Haida Gwaii / Queen Charlotte Islands Voyage

Sailing Haida Gwaii, the Queen Charlotte Islands, and touring the Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve are marvelous and unforgettable experiences! The majestic coast, wilderness, people and wildlife of coastal British Columbia are stunning; this coast has some of the most magnificent tracts of temperate rainforest remaining on the planet. We have opportunities to land in otherwise inaccessible areas, explore wonderful coastal forests and shorelines, appreciate rich history, and become aware of social and environmental issues with residents. Along the way, we can expect to see and learn about the wildlife still so abundant on this coast. We should encounter Killer Whales, seals and sea-lions, maybe Humpback and Gray Whales, Black Bears, as well as dozens of Bald Eagles, puffins, murres, guillemots, and murrelets. Sabine’s Gulls, shearwaters, petrels and even Black-footed Albatross are possible, as are other surprises! There will be a wealth of knowledge onboard; naturalists with specialties in birds, ethno botany, whales and other cetaceans, as well as those with knowledge of Haida culture. We hope you join us for what promises to be an engaging and exciting voyage of discovery!

Highlights:

• T’aanu, Burnaby Narrows
• Rose Harbour
• UN World Heritage Site of SGang Gwaay
• Hot Springs Island
• Windswept Skedans (K’uuna)

Itinerary:
On this voyage we intentionally keep the itinerary flexible to take advantage of wildlife sightings, weather and tides, and the interests of the group.

Day 1 - Guests fly into the Sandspit Airport from Vancouver (Air Canada) the day before their trip starts (flight is not included in the tour price). Overnight at the Sandspit Inn (included in price).

Day 2 - Breakfast at Sandspit Inn. On most departures we transport you to Graham Island for a tour of the Haida Heritage Centre and a traditional Haida lunch. In the afternoon we travel to Moresby Camp to board Island Roamer, enjoy dinner and start our voyage.

Days 3 – 9 - We will spend our time exploring the eastern and southern shores of Moresby Island. Daily activities include wildlife watching, shore excursions to explore ancient Haida villages, old growth forests, beautiful creeks and shoreline, and intertidal zones. We look for Bald Eagle, Cassin’s Auklet, Marbled Murrelet, Rhinoceros Auklet and Black Oystercatcher along the coastlines, American Dippers along streams and rivers, and Chestnut-backed Chickadees and Steller’s Jays in the beautiful old-growth forests. Offshore we aim to spot Humpback and Gray Whales, porpoise, dolphins, sea lions and Orca, and possibly Black-footed Albatross and Sabine’s Gull.. We’ll search the shoreline in hopes of spotting a few Gwaii Haanas black bears foraging for food and we will be amazed by the myriad of intertidal creatures found in the nutrient-rich channels.

Day 10 - Mid-morning departure at Moresby Camp. The charter bus will meet participants and return them to the Sandspit Airport to catch afternoon flights back to Vancouver.

Featured Birds & Mammals
• Bald Eagle
• Cassin’s Auklet
• Marbled Murrelet
• Rhinoceros Auklet
• Black Oystercatcher
• Black-footed Albatross
• American Dipper
• Chestnut-backed Chickadee
• Humpback Whale
• Orca (Killer Whale)
• Gray Whale
• Black Bear

Dates:  June 4 - June 13, 2012

Duration: 10 days

Price: $4,850 USD + 12% HST, $4,750 CAD + 12% HST

Tour Starts: Sandspit

Your Ends: Sandspit