"And now for something entirely different--a bunch of tropical divers get together to sample the wonders of British Columbia and Alaska, both above and below the surface! Motivated by a desire to photograph humpbacks, orcas, eagles, and even grizzly bear above the water; and wolf eels, Pacific octopus, and some of the most vibrant macro seascapes anywhere beneath the sea, Stephen Frink will lead a group aboard the 116-foot luxury expedition cruiser Nautilus Explorer. Load up your dry suits and cameras for an amazing experience, scheduled for the very heart of prime cruising season."

With these words WaterHouse Tours launched a photo tour, 900 miles from Vancouver, British Columbia to Juneau, Alaska. Given that most of our travel buddies are extremely experienced warm water divers, but novices in the cold water realm, this meant many would have to buy dry suits and get at least minimal dry suit training. Personally, I've had a couple of dry suits over the years, but they have been for specific one day photo assignments off the California coast or cage diving with great white sharks. I assumed kneeling in a cage 5 feet below the surface would ill prepare me for the variable dry suit experiences likely in the world of walls and currents in British Columbia and Alaska. So, in an effort to be fully ready for this expedition I did what any good procrastinator might do--I watched the PADI dry suit video the night before leaving home. In retrospect, don't try this at home! Proper training is definitely advised. However, armed with this minimal knowledge and a brand new neoprene dry suit from my friends at Henderson Aquatics I headed west to Vancouver, British Columbia, home port for the Nautilus Explorer. Here we would rendezvous with our group of photo and nature enthusiasts.

Unlike some of our more intense 5-dive-a-day photo expeditions in tropical climes, this tour has special appeal for non-divers as well. For example, even though my wife Barbara and daughter Alexa are both divers, neither really wanted to go through the hassle and learning curve necessary to dive these waters in dry suits. However, both were really excited to see the topside scenery and wildlife typical of this region. Several other guests were likewise motivated to just be cruising the Inside Passage, from BC to Alaska, aboard this small (as compared to a cruise ship) yacht. The intimate size of this ship makes it a perfect staging area for land excursions and kayak tours; and because the crew is accommodating by nature, we are able to keep the day's activities flexibly appealing for both divers and non-divers.

The Travel

Our point of departure is Vancouver, British Columbia. For us East Coasters that means an early morning departure and a three-hour time difference, but in the relative world of jet lag, this is a destination just around the corner. Vancouver itself is a great city, and I wish we'd have taken even one more day to explore her fascinating options. All we really had time for was a night in the hotel and some shopping before our mid-day departure; and some of our guests from the West Coast flew in just that morning. Ideally another day would have allowed an opportunity to visit the Vancouver Aquarium and learn more about the marine ecosystem in this part of the world, and no doubt better prepare for the sights of the days to come.

Day 1

The docks at Steveston Harbour are about 20 minutes from the Vancouver International Airport (about a CA $30 cab ride). Once aboard, we are shown to our staterooms and quickly stake out positions at the camera tables. The dive gear set-up is unique to this boat in that the excursions are rarely staged from the mother ship, but rather from an aluminum 38-foot dive boat equipped with a pair of outboards (to get to the site efficiently) and a single jet outboard (to safely navigate around divers in the water). Each diver has a bin for miscellaneous gear and a tank rack on the dive dinghy, so that's where we deployed all gear other than dry suits. Those go on hanging racks on the dive deck. Other notable/useful features of the stern deck include the oxygen storage for the partial pressure Nitrox blending, post-dive shower, and a dryer to keep the undergarments toasty warm and dry. The boat itself is winched up a slanted ramp between dives, kind of like a mini LSD (Landing Ship Dock).

If airline schedules permit, and the boat can get away from the dock mid-day, two dives are possible that first day at sea. In our case, it was early afternoon before all guests assembled at the dock, so a single check-out dive at nearby Anderson Bay was all we really had time to do. Actually, it was a shame this was the "check-out" dive and many of us did not bother to bring cameras, being tasked to buoyancy issues with our new dry suits instead. The water was a little turbid at the surface, but below 30 feet the visibility opened up to 50 feet or so. It was late in the day and so ambient light was a challenge, but there were excellent opportunities for observing invertebrate life (a common factor on all subsequent dives), and impressive fish life around the sponge and anemone encrusted rocks.

Actually, for a bunch of warm-water divers, just working out which gloves would keep our hands warm and how much lead would take us to the bottom were issues of sufficient consequence for this first dive.

Day 2

We cruised most of that first night and awakened in orca territory. We were told that we might see killer whales cruising these waters, and true to prediction we did. While most of the trip we were alone at sea, this was not the case with the orcas. There were several whale-watching craft in the vicinity, as well as a half-dozen kayaks getting a very close view of a group of about 8 killer whales. All the boat traffic already on location made it difficult to maneuver our 116 feet of eager photographers into the fray. So, instead we watched from a respectful and non-photographically-productive distance. Unfortunately, the timing was not right to make it a significant encounter but we are hopeful for more orcas later in the trip.

Our dive-de-jour is Stubb's Island. Stubb's is a high profile island notable for a thick stand of pines and rocky shoreline, but come to think of it, this describes most of the islands and shorelines throughout British Columbia and Alaska. However, for a boy from the tropics, the topography is simply gorgeous here.

Walt's Wall is the marquee dive at Stubb's Island. Dropping to perhaps 300 feet, this steeply sloping wall offers large metridium anemones for the wide angle shooters; and painted anemone, strawberry soft corals, and brooding anemone for those looking for attractive backgrounds to their fish photos. The macro life was impressive, with many species of nudibranch. Dropping to no more than 60 feet along this wall provided plenty of photo-ops for subjects totally alien to my tropical experience. Maybe a Northwest diver might find this tame, but we were pretty excited by the creatures typical of these temperate seas. Like TV reruns in the summer, "if you haven't seen it before it's all new to you."

Thermal Issues

The air is fresh and invigorating, averaging 70 - 80 degrees during the day (depending on whether the sun is shining), and dropping to maybe the mid-50s at night. It was overcast for the first four days of the trip, but by the time we hit Ketchikan, Alaska, the sky cleared and the temperature was in the mid-80s. I guess you'd call the water "invigorating" as well at 50 degrees, but once you work out how to dress for it, the thermal factor isn't so much of a problem. The cold no doubt dissuades a lot of divers from sampling this part of the world, but dry suit technology has come so far that really should not be an impediment. On our trip we had a representation of dry suits from DUI, Andy's, Oceanic, Diving Concepts, Mobby's, Bare, and Henderson; and an even broader cross-section of various brand of undergarments. There was even one wetsuit diver aboard, using a 7mm Farmer Jane, and she got along just fine for one dive a day. She did comment, however, that repetitive dives would likely have been too much her.

I can't speak for everyone else, but I was very comfortable in my neoprene dry suit and trilaminate undergarment, thanks to the good advice of my friend Joe Polak at Henderson. The first dive was a challenge because I tried using tropical gloves to maintain my finger dexterity for the camera, but it was just too painful. Then I tried some titanium three-finger mitts they had on the boat; and they were warm enough, but a bit clumsy for the small knobs on my strobes. Finally I settled on the Henderson dry gloves I'd brought along and found they were terrific. Another factor that was helpful was the steel 100 cubic foot tank available (at a small surcharge) aboard Nautilus Explorer. Not only is this cylinder 16-pounds negative in terms of buoyancy, it does not really get lighter over the course of a dive like an aluminum tank would. This reduced the weight I had to wear around my waist and made it much easier to maintain trim both at depth and while doing shallow water offgassing.

Because I had so little dry suit experience in the past, it took me a couple of days to get used to it. Obviously there are some significant diver safety issues relating to dry suits, and several of our guests made far more rapid ascents than they intended while working out how to dump air from the dry suit. The boat advises this trip is best suited to "advanced divers and those with dry suit experience", and even though that did not precisely describe our group, no doubt that is the ideal target market for this experience.

Day 3

We steamed through the night again to arrive at the famed Browning Wall. While the visibility was pretty grim this day, perhaps only 15 - 20 feet, the sheer density of invertebrate life cloaking this wall more than made up for it. One section of this vertical precipice was primarily white with giant plumrose anemone while another section was vibrant crimson with strawberry anemone and red encrusting sponge. The water was a virtual pea soup of nutrient, not just random detritus, but an actual living planktonic mass. This forced us to work very close in order to photograph the immense variety of sculpin, nudibranch, and hermit crab occupying the wall; and in fact some of the tight 100mm macro shots of sculpins revealed the body structure of the microscopic pulsating mass that formed the water column this day. Regrettably, our schedule only allowed one dive at Browning Pass, for this is truly a wonderland for any macro photo enthusiast.

Dillon Rock is another cold water icon of the Port Hardy region, and one of those sites I'd heard about often in dive media. The hot shots from this dive were the Pacific octopus and everyone's favorite, the wolf eel. We were advised that the wolf eel generally lives in about 55 - 65 feet of water, and occupies rocky crevices near the bottom. According to the Coastal Fish Identification, California to Alaska by Paul Humann: "Inhabit dens in crevices, caves and other recesses in rocky, boulder-strewn areas. Mating couples occupy the same den, apparently staying together for life. Females lay large egg masses in den which couple protects until hatching. Generally appear to be unafraid (of divers), but will retreat into den when closely approached or molested. Can be 'trained' to be hand-fed by divers." Ours did not come out expecting a handout, although no doubt they are handfed on a site as popular as Dillon Rock. Still, they were quite approachable.

Unfortunately, the visibility was very bad this day "by Caribbean standards," maybe 15 feet. Of course that equates to 40 feet "by Canadian standards" for I've discovered they gauge visibility in terms of barely discernible detail at distance, whereas divers from typically clear waters have a criteria more skewed toward the 100-foot vis end of the scale. That kind of visibility is not likely to happen in these waters, but then the creatures we are seeing on each dive are reward for immersing ourselves in this new, more photographically challenging, environment. I find I'm shooting a lot more fish portraits and macro compositions with 50mm and 100mm macro lenses than wide angle images as a result. Not that the wide angle vistas are not stunning, but the open water has been a bit turbid.

While some groups in the past have reported 5 - 7 wolf eel sightings on this single dive, our group sees only 2. The poor water clarity still translates to nice images however because the rocky backgrounds are visually confusing enough to mask the backscatter far more than an open water background would. A Pacific octopus is spotted as well, although I missed that one this dive. There were lots of China rockfish and ling cod as well, but of course those seem common just about everywhere.

Later this day we landed at Alert Bay to visit a museum dedicated to First Nation culture and history. The First Nation is the indigenous Indian population in this region, and like native groups everywhere had issues relating to the European explorers and settlers. They are trying hard to retain a cultural identity, and to that end, have revisited many of the dances of their ancestors. Our group was invited to the Big House for a fascinating ceremony of these native dances. Also on the agenda this night was a political rally, with Greenpeace representatives from the "Arctic Sunrise" vessel on hand to lend support in the movement against fish farms in their waters. Fish farms of course impact the traditional salmon fishery that so many in Alert Bay depend on for sustenance, and there are significant ecological issues as well. A big protest was being planned for the next day, but by then we were on to our next dives. Good luck to them in what will undoubtedly be a difficult challenge.

Standing on the dock waiting to get picked up after the land tour we happened to look down at the pilings cloaked with large plumrose anemone, and we collectively had the inspiration this would have been an awesome pier dive. The water was very clear, the growth prolific, and no doubt the photo opportunities significant. We didn't have time right then, but the pier at Alert Bay might be something to put on wish-list for a future trip to this part of the world.

A Note on Water Clarity

Visibility in this part of the world can't be gauged with the same expectation of clarity as Caribbean or tropical Pacific waters. But even so, this summer is unusually warm. There is a bit of a drought and wild fires rage in parts of Alaska. The plankton bloom is more extensive, and goes deeper, than normal. For us, this means less average visibility on all sites, and it also means we have had fewer humpback sightings. The warm water apparently moved some of the whale population to the open Pacific rather than the Inside Passage. Never having cruised these waters I had nothing to compare with, but apparently humpback encounters are typically much more plentiful. The ones we had were terrific, in particular one whale totally oblivious to us while bubble feeding. But Mother Nature has apparently chosen this summer to heat things up, and some of the normal expectations of this cruise have altered as a result.

Day 4

At Hakai Pass we had another day of marginal visibility well suited to macro images of warbonnet, sculpin, blenny, nudibranch, and anemone detail. I did find another wolf eel, which I took to be a juvenile because it wasn't nearly so old and wrinkled-looking like the one I shot the day before. But in the fish ID books I see it is a female instead. The juveniles have an entirely different coloration, more dark with orange spots rather than the mottled light gray coloration of the adults. The female, then, is the one of smoother visage and more delicate feature.

After a couple of critter dives here we went off for a land excursion at Namu, an abandoned salmon cannery. Here we found 198 acres, waterfront views, houses in various states of disrepair, and a large (albeit decrepit) industrial complex; all for sale for just $1.2 million US dollars. When you consider you can't buy a decent waterfront house of 2500 square feet in my hometown of Key Largo for $1.2 million dollars anymore, this seemed like a great deal. Of course, I'd have to get a sat phone and a Fed Ex float-plane just to get along in my life, but it is a pretty appealing alternative to the cheek-by-jowl living most of us do back in the Lower 48.

Remembering the missed opportunity on the pier at Alert Bay, several of our divers tried a night dive on the pier at Namu. Unfortunately the visibility was horrendous, and any simple movement stirred a cloud of silt. Apparently there were literally thousands of shrimp along the bottom, but the turbid water chased our shooters back to the boat after about 10 minutes of futile effort.

Day 5

After an all night steam we arrived at Butedale in the early morning. Butedale was also a cannery, back when salmon was more plentiful and profitable. Now boaters can still get a room, shower, and fuel, and there is a nice hike up to a large lake that spills over into a cascading stream and waterfall. For the most part Butedale too is falling into disrepair; but unlike Namu, the pier dive here is quite productive. Excellent actually. I found plenty of nudibranch and other macro critters in just 17 feet of water beneath the boat, and even had my first shot at a Pacific octopus. This particular one was small, only 18 inches from arm-tip-to-arm-tip. But since I was shooting a 100mm lens at the time, I couldn't fit the whole creature in the frame anyway. Actually, as the second dive this day was pretty weak, I wish we'd have spent more time under the pier.

Be prepared to spend a lot of time steaming on this trip. The Inside Passage is normally slick calm, or at worst, a one foot wind chop. Plus, the Nautilus Explorer is quite stable, so even those prone to seasickness should have no difficulties on this trip. There is one small open ocean crossing just prior to entering Alaskan waters, but for the most part this is very serene cruising. However, the distances covered are vast and the dives are planned to hit the sites at slack tide. So, rarely will there be more than 2 dives a day and they may be spaced several hours apart. For a hard-core-dive-at-any-cost scuba enthusiast, the relaxed pace of this trip might prove frustrating. For me, the combination of the dive attractions, topside scenery, and camaraderie filled the days and nights quite nicely. As I looked around the salon during cruise-time I saw lots of reading, digital downloading, and just plain relaxation. This is a holiday after all, so maybe kicking back a little more than the usual live-aboard is not a bad thing.

Day 6

Our target this morning is to arrive in Ketchikan, Alaska by 8:00 a.m. to meet our appointment with U.S. customs and immigration. Since there are three gigantic cruise ships in port this morning, we can't risk being late and lost in the paperwork shuffle of the masses. I realize that there are many who find cruising a perfect holiday, but I couldn't help but feel a sense of privilege as I saw our little (comparatively speaking) boat at the dock next to the massive ships from Celebrity and Norwegian Cruise Lines. The town is predictably optimized for cruise-shippers as well, with T-shirt shops and curio vendors on most every corner downtown. For the most part they are tasteful shops actually, and our group was happy to join the throng in search of the perfect souvenir. After several days of overcast conditions, the sun is gloriously ablaze this day, and will remain so for the rest of the trip.

I left our family shopping to Barb and Lexy and hiked up to the Deer Mountain Tribal Hatchery and Eagle Center. There, for an $8.00 entrance fee, I got to enjoy a relatively near view of a pair of eagles. One had been shot and rehabilitated, the other nearly electrocuted on a high power line. At any rate, neither could fly again and so they were contained in an aviary representative of how they might appear in the wild. With a 400mm lens this was a reasonable photo-op, and provided a close-up glimpse of the eagles we were unable to get close to while out in the wild. We actually saw dozens of bald eagles while out cruising, but it would have taken an 800mm lens, a stable platform, and a pretty stealthy approach to get close. I've heard stories where bald eagles are as plentiful as pigeons in Alaska, and somewhere that may be true, but on our trip they certainly kept their distance from the boat.

The Nautilus Explorer took on fuel and water here, so we had about 4 hours in port. There are all variety of tours that can be booked from vendors at the dock, from Hummer H2 drive-abouts to horse drawn carriages to amphibious duck vehicles able to traverse both land and sea. There were also float planes for flightseeing tours, and in retrospect, this is one I wish I would have done.

By late afternoon we arrived at Myer's Chuck. This is a small village (resident population 12) which swells to several dozen in the summer time when fishermen and boaters descend. For us, it is a chance to do some kayaking, hiking around the village (mostly scattered cabins connected by a path), and to stage an intensely competitive rock-skipping marathon. It was also a chance to grab two very good dives at a nearby rock pinnacle.

The shallows were draped in kelp and cloaked in pastel anemone, cloaked to the extent that virtually no exposed rock surface remained. Unfortunately, like so many of our dives, the visibility was marginal in the shallows, and better below about 40 feet. Here the invertebrate encrustation was less, but there were plenty of fascinating creatures. The first thing I saw at depth was a rock sole, looking like some oversized cross between a flounder and a skate. Puget Sound king crabs were reasonably plentiful, and Red Irish Lord were common as well. We did two dives here, the second one splashing at 8:30 p.m. However, since it doesn't get dark until midnight this far north at this time of year, it might as well have been mid-afternoon down below.

Day 7

Our morning dive is a wonderful macro opportunity at Wooden Island. People talk about the macro photography at Cannibal Rock in the Komodo Islands, or Milne Bay in Papua New Guinea, or even the obscure critters in Indonesia, but the reality is I have never seen a greater proliferation or concentration of macro creatures anywhere in tropical waters. Every millimeter of rock face was covered here by bizarre anemone, sponge, and filter feeders of all description. Amid this pulsating carpet of vibrant hue we found a huge variety of nudibranch, sculpin, barnacle, and crustacean. It would take me several hours at the fish ID book just to realize what I'd seen on this dive, so I remain content to know it was colorful and beautiful. Regrettably, we only get one dive here at slack tide, for this is surely worth a repeat!

We motored on to Yasha Island to dive with the resident population of stellar sea lions. The topsiders aboard were able to kayak near the shore and get up-close-and-personal with this large colony of sea lions, while we divers dropped to the kelp covered bottom at 18 feet and waited for the sea lions to buzz us. Actually, the dive briefing led us to believe it might be kind of a rowdy encounter, and in fact the charter group from the previous week were pretty well chased out of the water by the rambunctious sea lions. But, that week they had far better visibility, and in the green murk of our dive, the sea lions stayed at the edge of visibility and did not venture to that 6-inches-from-the-dome kind of distance required to make a photo happen in these conditions.

Not only did we not get chased out of the water, it was a pretty uneventful dive. But once we gave up on the underwater view, we were able to take the skiff near enough to get some lovely topside images. The visual record of this scene was compelling, but you'd really need "scratch and sniff" slides to get the true olfactory component of a stellar sea lion colony.

This evening presented our very best humpback encounter as well. With the sun setting behind the tree line we saw a single whale bubble feeding. There was no wind really, so the captain could take the boat out of gear and just drift. Fortunately our drift coincided with the whale's path and we were rewarded with some very near encounters with the whale gulping plankton to strain through its baleen, and then repeatedly presenting its tail while making shallow dives. We'd entered dusk the time the real action happened, so we did not have that magic golden light illuminating the water droplets falling off the tailfin. But still, to see a giant whale so close, with the stunning Alaskan coastline in the background was reason enough to have made this trip.

Day 8

There is no diving this day, but we are well occupied with a visit to a glacier field at Tracey Arm. Cruising amid the bergie bits (baby bear ice), growlers (mama bear ice), and icebergs (papa bear ice) was incredibly scenic. But to be close to enough to calving icebergs to hear the thunder and feel the wake was quite a thrill. Later we motored into an iceflow dotted with harbor seals resting on the icebergs. That was the best photo opportunity from Tracey Arm, but not necessarily the greatest adventure. That was reserved for our kayak excursion.

Several of us went for kayak tours in the channels among the growlers and bergie bits, and while I had resisted the urge to give the kayaks a try all week, this was too appealing to ignore. So, I donned a life jacket, put my camera in a waterproof case, and headed out. The view was much different from water level, and the quiet was magic. The only sounds were the calving icebergs farther up the fiord and the splash of my paddle. I tooled around for a half hour or so, mostly looking for a harbor seal on an iceberg that might tolerate a quasi-stealth approach by a quasi-clumsy kayaker. By the time I decided I should return to the mother ship, she was maybe 150 yards away. No big deal really, EXCEPT, the calving icebergs spawned bergie bits and growlers that were now compressing all around me in the drifting current. Several of us were still out in kayaks, and that 150 yards suddenly appeared mighty far away for us all as we struggled and maneuvered to find any little path of open water to paddle through. From the vantage of those high above on the boat there was no doubt an easy solution to this maze, but from water level it was a series of dead-ends and frustration trying to find a convoluted route back to the boat. With visions of Shackleford's icebound expedition in my head, I could see how mistakes are made in this country and people get hurt. But, I survived, with no more than some momentary anxiety and greater respect for the power of moving ice.

Day 9

The trip is nearly done and we are close to our point of departure, Juneau, Alaska. En route to our morning dive we enjoyed an exciting diversion as a pod of orcas intersected our path. The light was much better, and the encounter much closer than the one earlier in the trip, but still their agenda obviously did not coincide with ours for the stayed at quite a distance.

The plan this morning is to dive the wreck of Princess Sophia, a coastal steamer run aground on a spit of rock in a fierce gale in 1918. She sat high and not-so-dry for over 40 hours as the 70 knot winds raged and the seas built to such an extent that rescue ships could not save the 300+ humans and 40 horses on board. This was the worst maritime disaster in Alaskan history, now translating into an interesting wreck cloaked with large metridium. Apparently the fishing community is alive and well in Alaska, for this was not particularly rich with marine life. However, the visibility was reasonable below the glacial silt on the surface, and with much of the wreck in the 100 foot depth range, it is easily accessible to sport divers. Given the historical significance of the wreck, and the reasonable dive profile, the Princess Sophia is one of the better dives around Juneau and is generally dived twice on this day of the charter. However, with many of us booked for early flights the next day, we took a pass on the second dive to go look for whales again instead.

The afternoon was mostly devoted to drying and packing dive gear, putting underwater cameras away, and all the trivial and time-consuming tasks to prepare oneself for going home. However, we were glad to be interrupted with whale sightings a couple of times. There were already whale watching boats on location, which made it difficult to maneuver around the whales. Clearly whales and orcas encountered out in the marine wilderness are a more productive photo op than those found in proximity to a population center.

We also cruised for hours looking for the bears that had mostly eluded us this trip. No luck at all, but later that evening we find from local photographers that the same salmon stream we visited near Juneau had four grizzlies on the banks just a week previous. It is Mother Nature after all, and her schedule may not always be the same as our.

Epilog

We did the red-eye home from Seattle and I'm now sweltering in the 90 degree heat of Key Largo, looking at palm trees rather than pines. Before this expedition fades into memory I need to transcribe what a magic experience it was. Clearly (or not so clearly actually) we did not have the best visibility ever in that part of the world, but the underwater scenery was rich and varied, certainly far different than that which I am used to seeing in tropical seas. Mike Lever and the Nautilus Explorer run a safe, professional, and customer-oriented cruise, one I'm pleased to recommend to anyone.

They say on their web site that the ideal client is an advanced diver with dry suit experience, and I concur for the most part. I think an advanced diver can gain the necessary dry suit experience in the course of this trip, but certainly there will be a few dives where you want to have your wits about you. One of their marquee dives we skipped entirely. The Transpac sits along a vertical wall with her bow at 120-feet and her stern far deeper than I want to go on air or Nitrox. While this wasn't the right dive for our group, Mike has divers who book the Alaska itinerary only for a chance to dive this wreck. These are tech divers usually, and the Nautilus Explorer is well suited to providing surface support for rebreather and deep junkies.

Next year the Nautilus Explorer ventures into warmer climes with a winter itinerary in the Sea of Cortez, some expeditions to the Socorro Islands, and even a couple of weeks with the white sharks of Guadalupe. As for me, I'm keeping that dry suit handy and looking for some further cold water adventures. This one was extraordinary, and I'll be back again for sure in prime season to sample the best of underwater British Columbia. We even picked the date and booked the boat. September 11, 2006. I can't wait.

Related links: www.waterhousetours.com, www.nautilusexplorer.com

Photo Gallery

Trip Prep for Nautilus Explorer

The Nautilus is moored in Vancouver, British Columbia. The docks at Steveston are a 20 minute taxi ride from Vancouver International Airport. For more details, see www.nautilusexplorer.com

The Boat

• 116' long, 27' wide
• Cruise speed 11 - 12.8 knots
• 5/16th steel hull and main deck
• SOLAS certified for seaworthiness and safety
• 7,000-gallon fresh water capacity / 1,800 gallons-per-day water maker: Shower as often as you like.
• Twin 70 KW generators for precise 110 voltage and frequency control for computers and battery charging
• Air-conditioning and heating throughout
• Staterooms have side-by-side beds, private heads with showers and central AC. Lower deck cabins have individual portholes and executive suites have large windows and outside doorways. 9 staterooms are below decks, and the two suites are on the upper deck.
• Dive "dinghy" is a 38-foot aluminum dive boat with tank racks and below seat storage
• Nitrox available
• Dryer for fleece undergarments
• Hot tub
• Sea kayaks

Nautilus Explorer Q & A:

What Should I bring? A sense of humor as well casual clothing for both life onboard and shore expeditions (we hate to say it, but rain gear is a good idea), binoculars and a camera. We strive to create a very relaxing atmosphere onboard, free of the irritants of every day life. You are welcome to bring your favorite CDs (for quiet enjoyment during meals, evening & sunny afternoons). However, please leave your videos and boom boxes at home. Evening entertainment may include slide shows, beach bonfires & limited video showings. Relax. Have a great time. We hope that you will forget all about "real life".

Can I bring my own alcohol? For liability reasons, we would prefer that you purchase alcohol from the ship's bar. While we won't stop you from bringing your own beer and wine, you may have to sign an additional waiver.

Will I be cold? No, not if you wear a dry suit (rental suits are available). We do have argon onboard as well as "special" 3-fingered titanium gloves that are exceptionally comfortable. There is a hot shower on the dive deck and in all the cabins. There is also a hot tub to soak in after the day's diving. The Nautilus was custom designed and built for cruising in British Columbia and is very comfortable in all weather conditions.

What kind of water temp and surface weather can I expect in British Columbia? Water temperatures will likely range from 47 to 49 degrees. Late May, June, July, August and September are peak season for diving British Columbia and Alaska with the best weather of the year. Surface conditions are usually calm and air temperatures range from 18 to 25 degrees Celsius (64 - 77 degrees F). Be warned that it can rain anytime on the BC coast. Water will be colder in Alaskan waters. http://www.nodc.noaa.gov/dsdt/cwtg/alaska.html claims 52-degree water in Juneau in July, but I'd still expect water temperatures in the mid-to-upper 40s. Bring sturdy hiking boots, preferably water resistant, and warm socks.

What kind of visibility can I expect? 40' - 100' except during the odd plankton blooms. The beauty of a live-aboard is that we will move around to stay in "pockets" of good vis. Some of our dive sites have excellent vis year round. Visibility from the surface to 60 fsw may be murky during plankton blooms with 10' of vis but virtually unlimited below the bloom.

Will I get seasick? Not very likely. Trips along the sheltered seas of the Inside Passage of British Columbia are usually in calm and protected waters. There may occasionally be some motion for short periods of time but the heavy stabilized steel hull of the Nautilus makes for a comfortable ride. Guests are often surprised that there is virtually no motion on the vessel for days at a time.

Will I feel crowded or that I have no personal space? No. The vessel was designed with the dining room separate from the lounge as well as a large dive deck and 2 separate sun decks. Clients often comment on just how much space there is for everybody. There is always a corner or deck chair available as a quiet place and we leave the stereo off during the day to enhance that quiet time. Of course, you are also welcome to take a kayak off for your own private expedition or shore walk.

What kind of tanks do you supply? Aluminum 80's. Guests are welcome to bring their own tanks as long as they have a current VIP and hydro. See "Terms and Conditions" for restrictions. 100 cu. ft. 3180 psi steel tanks (DIN or regular tank valves) are available for rent--and 16 pounds more negative than aluminum 80!

Will I be restricted in my diving? Only by common sense. A lot of experienced divers enjoy coming out with us because we are happy to "turn them loose" as long as they take responsibility for their own actions. We do require that divers do a 5 minute "safety" stop on every dive and arrive at 20 fsw with a minimum of 500 psi in their main tank. Dive times are usually 50 - 60 minutes from the time the skiff arrives on site. You can expect 3 feature dives on every dive day of our Port Hardy charters. Expeditions that range further afield may have less diving because there will be so many other activities onboard -- spending a morning kayaking and snorkeling with humpback whales tends to knock the stuffing out of a dive schedule!

Can we bring along less experienced divers? B.C. diving is way cool, infinitely challenging, extremely beautiful and very rewarding. However, it may not be suitable for less experienced divers or those with poor physical conditioning or dive skills. Divers will be required to be capable of swimming 50 - 100' on the surface (in a no wind or current situation). Please email us if you have any concerns.

Is divemastering available? Absolutely. We will also provide you with a detailed briefing before every dive. In fact, we are famous for our briefings. What is the largest group you will take? We have 2 executive suites and 9 staterooms onboard which makes for really comfortable accommodation for 22 guests based on double occupancy. 2 dorm berths are also available and located adjacent to the crew's quarters. Our Coast Guard certificate is for 25 passengers. You do have the option of booking a third guest into the staterooms. Guest often comment that our 38' skiff is the least crowded, fasted, most diver friendly boat they have ever used. During your dive, you may see other divers in the water but, because of the size of the sites combined with the current, you definitely won't feel crowded.

Does every stateroom really have private facilities? Yes with a head, shower, porthole or window as well as "real" beds side by side, shelf unit, excellent ventilation and air conditioning.

Do you allow fishing? You are welcome to take one of our small fishing skiffs or kayak out fishing for salmon or halibut in season. Our rock-fish population is under immense pressure and consequently, we will not allow "jigging" in rockpiles or along reef structure.

Can we kayak with dolphins and whales? YES! We have had some fantastic interaction between humpback whales and kayakers as well as snorkelers and dolphins. Pacific whitesided dolphins are year round residents but most commonly found in August and September which is the best time of year to get in the water with them. We also see orcas year round but you cannot get in the water with them.

What's Included - You get cozy staterooms with side-by-side beds, private heads with showers, and central air conditioning that delivers three air changes every hour. Lower deck cabins have their own portholes, while the larger hot tub deck executive suites have their own big windows and outside doors so you can always tune in to nature's never-ending show. Your meals feature 4-star cuisine and our guests are pretty unanimous in raving about the food we serve. Your meals, snacks, pop and non-alcoholic beverages are all included in the cost of your trip. Also included on all trips at no extra charge are:

• Diving, aluminum tanks, weight belts,
• Use of sea kayaks and Laser sailboat
• Onboard naturalist, marine ID classes, specimen collecting, kayak and sailing lessons, intertidal walks, and shore hikes
• In-water divemastering with local experts
• Use of small aluminum skiffs, fishing gear and limited tackle

(Bar charges, gift shop purchases, dry suit rentals and crew gratuities are not included)

Optional Services You can also take advantage of the following optional services at the stated costs:

• Seamless airport transfers to and from the vessel USD 55 both ways
• Pre and post shore excursions, flightseeing and hotel reservations
• 32% Nitrox fills: USD 80 per week
• Drysuit rentals: USD 120 per week
• Steel tank rental: USD 32 per week
• Camera rentals: USD 12 - 15 per dive
• Photo processing: USD 10 per roll

The Diving - You'll have the opportunity to do 2 to 3 dives a day. Tides in this part of the world can average 12 feet, so there could be some hellacious currents, but the boat tries to dive the sites at slack tide. This may create an upper limit on the time that can be spent on any given site, but typically 50 minutes to an hour in cold water is going to be plenty on any of the sites.

Hopefully you will have done some dry suit training prior to this trip. Here's what the boat's brochure has to say. "Diving in Alaska is unique, with current, sheer walls and challenging conditions. Visibility ranges from 10 - 100 feet. Water temperatures from 46 - 50 degrees. Our Alaska trips are best suited for experienced divers who are in good physical condition and are comfortable diving in current and "cooler" water. Drysuit training is recommended and rental dry suits are available with advanced notice."

The Topside - There are ample opportunities to admire the topside attractions of BC and Alaska. Wildlife will likely include black bears and grizzlies, orcas, sea lions, dolphin, and humpback whales breaching and feeding. Apparently eagles are so common they are hardly even mentioned after the first few days at sea, and beachcombing and exploring the intertidal range can be a daily happening. We may even see the Northern Lights as late July and early August are traditionally the best times to see them. The days are long this time of year this far north, so there will be plenty of photo opportunities topside, even after a few dives are logged each day.

The Photography - The wealth of filter feeders and invertebrate life, combined with the marginal visibility at times will make this an ideal fish and macro imaging opportunity. Of course you should be prepared for wide angle as well, but recognize that the water will be green rather than blue and will not transit as much ambient light as you may be used to in the clear waters, nutrient-free waters of the Caribbean and tropical Pacific. Slower shutter speeds may be advisable to open up the backgrounds in wide-angle shots, but of course specific techniques will depend on currents and other local conditions. Digital photography will have the benefit of instant analysis, but film shooter can enjoy onboard E-6 film processing to gauge progress.

Underwater shooters will ideally be covered with 60 and 105mm macro lenses, a wide zoom like a 12-24 (Nikkor digital) or something in the 17-40 range for full frame sensors (film or digital). This might also be a good opportunity for greater than life-size magnification for nudibranchs and other small creatures.

For topside, the stunning landscapes suggests a wide angle zoom, again something like a 17-35, but the opportunity to photograph eagles, humpbacks, orcas, bears, and sea lions will mean a long telephoto will be useful as well. Either a fixed focal length in the 300mm range, or a Nikkor 80-400 VR, or similar Canon 100-400 IS lens, will no doubt be a handy addition to your onboard arsenal. A teleconverter or even longer lens and a monopod is advisable for those frame-filling whale tales. A topside strobe for fill light in what will certainly be at least occasionally overcast conditions is a good idea as well.