The central coast of British Columbia is a land of fjords set between stupendous mountains, islands, waterfalls and great river estuaries. Home to grizzly bears, wolves and the mysterious white Spirit Bear, it has many names - the Great Bear Rainforest is most well-known.

Trip Description

Accompanied by wonderful naturalists, many of them actively researching the area, we have enjoyed spectacular trips here each year on the classic schooner Maple Leaf since we pioneered these trips in the 1990s.

Great Bear Rainforest - Rare Rainforest Fjords Harbour Wildlife

The sea winds its way around western islands and then snakes down glacier-hewn valleys at the foot of the mountains: these are the Great Bear Rainforest's fjords. Some call it "Yosemite by the sea".

On Maple Leaf you'll travel close to the fjords' granite walls, where waterfalls drop hundreds of feet to the ocean. Whales and dolphins may surface and feed beside us as we travel.

The ancient rainforest of spruce and cedar trees clings to some mountainsides and pushes out of the fertile river valleys. People have described these forests of ethereal green light as "living cathedrals". In the eighteenth century the European explorers had another word: sublime.

Where the rivers and forests meet the sea, the Great Bear's fecund estuaries form. These meadows and brackish waters are of prime importance to the area's wildlife, from bears and wolves to eagles, ravens and ducks, providing food in spring and fall and transitioning fish and nutrients between forest and sea.

Grizzly Bear, Spirit Bear and Other Wildlife Viewing

The rich river estuaries in the spring and the prolific salmon runs in the autumn support B.C.'s largest remaining populations of the mighty grizzly bear.

The area is home to an equally large population of black bears and is the sole habitat of the white Kermode Bear (or "Spirit Bear", as it is known to the native peoples of the coast).

With Maple Leaf, you'll float in a shore boat or sit in a safe place on land to watch these great mammals fish, rear cubs, munch on sedge or turn over rocks for crabs and other marine snacks.

You'll also learn the "behind the scenes" information about how the estuaries work and support the life of the Great Bear Rainforest.

In the springtime, the meadows burst with new plant life, and newly-awakened grizzly bears graze on tender new shoots.

In the Autumn, spawning channels of the rivers are covered with salmon. This spectacle creates a feeding frenzy as bears and other mammals feast on the bounty. We may hear, and, if we're lucky, see the elusive coastal wolf, which researchers recently confirmed catches salmon, too.

Eagles by the hundreds, ravens, harlequin ducks and a host of other birds join the fray. To witness these phenomena are two of the greatest experiences in nature.

People of the Great Bear Rainforest

Explore the worlds of several northwest First Nations: the Heiltsuk, Kitasoo Xai'xais, Haisla, Gitga'at and Henaaksiala. Everywhere is evidence of their civilization.

Fish traps, bark-stripped trees and longhouse remains give testimony to a way of life tuned to the rhythm of nature.

You'll visit modern villages, talk with local residents, and see the ancient art traditions still in place today.

Remote Pleasures - Hot Springs, Wild Food

The Great Bear Rainforest's ocean frequently provides succulent Dungeness crab and prawns for our table.

We often visit one of the natural, out-of-the-way hot springs that bubble up here. Anchoring in a cove or bay, you'll go ashore by zodiac or kayak and sink into the rejuvenating warm water. A far cry from commercial hot springs, these pools are usually empty but for ourselves.

A Wilderness with a Complex Future

A ten-year land use plan recently announced by the B.C. government, with stakeholders from conservation groups, First Nations, tourism, local communities, resource extraction industries, scientists and others, protects 2 million hectares of this wilderness.

Sadly, much of the rest of the area is immediately threatened by massive clear-cut logging. We feel it is critical that as many people as possible see this place and become aware of the magnitude of the potential loss of so much critical habitat and immeasurable beauty.

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