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Desolation Sound Explorer

The waterways sandwiched between Vancouver Island and the BC Mainland are a dream for those wanting to experience a British Columbia boat cruise as they are full of marine wildlife and endless exploration opportunities. From hiking through an old-growth forest to the exhilarating ride through the Okisollo Passage, we’ll have your heart racing at times.

Sample Itinerary
Day 1	Welcome to Desolation Sound After a short flight from Vancouver to Vancouver Island’s Campbell River (not included), you’ll be shuttled to Refuge Cove via private float plane (not included). From this tiny community, you’ll cruise to Von Donop Inlet after a champagne welcome reception onboard the Pacific Yellowfin. As with every night on board, Executive Chef Milan Kocourek will prepare your meals with fresh local ingredients and you will have a choice of our wide selection of BC’s finest wines. You will overnight onboard the ship in your cabin of choice.
Day 2	Water activities around Cortes Enjoy a full day exploring Von Donop Inlet, a narrow, sheltered deep-water inlet of Cortes Island located at the south end of the famed Inside Passage. Accessible only by boat, this area is well known for its saltwater lagoons and the old-growth forest that the Coast-Salish First Nations call Ha'thayim. For those interested in wandering, we offer a hike through moss-strewn forest for a swim in a nearby mountain lake. Anyone wanting to stay closer to the ship can while away the afternoon taking part in a guided kayaking tour around the inlet. Then we’ll cruise to nearby Carrington Bay for a dinner onboard and overnight.
Day 3	Riding the reversing tide rapids After breakfast, we’ll cruise north to Whiterock Passage where we’ll experience a unique marine event. Using the boat’s tenders, we’ll experience a trip through the reversing tides and tidal rips of Okisollo Passage and the famous “Hole in the Wall”. We’ll throw one of our famous picnic lunches nearby and let you soak up the ambience of the area. After a satisfying day of adventure, we’ll return to the boat for a last night dinner onboard and overnight.
Day 4	Home to your nest From Whiterock Passage, we’ll head south to Taku. The Tlingit people honour the nesting sites of birds by calling them “taku” for the feeling of peacefulness and spirit of family that they represent. As you leave us for your transfer via Quadra Island to Campbell River and the return flight to Vancouver (not included), you’ll take that sense of calm and tranquility with you.

See our  pictures in our Gallery on the left or on our Facebook and Flickr pages.