Expedition travel aboard the schooner Passing Cloud Experience the wildlife, wilderness, & cultures of Canada’s Pacific Coast 2015 Expedition Dates Welcome Message from A Look Inside the and Destinations Outer Shores President Schooner Passing Cloud The sailing trip aboard the Passing Cloud not only showed me the bliss and beauty of the west coast but immersed me in 9 days of equally beautiful inner peace. Mary Beth Morrow, Outer Shores Traveller 1 It was an experience not to be rushed, but rather to be savoured moment by moment. Join us aboard the schooner Passing Cloud as we explore the wilderness, wildlife, and indigenous cultures of Canada’s Pacific Coast. You’ll leave this journey rested and relaxed, inspired, conscious of vulnerable species and delicate ecosystems, and filled with wonderful memories and personal experiences from this remarkable corner of the world. Contents 3 Outer Shores Expeditions 4 Welcome Message from our President 5 Schooner Passing Cloud 7 2015 Expeditions 8 Expedition: Pacific Rim 13 Expedition: Haida Gwaii 18 Expedition: Johnstone Strait 23 Expedition: Great Bear Rainforest 28 Expedition: Gulf Islands 33 Expedition: Photo Tour 42 Contact 2 Outer Shores Expeditions Outer Shores offers multi-day wildlife and cultural expeditions that are once-in-a- lifetime experiences. Guided by our crew of professional mariners and expert naturalists, our small groups of 8 guests explore, experience, and learn about the stunning wildlife and ancient cultures of coastal British Columbia. We are committed to providing exceptional expeditions while minimizing our impacts on the wildlife we encounter, and supporting the communities we visit. Each day we travel between our anchorages and activities, stopping to view the wildlife we encounter and sailing whenever the opportunity presents. We go ashore at least daily, using our inflatable skiff to shuttle between ship and shore, and to explore the many islands and estuaries we visit. Due to the nature of our daily activities, a moderate degree of fitness is required for our expeditions. All meals are prepared by our onboard chef, serving delicious dishes that are healthy and plentiful. Whenever possible, we source and serve foods that are sustainably raised and caught in B.C. We enjoy dining outside on Passing Cloud’s aft deck table, or inside around the dining table in her beautiful main salon. 3 A Welcome Message from the Outer Shores Expeditions President, Russell Markel Dear Outer Shores Traveller, It’s my distinct pleasure to invite you aboard our classic wooden schooner, the Passing Cloud, to explore, discover, and experience first-hand some of the most biodiverse regions and ancient indigenous cultures on the Planet, here on Canada’s Pacific Coast. At Outer Shores, we recognize that our travellers seek truly exceptional and authentic educational experiences that provide in-depth understanding of the wildlife, ecosystems and cultures we visit. The diverse expertise of the Outer Shores Crew, and the remarkable abilities of our vessel, the schooner Passing Cloud, is our strength. In tandem, our guests are able to access and explore some of the most remote and pristine regions of the British Columbia Coast, while our expert crew reveals for them their inherent layers of ecological and cultural complexity. In doing so, it’s our hope, and our passion, that Outer Shores and Passing Cloud are quite literally vessels for engaging with nature. In 2015, we are proudly embarking upon three conservation and citizen-science initiatives. First, when you join us for an expedition, we will contribute 2% of your expedition fees to the Outer Shores Conservation Fund, 100% of which we direct into to conservation-based research and education projects. Second, we will begin collecting valuable wildlife- sightings data using “SpotterPro”, an iPhone/iPad/Android app designed by “Conserve.IO – Technology for a Better Planet”. Finally, we are collaborating with a number of post-secondary institutions to offer ship-based field courses that enable undergraduate and graduate students to learn about coastal ecosystems in ways that textbooks, lectures, and labs simply can’t compare. Stay tuned for project descriptions and updates! I look forward to you joining us aboard the schooner Passing Cloud for a voyage of discovery and adventure along the spectacular coast of British Columbia. Captain Russell Markel, MSc, PhD Founder and President, Outer Shores Expeditions Russell has spent his life and career as a marine ecologist and mariner studying, exploring, and sailing the B.C. coast. Founding Outer Shores is the realization of his ambition to bring together his experience, education, and passions to create an organisation that fosters education, awareness, and stewardship. 4 Schooner, Passing Cloud Comfort, Safety, & Sailing Ability Our expedition vessel is the beautiful 70’ (21 m) classic wooden schooner, Passing Cloud. This iconic vessel has a rich history on the B.C. Coast, renowned for her elegant design and exceptional sailing abilities. Passing Cloud was designed by William Roué, who also designed the legendary Canadian schooner, Bluenose, featured on the back of every Canadian dime. Built to sail around the world, Passing Cloud is an ideal vessel for exploring and engaging with the nature and cultures of the B.C. Coast. 5 The schooner Passing Cloud was launched in 1974 in Victoria B.C., and features four private guest cabins, a beautifully redesigned main salon, and traditional wheelhouse. The three forward staterooms each have two spacious single berths (beds) complete with fluffy duvets and wool blankets, a private vanity with sink, mirror, hot and cold running water, a skylight or deck prism, brass reading lamps, drawers, and a hanging locker for storage. The aft stateroom is accessed from the wheelhouse, and boasts a large skylight, two double berths, private vanity with hot and cold water, and a small head (marine toilet). A spacious common head and shower are accessible from the main salon. Passing Cloud also features sea kayaks and an inflatable skiff to help us explore the shorelines, forests, bays and inlets of the BC coast. Passing Cloud is a Transport Canada certified passenger vessel and meets the highest standards of safety and construction. She is fully equipped with modern safety and navigation equipment including radar, GPS, VHF radios, EPIRB, and digital chart plotter and satellite telephone. 6 2015 Expeditions Experience the wildlife, wilderness, and cultures of Canada’s Pacific Coast 7 British Columbia’s Pacific Rim National Park 5-days navigating more than 300 islands and islets in an astonishingly rich cultural and wilderness environment With exploration of ancient cultures and coastal rainforests Discover Encounter Learn The Nuu-chah-nulth cultural Black bears, grey whales, About the fascinating heritage of Barkley Sound and sea otters, and orca archaeological research the Broken Group Islands in this region 8 Pacific Rim National Park Vancouver Island’s West Coast Our expeditions to the west coast of Vancouver Island explore and experience the wildlife, wilderness and rich Nuu-chah-nulth cultural heritage of Barkley Sound and the Broken Group Islands, an archipelago of more than 300 islands and islets long considered the jewel of the Pacific Rim National Park. 9 Living and travelling aboard the schooner BRITISH Passing Cloud, and through shore excursions, COLUMBIA kayaking and zodiac tours, we’ll explore the islands, beaches, shores, old-growth rainforests, rocky intertidal zones, kelp forest CLAYOQUOT communities, estuaries and fiords of this SOUND diverse region, while partnering with local VANCOUVER Nuu-chah-nulth Nations, researchers and historians to learn about its ancient and intact cultural heritage. Port Alberni 5-days / 4-nights VANCOUVER ISLAND Tofino 2015 departures: Apr 11,16, 21, 26, May 2 Price per person: $2400 CAD BARKLEY Departs from / Returns to: Ucluelet SOUND Ucluelet BROKEN GROUP ISLANDS UNIT What’s Included? PACIFIC RIM NATIONAL PARK RESERVE All meals, accommodation, transportation, user fees, use of onboard gear and resources, Bamfield rubber boots. What’s not included? 5% GST, travel and accommodation before and after the expedition, gratuities, any personal expenses incurred due to weather, logistical delays, delayed departures of chartered aircraft, taxis, ferries. 10 Sample Itinerary: British Columbia’s Pacific Rim National Park Day 1 Our expedition to Pacific Rim National Park begins in Ucluelet where we board Passing Cloud and set sail for the Broken Group Islands. As we sail through Macoah Thank you for a wonderful Passage we will be on the look out for spawning “unplugging from civilization”, Pacific herring and the grey whales, seabirds, and sea lions that congregate here to feast on this ecological educational, and gastronomic bonanza. We’ll also hope to encounter some of delight trip. We enjoyed the the newest arrivals to Barkley Sound, the sea otter population that is re-colonizing this region. Come rainbows, tidepool life, ducks, late afternoon we’ll drop anchor in a natural lagoon minks, eagles, osprey, giant sea between Dodd, Willis and Turtle Islands and take the stars, bears and whales. We look opportunity to sea kayak, take a zodiac tour, and shore walk, exploring the old growth forest and white-sand forward to joining you again. beaches found here. We’ll respectfully observe and discuss the deep shell middens, stone fish traps and Susan and Ken Wiegman, ancient clam gardens we encounter, left here by the Outer Shores Travellers Tseshaht First Nation over the thousands of years they’ve inhabited this region. Day 2 An early morning beach walk kicks-off our second day, as we take advantage of the low tide to explore the world of diverse creatures like giant green anemones, lemon nudibranchs, bat stars, giant gumboot chitons, frilled dog whelks, peanut worms, purple encrusting sponges, and iridescent seaweed that flourish in this unique and fascinating ecosystem. We follow up our morning of discovery with a hot breakfast, fresh coffee, and tea as we prepare to heave up anchor and sail to Effingham Inlet in the north of the sound.