Day 1: Set Sail from Vancouver, British Columbia
Transfer to the Spirit of Oceanus at Vancouver's inner harbor. Sail under the Lion's Gate Bridge as your panoramic cruise begins. You now embark on a voyage of discovery, seeing the best Alaska has to offer. Along the way you will explore and come to better understand the unique and distinctive temperate rainforests, majestic marine mammals, and small communities defined by the sea. After dinner onboard, your Exploration Leader will provide an itinerary talk, discussing the highlights of the next 25 days. D Day 2, 3: Cruising British Columbia
Over the next two days you will see sheltered waterways lined by the evergreen wilderness of the Great Bear Rainforest that temptingly lead you toward Alaska. On your first full day of cruising, leave Vancouver Island behind to enter the serene wilderness that characterizes the mainland, islands, and inlets off the coast of northern British Columbia. Welcome to the Great Bear Rainforest, at 19 million acres, one of the largest remaining tracts of temperate rainforest. These nutrient-rich waters are home to whales and dolphins. The day will be filled with interesting narrative and relaxing cruising while embracing the wilderness. Keep a quiet, watchful eye for the Kermode Bear. Known locally as the "Spirit Bear," this rare and elusive subspecies of black bear is a phenomenal sight to behold with its white fur. After dinner, join an evening program in the lounge.
On your second day, come face-to-face with First Nations culture in a remote village on British Columbia's coast. The First Nations of British Columbia have inhabited this rich region for thousands of years. Today there will be a brief stop at one of the Native villages along your route. The Kitasoo/Xaixais First Nation are a coastal people, whose ancient history remains alive and well today. While committed to educating their children in the ways of modern man, they are equally committed to the preservation of their language and traditions. You'll have an opportunity to meet with tribal members to hear their story and perspectives on live in this remote region. The rest of the day is yours to enjoy the scenic cruising as you head out of Canada. After dinner there will be a program in the lounge. BLD Day 4: Misty Fjords and Metlakatla
The dramatic granite cliffs of Misty Fiords National Monument welcome you to Alaska as you explore spectacular Behm Canal, a glacially-carved fjord where six inlets come together. National Forest Service Kayak Rangers will join you onboard to share the natural beauty and offer information about this area. All the important geological and ecological characteristics of Southeast Alaska are found within these 2.3 million acres of pristine wilderness. Steep-sided mountains become even more magical shrouded in mist. Harbor seals frolic near the river and stream estuaries. Seagulls and pigeon guillemots find the perfect nesting sites along glacier-carved granite walls in the tranquil, deep-green temperate rainforest. You will have the unique opportunity to visit Metlakatla on Annette Island. In a quest for religious freedom, Father William Duncan and a group of Tsimshian Indians moved 100 miles north from Metlakatla, British Columbia, to Annette Island. In 1891, the United States government set aside Annette Island for the exclusive use of the Tsimshian Indians and other Alaska Natives and it is now the only such reservation in Alaska. The Tsimshian community of Metlakatla greets you with a dance performance at their tribal long house. You will also have the special opportunity to meet members of this community, local artisans. Harriman stopped here to visit this missionary settlement. BLD Day 5: Petersburg
The winding Wrangell Narrows leads to the bustling Norwegian-founded fishing village of Petersburg, at the northern tip of Mitkof Island. You will be entertained at the Sons of Norway Hall by the Leikarring Dancers who will perform traditional Norwegian dance in colorful and authentic dress of bright blues, accentuated by red, white and yellow embroidered flowers. You will be treated to an introduction to the community and sample some homemade Norwegian pastries. There will be time for you to explore this picturesque seaside community where the main economy is driven by the fishing industry. BLD Day 6: Tracy Arm and Frederick Sound
Travel through Holkham Bay, at the mouth of two spectacular, glacier-fed fjords. Cruise on to Tracy Arm, a glacially carved valley filled with deep, emerald-green seawater, bordered by steep granite cliffs. The fjord twists and turns for 25 miles. Suddenly there is much more ice floating in the water and the air is colder, revealing the close proximity of two magnificent tidewater glaciers, North Sawyer Glacier and South Sawyer Glacier. There will be plenty of time to watch these glaciers as Arctic terns buzz close to the bow and shy but curious harbor seals observe what is going on. Frederick Sound is a body of water that hosts a world-renowned humpback whale population. Nutrient-rich waters lure several hundred humpbakcs to return from Hawaii every summer to feed in this region. You will spend time trying to glimpse these wonderful creatures. Also look for massive and gregarious Steller's sea lions. You will want to be out on deck as you transit the Wrangell Narrows that separate Mitkof and Kupreanof Islands. Too narrow and shallow for large ships to successfully navigate, your small ship is masterfully steered along 21 miles of snake-like waterpath with 45 course changes. Seventy red and green navigational lights mark the course, earning the waterway the nickname of "Christmas Tree Lane." Look for Sitka black-tailed deer, black bears and seabirds. BLD Day 7: Skagway
Early this morning you will cruise the deep and mysterious emerald-green waters of Lynn Canal, bordered by tall, rugged, snowcapped mountain peaks. Relive the Gold Rush in the picture-perfect setting of Skagway, the gateway to the Klondike Gold Rush of 1898. Your included tour is a drive and overview of Skagway in a unique touring car. Tour guides are dressed in period costumes and are well-versed in the raucous stories of this frontier settlement. Wooden sidewalks border historic buildings erected when this boomtown was writhing with thousands of folk lured with gold fever, all eager to find the elusive mother-lode of gold. This is also the home of the White Pass & Yukon Route Railway. BLD Day 8: Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve
Today's majestic excursion into Glacier Bay National Park will look for wildlife and glacier activity in remote bays. A Park Service Ranger and a Native Cultural Interpreter joins onboard to help spot wildlife and offer fascinating information on this evolving area. Over 65 miles of pristine terrain have been revealed in Glacier Bay since its giant rivers of ice have dramatically retreated over the past 200 years. You will want to be out on deck as the boat approaches the Marble Islands and watch for birds like black-legged kittiwakes, murrelets, and puffins, all swooping and swarming above the barking haul-out of Steller's sea lions. You may see mountain goats on Gloomy Knob or black and brown bears foraging along the shoreline. Keep an eye out for harbor seals, sea otters and the bumpback whales that call Glaicier Bay their summer home. Harriman's Expedition was here for five days. BLD Day 9: Sitka
En route to Sitka, cruise through a zigzag of beautiful, narrow passageways between Baranof and Chichagof Islands to Sitka, the oldest non-Native settlement in Southeast Alaska. Along the way there is an excellent opportunity to view bald eagles and Sitka black-tailed deer along the shorelines. Also look for sea otters feeding on sea urchins, floating close to protective kelp beds. Sitka is nestled on the shores of Sitka Sound, on the west coast of Baranof Island, protected bfrom the Pacific Ocean by lush, forested islands and Mt. Edgecumbe, the "Mount Fuji of the West." At this former capital of Russian Alaska, you'll marvel at the totem poles lining the forest trails of Sitka National Historic Park, and appreciate Sitka's spectacular setting and rich cultural heritage. Harriman and his party saw this Russian influence on their stop in Sitka. Return to the ship for lunch and cruise the scenic, narrow passageways of Olga, Neva, and Peril Straits into Chatham Strait. BLD Day 10: Exploring the Alaska Coast
View the rugged Alaskan coast watching for wildlife that calls this remote landscape and seascape home. Conditions permitting, you may explore this area in small excursion craft. BLD Day 11: Prince William Sound
Keep your binoculars and camera handy as you explore the secluded wildlife-rich islands and iceberg-filled fjords in rarely visited Prince William Sound. AdventureSmith's years of exploration here enable them to show you the very best of the hidden wildlife wonders. Spectacular coves, inlets and steep rocky cliffs demarcate the mainland and various islands. Cruise narrow passageways, peaceful and abundant with bursts of birdcalls and languourously swimming sea otters. Knight Island Passage and Montague Straits support an extraordinary plethora of marine mammals including humpback whales, orcas, harbor seals and sea lions. Snaggle-toothed rocky outcroppings on the periphery of the Gulf of Alaska are the perfect protected habitat for a multitude of nesting seabirds, particularly puffins, common murres and cormorants. All of the islands in this southwestern portion of Prince William Sound were in the path of the 1989 Exxon Valdez Oil Spill, with Knight Island being heavily affected. Today, the devastated ecosystem and wildlife habitat are recovering and it is difficult to notice any harm along the surface of this rugged and remote landscape. BLD Day 12: Whittier
Located at the head of Passage Canal, spend the day in Whitter. Enjoy a tour that includes a visit to the Museum of History and Fine Arts. Optional activities may include kayaking or traveling to Anchorage. Back onboard, begin cruising to many of the northern stops of the Harriman Expedition. Along the way you will explore and come to better understand the unique and distinctive tundra ecosystem, fascinating marine mammals, and small communities defined by the sea and politics. Heading from urbanization to the land of subsistence villagers, you will see Russian and Alaskan Native communities, and dramatic flora and fauna. BLD Day 13: Wilderness Cruising
The waters between the Alaska mainland and Kodiak Island are filled with intrigue. Your Captain will determine the best spots to explore today based on local conditions, and may include the use of inflatable excursion craft to ger an up-close view of the spectacular geology and wildlife. You will see thousands of seabirds including black-legged kittiwakes, rhinoceros auklets, fulmars, puffins and murres. Granite Island is home to a rookery that draws birders from near and far. Take in the scenery along the rugged coastline of Kenai Fjords National Park. Look for orcas, humpback whales, Steller's sea lions, Dall's porpoise, minkes, otters, puffins, bears, moose, and mountain goats. BLD Day 14: Kodiak
Kodiak lies exaclty on the line of demarcation between coastal spruce forests around the Gulf of Alaska and the treeless expanse of the Aleutians. From this point you won't see any trees until you reach Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula, 1,600 miles away. At one time the Aleutians did support trees, but the last ice age 20,000 years ago stripped the islands bare. Reseeding is difficult here, with weather working against it. The seeds need dry weather and wind to scatter and take root, and here the wet weather and winds blowing from the south make it nearly impossible. However, the trees are slowly making their way back on the island. Those fist tenacious seeds to take hold were likely carred by the wind or by birds, floated on a log to the beach or were brought by the Natives. At any rate, the forest of Kodiak is slowly creeping southward at a rate of about one mile every 100 years. Situated at the crossroads of the world's most productive commercial fishing grounds, your day in Kodiak will include sightseeing at the Baranov Museum, the Alutiiq Museum and the Fish Tech Center, all in Alaska's first Russian-American settlement. At the Fish Tech Center, a huge aquarium filled with interesting local specimens is the center of attention. You can stick your hands in the chilly water of their demonstration tank and pet a sea cucumber or hold an Alaskan king crab. Harriman's party spent July 4th, 1899 here. BLD Day 15: Katmai National Park
Watch for brown bears clam digging as you explore the rarely visited shoreline of Geographic Harbor, an important stop for migrating birds like the Arctic Tern. As you look up at the sweeping bowls and valleys between the peaks, be careful not to mistake ash for snow. On June 6, 1912, Novarupta Volcano erupted, becoming the largest 20th century eruption in the world, 10 times more forceful than the 1980 eruption of Mt. St. Helens. The blast produced the only historic welded ash flow sheet deposited entirely on land at an estimated depth of 820 feet. This is the ash that can still be seen on the hillsides of Katmai. Inflatable excursion craft will take you into quiet coves and harbors where huge brown bears forage on the beach. This is a relaxing day of nature appreciation, observation and exploration. The Spirit of Oceanus is required to have a navigational pilot aboard for cruising the Bering Sea. The person must have expert knowledge of the local waters. During this voyage the vessel will take on three different pilots, two Alaskan and one Russian. Before the ship gets underway, a floatplane will drop off the pilot for the next leg of your journey. It's fun to be out on deck as the plane splashes down next to the ship and the pilot boards. BLD Day 16: Shumagin Islands
Conditions permitting, step ashore from inflatable excursion craft to a totally uninhabited island to examine life in the tidal pools and admire the 20-million-year-old petrified wood on the beach. Evidence from fossils indicates these trees were once important components of circumpolar swamp forests, and the only surviving native forest is in Szechuan, China. This is your first opportunity to really explore the tundra, which you'll find is thick and very spongy. Take a guided nature hike where foxes, birds, tundra flowers and sea lions are the highlights. Remember that line of demarcation for trees and notice there is not a tree in sight. Explore Haystack Rocks, home to seabirds, seals, and sea lions, and look for 8,200-foot Pavlov Volcano. BLD Day 17: Dutch Harbor
The Unangan Natives have inhabited Unalaska for over 9,000 years and encountered many different explorers and cultures from Russian fur traders to Captain Cook, all of whom left traces of themselves on the island. Evidence of Russian habitation stands stoically as a sentinel in the form of the Holy Ascension Russian Orthodox Cathedral, one of the oldest cruciform-style churches in the country. Just recently, the people of Dutch Harbor were abot to purchase the original drawing of an Unangan woman done by a crew member of Captain Cook. It hangs proudly in the Museum of the Aleutians. In 1940, the United States Navy took over the seaport of Dutch Harbor and built Fort Schwatka to protect Alaska from Japanese attacks during World War II. An attack came on June 3,1942, when Japanese planes bombed Dutch Harbor. The subsequent Aleutian campaign proved to be a costly one, as the men sent to defend the islands were ill prepared for the formidable weather of freezing temperatures, dense fog and chronic dampness. Dutch Harbor has recovered from the ravages of war, but still carries reminders of her turbulent past. Note the concrete pillbox structures littering the landscape and high up on the hillside see the renellated markings of the former walls that encapsulated the town. The town has prospered and grown in the past few decades with the booms of the fishing and crabbing industries. A large migrant population that comes from aound the world to work during the fishing season swells the full-time population that resides here. A unique sightseeing experience has been created for you that includes the Museum of the Aleutians, World War II Memorial Park, and bald eagles up-close. BLD Day 18: Pribilof Islands
The Pribilofs are a group of flat-topped rocky islands located in the middle of the Bering Sea. These islands were uninhabited until the Russians discovered that the beaches of St. George and St. Paul Islands were the pupping grounds for thousands of Alaskan fur seals every summer. Recognizing the wealth to be had here, the Russians enslaved some Aleuts, forcing them to relocate to the Pribilofs. These men, women and children would play an integral role in the Russian fur trade. After the Russians left, the Aleuts continued to prosper and to manage the rookeries on the island, hunting only for subsistence and sharing with visitors their history and the beauty of their islands. Today on seldom visitied St. George, you will step ashore by inflatable excursion craft for up-close views of fur seals and cliff-side seabird rookeries, led by local guides. Take time to explore the town with its Russian Orthodox Church and general store. Keep an eye out for puffins, auklets, murres, and a reindeer herd. BLD Day 19: Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge
Today your ship will anchor in the sweeping cove of Nash Harobr on the north end of remote Nunivak Island, a part of the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge. Using inflatable excursion craft, you'll go ashore to explore. the treeless, gently rolling hills are carpeted by a unique tundra ecosystem. You may spot wild musk oxen and reindeer here. Evidence of the musk oxen is everywhere in the form of scat and qiviut, the soft under-hair of the musk ox. Musk oxen are native to Alaska, but were nearly hunted to extinction in the early 20th century. The herd that exists on Nunivak was introduced to the island from Iceland in 1928. The tiny Eskimo village of Mekoryuk, with a population of 215, lies on the coast of Nunivak Island. The rest of this 1.1 million acre island is open expanse. BLD Day 20: Exploring the Bering Sea
When exploring the Bering Sea, the weather and water conditions can impact our choices of where to go and when. In addition, there are always uncertainties and potential changes in which Russian villages we may be granted visitiation rights. Both of these factors will make these three days of exploration a bit fluid, but the experience will be awe-inspiring, regardless of the specific stops we make. Clear customs into Russia and take a tour of Provideniya. Search the rugged shoreline of Russia's Chukotka Peninsula. In three days of exploration, you may also visit: Novoye Chaplino - This Russian Yupik village claims ethnic kinship to Eskimos in Alaska. Savoonga - Hailed as the "Walrus Capital of the World," the Natives here are subsistence hunters and ivory carvers living off the sea and the land. Yanrakynnot - The Chukchi subsistence hunters venture from this village to hunt walrus, whales and other sea creatures. A fascinating archaeological site, Whale Bone Alley runs along the shore for many miles. Little Diomede - Separated from Russian's Big Diomede by less than two miles and the International Date Line. BLD Day 21: Exploring the Bering Sea
In the Alaskan communities of Savoonga, Gambell, and Little Diomede, the contrasts between traditional subsistence lifestyles and American culture come together. In the Russian communities of New Chaplino and Yanrakynnot, you will witness how the Russian government and culture have impactd the lives of the Native groups. All of these communities rely on the sea to survive. You will be deeply affected by meeting and observing these families and you will come to see how the various aspects of their lives are interconnected. The politics of the past, present and future my influence lives of the native Yupik and Chukchi of Russia and Alaska more than any other people. Not only did the Ice Curtain, as it is called in this region, cast hatred and suspicion upon the two shores, it literally tore families apart. An imaginery line more intimidating and fearsome than the concrete Berlin Wall made it nearly impossible for families residing on the Diomede Islans from ever seeing each other. The Russian government evicted the residents of Big Diomede and moved them to the Russian mainland where passports, visas and special permission were required if ever the effort was made to see family. Through it all, similarities in the Natives' past, beliefs and culture continue to survive and may be seen in their dance, art, practices and their hunt. BLD Day 22: Exploring the Bering Sea
At first you will be astonished that humans can live in this inhospitable place. The winds are so strong that no trees can stay rooted and the weather is so cold that the dead cannot be buried until summer. Then you learn that their way of life is endangered by the slowly retreating ice pack. These people rely on the ice to live. With the ice come the whales, seals, walrus and polar bears they hunto and harvest. The ice is used for transportation and the permafrost soil is used to preserve and protect their food between hunting seasons. Learning about the life in the Bering Sea teaches most of us a few lessons about how complicated our lives have become even with the abundance we enjoy. Although life may look like it is hard and unforgiving, these people find joy in the simplest things, are happy, and delight in giving you a little glimpse into their lifestyle. BLD Day 23: The Arctic Circle
Today cruise far north, into the upper reaches of the Bering Sea, very near to where it opens into the Chukchi Sea and far enough to cross the Arctic Circle where it intersects with the International Date Line. Possible whale sightings include grays, orcas, minkes, humpbacks, and bowheads. This will be a day for you to relax and fully take in the immenseness of the sea. BLD Day 24: Nome to Anchorage
See the vitality and spirit of Nome with a brief sightseeing tour focused on their Gold Rush fever, before leaving on your included flight to Anchorage. Enjoy dinner and overnight at the Sheraton Hotel. BLD Day 25: Anchorage
Transfer to the airport for your flight home, or to continue your Alaska adventure. B Reverse Itinerary:
Day 1 - Arrive in Anchorage
Day 2 - Fly to Nome, Board the Spirit of Oceanus
Day 3 - The Arctic Circle
Days 4-6 - Exploring the Bering Sea
Day 7 - Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge
Day 8 - Pribilof Islands
Day 9 - Dutch Harbor
Day 10 - Shumagin Islands
Day 11 - Katmai National Park
Day 12 - Kodiak
Day 13 - Wilderness Cruising
Day 14 - Whittier
Day 15 - Prince William Sound
Day 16 - Exploring the Alaska Coast
Day 17 - Sitka
Day 18 - Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve
Day 19 - Skagway
Day 20 - Tracy Arm and Frederick Sound
Day 21 - Petersburg
Day 22 - Misty Fjords and Metlakla
Days 23-24 - Cruising British Columbia
Day 25 - Disembark in Vancouver |
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