Nome to Vancouver Cruise

Day 1 - Nome, Alaska

Arrive: Mon 16 September 2024 / Depart: Mon 16 September 2024 at 17:00

Nome is located on the edge of the Bering Sea, on the southwest side of the Seward Peninsula. Unlike other towns which are named for explorers, heroes or politicians, Nome was named as a result of a 50 year-old spelling error. In the 1850's an officer on a British ship off the coast of Alaska noted on a manuscript map that a nearby prominent point was not identified. He wrote "? Name" next to the point. View less When the map was recopied, another draftsman thought that the “?” was a C and that the “a” in "Name" was an o, and thus a map-maker in the British Admiralty christened "Cape Nome." The area has an amazing history dating back 10,000 years of Inupiaq Eskimo use for subsistence living. Modern history started in 1898 when "Three Lucky Swedes”, Jafet Lindberg, Erik Lindblom and John Brynteson, discovered gold in Anvil Creek…the rush was on! In 1899 the population of Nome swelled from a handful to 28,000. Today the population is just over 3,500. Much of Nome's gold rush architecture remains.

Day 2 - St Matthew Island, Alaska

Arrive: Tue 17 September 2024 at 16:00 / Depart: Tue 17 September 2024 at 20:00

St. Matthew Island is an extremely remote island in the middle of the Bering Sea more than 200 miles from the nearest Alaska village. Even by Alaskan standards it is a lonely place. At the most southerly point of the 32 mile long island at Cape Upright the black sand and gravel beaches give way to massive sea cliffs that exceed heights of over 1000 ft. These are home to countless nesting murres kittiwakes cormorants and other sea birds.

Day 3 - St Paul Island, Alaska

Arrive: Wed 18 September 2024 at 13:00 / Depart: Wed 18 September 2024 at 18:30

The city of Saint Paul is located on a narrow peninsula on the southern tip of St. Paul Island, the largest of five islands in the Pribilof Islands. These islands are located in the middle of the Bering Sea between the United States and Russia. St. Paul lies 240 miles north of the Aleutian Islands, 300 miles west of mainland Alaska, and 750 air miles west of Anchorage. The city of St. Paul is the only residential area on the island. The first non-natives to ‘discover’ St. View less Paul were Russian fur-traders in the late 1780s, led by the navigator, Gavriil Pribylov. Today, this small city has one school (K-12), one post office, one bar, one small general store, and one church, a Russian Orthodox Church that is registered as a National Historic building. In summer, this island is teeming with wildlife, including about 500,000 northern fur seals and millions of seabirds, including Tufted Puffins.

Day 4 - At Sea

Day 5 - Kiska Harbor, Alaska

Arrive: Fri 20 September 2024 at 08:30 / Depart: Fri 20 September 2024 at 18:00

Kiska Harbor is an inlet on the east coast of the island of Kiska in the Aleutian Islands in Alaska. Kiska Harbor is bounded by North Head on the north and by South Head on the south. Little Kiska Island lies off the coast of Kiska Island immediately east of Kiska Harbor

Day 6 - Tanaga, Alaska

Day 7 - Atka Island, Alaska, USA

Arrive: Sun 22 September 2024 at 08:00 / Depart: Sun 22 September 2024 at 12:30

Atka Island is the largest island in the Andreanof Islands of the Aleutian Islands of Alaska. The island is 50 miles east of Adak Island. It is 65 miles long and 2–20 miles wide with a land area of 404.6 square miles, making it the 22nd largest island in the United States.

Day 8 - Dutch Harbor, Alaska

Arrive: Mon 23 September 2024 at 13:00

With Bald Eagles soaring overhead, emerald-green volcanic peaks chafing the clouds, and raw ocean scenery as far as the eye can see, this far-flung destination is the definition of remote and wild. Part of the outlying Aleutian Islands archipelago, which spirals out across the Bering Sea into the wilds of the Pacific, Dutch Harbor offers a dramatic backdrop and rich military history - as one of the few pieces of US soil to be directly attacked by the Japanese during World War II. The town settles into the embrace of a vast deepwater harbour, which helps to protect from the unpredictable churn of the Bering Sea. Enjoy hikes along coastal trails to birdwatch among more than 100 different species – and look on as huge clouds of cawing seabirds float on gusts of wind, filling the air with their raucous calls. Dutch Harbor is famous for its crab fishing industry – a dangerous, challenging pursuit - and the town is well known to many Americans as the setting of the television show Deadliest Catch. The Aleutian WWII Visitor Center and the Museum of the Aleutians provide extensive information on WWII in the Aleutians, prehistory, the Russian period, Unangan (Aleut) culture and recent history. A visible reminder of the Russian past is the Holy Ascension Cathedral, the oldest cruciform-style Russian Orthodox church in North America and a National Historic Landmark.

Day 9 - Dutch Harbor, Alaska

Depart: Tue 24 September 2024 at 12:30

With Bald Eagles soaring overhead, emerald-green volcanic peaks chafing the clouds, and raw ocean scenery as far as the eye can see, this far-flung destination is the definition of remote and wild. Part of the outlying Aleutian Islands archipelago, which spirals out across the Bering Sea into the wilds of the Pacific, Dutch Harbor offers a dramatic backdrop and rich military history - as one of the few pieces of US soil to be directly attacked by the Japanese during World War II. The town settles into the embrace of a vast deepwater harbour, which helps to protect from the unpredictable churn of the Bering Sea. Enjoy hikes along coastal trails to birdwatch among more than 100 different species – and look on as huge clouds of cawing seabirds float on gusts of wind, filling the air with their raucous calls. Dutch Harbor is famous for its crab fishing industry – a dangerous, challenging pursuit - and the town is well known to many Americans as the setting of the television show Deadliest Catch. The Aleutian WWII Visitor Center and the Museum of the Aleutians provide extensive information on WWII in the Aleutians, prehistory, the Russian period, Unangan (Aleut) culture and recent history. A visible reminder of the Russian past is the Holy Ascension Cathedral, the oldest cruciform-style Russian Orthodox church in North America and a National Historic Landmark.

Day 10 - Unga Spit, Alaska

Arrive: Wed 25 September 2024 at 08:00

Unga is a ghost town on the southern end of Unga Island in the Aleutian Islands. It was once a bustling town of over 100 people originally settled by Aleuts in 1833 and named Delarov, for Evstrat Delarov, the first Greek explorer and merchant to visit Alaska. In 1836 it had a name change to Ougnagok, and the post office was established in 1888. The name was changed again to Unga in 1894. Life was challenging in Unga, and the population decline gradually over time.

Day 10 - Unga Spit, Alaska

Depart: Wed 25 September 2024 at 19:30

Day 11 - At Sea

Day 12 - At Sea

Day 13 - Cruise Hubbard Glacier

Day 14 - Elfin Cove, Alaska

Arrive: Sun 29 September 2024 at 07:00 / Depart: Sun 29 September 2024 at 13:00

Elfin Cove sits snugly on the southern shore of Cross Sound, which leads in eastwards to the Inside Passage. Northwards and across the Sound from the small community lies Glacier Bay National Park and the Fairweather Mountain range. Elfin Cove is a quaint little harbor clustered with attractive timber houses built into the wooded hillsides on stilts. The population swells to about 200 during the summer months, from a rather meager 6 or so during the snowy and isolated winters. Its commercial hub consists of a Post Office, mini-Museum, a General Store, the Coho Bar and numerous sports fishing businesses. In the summer months Rufous-backed Hummingbirds visit feeders scattered around the community.

Day 14 - Cruise Point Adolphus

Day 15 - Sitka

Arrive: Mon 30 September 2024 at 12:00 / Depart: Mon 30 September 2024 at 18:00

Sitka began as a major Tlingit Indian village and was called “Shee Atika,” which translates roughly as “settlement on the outside of Shee.” “Shee” is the Tlingit name of Baranof Island. In 1799, Alexander Baranof, the general manager of the Russian American Company, decided to move his base of operations from Kodiak and set up camp at what is now called Old Sitka, 7.5 miles north of the present-day town. He called the settlement St. Archangel Michael. The Tlingit Indians of the area resisted the occupation and, in 1802, with Baranof away, burned the fort and massacred the Russian settlers. Two years later, Baranof returned and besieged the Indian fort. The Tlingits withdrew and the area was once again in Russian hands. This time, the Russians built the new city on a different site and called it New Archangel. For over six decades, New Archangel was the capital of the Russian empire in Alaska. By 1867, the Alaska colony had become too much of a financial burden to Russia. William Seward, U.S. Secretary of State, negotiated with the Russian Czar to purchase the Territory of Alaska for $7.2 million. The American press scoffed at Seward and the U.S. government for purchasing what they called “Seward's Folly,” “Seward's Icebox,” and “Walrussia.” On October 18, 1867, the Russian flag was lowered at New Archangel and the Stars and Stripes were raised over newly renamed Sitka. The name comes from the Tlingit word “Sheetkah,” which means “in this place.” All Russian citizens living in the former colony were given the opportunity to become American citizens. Many went home, although a few stayed or migrated to California. Sitka remained the capital of the Territory of Alaska from 1867 to 1906, when it was moved to Juneau. The move was a direct result of the gold rush. In plain terms, Sitka did not have any and Juneau did. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Sitka became a full-scale naval base. At one time during the war, Sitka had a total population of 37,000. With the end of World War II, however, the city settled into a quieter existence. The biggest boom in modern days for Sitka came in 1959 when the Alaska Lumber and Pulp Company built a pulp mill at Silver Bay, near the city. Today, picturesque Sitka is known for its fishing and of course its many historic attractions.

Day 16 - Behm Canal

Arrive: Tue 01 October 2024 at 10:30 / Depart: Tue 01 October 2024 at 12:00

Mountaineer John Muir (aka "Father of the National Parks”) said of Alaska “To the lover of wilderness, Alaska is one of the most wonderful countries in the world”. If you don’t believe him, then one trip along the Behm Canal will change your mind. Separating Revillagigedo Island from the Alaskan mainland, the roughly 100 miles long Behm Canal is located within the Tongass National Forest. The National Forest supports abundant wildlife, so keep your eyes on the skies for Bald Eagles, Northern Goshawks, and Marbled Murrelets, not forgetting to scan the shores for brown bears, wolves and Sitka black-tailed deer. All five species of Pacific salmon call Behm Canal home. Tongass extends over a massive 16.9 million acres and is the largest wilderness area in Alaska’s forests and the second largest forest in the nation. Originally charted in 1793 by George Vancouver, the Behm Canal is the western border of Misty Fjords National Monument. The “Mistys” take their name from the eponymous shroud of near constant mist that crown the towering mountains. Although this does not detract from it dramatic beauty: with 3 million acres of breathtaking fjords, lakes, glaciers, waterfalls and towering ancient forests with snow-capped peaks, it is unsurprising that the Misty Fjords National Monument is considered as the “Yosemite of the North.”

Day 16 - Rudyerd Bay, Misty Fjords

Day 17 - Metlakatla

Arrive: Wed 02 October 2024 at 07:30 / Depart: Wed 02 October 2024 at 12:30

Since the late 19th century, Metlakatla has been the major settlement of the Metlakatla Indian Community of the federally recognized Annette Islands Reserve, the only remaining reservation in Alaska. It is located on Annette Island, and in 2010 had 1,405 residents. Membership in the community is primarily by lineage and is comprised primarily of Tsimshian people. Metlakatla comes from a Tsimshian word meaning "Salt Water Passage". View less In 1886, William Duncan, an English tannery employee and lay member of the Church Missionary Society, along with a devoted group of Tsimshian followers, decided to leave his home village in British Colombia. Duncan went to Washington, D.C., asked the U.S. government to give his group land in Alaska. The U.S. gave them Annette Island after a Tsimshian search committee in seagoing canoes discovered its calm bay, accessible beaches and abundant fish. The group arrived in 1887 and built a settlement laid out in a grid pattern like a European town. They named the town New Metlakatla, after the town they had left behind, but later dropped the "New."

Day 18 - Cruise Inside Passage

Day 19 - Vancouver, Canada

Arrive: Fri 04 October 2024 at 08:00 / Depart: Fri 04 October 2024

Boasting mountains, sea, culture, art and so much more, many cities claim to have it all, but few can back it up like Vancouver. Famously livable, just visiting this highrise city - surrounded by staggering natural beauty - is a thrill. Offering all of the creature comforts of an ultra-modern, worldly metropolis - even downtown has a hint of mountain-freshness to its air - and part of Vancouver's appeal is how easily you can swap the skyscrapers for whale-filled oceans and mountain-punctured skies. View less Head up to the Vancouver Lookout Tower for the ultimate 360-degree views of the city glistening, amid the beautiful embrace of the beckoning wilderness beyond. But what to see first? Art lovers might choose the Vancouver Art Gallery or the Contemporary Art Gallery. Nature lovers might rush for the ferry to visit Vancouver Island - where they can encounter grizzly bears, whales and orcas. Culture vultures, on the other hand, will probably head for the sights and sounds of Canada's biggest Chinatown. From steaming dim sum for lunch to Chinese apothecaries offering herbs to soothe any illness, it’s all here thanks to the migrant workers of the 19th century. The one-of-a-kind treasure of Stanley Park brings wild wonder and natural beauty to this cosmopolitan city's doorstep, and the pine-tree clad park offers isolated trails and amazing views. Wander the Seawall that encircles it - a 20-mile coastal path, full of joggers, whizzing skaters and wandering couples. Grab a bike and cycle between Coal Harbour and Kitsilano Beach. You can top up your tan on the shore, as you soak in the glorious views of the mountains and cityscape from the sands.