2011 Inside Passage

I am in the very beginning stages of planning for the Inside Passage in 2011.  For this expedition, I will be looking for several travel partners, preferably artists (photographers, videographers, writers, painters, poets, musicians, etc.) to join me for either all of the trip or for several of the legs.  I plan on deviating from my just completed trip, solo 1700 mile expedition up the inside passage by taking the outside route for the first leg.  This will be a challenging environment, but also offering some of the most spectacular scenery and islands of the entire trip. 

I envision the legs being broken into 4 components of relatively equal length:

• Olympia to Port Hardy, via the outside of Vancouver Island - Difficulty Rating: DIFFICULT
• Port Hardy to Ketchikan via the traditional Inside Passage Route - Difficulty Rating: Moderate
• Ketchikan to Glacier Bay via the traditional Inside Passage Route - Difficulty Rating: Moderate
• Circumnavigation of Glacier Bay - Difficulty Rating: Easy
• Optional Exit - Exit via Sitka and the Hot springs - Weather permitting, Difficulty Rating: Moderate

I am looking for individuals that will mesh well together as a group, envisioning no more than 4 paddlers on each leg.  If you have always wanted to do an  Expedition trip, but felt it was over your head, or beyond your skill, this is a great opportunity to paddle one of the most amazing water passages in the world.  Widely recognized as the premier long distance kayak trip in North America, this will be the trip of a lifetime. You may sign up for either individual legs, some combination of legs, or the entire trip.

This will be a guided trip in that we will define the route and schedule.  We will provide consulting services to each participant in order to aid in their gear selection and food and meal planning.  Each participant will however be responsible for their own gear, food, and safety.  Since will be travelling with up to 4 participants, where applicable we will work to share gear, especially with regards to the kitchen and bulk food items. 

The pace of the trip will first and foremost be based on Safety.  After that we will strive for a 3 miles per hour pace (with fully loaded boat).  This translates to approximately 15-20 miles a day.  The first leg will likely average slightly less than this, more likely in the 12-15 miles per day.  In the end weather and water conditions will define our pace and duration on a daily basis.  A typical schedule would be 5-6 days of paddling with a day of rest on the 7th.  However, the group will be free to decide when/where/and for how long rest days should occur.

If you are interested  in joining our mailing list regarding details as they are refined, please drop us an email and we will get back to you right away. 

Cost: There is NO COST for this trip

Dates: Starting approximately April 1, 2011 Each leg is approximately 1 month long averaging around 300 miles per leg.  We will plan on finishing the final leg by mid to early August, as fall comes early in Glacier Bay.