Alaska Cruise: Petersburg to Juneau

Itinerary

Day 1: Petersburg / Embarkation / Frederick Sound / Thomas Bay

Docked in the South Harbor near downtown Petersburg, the ship departs at 12:30 pm, heading north out Wrangell Narrows and into Frederick Sound. Enjoy a buffet lunch, orientation and safety meeting. Cruise for about a two and a half hours before reaching your destination. Your first night will be spent anchored at Scenery Cove in Thomas Bay. Tides permitting, a boat ride and hike will provide a unique opportunity to explore Baird Glacier's cobbled outwash plain and touch the glacier's icy foot. Spend the evening kayaking – the doubles are very stable for beginners and the singles allow the expert to exercise his or her skills.

Day 2: The Brothers, Frederick Sound

Depart in the early morning hours to cruise back into Frederick Sound bound for The Brothers, a group of small islands positioned in the middle of Frederick Sound. Along the way be on the alert for Humpback or Orca whale sightings. This is one of the prime summer feeding grounds for the migratory Humpback and it is rare to not encounter a pod. The guides may shut down the engine and just drift, watching them feeding or breaching and listening to their songs with the hydrophone. The ship will drop the hook in an idyllic anchorage where the sounds of breathing whales, Stellar Sea Lions hauled out close by, or the screech of an eagle, comes drifting across the evening calm. Explore a temperate rainforest, test your kayak skills and enjoy a sunset BBQ dinner and campfire.

Day 3: Frederick Sound / Admiralty Island

This is a day for kayaking around the islands, hiking through the open under story of the rain forest, or fishing for halibut for your evening’s meal. There is a Stellar Sea Lion haul-out close by where hundreds of the vocal fellows and felines spend their days. If the Humpbacks are out your front door, you may spend some time shadowing their movements. By mid-day you head for Pybus Bay on Admiralty Island and the Kootznoowoo Wilderness. Nearly 100 miles long, Admiralty is one of North America's largest protected old growth rainforests, and is home to one of the world's densest populations of brown bears and bald eagles. Here explore the estuarine river and its spawning salmon runs.

Day 4: Endicott Arm

Underway in the early morning hours you travel up Stephens Passage across Wood Spit and into Endicott Arm. It is twenty seven miles up the Arm to the face of Dawes Glacier where you’ll linger for awhile to witness the calving and booming of the burgs. Then make your way to a seldom visited anchorage called Ford's Terror to enjoy the late light of Alaska's summer, from the perspective of a kayak.

Day 5: Ford's Terror

At Ford's Terror, surrounded by 5,000 foot granite faces, explore by foot and kayak. Kayak through the tidal rapids and paddle into the majestic inner fjord.

Day 6: Holkolm Bay / Wood Spit

After a morning or hike ashore, sail North out of Endicott Arm into Holkolm Bay to drop anchor near Wood Spit. A wonderful place to explore the beach or fish for halibut, this anchorage provides a spectacular panorama of glaciers and sunsets and fascinating geology, Tlingit culture, and gold rush history. Tonight, celebrate your experiences together at the Captain's Ball.

Day 7: Stephens Passage / Juneau / Disembarkation

A relaxing morning, time for one more kayak before the boats get stowed. Underway, enjoy a delicious brunch as you head north through Stephens Passage. Reach Alaska's state capital, Juneau, around noon, time enough to catch the afternoon flight to Seattle or get settled into your room in town.