Day 1 - Sunday - Aug 20, 2023
Your journey starts in Ketchikan. (D)
Day 2 - Monday - Aug 21, 2023
| Misty Fjord, Alaska, United States |
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There are places on the planet that completely overcome you. This is one of them. The beauty. The peace. The sense of place you feel. Misty Fjords National Monument represents nearly every ecosystem found in Southeast Alaska. And that alone is a lot to consider. Glacial valleys filled with sea water. Sheer 3,000-foot cliffs. Sea birds, brown and black bears, mountain goats, Sitka black-tailed deer, all find safe haven here. Kayak in Walker Cove or Rudyerd Bay and you'll find it's just as easy to paddle and go as it is to sit and float and take it all in. Or skiff to the base of a waterfall for fjord-released shower. Its affectionate nickname, "The Yosemite of the North", is deserved. (BLD)
Day 3 - Tuesday - Aug 22, 2023
| Cruising Behm Canal, United States |
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Wildlife abounds. Black bears, mink, eagles. In Behm Canal, it's all remote waterways and the isolated Tongass National Forest coves, streams, and bays. On Cleveland Peninsula, your expedition team leads a low-elevation hike near clear, rushing streams. Good opportunities for enticing forested shots of Southeast. In the water, orca, porpoises, seals, and otters go about their business. Go about yours on a guided paddle in tiny, deserted waterways that feed into Behm Canal. (BLD)
Day 4 - Wednesday - Aug 23, 2023
The Blashke Islands are your playground today. A full day of choose-your-own-adventure fun. Hiking, kayaking, skiff tours, snorkeling, and full-day yak-n-whack excursions. (BLD)
Day 5 - Thursday - Aug 24, 2023
| Cruising Wrangell Narrows, United States |
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| Thomas Bay, United States |
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Wind into the Wrangell Narrows. Abundant bright red and green navigation lights guide the way. It's nicknamed "Christmas Tree Lane", of course. Thomas Bay is way back backcountry of Alaska's wilderness. Glacial landscapes marked by moraines, muskegs, and mud. In this playground, it's all an option today. Kayak and skiff in water almost clear as glass. The mirror image of fjord walls plays on the surface. Hike through the outwash of Baird Glacier. Or keep it green on an interpretive walk through a grassy meadow into the forest. (BLD)
Day 6 - Friday - Aug 25, 2023
| Frederick Sound, United States |
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| Port Houghton, Alaska, United States |
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| Cruising Stephens Passage, United States |
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Humpback whales are frequent visitors of this Southeast passage. A misty spout is a sure sign they're in the neighborhood. Your captain navigates to Port Houghton. And you're in for a boot-sucking, paddle-smacking day of adventure with your guide team. The routes are all picked out. Make your choice and make your move. Slip off the kayak launch and take it slow spotting sea stars and shore birds. Hard chargers take a long wild paddle to the salt chuck at the back of the inlet. Or, hike into the Tongass. (BLD)
Day 7 - Saturday - Aug 26, 2023
| Tracy Arm-Fords Terror Wilderness, Alaska |
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Jutting off Stephens Passage with two deep, glacially carved fjords, this designated wilderness area contains over 600,000 acres. Cruise past chunks and chunks of floating ice. It's a harbor seal's delight lazing away the day atop a floating bergie. If conditions are right, skiffs are the ticket to getting in close. (BLD)
Day 8 - Sunday - Aug 27, 2023
You might choose to purchase a tramway ticket that provides a ride up the Mt. Roberts Tramway, where views unfold as you ascend 1,800 feet through the forest. At the top, explore the trails and Nature Center; back at the bottom, explore Alaska's heritage at the Alaska State Museum. Both options also include a lunch voucher for a local restaurant. Complimentary laundry service is provided today. (BLD)
Day 9 - Monday - Aug 28, 2023
| Neka Bay, Chichagof Island, Alaska |
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Remote passages offer more opportunities for you to search for the mighty humpback whale. Keep your binoculars at hand and watch for the misty spout of these gentle giants as they feed in the waters around you. Anchor in a remote Chichagof Island inlet. Backpacks loaded and adventure toys lowered (skiffs, paddle boards, kayaks), it's time to go play. Stick to the water in a kayak excursion, and don't forget to look above and below the surface. A nosy seal could be watching your every stroke while you spy tiny creatures clinging to rock, or beachcomb the rocky shores. (BLD)
Day 10 - Tuesday - Aug 29, 2023
| South Marble Island, United States |
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| Tidal Inlet, Glacier Bay, Alaska |
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| Margerie Glacier, United States |
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South Marble Island is abuzz with activity. View the sea lions at play. They add a distinct aroma to the air, too. Watch rare sea birds, black oystercatchers, and orange-beaked tufted puffins can't be missed. Tucking into silent Tidal Inlet-the stomping grounds for bears, wolves, mountain goats, eagles-the backdrop is spectacular. At the end of the western-most arm of the bay sits Margerie and Grand Pacific Glaciers. And possible views of glacial calving. (BLD)
Day 11 - Wednesday - Aug 30, 2023
| Pelican, Alaska, United States |
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The tiny fishing community (75 year round residents) of Pelican plays host to sport fishermen and kayakers in the summer. Join your guide for a 6-mile hike on the Lisianski Trail, or a 4-mile trek through old-growth forest and an historic mining area on Bohemia Basin. Take a skiff or kayak along the coast in search of brown bears, Sitka black-tailed deer, whales, orca, sea lions, or rafts of sea otters. (BLD)
Day 12 - Thursday - Aug 31, 2023
| St George Island, United States |
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| Icy Strait Point, United States |
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Before you do anything, look out the window. From kelp-lined channels to hemlock and spruce forests, every inch of this far northwest corner is worth exploring. And if the tides are right, head out in the skiff with one of the guides for a closer exploration of the rugged shore. Seals and sea lions haul out on rocky outcroppings, resting before they disappear in the water to search for food. On the famed "George Island", hike with a close-up opportunity for sea otters and a World War II cannon that sits in the wilderness today. Whatever you do-wilderness trekking, skiffing, or paddling-the experienced crew is with you every step of the way. (BLD)
Day 13 - Friday - Sep 1, 2023
The center of adventure. Tucked beneath snowcapped peaks, Haines has it all. Hiking, biking, kayaking, and history. One thing's for sure-the trails are irresistible. Go easy, or feel the burn-whatever your speed, the views reward in spades. Your expedition team shares the city's captivating history. A trading outlet for Chilkat Tlingit, they called it "Dtehshuh"-the end of the trail. European explorers, the Klondike gold rush, a U.S. Army outpost-influences still apparent today. What holds your interest? Follow your curiosity on a self-led tour. (BLD)
Day 14 - Saturday - Sep 2, 2023
| Saint James Bay, Alaska, United States |
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Just what you need, morning stretches on deck with your guide. Warm those hard-at-play muscles. You know firsthand conditions in Southeast change one inlet to the next. Your captain is at the helm and picks just the right spot. The adventures are as big as the water is deep! So many hidden pockets in the Tongass National Forest. Give your paddle board skills a glide. Watch for big-eyed harbor seals from a kayak. Bushwhack into the forest of giants. Your guides know the area's history and keep it lively. (BLD)
Day 15 - Sunday - Sep 3, 2023
Arriving in Juneau, your journey ends. (B)
