Great Bear Rainforest in Spring - See Canada’s Coastal Rainforest Come Alive

Day 1: Board your ship and enter the Great Bear Rainforest, British Columbia, orientation, cruise into Fjordland, viewing spectacular mountains and waterfalls. Rainforest walk.

Day 2: Visit great Fjordland river estuaries, wildflower meadows, and bear habitat. Possible bear viewing.

Day 3: Visit the First Nations community of Klemtu, including a guided tour and conversations at the big house, as well as examples of First Nations artistry, culture, and architecture.

Day 4: Mainland inlet, bear viewing, rainforest walk, waterfalls, inside passage cruising, hot springs visit.

Day 5: Visit the coastal community, sail down whale channel, and view marine mammals, including whales and sea lions. Visit remote whale research station and speak with scientists. Cruise to west coast beach and explore.

Day 6: Sailing the outer coast, exploring remote islands. Intertidal life, whales, seabirds, beaches.

Day 7: Exploring north coast wolf habitat, cruising from outer coast to inner coast, rainforest walk.

Day 8: Cruising to Kitimat, wildlife viewing.

Itineraries are subject to change. 

Vessel Type: Schooner

Length: 92f / 28m

Passenger Capacity: 8

Maple Leaf is a 92-foot wooden schooner built in 1904, designed for intimate coastal exploration with a maximum of eight guests. She offers a deeply personal, human-scale experience that prioritises direct engagement with the natural world, accessing remote coastlines, rivers and anchorages unreachable by larger ships. Accommodation is simple but warm: four semi-private sleeping areas, shared washrooms, and communal spaces centred on conversation, observation and shared meals prepared onboard. Stability under sail, long range, and a highly experienced crew make her exceptionally capable despite her modest size.

Constructed from Douglas fir, yellow cedar and mahogany, Maple Leaf blends working-vessel toughness with Edwardian craftsmanship and modern functionality. Life on board revolves around open decks, zodiac landings, kayaking, wildlife observation and, for those inclined, hands-on sailing under crew guidance. Her long history — from luxury yacht to high-performing halibut fishing vessel to pioneering expedition ship — gives the experience a sense of continuity and authenticity. Travel aboard Maple Leaf is immersive, physically engaging, and deliberately unpolished, favouring depth, access and presence over luxury conventions.

Vessel Type: Converted Tug

Passenger Capacity: 12

Length: 88 feet / 26.8 meters

Swell is an 88-foot converted coastal tug refitted to deliver a warm, character-rich expedition experience. Her solid timber construction, classic lines and thoughtful interior upgrades create an atmosphere of authenticity paired with comfort. With just 12 guests across six private cabins, the ship offers an intimate environment supported by a small, expert crew. Spaces such as the wood-panelled salon, panoramic wheelhouse, covered aft deck lounges, and upper-deck viewing areas provide calm, inviting places to relax between shore excursions. Daily life revolves around well-crafted meals from the galley, quiet moments in the hot tub, wildlife watching from the bow and easy access to the coastline via Zodiacs and kayaks.

Her compact size and rugged build allow her to reach locations inaccessible to larger vessels, giving guests close contact with coastal ecosystems, remote anchorages and wildlife-rich shorelines. Purpose-designed expedition tools—including two rigid-hull inflatables, four clear-bottom kayaks, fishing gear and a hydrophone—support a wide range of activities. Cabins vary from generous suites to efficient, well-designed smaller rooms, all with private ensuites and exterior doors for direct connection to the outdoors. The result is a boutique expedition platform that blends maritime heritage with practical comfort, delivering a human-scale, highly immersive coastal cruising experience.