Alaska's Inside Passage
Eagles and Ice Photo & Wildlife Tour
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The below itinerary is for the forst two tour dates listed. The second two tour dates the itinerary will vary with locations as wildlife moves to follow the natural events of the herring and eulachon spawns!

The Stikine River area is also home to the largest Spring-time gathering of Bald Eagles found anywhere! Since we are not committed to a strict schedule, we can take advantage of new discoveries that we make along the way—stopping to enjoy a new arrival of birds or enjoy a magnificent Alaskan sunset—whatever opportunities may be presented to us. Adjustments may also be made for weather conditions.

Inaccessible to most, the wonders of the vast wilderness of Southeast Alaska are brought close at hand to a maximum of 6 guests (plus leaders) for this exciting adventure within the mosaic of islands and protected channels that make up Alaska’s Inside Passage.

Our customized yacht is designed specifically for the waters of the Inside Passage--our captain has been on these waters for over 25 years.

Participation, Skill & Fitness Level: Maximum 6 Participants of any skill or fitness level—Kayaks for some cove exploration. Motorboating with a crew member will be available for those who do not wish to kayak. We will also take jet boats up the Stikine River.

Itinerary

Day 1
Arrival in Petersburg—Participants will arrive throughout the day. Dinner and brief orientation to our trip. Night in Petersburg.

Day 2
Just after lunch, everyone will board the Alaska Adventurer and after a brief orientation, the mooring lines will be cast off and we’ll cruise out Wrangell Narrows onto Frederick Sound where we’ll turn south toward the mouth of the Stikine River. Within the first hour of departure, there will be opportunities for sightseeing and photography among the icebergs from LeConte Glacier. by late afternoon we’ll be anchored in Ideal Cove on Mitkof Island which will allow for some local area reconnaissance.

Day 3
Early rise today to jet boat up the Stikine River. Our goal today is to observe Bald Eagles as well as other wildlife such as Steller sea lions and harbor seal foraging on the annual spring spawn of eulachon (smelt) in the lower reaches of the river. Most of the day will be spent up the river selecting the best locations to capture the action. Early afternoon on the incoming tide we’ll be able to check the extensive grass flats for snow geese, sandhill cranes and a variety of migratory shore birds.

Day 4
Today we’ll pick up where we left off yesterday and use the information we learned to perfect our selection of locations and timing. The afternoon trip out of the river will again afford us the opportunity to check more locations for eagles and other wildlife on the flats and tributaries. We’ll also check the crab and shrimp traps that we set out yesterday, if our luck is good, we’ll have fresh shrimp and/ or crab for dinner!

Day 5
Once again we’ll be headed out early for our third segment on the Stikine River to capture the action. If all has gone well the prior day, perhaps this will be a chance to do some exploring farther up the river by jet boat. The Stikine–LeConte Wilderness Area features spectacular scenery with towering mountains and glaciers.We’ll check the shrimp traps again!

Day 6
This morning will be a somewhat more leisurely start as we haul anchor and head for the entrance to LeConte Bay while enjoying breakfast.
LeConte Bay is a fabulously beautiful steep sided fjord with LeConte Glacier at the head of the bay. LeConte Glacier is the southernmost tidewater glacier in the northern hemisphere and ‘the fastest moving ice in the world’. A very active glacier calving a multitude of icebergs, the bay is literally chocked with floating ice. The setting is a photographers dream resplendent with steep sided fjord, thousands of icebergs of all sizes, seals resting on ice floes, and a variety of sea birds. By evening we’ll once again be anchored at Ideal Cove after checking the contents of our ever present shrimp and crab traps.

Day 7
The jet boat will meet us one more time for a trip across Dry Strait and into Wrangell. Wrangell is one of the oldest non-Native settlements in Alaska. The Russians began trading furs with area Tlingit in 1811 and built a stockade named Redoubt Saint Dionysius in 1834. The island was named for Ferdinand Von Wrangel, manager of the Russian-American Co., around 1830. Wrangell has been governed by four nations: the Tlingit Nation, Russia, Britain, and America.
Wrangel has a nice display of totems and rock art petroglyphs which will provide interesting subjects for framing through the lens as well as learning more about the significance of eagles and other wildlife in the lives of the native peoples. Upon return, we’ll again have an opportunity check out the flats for new arrivals of migrants.

Day 8
This day is a ‘hip pocket’ day, one that we hold as reserve to pick up any missed action due to weather, circumstances or to just go back to a favorite location one more time. late afternoon we will return to Petersburg. Dinner in town. Night in Petersburg.

Day 9
Today will be spent in and around Petersburg exploring and photographing the wildlife and scennery. Night in Petersburg.

Day 10
Return home

2008
March 30-April 8
April 8-17
April 18-28 (from Sitka)
April 28-May 8

2008 Cost
$3995 Standard Cabin
$4495 Suite (couples only)
from Petersburg, AK.
All prices per person, double occupancy.

Limit 6 participants. Includes hotel stays and meals in Petersburg before and after cruise. Also include a photography workshop for all skill levels.