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The 6 day Glacier Bay Adventure Cruise travels from the ancient rain forest of Icy Strait to the barren mountain faces of the East and West arms of Glacier Bay. 100's of miles of glacial fjords are here for you to enjoy by kayak, hike and small ship cruise. Your base of exploration is the historic 12 passenger small ship M/V Sea Wolf. The Glacier Bay Adventure Cruise is suitable for all abilities and desired level of activity. On our exciting small ship explorations the possibilities of seeing the coastal brown bears, black bears and the rare glacier bear as well as wolves, moose and a myriad of other land and marine mammals are endless. Marvel at breath taking glaciers, towering mountains that shoot up from the sea and the acrobatic humpback whales. All of this and more make up the magic of Glacier Bay!

Read about the Glacier Bay Adventure Cruise in the Dec 2010 British Airways Horizons Magazine "Radical Departures" by Peter Frost.

Day 1 - Bartlett Cove

Board the MV Sea Wolf in Bartlett Cove at 8am and embark on your exciting Glacier Bay Adventure Cruise. Meet for a brief orientation/introduction to discuss safety, boat layout and Sea Wolf amenities as your Alaskan adventure cruise begins.

Cruise up Glacier Bay to Geike Inlet while enjoying lunch and the beautiful sights. Once in Geike Inlet - a beautiful waterfall laden fjord, partake in your first kayaking excursion that may offer a glimpse of black bears, wolverines, mountain goats and a large variety of seabirds and ducks.

After paddling, cruise to our evening anchorage at Reid Glacier. This is about a 4-hour journey filled with incredible vistas, wildlife along the beaches and possibly breaching whales in the waters. Along the way, learn about the natural history of Glacier Bay National Park, current research projects in the park as well as the plentiful sea and wildlife. Pass in front of the incredible wall of ice and make a beach landing for more exploration. Ashore, learn about glaciers geology and plant and animal succession. Head to another beach that offers bird lovers a binocular paradise, as it is a nesting ground for Arctic Terns, Kittlitz's, Murrelets, Ptarmigan, Grouse, Plovers and a variety of other shore and sea birds. Enjoy a fabulous dinner aboard the Sea Wolf as we watch the sunset over beautiful Glacier Bay and turn in for the night.

Accommodations: Sea Wolf
Included Meals: lunch and dinner

Day 2 – Marjorie Glacier

Wake up early and enjoy breakfast as we cruise to Marjorie Glacier. Cruise into Tarr Inlet where the Grand Pacific and Marjorie Glaciers cascade into the water. Take a wonderful paddle along the sheer cliffs of the Kittiwake and Puffin rookery and head out in front of Marjorie Glacier for a breathtaking experience and the chance to watch an active calving glacier from a safe distance.

Have lunch while cruising toward Bear Knob and Lamplough Glacier. Once past Lamplough, the Sea Wolf will hug the shore looking for wildlife. Explore Gloomy knob on a short Botany hike before returning to the ship for the evening's anchorage and dinner.

Accommodations: Sea Wolf
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 3 – Muir Inlet, the East Arm of Glacier Bay

With the engines starting early, wake up to a hot breakfast and get energized as we make our way up Muir Inlet - the East Arm of Glacier Bay. This is a rarely visited and exceptional wilderness area within Glacier Bay. Start the day with an amazing hike by McBride Glacier accompanied with a paddle up to Riggs Glacier.

Enjoy lunch, and explore the shorelines which have a great variety of shore birds, vista’s and provide very high possibilities of bear, wolf or moose sightings. Once back aboard the Sea Wolf, cruise to our evening anchorage and dinner location to unwind.

Accommodations: Sea Wolf
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 4 - North Sandy Cove

If the tides are right, partake in a morning paddle at North Sandy - a very rich ecosystem that supports black bears, moose coyotes, and a plentiful marine environment. If not, head down bay to another pristine paddle area to kayak around the shores scanning for wildlife. Paddle over to Puffin Island for a truly wondrous look at a low tide vertical intertidal zone. This zone is home to hundreds of aquatic species such as sponges, periwinkles, whelks, sea stars, sea cucumbers and urchins just to name a few.

Back on board the Sea Wolf, head to South Marble Island to view a large Stellar Sea Lion Haul and a seabird-nesting rookery as we cruise onward to Dundas Bay, one of the most remote regions of Glacier Bay National Park. Head to the beach at Dundas where you can pick strawberries, learn about and taste native plants and revel in the glorious flower strewn meadows. Cow parsley, Chocolate Lily’s Yarrow, Lupine, Wild Iris’s, Lily of the Valley, Indian paintbrush are among the few plants that brighten the splendid landscape here. Stroll the beach following the tracks of Otters, Bear, Moose and Wolves. Then head back to the Sea Wolf for a brief lecture about the Native history and lore of this area. Spend the evening relaxing on board and savoring dinner as the peaceful sounds of the wilderness overcome the ship.

Accommodations: Sea Wolf
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 5 - Exploring Dundas Bay

Begin the day with breakfast followed by a hike exploring Dundas Bay. Survey the erratic boulders; climbing on them for views of the rivers and surrounding meadows. Watch for sea otters, black bears, wolves and moose as well as hoary marmots that graze these meadows and feed upon the intertidal dinner plate.

Cross a river for a brief foray through a Sitka Spruce forest and hike up the mountainside to explore and learn about a mature muskeg. Here you will see bog plants such as orchids, an insect eating plant called a sundew, stunted spruce, hemlock, marsh marigolds and violets. This is the end of a plant life cycle that starts from the rocky lands just exposed by glaciers and ends as a mossy watery bog called a muskeg. Back on board the Sea Wolf for lunch, followed by a paddle up the bay for more wildlife sightings. Once back aboard we will transit to our evening anchorage for dinner and relaxation.

Accommodations: Sea Wolf
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 6 – Humpback Whale Watching, Gustavus

This morning is dedicated to Humpback Whale watching! At midday head back to Gustavus for a 2:00pm docking. A local taxi will transport you to the Gustavus airport for your flight to Juneau.

Accommodations: N/A
Included Meals: breakfast & lunch

Taste of Alaska "Wild Foraging and Natural History of Glacier Bay and Icy Straits" departure: Come explore by kayak, foot and classic yacht one of the most delicious feasting tables from ocean to mountain ridge with Naturalists/Foragers Jennifer Hahn and Kimber Owen. Late summer offers us a spectacular opportunity to view bears and eagles feasting on rivers of salmon as well as humpback whales gathering prolific clouds of krill in Icy Straits. While we explore the wilds of Glacier Bay and Icy Strait we'll learn to identify and taste dozens of wild foods that sustained the First People for 1000s of years. Nagoon berries, Sea Asparagus, Salmon, Blueberries, Sea Lettuce, Licorice Fern and are just a few of the edibles we'll seek out. During the week, between kayaking, hiking and natural history walks, as opportunity allows, we'll gather wild-foraged treats from sea and land. Our fabulous chef will whisk them into appetizers, side dishes, main courses and desserts such as Wild Berry Crisp, Chocolate Ocean Pudding (think dark chocolate truffle ganache), BBQ Salmon in Kelp Leaf Wrap, Miso-ginger Halibut with Seabeans and Kelp Chutney, Spruce Tip Syrup, Blueberry Halibut, Wild mushroom gravy, Smoked Salmon Sea Veggie Chowder, Sea Lettuce Vinaigrette, Sweet Kelp Pickles. Each dinner will feature one to two recipes by celebrated west coast chefs featured in Jennifer's new book: Pacific Feast: A Cook's Guide to West Coast Foraging and Cuisine.

September is a special time to be in Glacier Bay National Park as the shorter days have signaled to the birds, land and sea mammals to prepare themselves for migration or winter denning. Early fall light turns the muted colors of the mountainous landscape into brilliant gold, silver, and forest green splashed with the copper and red of the berry bushes. Against a backdrop of some of the most magnificent mountains on earth, rivers of glacial ice tumble into the sea and aquamarine blue colored icebergs drift by on the tides. “When the tide is out the table is set.”- Tlinget saying

Notes on Itinerary: This itinerary is subject to change based on Glacier Bay National Park closures/openings, weather and travel conditions and wildlife movements. We try to navigate to whales, bears, sea lions, eagles, wild flowers and soaring landscapes but the anchorage may change dependent on the above. Other destinations may include Fingers Bay, Sundew Cove, Sebree Cove, the East Arm and the Islands. Many times we are following the wildlife as they move with their food source so we like the flexibility so we can have the greatest viewing possibilities. We serve Alaskan seafood for most lunches and dinners but can cater to any diet needs with advance notice.

Accommodations/Single Travelers: Vessel accommodations are semiprivate. Choice of cabins is on a first-come, first-served basis. All cabins accommodate couples or two companion travelers. If you prefer a cabin to yourself, there will be a rate supplement of 50% of the single fare cost. There are limited Single Cabins on each sailing.

Cost Includes: Trip costs include shipboard accommodations, ship excursions, crew, all meals, and guides, unless otherwise indicated in the itinerary. We reserve the right to make any changes in the itinerary or crew.

Not Included: The cost of air flights, unless otherwise indicated in the itinerary, taxes, passports, visas, immunizations, insurance of any kind, laundry, excess baggage, items of a personal nature, medical costs, costs of hospitalization, additional expenses arising from the delay or extension of a trip due to weather, political disputes, illness, failure of transportation, or other causes beyond our control. Gratuities are not included. A possible fuel surcharge of 5% if prices rise again.

Arrival/Departure: Due to the 8:00am Embarkation in Gustavus on Day 1 we highly recommend travelers arrive in Gustavus one night prior to embarkation (however early morning flights from Juneau to Gustavus are available). Contact our Alaska experts to arrange pre or post cruise overnights in Gustavus or Juneau and flights to/from Juneau. Suggested times for return flights from Gustavus to Juneau at the end of cruise depend on the itinerary and the point of disembarkation. Please contact our Alaska small ship cruise experts for further details.

Payment and Cancellation Policy: A deposit of 50% ($500 non refundable per person) is required to confirm your Glacier Bay Adventure Cruise. Final payment is due 90 days prior to departure. PLEASE NOTE a special cancellation policy applies to this trip which is stricter than the AdventureSmith Explorations policy. All requests for cancellations must be received in writing.
Cancellations received: More than 150 days prior to departure: Refund of deposit minus $500 per person. 120 to 90 days prior to departure: forfeiture of total deposit. 89 or fewer days prior to departure: forfeiture of full trip cost.
We will make every effort to fill a canceled booking. If we are able to refill your canceled stateroom we will refund your payments less the booking deposit. Please see AdventureSmith Explorations Terms and Conditions.

Travel Insurance: Travel Insurance with emergency medical evacuation coverage is required for this trip. Consider Travelex Select or Max policies to ensure the best level of coverage. Please note that you must purchase your Travel Insurance policy within 14 days of booking your trip for it to cover pre-existing medical conditions.


Qualifications: This trip is available to any traveler with a love of nature and sense of adventure. Our trips are adult oriented, but may be suitable for children, depending on the child's age and experience.

General Information: This trip is subject to AdventureSmith Explorations 'Terms & Conditions'. Please read this information carefully and call us if you have any questions. A packing list, extensive pre-departure and travel insurance information is sent upon confirmation. We strongly recommend the purchase of Trip Insurance through AdventureSmith Explorations. If purchased within 14 days of sign-up, the pre-existing condition exclusion is waived.

We look forward to having you join us for the trip of a lifetime! Call today.

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