Explore the best of Southeast Alaska from a floating basecamp with the Alaskan adventure pioneers since 1972!

The more time one spends in Glacier Bay, the more wonderful and mysterious the world seems; exploring it by boat is a wildlife extravaganza unlike any other. These calm waters serve as home to an unbelievable array of wildlife, from the colorful and unusual creatures of its intertidal zones and its diverse sea birds to its mammals, including sea lions, wolves, bears, moose, and gargantuan humpback whales—and that’s just to name a few! Since 1972, we’ve been pioneering adventure travel in these waters, and we’re the only company to offer the whole expanse of the bay by small ship—a historic, refurbished, World War II mine-sweeper that knows a thing or two about finding the hot spots! At night, dine on deck and anchor off of uninhabited coves to experience the quiet of different areas around Glacier Bay and Icy Strait. During the day, venture out to explore by sea kayak or to hike on shore. With plenty of calm waters, impressive landscapes and wildlife to explore, the intimacy and comfort of this ship makes this itinerary the perfect family trip!

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Activities

6 days easy to moderate sea kayaking and hiking

TRIP HIGHLIGHTS

• Explore the expanse of Glacier Bay National Park from the comfort and intimacy of a small ship—a rare experience from the Alaskan adventure travel pioneers
• Hike and kayak amid calving glaciers, flower-strewn meadows, and rocky beaches to see a superb array of wildlife from its colorful intertidal creatures, sea birds, and marine mammals to bear, moose, and enormous humpback whales
• Wake up to new surroundings everyday without having to pack your bags!
• Learn the in-depth natural history of one of America's premier marine wilderness areas from a captain and naturalist with 20+ years of experience on these waters

Duration: 6 days Start Location: Gustavus, Alaska End Location: Gustavus, Alaska

BRIEF Itinerary

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  Day 1 : Embark and enter Glacier Bay National Park

  Today we board the ship and head northward into Glacier Bay.  After an introduction to Sea Kayaking we take to the sea to paddle and explore the beaches.  A few hours farther north brings us to our anchorage for the evening, within site a glacier that touches the ocean.

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  Day 2 : Upper Glacier Bay

  Today we hike alongside the Reid Glacier and can see what the world might have looked like just as the ice age was ending.  We then kayak near one of glacier Bay's most impressive 'tidewater' glaciers and see huge chunks of ice fall off of it into the sea.  Strange ecologies of animals choose to call this their home and we learn about their special place in nature. 

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  Day 3 : Muir Inlet

  Few visitors get to explore the Muir Inlet in Glacier Bay.  It is a kayaker's paradise with long beaches and plenty of wildlife.  We will paddle near the glaciers in the upper Muir Inlet.  John Muir explore this inlet in 1890 an fell into the glacier that bears his name.  He had a profound experience of wildness here that inspired him in his efforts to preserve the National Parks.

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  Day 4 : Where the Wild Things Are — Lower Glacier Bay

  Lower Glacier Bay, the mouth of Glacier Bay, and adjacent Dundas Bay are hot spots for wildlife. The abundant animal life here is due to plentiful small schooling fish that feed the birds and marine mammals that will feed here all summer. This area is also a favorite of the sea otter, whose numbers have been growing steadily.

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  Day 5 : Dundas Bay

  All of Glacier Bay was covered in ice less than 300 years ago. Dundas Bay has not been covered in ice for over 10,000 years.  We explore this different ecosystem.  Here there are mature forests and muskeg.  We hike in the morning and paddle this remote part of the national park in the afternoon.

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  Day 6 : Whales of Icy Strait

  Icy Strait is world renown for whale watching.  There is a sizeable population of Humpback whales that come here from Hawaii every year to feed.  We spend the morning focused on marine mammals and learn why this area hosts so many of them.

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  M/V Sea Wolf

  Glacier Bay National Park

  The M/V Sea Wolf is an 97' ocean-going ship that carries 12 passengers plus 5-6 crew in great comfort. She is an amazing expedition platform for cruising, wildlife spotting, whale watching and as a kayaking mothership.

  The Sea Wolf has many guest areas including a main viewing salon, covered aft viewing/dining deck and a wonderful wide bow. The aft deck is heated and enclosed in Eisenglass. There is a large outdoor viewing deck behind the wheelhouse. The side decks are also covered for sightseeing comfort. We carry an extensive naturalist library for guests to enjoy. The crew are all fun, knowledgeable, and eager to share their naturalist lore and stories.

Properties shown are representative of the accommodations we use on this trip, may not be inclusive of all accommodations we use, and are subject to change.

Expert leadership is the key to an exciting, unforgettable experience. Our trips feature gifted leaders for whom leading trips is a true vocation. Besides showing you wonders you’d never find on your own, they make sure everything runs smoothly and safely without a hitch. They are knowledgeable about all aspects of your trip, and take great pleasure in sharing their insights with you. More than just guides, they positively elevate your experience by being teachers, companions, and the best of friends. You’ll be in good hands with them every step of the way.

• Kimberly Owen

  Kimber has a variety of life experiences with people, horses and wildlife. She grew up in a hotel restaurant family learning fine restaurant skills from being a cook to handling marketing. Before moving to Alaska she owned/operated an equine facility and worked with individuals with disabilities in therapeutic riding. She has participated in many equine and wildlife studies nurturing her love for nature and the conservation of wildlife habitat. Alaska has always been in her heart. A romantic historical ship plying the coasts of Alaska & British Columbia - showing people the wonders of nature - what better life could there be!

photo credits: ©Kimber Owen