Sailing expedition in the Gulf of Alaska - Kodiak Archipelago
with Didier F. 73 years old
Alaska
USA and Canada
Travellers of all ages are welcome!
This experience is almost confirmed
6 spots available
This is a holiday dedicated to
Brief description of the holiday
THE KODIAK ARCHIPELAGO - A naturalist expedition cruise aboard a sailboat
Strong points :
- In the footsteps of the Kodiak bear
- The fauna and geology of the Katmai Peninsula
- Being able to access virgin lands only accessible by sea
- Sailing in a small group of six people maximum and two sailors, aboard a polar exploration sailboat.
- Fishing at sea or at anchorages
Kodiak Island is the second largest island in the United States, it was also the first Russian capital of Alaska. Saint-Paul is one of the top 3 fishing ports in the USA, alone it is home to a fleet of 800 active trawlers in all seasons: summer is the season for salmon, cod and halibut, the fall is king crab season, winter is snow crab season, spring is herring season. This mountainous island has many deep bays, hunting grounds for the enormous Kodiak bear in search of salmon.
Our navigation will take us from the Kodiak archipelago to the Katmai Peninsula where bears proliferate, the number of bears is estimated at more than 2000. Its direct access to the ocean makes it the place of passage for the summer migration of a very dense marine fauna: killer whales, sea lions, seals and many species of whales, from belugas to blue whales.
Note that the vagaries of the weather require you to adapt to sometimes rough seas and could modify the program indicated. Sailing experience would be desirable (however, do not confuse the adaptation of the first days with recurrent seasickness)
Day 1 Boarding at Kodiak
Boarding at Saint-Paul port in Kodiak (Kodiak being both the name of the island and its capital).
Day 2-3 Izhut Bay (Kodiak Island)
The vegetation is dense and has given way to the development of a species of plantigrade particular to this archipelago: the Kodiak bear approaching 3.50m when standing up. We follow their tracks in the bays to observe them in the capture of salmon going up the rivers.
Day 4-5 Hidden Harbor (Katmai National Park)
Crossing the Shelikof Strait to reach Katmai National Park. The contours of the Novarupta volcano loom on the horizon. We go up Kinak Bay which opens into the territory of brown bears who gather in large numbers in the estuaries to catch migrating salmon. Fed by this rich supply of protein, they can reach the weight of a ton!
Day 6-7 Geographic Harbor (Katmai National Park)
Located in the heart of Katmai National Park, Geographic Harbor reveals its glacial past through the smooth shape of its tall cliffs punctuated with pale gray flecks, remnants of volcanic ash accumulated from the 1912 eruption of the Novarupta Volcano, still marking these slopes near a century later.
Day 8-9 Shelikof Strait (Kodiak Island)
Cabotage in the Strait of Shelikof, along Kodiak Island. In these waters full of fish, daily observation of cetaceans and killer whales in our wake. In the heights, it is possible to distinguish countless seabirds including bald eagles, proudly perched on the cliffs.
Day 10 Port of Kodiak
Disembarkation at the Port of Kodiak
These prices do not include airfare and hotels, nor transport from the airport to the sailboat, nor alcohol (other than wine at dinners), nor restaurants (including the last meal of Day 10) nor bars. Participants arrive at the port of embarkation the day before Day 1 (D1) and spend one night in a hotel. Boarding takes place on the morning of D1 at 9 a.m. and we set sail shortly after. Disembarkation is around 6 p.m. on D10.
NB: Extend your stay!
This expedition aboard the sailboat is part of an itinerant journey along the Pacific coast, from Vancouver Island (Canada) to Kodiak Island (Alaska). You therefore have the possibility of extending your trip by registering for several expeditions:
- Haida Gwaii - Port Hardy to Prince Rupert
- Alaska's "Inside Passage" - From Ketchikan to Juneau
- Crossing the Gulf of Alaska - From Juneau to Valdez
- Prince William Sound - From Valdez to Valdez
- Prince William Sound - From Valdez to Valdez
- Kenai Peninsula - From Valdez to Kodiak
- Kodiak Archipelago - Kodiak to Kodiak
- Kenai Peninsula - Kodiak to Valdez
- Crossing the Gulf of Alaska - From Valdez to Juneau
- Alaska's "Inside Passage" - From Juneau to Ketchikan
- Haida Gwaii - From Prince Ruper to Port Hardy.
Other departures
-
28 May
10 days
unconfirmed
Alaska
2619€
per person
more info -
9 Jun
10 days
unconfirmed
Alaska
2619€
per person
more info -
21 Jun
10 days
unconfirmed
Alaska
2619€
per person
more info -
3 Jul
10 days
unconfirmed
Alaska
2619€
per person
more info -
15 Jul
10 days
unconfirmed
Alaska
2619€
per person
more info -
8 Aug
10 days
unconfirmed
Alaska
2619€
per person
more info -
20 Aug
10 days
unconfirmed
Alaska
2619€
per person
more info -
1 Sep
10 days
unconfirmed
Alaska
2619€
per person
more info
The boat
Plan Michel Joubert, Chantier Meta
- cabins
- 4
- toilets
- 1
- length
- 16m
- year
- 1999
Goélette de 16 mètres en aluminum. Mise à l'eau en 1999 par l'architecte naval Michel Joubert, son concepteur et premier propriétaire, qui réalisa le passage du Nord-Ouest du Groenland à l'Alaska en 2012 en company de l'explorateur polaire Janusz Kurbiel.
Conçu comme a fifty d'expédition pour naviguer dans les conditions les plus extrêmes. Cette goélette est doté de 2 moteurs de 110 CV and de réservoirs d'une capacité de 4000 litres he assurant une autonomie très importante.
Caractéristiques
- Longueur 16m, large 4.10m, tirant d'eau 1,70m
- Matériau: aluminum renforcé
- Capacité de vie à bord pour 10 personnes, que nous limitons à 6 passagers et 2 marins
- A large cockpit ouvert pour manœuvrer, observer and pêcher
- A post de timonerie totalement à l'abri des éléments
- Grand carré surélevé pour une vision assise panoramique, recevant confortablement 8 personnes à table and a salon avec 2 larges banquettes
- Capacité de couchage: 8 couchettes individuelles sont disponibles + 2 en couchettes doubles, the ensemble en 3 cabines et une coursive
- Douche chaude, 2 cabinets de toilette, WC
- Réserve d'eau: 1500 liters
- Poêle-chaudière à gazole «Refleks» équipé d'un aérotherme central + air pulsé par le moteur
- Courant 220, 110 et 12 volts à bord
- Annexe pour 8 personnes avec moteur 15 CV
- Matériel de pêche utilisable en navigation ou au mouillage
- Bibliothèque variée à disposition
Our itinerary
Our trip starts here
Kodiak, Alaska, Stati Uniti
Thursday 27 July from 9:00
until Thursday 27 July at 10:00
Our trip ends here
Kodiak, Alaska, Stati Uniti
Saturday 5 August from 17:00
until Saturday 5 August at 18:00
Other important information
THE CREW
Your skipper Didier F. , a geographer by training, is a Captain 200 of the Merchant Navy and has numerous certificates such as Mechanic 250 kW or Medical III. He also holds the Sailing Instructor State Certificate. Navigator since 1984, he sailed in all latitudes, from the Arctic to the Antarctic, including 2 trans-Pacific New Zealand - Cape Horn and several transatlantic.
He is assisted by a general-purpose sailor, responsible for the galley for the entire duration of the trip. Your cook & sailor is Dorian , born in Valparaiso and son of your captain. Sailor and traveler, his experiences in the kitchen are multiple, they managed a fish and seafood restaurant as a family. Cooking and sailing are a great match. A good dose of creativity and good humor always enhances his dishes! Varied and fresh cuisine (provision of fruits and vegetables without difficulty). Please note, however, that we cannot provide the service of special menus! Everyone's participation will be appreciated for the dishes.
GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
Depending on the weather conditions, the program can be modified and arranged. The navigation times take place mainly during the day to take advantage of the observations and avoid the fatigue of night crossings. Sailing times vary greatly (from 4 to 8 hours).
How do we move on land?
On the occasion of shore excursions, safety rules must of course be observed, such as going out only in groups, because it is possible that we will come across bears on your way. We bring a rocket stylus and bear repellent on each shore trip. Walks on land are mainly on the shore and along the rivers because the interior of the forests is sometimes impassable.
Physical level and preparation Although no special physical condition is required, we simply ask that you be fit enough to get on and off the boat easily and to walk on sometimes slippery ground such as the rocks on the edge of the sea. It is not necessary to have prior knowledge of sailing, beginners are welcome to maneuver.
EQUIPMENT
We often imagine that a sailing trip in the Far North resembles a dive in the intense cold. An idea that turns out to be wrong when you go along the Pacific coast, thanks to the Kuro-Shivo, a warm sea current. Although the weather is changeable throughout the year, the rains are mostly winter.
Before July, the temperature can vary from 17°C during the day to 4°C at night, take your equipment into account if you are sailing at this time.
From July, navigation is generally very pleasant, with a temperature of 15 to 25°C in Alaska and British Columbia, except in the immediate vicinity of the glaciers, with alternating long sunny periods and overcast weather with sometimes cloudiness. fog in some areas and some rain.
It is therefore necessary to provide equipment of the type that one takes for a hike in the mountains. Note also that it will not be possible to wash your clothes on the way. We therefore advise you to provide enough change, while remembering that you are on board a boat which has non-extendable storage!
Basic equipment:
• 1 large capacity flexible travel bag (90 liters or more), suitcases are prohibited on board + 1 small empty travel bag (placed in the largest during the transatlantic flight), in order to better store your belongings in the cabin
• 1 medium-sized backpack (approximately 30 litres) for your walks on land + on a waterproof bag during transfers in the dinghy
• 1 pair of fairly high boots: no mini-boots (boots that you will find at 10€ in the fishing section of Decathlon stores)
• 1 pair of light hiking shoes
• 1 pair of soft shoes for the deck (without black soles so as not to mark the floor of the sailboat)
• 1 pair of slippers for inside the sailboat
• 1 warm fleece jacket
• 1 windproof and waterproof jacket, with hood (no need to bring a heavy watch jacket except for the Aleutians and Kodiak)
• 1 pair of tights or 1 long underwear, in fleece or technical fabric
• 1 trousers + 1 over-trousers
• 1 warm hat + cap
• 1 pair of fleece gloves
• 1 shorts
• 1 swimsuit
• quick-drying bath and hand towels
Sleeping :
• sleeping bag (comfort temperature 10-15° C)
• sleeping bag sheet
Various
• mini-toilet bag (avoid scented products)
• headlamp
• sunglasses
• pair of binoculars for wildlife observation
• camera
• gourd
• a few plastic bags to protect your belongings
Your individual pharmacy
• analgesic
• anti-inflammatory (tablets and gel)
• if you are prone to seasickness, remember to bring appropriate treatment
• disinfectant, dressings (various sizes)
• sunscreen
• mosquito repellent
• in addition: earplugs, your personal medication.
Be up to date with Covid vaccinations!
Cancellations and Refund
This experience undergoes Sailsquare's standard Cancellation and Refund Policy:
- As long as the Experience is Not Confirmed, you can cancel your reservation at any time and receive a refund of the amount paid.
- If the Experience is Confirmed, you can cancel your reservation up to 30 days before departure and receive a full refund.
- If available for the selected Experience, you can choose our Extended Refund Terms and cancel your booking at any time up to the departure, and receive a refund of the paid amount, upon the occurrence of certain conditions (illness, including Covid-19, work-related reason, domestic emergency, previous medical conditions and many more).
What's included
Knowing what expenses are included and excluded from your booking fee will enable you to have a good idea of the total cost of your chosen experience.
Included in the price.
Not included in the price.
To be paid onboard.
In addition to the price, there will be some additional expenses that you will incur during your trip. Expenses have been listed below.
The estimated expenses for the rest of the holiday are approximately > 300€ per person.
