife goes to feed in the upwelling (albatross, puffins, fulmars, dolphins).
This trip takes place in the traditional territories of Kwakwaka'wakw and Nuu-chah-nulth peoples. We'll explore indigenous culture and history with our friends from the village of Kyuquot, just a little bit north of Yuquot, or Friendly Cove, where in 1778 the English captain Cook was the first European to step onto what is now British Columbia.
Gallery
What People Say
F. Shirley Ontario, CanFrom our first inquiries to the final docking, our trip has been first class all the way.
Chuck Cole Washington, USAAn unbelievable experience with the most dedicated and involved crew I’ve ever experienced. Every day was ‘magical’. The bar for my next adventure
Jane Robinson Vancouver, BCWhat a magical and awe-inspiring adventure!
