The Boat is a spacious 71' ketch rigged sailboat. She is simply made, beautiful, fast and extremely seaworthy. She is a very heavy, stable boat which gives a feeling of security. We sail whenever we can, however, our focus is always the places we visit so the boat is used as a vehicle, with all the comforts of home. There is therefore no prerequisite for any experience on a sailboat. She is a wonderful coastal charter vessel. Comfort is the major reason: generous deck space and large centre cockpit which accommodates ten with sailing. Down below, she is newly-renovated and features a 14x17-foot main salon with seating for tweve. The boat's interior displays a classic reverence for natural wood. The five separate guest cabins accommodate up to ten people and all cabins close off from the rest of the yacht. There are two heads with showers and a spacious, open galley. Performance is the second major reason boats like the Ocean Light II are such favourites among experienced charterers. The boat has the pedigree and waterline to leave virtually all other charter yachts in her wake. In addition to her comfort and performance, the boat has all the extras expected of a BC coast charter boat: one 19ft hard-bottom inflatable with 50hp 4-stroke engine, six kayaks, 120 volt power, video, diesel furnace, water maker, fishing gear, and an extensive library. She is equipped with the up-to-date safety and navigation equipment including GPS, radar, electronic charts, autopilot, weatherfax, satellite phone, four Marine VHF radios and depth sounder. The boat has been carefully maintained and her gear and machinery continually updated.

The Cruises: Khutzeymateen
Khutzeymateen Valley, Canada's only grizzly bear sanctuary located north of Prince Rupert is home to more than 50 grizzlies. We were part of the fight to help save the Khutzeymateen Valley from the very beginning, donating our boat for the good of the valley and ultimately the bears. We have now been authorized by BC Parks to run grizzly bear tours here. In 2002 we were granted a ten-year operating permit. In addition to this park permit we are the first operation to be given an extensive tenure for operating on the BC Coast from the Khutzeymateen southward into the Great Bear Rainforest. We have also signed working protocol agreements with the First Nations people on the coast. Tom is the pioneer grizzly bear guide on the BC Coast with more experience in the Khutzeymateen than anyone else. In the early years Tom worked closely and in collaboration with bear biologist Wayne McCrory and bear naturalist Charlie Russell. He is the initiator of Grizzly and Great Bear Rainforest viewing programs on the coast. Tom has run more bear viewing trips and has taken and educated more people than anyone. Each May, for the past 15 years, the boat has headed north to view bears in their natural setting.

Much of the viewing is done from the shore as well as from the inflatable and the sailboat.

There are numerous opportunities to explore the home of the grizzly bear, from the dense rainforest to the lush sedge meadows and skunk cabbage bogs. We look closely at the bear wallows, the bear mark trails and the bears' day beds. Viewing the individual bears in their everyday world is a fantastic experience. It is a photographer's dream come true. We offer four-day tours of the Valley, which supports a robust ancient trilogy of grizzly bears, spawning salmon and mammoth Sitka Spruce trees. We explore the fiord and at high tide we utilize the inflatable to reach the heart of the river valley and its estuary. In four days you get a real picture of the complex ecosystem in which the grizzly thrives. The area also attracts wolves, migrating geese, ducks, seals, beavers, and otters as well as orcas and humpback whales. The watershed boasts over 100 species of birds. Uninhabited by humans, there are no roads, villages or camp sites, making this valley pure wilderness and the perfect habitat for the grizzly bear. We use the boat as a floating base, eating all our meals, sleeping and relaxing on board. Healthy, hearty food is served including seafood, fresh salads, fruit, home-made soups and fresh baked breads and goodies.

The Cruises: Great Bear Rainforest
It is our 16th year operating in the Great Bear Rainforest region of the BC Coast. This area stretches from the Skeena River southward to Rivers Inlet. Within the Great Bear Rainforest lie some of the world's last pristine coastal forests: Old growth hemlock; and cedar forests; tidewater estuaries rich with grasses, roots and berries; cascading waterfalls and sparkling streams. This area is the largest tract of intact temperate rainforest left on earth. This wilderness boasts close to eighty pristine river systems each with abundant Pacific salmon runs. The salmon in turn support the rainforest wildlife, including grizzly bears, wolves and the elusive spirit bear.

We are the originators of Spirit Bear tours into this rainforest paradise, and still offer the only professionally guided bear tours. In the past we have worked closely with bear biologist Wayne McCrory, who helped us become more knowledgeable of the area and its wildlife. We are the first operation to be given an extensive tenure for operating on the BC Coast from Khutzeymateen southward into the Great Bear Rainforest. We have also signed working protocol agreements with the First Nations people on the coast.

The entire mid Coast is currently under pressure from the logging companies. We are continually trying to show the world the importance of what we have on our BC Coast. Only through education can the area be saved. Protection is needed not only for the Spirit Bears but also for the trees, fish and other birds and animals that depend on an intact ecosystem for their survival. In conjunction with the Valhalla Wilderness Society and Raincoast Conservation Society, we are focusing our efforts in this area in the hopes that it will remain intact and pristine. 

Aboard the boat you will explore BC's spectacular coast with its inlets, rivers, waterfalls, old-growth forests and wildlife. On our six-day tour we use the boat to travel to different locations and as a floating base. Our meals are eaten on board with the exceptions of some picnic lunches while exploring the heart of the rainforest. Healthy, hearty food is served including seafood, fresh salads, fruit, home-made soups and fresh-baked breads and goodies. The boat offers very comfortable accommodation for sleeping and relaxing. We use the motorized inflatable to transfer people to shore and we have six kayaks in which you can explore on your own. The photographic opportunities are amazing. You will have access to some of the best bear viewing in the world; grizzly, black and white bears as well as spectacular humpback whale viewing and the chance to see the elusive coastal wolves. An exact itinerary is difficult, as we design our trips around the bears and travel to different locations will depend on the fish, the weather, the time of year and the group needs. However the rewards are great, as you work with us to become a part of a small percentage of people who have viewed this amazing part of the coast and this unique bear.

The Cruises: Queen Charlotte Island
The Queen Charlotte Islands, also known as Haida Gwaii, offers the greatest overall coastal journey. There is a wealth of cultural and natural history here and a chance to see wildlife and wild places at their finest. We have been sharing these magical islands with people from all parts of the world for 25 years, longer than any other operator. We have explored these islands intricately. Explore the coast by kayak, walk through towering spruce and cedar trees enveloped in moss, soak in natural hot springs, catch and barbecue salmon and halibut, visit seal and sea lion colonies, visit ancient Haida village sites with remains of poles and longhouses still standing, wander along white sand beaches and explore the intertidal zone. Join us as we watch orca, humpback whales, minke whales, dolphins and porpoises frolic in the waves, and as we sail past some of the most spectacular scenery in the world. All of this can be achieved in the spectacular Gwaii Haanas National Park (South Moresby)

We offer eight-day tours of Gwaii Haanas, and we strive to have your trip meet your personal goals, be it photography, adventure, relaxation, bird watching, art, or time with family and friends. We can take you away from the hustle of city living and transport you to a simply beautiful place where your soul will flourish.

We use our boat as vehicle to get you to a variety of different scenes, always stopping for the night in a safe, calm anchorage. The boat offers semi-private cabins and ample space both inside and out for your comfort. The majority of meals will be eaten on board with the exception of the occasional picnic lunch. Healthy, hearty food is served including seafood, fresh salads, fruit, home-made soups and fresh-baked breads and goodies.

We specialize in family tours and special interest groups, including artists and photographers, and can design a trip to meet any needs. Exploring Haida Gwaii is an experience you will cherish for years, it is perfect for those who want a holiday, want to meet new people, want to breathe clean air, examine an ancient culture and explore a new place.