Journey off the beaten track where no big cruise ship will ever go! C

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1 MV AURORA EXPLORER DECK PLAN Journey off the beaten track where no big cruise ship will ever go! C ruise the inland waterways of coastal British Columbia. Experience the adventure of journeying far off the beaten track where no big cruise ship will ever go. The MV Aurora Explorer works the unending sheltered waterways of the remote inlets of coastal BC. P l e a s e n ot e WC SHOWER DINING LOUNGE GALLEY PORT PROMENADE Galley Deck STARBOARD PROMENADE WHEELHOUSE AND WHEELHOUSE LOUNGE CHART TABLE PORT PROMENADE WHeelHOUSe Deck The MV Aurora Explorer is a working freight boat. The accommodations are modern and comfortable but not luxurious. Passengers joining the vessel should have reasonable physical mobility as there are steep stairways on board and no elevators. Smoking may only take place in designated exterior deck areas. Vibration and noise associated with vessel operation and freight activities will also be encountered. Some passengers may experience difficulty sleeping, particularly at the beginning of their cruise. Enjoy rugged coastal scenery and the solitude of nature in a marine environment. See numerous tidal rapids where the sea becomes a fast flowing river that boils around the vessel. Become part of an actual working freight vessel. Experience the ambiance of small group cruising. The Aurora Explorer can carry up to 12 passengers and a crew of six. Listen as the crew works the radio telephones or navigates the ship by radar. Watch as heavy equipment rolls on board and see freight of all types discharged at the many stops along the way. Savour the history and influence of the early explorers, settlers, cannery workers and native populations as you pass such places as Bute, Hernando Island, Hole-in-the-Wall, Yucalta Rapids, Waddington Harbour, Sullivan Bay, Kingcome, Deep Sea Bluff, Echo Bay, Broughton Archipelago, Yorke Island, Chatham Channel, Burial Cove and the Homathko Icefield. Abandoned native community of Church House MARINE LINK TOURS Box 451 Campbell River, BC, Canada, V9W 5C1 Web site Telephone (250) Fax (250) info@marinelinktours.com a general waiver of liability forms part of the terms of carriage for passengers embarking on vessels owned or operated by Marine link transportation ltd. or Marine link tours. Aurora Falls, Bute Watch as schools of dolphin play in front of the vessel s bow or the occasional black bear or deer roams the passing shoreline. Relish the unique opportunity to observe killer whales, seals, sea lions, bald eagles and a host of sea birds in their natural surroundings. Experience the magic of small-group cruising aboard the MV Aurora Explorer Marine Link Tours Campbell River, BC Ian Douglas photo WC k D Wong/Blackbird Design photo STARBOARD PROMENADE Exploring tidal pools, Burdwood Group, Kingcome

2 Welcome Aboard! The Aurora Explorer is a 135-foot landing craft. It operates from a base at Menzies Bay (15 km north of Campbell River, BC), transporting a wide variety of heavy equipment and general freight throughout the Gulf of Georgia and the remote inlets of Johnstone-Queen Charlotte Straits. The vessel offers a dining lounge, lower deck lounge and bridge deck lounge for passenger comfort and viewing. There is a nautical and history library of coastal BC on board. There are also outside observation decks where passengers can observe activity on the freight deck, enjoy the passing scenery or simply lie back and soak up the sunshine and salt air. k D Wong/Blackbird Design photo The Aurora Explorer is Transport Canada Ship Safety approved and carries the full range of safety equipment as directed by the Canadian Coast Guard. k D Wong/Blackbird Design photo Passenger accommodations are premium staterooms with twin beds and forward viewing windows, or standard staterooms equipped with bunkbeds. There are six shared washrooms, three shower Premium stateroom rooms and adjacent washer/ dryer. Passenger accommodation is offered on regular freight voyages to a variety of coastal locations. Trip packages are five days in duration. Passengers enjoy observing the ship at work, but there s also time for play. Going ashore for a picnic or exploring tidepools in a hidden bay, throwing in a line when the vessel is waiting on the tide and barbeques on the back deck or beach are all part of the pleasures of freightboat cruising on the MV Aurora Explorer. Queen Charlotte Strait Port Hardy Mereworth Seymour Port McNeill Alert Bay V McKenzie Broughton Island A N C Tofino O U Kingcome V E Menzies Bay R Knight Ucluelet Loughborough Campbell River Comox I S Enjoy our superb west coast cuisine Port Alberni L A S t N D Bute r a i Juan de Toba Desolation Powell River t o f G e o r Nanaimo Fuca Strait Jervis g i a Howe Victoria Vancouver Fraser River to Seattle Experience the sights and sounds of logging camps, fish farms, fishing resorts, remote coastal communities and homesteads. Journey into the hinterland of coastal BC and meet its people. CRUISE OPTIONS PrinciPal cruise areas in bold red broughton archipelago Kingcome/Knight s region. On occasion, extensions to Seymour. PurPle discovery islands Bute/Toba/Loughborough s, Desolation region. Mystery cruise Anywhere within the Red and Purple boundaries. You ll discover majestic scenery and wildlife around every bend. Fishing off the stern

3 Explore the Working Coast M.V. Aurora Explorer Box 451, Campbell River, B.C. V9W 5C1 Aurora Explorer Cruise Information Thank you for your interest in Marine Link Tours. Persons making a booking will receive the following additional information: 1) Cruise Application form to be filled out and returned to Marine Link Tours by each passenger. (Includes terms of carriage) 2) Map to direct passengers to our terminal at Menzies Bay, northwest of Campbell River. 3) Deposit, refund policy and final payment information. 4) Confirmation of booking. 5) Tips to remember, and what to bring. You will join the vessel Aurora Explorer at Menzies Bay 15 Km north of Campbell River, BC. In preparation for your trip we would like to give you the following information: Passenger accommodations aboard the Aurora Explorer are comfortable, but not luxurious. All staterooms are double occupancy, have opening windows & utilize shared washroom & shower facilities which are kept immaculately clean at all times. Our recently updated accommodations include: One Standard stateroom, bunk bed style; Two Select staterooms, Starboard & Port, with two lower single berths; Three Premium Staterooms, larger, two lower single berths, forward facing While exploring the working coast, we will make your experience as all inclusive as possible. You will enjoy fabulous meals, incredible scenery, abundant wildlife and marine life. You will visit remote villages, working logging camps, fishing lodges, destination resorts and meet many of British Columbia s truly unique characters that work and live in coastal British Columbia. This is what we call Aurora s Coast. All menu and food preparation will be done by the Ship s Cook. A three-course dinner will be provided with a selection of wines. An alternate dinner entrée may be arranged with advance notice to the Cook. The ships morning will begin with a continental breakfast served early, followed by a variety of full breakfast fare served from 0800 to 0900 hrs. Lunch is buffet style served midday. Wine is served with the evening meal. Guests are welcome to bring additional spirits; a full range of soft drinks and juices are provided on board. The Aurora Explorer is an actual working freight boat. Delivery of freight and the securing of additional freight opportunities will dictate the routing and the timetable of the vessel. While every effort is made to provide time in the schedule for our guests to disembark from the vessel for sightseeing, exploring or other recreational functions, such stops are not guaranteed. The actual routing of the vessel may vary from that advertised, depending on freight opportunity. Please visit our web site at (250) info@marinelinktours.com

4 Cruise Routing M.V. AURORA EXPLORER Discovery Islands The Aurora Explorer departs Menzies Bay and typically cruises northward through Seymour Narrows. Passing over the infamous Ripple Rock, she works her way up Discovery Passage into the maze of islands and mainland inlets, with possible stops in Loughborough, Cordero Channel, Blind Channel, Phillips Arm, Sonora Island and Stuart Island. The Aurora Explorer may then cruise up spectacularly scenic Bute with stops along the way, possibly reaching the head of the inlet, where the Homathko River and the Southgate River both empty into opposite sides of Waddington Harbour. The upper reaches of the inlet provide a vista of steep granite bluffs, numerous hanging valleys, cascading waterfalls, glimpses of the Homathko Ice field near Mt. Grenville (3109 m) and other glaciers in the surrounding mountain ranges. When the salmon are running the Aurora Explorer often stops at world famous Orford River to view the Grizzly Bears feeding at the mouth of the river. Freight deliveries usually take us into Toba and the Desolation area, often providing us with opportunities to explore Teakerne Arm, Mittlenatch Island, Savary Island, Copeland Islands, Mansons Landing, Spilsbury Point on Hernando Island, and other places of coastal interest before returning home to Campbell River via Cape Mudge on the Southern tip of Quadra Island. Broughton Archipelago After departing Menzies Bay, the Aurora Explorer makes her way north through Seymour Narrows, Discovery Passage and Johnstone Strait calling at isolated villages and camps along the way. Passengers enjoy spectacular scenery and unparalleled wildlife viewing that often includes porpoises, whales, seals, sea lions and eagles. This route takes us through Chatham Channel, past Minstrel Island, and into the endless maze of channels and islands that form the Broughton Archipelago. With freight opportunities dictating our actual ports of call, the Aurora Explorer often travels deep into the coastal fjords, branching off from the Broughton Archipelago into Knight, Kingcome, Wakeman, Mackenzie and Drury to complete her freight deliveries. Knight, the longest and most spectacular of all of our coastal fjords, represents all that is majestic about coastal British Columbia. Whenever freight volumes allow, traveling past Cascade Head (where a waterfall plunges over 800 feet directly into the ocean), passengers are given the opportunity to view towering granite cliffs rising directly from the shore into magnificent hanging valleys with 4000 metre peaks forming a snowcapped backdrop. With patience and keen observation, mountain goats may be seen on the granite ledges, and grizzly bears and black bears can be seen feeding on spawning salmon at the numerous river deltas. Occasionally, the Aurora Explorer has the good fortune to visit the more distant and isolated Seymour system. This routing takes the Aurora Explorer through the narrow confines of Schooner Channel that lead to Slingsby Channel, Nakwakto Rapids and the legendary Tremble Island. Returning home, the Aurora Explorer makes every effort to stop near the historical first nations villages of Mamalilaculla and Karlukwees. Near the end of our adventure, the Aurora Explorer is known to be a regular visitor at Yorke Island, the sobering historical military site that housed WW II artillery defenses. Annual Weather and Conditions March, April and May - cooler weather but the waterfalls and snow-caps are spectacular; less fog and few bugs June - usually warmer, better weather for exploring and getting out and about with the longer days of sunlight July and August - lounge out on deck and soak up the sunshine, however there may be fog at times. Best months for spotting whales and porpoises September - usually reasonably warm, may be some fog; harvest moons at the head of inlets may be spectacular. Best month for viewing bears. October - cooler; waterfalls and snow-caps return, mists and colours of autumn provide contrasting west coast vistas. Celebrate with friends Share a cruise with a special person or group of friends. Perhaps plan to be aboard for your Birthday or Anniversary and celebrate with us! Large group and Whole vessel Bookings We offer a 5% discount if you book a large group (4 fully paid staterooms). We offer a 10% discount if you book the whole vessel (6 fully paid staterooms). Minimum age requirement of 16 years may be waived for whole vessel bookings If you know someone who might like to join one of our cruises, let us know and we can send them more information. (250) info@marinelinktours.com

5 Explore the Working Coast M.V. Aurora Explorer Box 451, Campbell River, B.C. V9W 5C1 TERMS & CONDITIONS Cruise Routing Passengers embarking on an Aurora Explorer cruise are reminded that the vessel is a working freight boat. Delivery of freight and the securing of additional freight opportunities will dictate the routing and the timetable of the vessel. Consequently, routing may differ from that described in Cruise Routing above. While every effort is made to provide time in the schedule for our guests to disembark from the vessel for sightseeing, exploring or other recreational activities, such stops are not guaranteed. The actual routing of the vessel may vary from that advertised depending on time allowances and freight opportunity. All Aurora Explorer cruises begin and end at the Menzies Bay Terminal, 15 kms north of Campbell River, BC. Secure free parking is available on site. Rates In Canadian Dollars are per person, based on double occupancy + 5% Goods & Services Tax and include; All meals, wine with dinner, non-alcoholic beverages and snacks. Some large group and whole vessel discounts are offered please inquire. Accommodations Six double occupancy staterooms offered. All have opening windows. One Standard Stateroom bunk bed style, upper and lower berth, smaller stateroom. One Select Starboard two lower berths, One Select Port two lower berths, slightly larger Three Premium Staterooms two lower berths, larger and forward facing Single occupancy Available on a limited basis at an additional charge of 70% of the double occupancy rate and is offered in Standard Stateroom only. Payment terms 25% (non-refundable) deposit is due upon booking. The balance is due no later than 60 days prior to sailing date by personal cheque. Please Note Passengers must be 16 years or older. Interior of vessel is non-smoking. Sorry, we are unable to accommodate pets. Short Notice Savings Please inquire about our standby waiting list. In some circumstances, special discounts off regular fares may apply for short-notice, standby passengers. Refund Policy We remind you that our cancellation policy does not provide for refund of your deposit. Upon receipt of your full fare at least 60 days prior to your cruise the refund schedule is as follows: 75% refund is provided if cancellation occurs 60 days or more prior to sailing 50% refund is provided if cancellation occurs 45 to 59 days prior to sailing 25% refund is provided if cancellation occurs 30 to 44 days prior to sailing No refund is provided if cancellation occurs with less than 30 days notice

6 Trip # 5 Days/5 Nights *Cruise Routing SPRING EARLY BIRD SEASON 1 Mar 22 to Mar 27 Discovery Islands *Bute, Toba, Loughborough s, Stuart Island, Desolation 2 Mar 29 to Apr 3 Broughton Archipelago *Kingcome, Knight, Blackfish, Johnstone Strait SPRING SHOULDER SEASON 3 Apr 5 to Apr 10 Discovery Islands *Bute, Toba, Loughborough s, Stuart Island, Desolation 4 Apr 12 to Apr 17 Broughton Archipelago *Kingcome, Knight, Blackfish, Johnstone Strait 5 Apr 19 to Apr 24 Discovery Islands *Bute, Toba, Loughborough s, Stuart Island, Desolation 6 Apr 26 to May 1 Broughton Archipelago *Kingcome, Knight, Blackfish, Johnstone Strait 7 May 3 to May 8 Discovery Islands *Bute, Toba, Loughborough s, Stuart Island, Desolation 8 May 10 to May 15 Broughton Archipelago *Kingcome, Knight, Blackfish, Johnstone Strait HIGH SEASON 9 May 17 to May 22 Discovery Islands *Bute, Toba, Loughborough s, Stuart Island, Desolation 10 May 24 to May 29 Broughton Archipelago *Kingcome, Knight, Blackfish, Johnstone Strait 11 May 31 to Jun 5 Discovery Islands *Bute, Toba, Loughborough s, Stuart Island, Desolation 12 Jun 7 to Jun 12 Broughton Archipelago *Kingcome, Knight, Blackfish, Johnstone Strait 13 Jun 14 to Jun 19 Discovery Islands *Bute, Toba, Loughborough s, Stuart Island, Desolation 14 Jun 21 to Jun 26 Broughton Archipelago *Kingcome, Knight, Blackfish, Johnstone Strait 15 Jun 28 Jul 3 Discovery Islands *Bute, Toba, Loughborough s, Stuart Island, Desolation 16 Jul 5 to Jul 10 Broughton Archipelago *Kingcome, Knight, Blackfish, Johnstone Strait 17 Jul 12 to Jul 17 Discovery Islands *Bute, Toba, Loughborough s, Stuart Island, Desolation 18 Jul 19 to Jul 24 Broughton Archipelago *Kingcome, Knight, Blackfish, Johnstone Strait 19 Jul 26 to Jul 31 Discovery Islands *Bute, Toba, Loughborough s, Stuart Island, Desolation 20 Aug 2 to Aug 7 Broughton Archipelago *Kingcome, Knight, Blackfish, Johnstone Strait 21 Aug 9 to Aug 14 Discovery Islands *Bute, Toba, Loughborough s, Stuart Island, Desolation 22 Aug 16 to Aug 21 Broughton Archipelago *Kingcome, Knight, Blackfish, Johnstone Strait 23 Aug 23 to Aug 28 Discovery Islands *Bute, Toba, Loughborough s, Stuart Island, Desolation Please see page 2

7 HIGH SEASON Continued 24 Aug 30 to Sep 4 Broughton Archipelago *Kingcome, Knight, Blackfish, Johnstone Strait 25 Sep 6 to Sep 11 Discovery Islands *Bute, Toba, Loughborough s, Stuart Island, Desolation FALL SHOULDER SEASON 26 Sep 13 to Sep 18 Broughton Archipelago *Kingcome, Knight, Blackfish, Johnstone Strait 27 Sep 20 to Sep 25 Discovery Islands *Bute, Toba, Loughborough s, Stuart Island, Desolation 28 Sep 27 to Oct 2 Broughton Archipelago *Kingcome, Knight, Blackfish, Johnstone Strait 29 Oct 4 to Oct 9 Discovery Islands *Bute, Toba, Loughborough s, Stuart Island, Desolation 30 Oct 11 to Oct 16 Broughton Archipelago *Kingcome, Knight, Blackfish, Johnstone Strait FALL LATE SEASON 31 Oct 18 to Oct 23 Discovery Islands *Bute, Toba, Loughborough s, Stuart Island, Desolation 32 Oct 25 to Oct 30 Broughton Archipelago *Kingcome, Knight, Blackfish, Johnstone Strait * Cruise Routing Passengers embarking on an Aurora Explorer cruise are reminded that the vessel is a working freight boat. Delivery of freight and the securing of additional freight opportunities will dictate the routing and the timetable of the vessel. Consequently, routing may differ from that described in Cruise Routing above. While every effort is made to provide time in the schedule for our guests to disembark from the vessel for sightseeing, exploring or other recreational activities, such stops are not guaranteed. The actual routing of the vessel may vary from that advertised depending on time allowances and freight opportunity. ** Rates in Canadian Dollars are per person, based on double occupancy + 5% tax, and include: All meals, wine with dinner, non-alcoholic beverages and snacks Single occupancy is available on a very limited basis at an additional charge of 70% of the double occupancy rate. Deposit (Non-Refundable) 25% deposit is due upon booking. The balance is payable no later than 60 days prior to sailing date. Accommodation description: All staterooms have opening windows. 1 Standard Stateroom upper & lower berth, bunk bed style, smaller stateroom. Select Starboard 2 lower berths, small stateroom. Select Port 2 lower berths, intermediate size stateroom. 3 Premium Staterooms 2 lower berths, larger staterooms. There are 4 shared washrooms and 2 shower rooms on the accommodations deck. Please Note: Passengers must be minimum 16 years. Interior of vessel is non-smoking. Sorry, we are unable to accommodate pets. All Aurora Explorer cruises begin and end at Campbell River Marine Terminal in Menzies Bay, 15 kms north of Campbell River, BC. Secure, free parking is available on site. Short Notice Savings Please inquire about our standby waiting list. In some circumstances, special discounts of up to 20% off regular fares may apply for short-notice, standby passengers. Group Booking Discount Discount group rates for booking of 8 persons or more are available. Please inquire. Refund Policy 25% deposit at time of booking is non-refundable Upon receipt of your full fare at least 60 days prior to your cruise the refund schedule is as follows: 75% refund is provided if cancellation occurs 60 days or more prior to sailing 50% refund is provided if cancellation occurs 45 to 59 days prior to sailing 25% refund is provided if cancellation occurs 30 to 44 days prior to sailing No refund is provided if cancellation occurs with less than 30 days notice For more information: Phone (250) VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT: