British Columbia s Great Bear Rainforest - Fall 2019 Edition 9-days exploring the largest intact coastal temperate rainforest in the world. Discover Abundant wildlife, and ancient forest ecosystems Encounter Iconic bears, whales, and coastal wolves Learn How wild Pacific salmon define the ecosystem
British Columbia s Great Bear Rainforest Salmon, Bears, Whales, and Wolves Canada s Great Bear Rainforest is the largest remaining intact coastal temperate forest in the world. Extending from Northern Vancouver Island to Alaska and covering more than 64,000 km2 (24,000 mi2), this globally unique region is home to spectacular wildlife including grizzly bears, coastal wolves, whales, dolphins, seals, sea lions, sea otters, and the iconic white Spirit bear. Our 9-day expedition aboard the classic schooner, Passing Cloud, is dedicated to exploring, experiencing, and learning about the wildlife, ecosystems, old-growth forests, and ancient indigenous cultures of the Great Bear.
At a Glance Our 9-day expedition through the Great Bear Rainforest departs from and returns to the Heiltsuk First Nations community of Bella Bella. Our journey will cover approximately 300 nautical miles (550 kilometers) as we circumnavigate Princess Royal Island, home to the rare white Kermode, or Spirit bear. As we travel through the traditional territories of the Heiltsuk, Kitasoo/ Xai xais, and Gitga at First Nations, we ll explore glacier-scoured inlets and fjords, coastal estuaries, ancient rainforests, and remote outer coast island ecosystems. 9-days / 8-nights 2019 departures: Sep 4, 13, 22, *Oct 1 *Photography Tour Price per person: $6,495 CAD Departs from / Returns to: Bella Bella. B.C. What s Included? All meals, accommodation, transportation, guided and interpretive excursions, First Nation Conservation and Stewardship fees, and use of all onboard gear and resources. What s not included? 5% GST, travel and accommodation before and after the expedition, crew gratuities, any personal expenses incurred due to weather, logistical delays, delayed departures of chartered aircraft, taxis, ferries.
Sample Itinerary: British Columbia s Great Bear Rainforest - Fall A distinct and exciting feature of all our expeditions is that we have no fixed itineraries. Instead, our days are structured by the weather, tides, and wildlife we encounter, and the interests of our guests and xpertise of our crew. The following sample itinerary is simply intended to describe the places, activities, wildlife, and adventures that are typical of our Great Bear Rainforest expeditions. 1 Our expedition begins in the Heiltsuk First Nation community of Bella Bella, a short flight from Vancouver International Airport. Upon boarding the schooner Passing Cloud, meeting the crew, and settling into accommodations, we ll set sail and begin our journey north into the heart of the largest intact coastal temperate rainforest on earth. As we enter the Seaforth Channel we ll be on the lookout for our first wildlife sightings - humpback whales, sea otters, elephant seals, and even killer whales. Later in the afternoon, we ll anchor in a small coastal estuary and go ashore for our first glimpse of temperate rainforest ecosystems and wild Pacific salmon returning to spawn. 2 It s virtually impossible to find the adequate words to express my gratitude and wonder for such a magical week. The fact that such natural beauty, such isolated wilderness, still exists gives me hope for our world. - Megan, Outer Shores Traveller This morning our northward journey continues and takes us into Fjordland Recreation Area, a spectacular region of dramatic glacier-carved inlets and cascading waterfalls. We ll anchor in Kynoch Inlet and spend the afternoon exploring Culpepper Lagoon aboard our inflatable skiff in search of bears, wolves, and other wildlife. This evening our Expedition Specialist will tell us about how the Great Bear Rainforest came to be protected and introduce us to the remarkable life cycles and ecological importance of Pacific salmon. 3 We re up early for an excursion into Kynoch Inlet estuary. The abundant populations of salmon here make it an excellent place to view bears, wolves, eagles, and other predators and scavengers that have come here to feast on salmon. After breakfast we ll travel west and north, always on the lookout for marine wildlife, particularly the humpback whales that are returning to this region in great numbers. We ll travel through Princess Royal Channel en route to Khutze Inlet, renowned for its waterfalls, snow-capped mountain peaks, and wildlife. We ll use our inflatable boat to explore this expansive coastal estuary ecosystem which provides excellent habitat for spawning salmon, black bears, grizzly bears, wolves, and waterfowl.
4 5 Khutze Inlet supports excellent habitat for grizzly bears, so we ll spend a large part of today viewing, photographing, and learning about these iconic apex consumers. Most of our viewing will be conducted from our inflatable skiff, or we may find a high spot on shore to sit, wait, and watch from a respectful distance. And don t worry, your crew are highly experienced and certified bear-viewing guides! Back aboard the Passing Cloud we ll have lunch underway as we continue our journey north. We re on high alert today after receiving a report of humpback whales engaged in bubble-net feeding in the area. After we make a short visit at the historic abandoned community of Butedale we anchor for the night in near-by Klekane Inlet. We re underway early this morning as we transit MacKay Reach and round the northern end of Princess Royal Island. The breeze is just right so we set all sail and savior the peacefulness of travelling under sail-power alone. As we enter Whale Channel, we begin to encounter the large number of humpback whales, and increasingly, fin whales that congregate in this region during the late summer and fall. We ll spend time viewing and photographing these exciting marine mammals, and our Expedition Specialist will help us to interpret the behaviours we are witnessing and use our underwater hydrophone to listen to their songs and feeding calls. Our overnight anchorage is in Cameron Cove, on Princess Royal Island. 7 8 This morning we ll visit a beautiful salmon-bearing river and spend time exploring the ecological and cultural connections between salmon, bears, coastal rainforests, and indigenous cultures. This is an excellent morning for bear-viewing, sea kayaking, and photographing ancient forests. This afternoon we hope to show you examples of ancient stone fish traps that were built millennia ago by the indigenous First Nations of this region to support their once large populations and 14,000-year-old cultures. This morning we ll round the southern end of Princess Royal Island via Myers Narrows and visit the Kitasoo/ Xai xais First Nation community of Klemtu. We ll be welcomed to this remote village with a guided tour of their traditional Big House, and we ll learn about the deep history of this indigenous nation and their present-day initiatives to protect their culture, community, environment, and economy. This afternoon as our journey takes us south and east towards Bella Bella, we ll enjoy sailing and wildlife viewing as we weave our way through the inlets, passages, and channels that characterize this region. Our final night about the Passing Cloud is spent sharing our highlights and reflections of our journey together. 6 Small coastal streams, spawning salmon, and old-growth rainforests provide ideal conditions for encountering wolves, black bears, and the rare Spirit bear. We ll offer an early morning excursion here during which we expect to simply sit at the edge of the rainforest listening and watching as the sounds and sights of morning unfold before us. This morning after breakfast we hope to visit a small nearby field station where researchers are studying the incredible abundance of whales in this region. Afterwards, we re now southbound on the west side of Princess Royal Island. Weather and time permitting, we ll visit the outer coast island ecosystems this afternoon, stroll along a white-sand beach, and learn about kelp forests and sea otters. Or, we might spend the afternoon enjoying the excellent sailing conditions often found there. Late afternoon we ll make our way to an overnight anchorage in remote protected inlet on the west side of Princess Royal Island. 9 As we travel the remaining short distance to Bella Bella this morning we hope for last minute wildlife sightings and enjoy the vast pristine landscapes and seascapes of the Great Bear Rainforest. Upon our arrival, we say our farewells to the Great Bear Rainforest before disembarking and making our way to the Bella Bella airport.
If you have any questions about our expeditions, or a specific detail about the expedition you have booked, please let us know by phone or visit our website for more information. Photo Credits: James Thompson, Oriana Smy, Liam Ogle, and Russell Markel. 360 B Harbour Road Victoria, British Columbia V9A 3S1, Canada info@outershores.ca outershores.ca 1-855-714-7233 (Toll Free in North America) 1-250-220-2311 (Local and International)