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Bluewater Adventures Promises a Quintessential BC Expedition…And Then Some

Imagine spotting a majestic Orca as it breaches the ocean’s surface, catching a glimpse of the famed Spirit bear amid a lush rainforest or trekking for a first-hand look at First Nations villages tucked into remote shorelines.  A dream, perhaps?  More like reality when you take the helm with BC’s Bluewater Adventures.  With over 30 years on the eco-tour wave, Bluewater brings sensibility (and sensitivity) to their outings – thanks largely to an all hands on deck approach which includes experienced biologists, educators and that all-important professional crew.  Add to the cargo a treasure chest of outdoor adventure, and you’ve got the coordinates for a memorable season of sails.  Beginning in late spring and into late fall aboard one of Bluewater’s 70 foot sailing vessels (Island Roamer or Island Odyssey), the crew will seek out a diverse range of wildlife along the coast, including grizzlies, humpback whales and the elusive all-white Kermode bear.  With grizzlies making their way out of hibernation in late spring, journeys into remote fjords and estuaries may prove fruitful where the bears are feeding on the thousands of salmon spawning in the rivers– plus there’s sure to be sighting of marine mammals galore with porpoises, seals, sea lions and Orcas. Daily excursions on-foot also offer discovery with walks through coastal forests – and a little face time with intertidal creatures that make their home there (low tide, of course).  Also on foot, a walk through several old Kwakwaka’wakw villages to view totem poles, pictographs, and the remains of great long houses (today, while only a few villages remain inhabited, the First Nations culture and traditions remain strong).  In addition to the Island trek, Bluewater also provides sailings to other favoured BC locales, including the Great Bear Rainforest (home of the Spirit bear), The Inside Passage (a scenic journey of the famed route to Alaska), and the Gulf Islands (cruising scenic channels among the islands of the archipelago).  Not to be left out, a trek to the renowned Queen Charlotte Islands (or Haida Gwaii) promises a remote, unparalleled natural history outing rich with wildlife, old-growth forests, hot springs and mystical Haida villages.  Mystical and memorable.  www.bluewateradventures.ca