Whale Watching and Sea Kayaking in a Glacier-Carved World of Hidden Fjords aboard the M/V Catalyst

Alaska’s Inside Passage

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The ultimate mobile base camp for Alaska’s Inside Passage is the M/V Catalyst, an historic 75-foot wooden ship with a wonderful atmosphere and a crew who shares a deep love for this coast. The 11-passenger Catalyst brings us into hidden places where big ships can’t go—and she even has a hydrophone, so when we find ourselves in a pod of humpacks, we can listen to their ethereal songs. The Inside Passage is a magnificent saltwater corridor that meanders among exquisite wilderness islands and towering glacier fjords, all waiting to be explored. With our on-board naturalists, we sea kayak, hike in old-growth forests, and encounter amazing wildlife. At day’s end, the Catalyst is our cozy wilderness home. No previous kayaking experience is necessary!

Below is an Itinerary-in-Brief. To view a complete Detailed Itinerary, Download Full Itinerary or Email our Area Specialist

Itinerary-in-Brief

Day 1
Petersburg, Alaska (Northbound itinerary)

In Petersburg, we board the M/V Catalyst, built in 1932 as the University of Washington’s first oceanographic research vessel. We cruise north into Frederick Sound, and tides permitting, hike on the moraine of the Baird Glacier. Later we enjoy an introduction to sea kayaking. Our double sea kayaks are very stable for the beginner while the singles allow experienced kayakers to exercise their skills.

Days 2-3
The Brothers / Admiralty Island

We set out for The Brothers, a group of islands in Frederick Sound, watching for humpbacks and orcas in this prime summer feeding ground. We may shut down the engine and drift, listening to their underwater world with the ship’s hydrophone (underwater microphone). On Day 3, we hike through temperate rainforest, then sea kayak along the shores. There is a Steller sea lion haulout nearby, where hundreds of these vocal creatures spend their day. We then travel north to 100-mile-long Admiralty Island, with its cathedral-like forests and high populations of brown bears and bald eagles. From our idyllic anchorage, the sound of breathing whales or the screech of an eagle drift across the evening calm.

Days 4-6
Endicott Arm / Ford’s Terror

Getting underway in time to make the slack tide into Endicott Arm, we dodge icebergs as we wind our way into the fjord. At Dawes Glacier, we linger to watch the glacier’s calving, booming bergs. A treat awaits us at a seldom-visited anchorage called Ford’s Terror, a spectacular natural amphitheater that looks like a flooded Yosemite. The M/V Catalyst is powerful enough to push against strong current into this sublime place, and we anchor here on Day 5 to explore by sea kayak, crossing saltwater rapids and paddling beneath sheer granite walls shrouded in other-worldly mists.

Day 7
Juneau

After a last morning of sea kayaking, we cruise to Juneau, bid farewell to the Catalyst and her crew, and depart.

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Tour Costs $4495 (Cabins 1 & 6, private bath) $3895 (Cabins 2-5, shared bath) Small group surcharge: $450 (8 or fewer) Prices are for 2009 dates **Airfare is not included in Tour Cost unless indicated

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