Small Ship Adventure Cruises in British Columbia

Overview

Board a 72-foot Norway-built motor/sail ketch for this adventure cruise. ROW's British Columbia yachting adventure travels to the Queen Charlotte Islands. This archipelago consists of hundreds of islands and is home to the native Haida people. ROW's adventure cruise is a rare glimpse into the history and culture of the Haida people and abundant wildlife of the region. Sea kayaking, hiking, hot springs and visits to ancient Haida village sites are highlights of an adventure cruise to the Queen Charlotte Islands.

   

• Trip Duration: 9 Days
• Intensity: Easy
• Season: June - August
• Closest Airport: Sandspit, British Columbia

Details

Join an adventure cruise by small ship through the Queen Charlotte Islands in British Columbia, Canada. We explore this part of the "Inside Passage" aboard the S/V Duen, a comfortable, historic eight-passenger yacht and an ideal base of operations to visit this unspoiled wilderness. From the S/V Duen, we'll explore surrounding waters by Zodiac inflatable craft and sea kayaks, and we'll make frequent onshore excursions. A knowledgeable captain, excellent chef and onboard naturalist accompany each trip.

The dramatic Queen Charlotte Islands, known as Haida Gwaii (Place of Wonder) to native Haida people, is an archipelago of hundreds of islands and islets about 65 miles off the northeast coast of British Columbia. Like the Galapagos Islands, the isolation of this archipelago has allowed many species of plants and animals to evolve with unique characteristics. To protect their ecological and cultural heritage, the Haida people, in partnership with the Canadian Government, designated the Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve/Haida Heritage Site in 1987. Today visitors are welcome, in limited numbers, to visit this sacred place.

ROW's B.C. adventure cruise has plenty of time and opportunity to experience and learn from the Haida people. As we explore this incredible country, we'll learn about Haida culture, history and the natural wonders of their homeland. A highlight for many of our guests is the visits we make to ancient Haida village sites.

Weather and tides can impact our schedule, but our goal is to reach as many of these sites as possible, including the UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site of SGaang Gwaii (Wailing Island) and the village site of Nan Sdins (more commonly known as Ninstints) where numerous memorial, frontal and mortuary (totem) poles still stand in the greatest display left on the islands.

Other village sites we typically visit include T'aanuu (Tanu), K'uuna (Skedans) and Hlk'yaah 'Llnagaay (Windy Bay). Each site is staffed by two to four Haida Watchmen, including one elder, who live at the site and serve as guardians, protecting their natural and cultural heritage. Our experienced guides have developed warm relationships with the guardians, which usually results in wonderful opportunities for conversation and further insight into the Haida culture and history. We explore these sites on foot and marvel at the remains of longhouses and totem poles, both standing and fallen.

This secluded wilderness reaches its peak of beauty as summer approaches. A coastal temperate rainforest dominates the land and some of the largest trees in the world grow here, including red and yellow cedar, Sitka spruce and western hemlock. We hike trails that wind through forest floors carpeted with dozens of species of mosses, ferns, salal and berry bushes. Bogs and meadows are decorated with herbs, grasses and brightly colored flowers.

Longer hours of sunlight on the plankton-rich waters attract an abundant and diverse display of marine life. Many species, from the tiniest zooplankton that feed intertidal life to the great marine mammals like the humpback whales and Orca, depend on this productive island habitat for their survival. As we explore by foot or by Zodiac raft, we'll find many varieties of sea stars (formerly known as starfish), crabs, snails, urchins, anemones, mussels and many other marine creatures. Onshore rambling lets you see tidal pools and a shoreline that's incredibly rich in marine life due to significant tidal changes of up to 22 feet.

Those who enjoy fishing might try their hand at catching red snapper, lingcod and other rockfish. We typically see many species of sea birds like the rhinoceros auklet, pigeon guillemot, tufted puffin, great blue heron, peregrine falcon, and dozens of magnificent bald eagles.

If the dates below don't fit your schedule or you have a large group, ROW can also book this adventure cruise on the 12-passenger, Coppersky.

Itinerary

Use the link below for a PDF itinerary.