British Columbia’s Great Bear Rainforest - Fall 2020 Edition 9-days exploring the largest intact coastal temperate rainforest in the world. Discover Encounter Learn Abundant wildlife, and ancient Iconic bears, whales, and How wild Pacific salmon forest ecosystems coastal wolves 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 2020 departures: Aug 18, 26, 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. Day 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. Day 2 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 “It’s virtually impossible to find the and ecological importance of Pacific salmon. adequate words to express my Day gratitude and wonder for such a 3 magical week. The fact that such We’re up early for an excursion into Kynoch Inlet natural beauty, such isolated estuary. The abundant populations of salmon here wilderness, still exists gives me make it an excellent place to view bears, wolves, eagles, and other predators and scavengers that have come hope for our world. “ 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 - Megan , Outer Shores Traveller 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. Day Day 4 7 Khutze Inlet supports excellent habitat for grizzly bears, so This morning we’ll visit a beautiful salmon-bearing we’ll spend a large part of today viewing, photographing, river and spend time exploring the ecological and and learning about these iconic apex consumers. Most of cultural connections between salmon, bears, coastal our viewing will be conducted from our inflatable skiff, or rainforests, and indigenous cultures. This is an we may find a high spot on shore to sit, wait, and watch excellent morning for bear-viewing, sea kayaking, from a respectful distance. And don’t worry, your crew are and photographing ancient forests. This afternoon highly experienced and certified bear-viewing guides! Back we hope to show you examples of ancient stone fish aboard the Passing Cloud we’ll have lunch underway as traps that were built millennia ago by the indigenous we continue our journey north. We’re on high alert today First Nations of this region to support their once large after receiving a report of humpback whales engaged in populations and 14,000-year-old cultures. “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. Day 5 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 Day enter Whale Channel, we begin to encounter the large 8 number of humpback whales, and increasingly, fin whales This morning we’ll round the southern end of Princess that congregate in this region during the late summer and Royal Island via Myers Narrows and visit the Kitasoo/ fall. We’ll spend time viewing and photographing these Xai’xais First Nation community of Klemtu. We’ll exciting marine mammals, and our Expedition Specialist will be welcomed to this remote village with a guided help us to interpret the behaviours we are witnessing and tour of their traditional Big House, and we’ll learn use our underwater hydrophone to listen to their songs and about the deep history of this indigenous nation feeding calls. Our overnight anchorage is in Cameron Cove, and their present-day initiatives to protect their on Princess Royal Island. 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. Day 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. Day Afterwards, we’re now southbound on the west side of 9 Princess Royal Island. Weather and time permitting, we’ll visit the outer coast island ecosystems this afternoon, stroll As we travel the remaining short distance to Bella along a white-sand beach, and learn about kelp forests Bella this morning we hope for last minute wildlife and sea otters. Or, we might spend the afternoon enjoying sightings and enjoy the vast pristine landscapes the excellent sailing conditions often found there. Late and seascapes of the Great Bear Rainforest. Upon afternoon we’ll make our way to an overnight anchorage our arrival, we say our farewells to the Great Bear in remote protected inlet on the west side of Princess Royal Rainforest before disembarking and making our way Island. to the Bella Bella airport. If you have any questions about our P.O. Box 361 expeditions, or a specific detail about the Cobble Hill, British Columbia expedition you have booked, please let V0R 1L0, Canada us know by phone or visit our website for more information. [email protected] outershores.ca Photo Credits: James Thompson, Ryan Flett, 1-855-714-7233 (Toll Free in North America) Owen Perry, Tavish Campbell, and Russell Markel. 1-250-220-2311 (Local and International).