Daisy Gilardini and David McEown take guests on a special Canadian Geographic tour of Southeast Alaska (through lens and watercolour).
Southeast Alaska is a place where rainforest and sea weave into one of the wildest landscapes on Earth. Here, black and grizzly bears comb tidal flats, bald eagles trace the sky, and whales rise from waters so rich they seem to breathe life itself.
Photo: Daisy Gilardini
Seabirds wheel and dive in the nutrient-rich waters of Southeast Alaska, a vital feeding ground that supports salmon, eagles, and orcas alike. The Swell quietly navigates these waters, bringing guests closer to the wild without disturbing it.
Aboard the Swell, a charming 88-foot tugboat built in 1912 in Vancouver and now beautifully converted into a six-cabin boutique expedition vessel, the Maple Leaf Adventures Alaska Supervoyage winds its way through the Tongass National Forest, past Admiralty Island, and south along the remote shores of Prince of Wales Island.
In a world where massive cruise ships skim the surface of Alaska’s grandeur—restricted by fixed itineraries, crowded decks, and rigid meal schedules—a small boat offers something profoundly different: flexibility, access, intimacy, and a sense of belonging in landscapes that remain wild and untamed.
Photo: Daisy Gilardini
Morning light filters through mist over islands draped in temperate rainforest—home to Sitka spruce, western hemlock, and the diverse understory that sustains this coastal ecosystem.
Each day’s plan is guided by the weather and the wildlife. Unlike larger vessels bound by deep channels, the Swell can slip quietly into narrow fjords and shallow coves, where the rainforest drapes itself over towering cliffs and waterfalls tumble in silver ribbons down moss-covered rock faces. Disconnected from the modern world, guests can fully immerse themselves in the beauty of the land and the thrill of its encounters.
Photo: Daisy Gilardini
Sitka black-tailed deer, native to the Tongass National Forest, graze along riverbanks with their young. Fawns rely on careful maternal guidance to navigate the forest’s predators and rugged terrain.
Along the coastline, black bears and grizzlies are often seen clamming at low tide or fishing in salmon-rich rivers. In the estuaries, Sitka black-tailed deer graze with their fawns, while bald eagles, ever watchful, are a constant presence overhead.
Photo: Daisy Gilardini
A brown bear snags a salmon at Pack Creek Sanctuary on Admiralty Island, one of the highest-density bear habitats in North America. These salmon runs are critical for bears to build fat stores for winter hibernation.
Photo: Daisy Gilardini
Young bears practice vital survival skills under watchful eyes. Every catch teaches timing, strength, and patience—a cornerstone of life in the Alaskan wilderness.
In Admiralty Island’s Pack Creek Sanctuary, we spend a day in the presence of grizzlies—watching them fish, play, and roam as they have for generations.
On the water, the abundance is equally breathtaking. Sea otters float serenely on their backs, cracking shellfish or sea urchins against rocks balanced on their bellies. Humpback whales work cooperatively in mesmerizing bubble-net feeding displays. Dall’s porpoises dart alongside the bow, their black-and-white bodies slicing through the wake. Orcas patrol the deeper channels, their towering dorsal fins cutting through the steel-blue water like blades. Harbor seals bask in the sun at low tide, while Steller sea lions leap and play around the ship’s tender.
Photo: Daisy Gilardini
Humpback whales rise to exhale, creating the iconic spout visible from the Swell. These gentle giants often feed cooperatively in bubble-net feeding displays, a sophisticated hunting strategy unique to the species.
Traveling through Southwestern Alaska on a vessel like the Swell is not simply a cruise—it’s an entry into one of the richest and most pristine ecosystems in North America. With every bend in the shoreline, every call of an eagle, and every exhalation of a surfacing whale, the journey is all about experiencing the wild, up close and unhurried.
Ready to Experience Alaska Differently?
Maple Leaf Adventures is returning to Alaska next summer, with small-ship expeditions that bring you closer to the wild than ever before—including the epic return of our flagship, the century-old schooner Maple Leaf, after a decade away.
Video: David McEown
Watch as Canadian Geographic Ambassadors Daisy Gilardini and David McEown capture Southeast Alaska’s wild coast—one through the lens, the other through watercolour—bringing the region’s forests, wildlife, and waterways to vivid life. You can read more about David’s experience this summer over at his blog.
