Broughton Archipelago

Departing Port Hardy, discover what dreams are made of...custom designed ocean adventures aboard a luxury yacht in the jewel of the Pacific Northwest: the Broughton Island Archipelago. A crewed yacht charter is perfect for busy individuals who simply want to escape from today's urban pressures and experience one of nature's last boating frontiers. You'll experience a playground of spectacular scenery, isolated anchorages, idyllic sunsets, fresh seafood, fascinating wildlife and marine fowl, history and culture and much more - while basking in complete luxury. You are more likely to see a whale, bald eagle, or bear than another person or boat!

Your greatest challenge of the day is deciding which fresh seafood you fancy for dinner: prawns, crab, oysters (cold water), clams, mussels, or a healthy salmon steak... or may we tempt you with a smorgasbord of all of the above? The itinerary is tailored to your preferences. Options include Seafood Extravaganza, Wildlife Safari (grizzly and whale watching), Fitness Fanatic (snorkeling, kayaking and hiking), and Cultural Odyssey (historic First Nations settlements and culture). Your charter is custom designed for your wishes. You can participate as much or as little as you desire, or just relax and enjoy your spectacular surroundings.

The Broughton Archipelago and Queen Charlotte Strait are teeming with salmon, halibut and herring. There are many spots where digging for clams, setting crab traps, picking oysters off rocks, or just a rod and line will provide the freshest of seafood dinners. The marine ecosystem that supports these delicacies is one of the most diverse and prolific in the world. With few roads, many places can only be accessed from the sea.

This is one of the world's largest temperate rainforests. The "Great Bear Rainforest" runs north from Knight Inlet, forming a unique habitat for abundant flora and fauna. Cedar, pine, spruce, alder, hemlock and fir dominate the skyline here. In the undergrowth moss, ferns, salal and berries thrive. Wildlife include grizzly and black bear, the rare white kermode bear, deer, elk, cougar, wolf, coyote, raccoon, mink, red squirrel, red fox, bald eagle, loon, great blue heron, cormorant, osprey, kingfisher and raven. This area is also a summer meeting place for Orca whales.

Dotted along the coast are deserted First Nations villages, where nature is slowly reclaiming long houses and totem poles. Also here are the remains of logging and fishing camps, and a few small communities.  You can add diving, helicopter or floatplane rides, golf, kayaking, hiking and guided bear watching.  You can arrive at Port Hardy on Vancouver Island, by a short flight from the city of Vancouver, British Columbia. Another port just south is Port McNeil.

Port McNeil is an ideal starting point for a loop through the Broughton Archipelago Islands and Queen Charlotte Strait. This very diverse area offers the West Coast’s best combination of sailing, exploring and wildlife viewing within a reasonable distance. Its many waterways and island anchorages make a great sailing area. It is ideally suited for trips of up to two weeks, with a focus on sailing, sightseeing, kayaking, First Nations cultural heritage, wildlife viewing or a combination of all. Come and explore this less traveled and intriguing area!

Getting here is easy:

• Fly from Vancouver to Port Hardy, then taxi 20 minutes to Port McNeil. Scheduled flights are available on Pacific Coastal, private charter seaplanes, or private jets can land at Port Hardy.
• Fly from Seattle to Port McNeil on scheduled seaplane flights from Kenmore Air.
• Rent a car in Vancouver, take BC Ferries to Vancouver Island, then drive to Port McNeil.
• Vancouver Island has bus service.

Whatever your interest, you can charter a yacht for any length of time. Here are some sample itineraries.

Port McNeil to Port McNeil ~ 7 or 8 Nights

Itinerary
Day 1	Port McNeil - Soitula 12.00 noon boarding in Port McNeil. This small port has basic services and well stocked stores. Good transportation by road or air. No problem parking a car! Sail to Sointula, the island settled in the early 1900s by the Finnish who had dreamt of their own Utopia at Sointula. Explore the village with its distinctive colored houses. Spend the night at anchor.
Day 2	Queen Charlotte Strait - Blunden Harbour Proceed across the Queen Charlotte Strait to Blunden Harbour. This was once a major Indian settlement and the remains of the town can still be seen. Inland from the harbor is a large tidal lagoon with great exploring by kayak or zodiac. Spend the night at anchor.
Day 3	Raynor Island Group - Broughton Islands Sail to Sullivan Bay through the Raynor Island Group. Sullivan Bay is a floating town and everything comes in by float plane or boat. Then move on farther up Wells Passage into the Broughton Islands. Choice of anchorages at Grappler Sound, Claydon Bay or Overflow Basin. (3a. 8 day trip) Explore McKenzie Sound. This is a less traveled area, with remote bays, magnificent views of the high peaks, several Indian villages and strong tidal passages.
Day 4	Echo Bay Proceed today through magnificent Sutlej Channel, quick stop at Greenway Sound and on to Echo Bay via Penphrase Passage and Raleigh Passage. Echo Bay was at one time the center of this area but now just a school and some local residents remain. Great walking trail to Billy Proctor's unique museum. Billy has lived his whole life on the coast and is a well known nature conservationist. A must see for anyone interested in past and present West Coast affairs. Dock for the night if you need internet or anchor at Shoal Harbour.
Day 5	Cramer Passage - Health Bay Start early in the morning exploring Cramer Passage to Health Bay. This is where we usually sight many black bears checking the beaches for clams, etc. in the early morning. Check out the Benjamin Group Islands. Anchor at Health Bay. Explore by kayak or zodiac and spy on the bears.
Day 6	Indian Group Islands Travel through Spring Passage to Mamalilaculla, an old First Nations village. Explore this site as it is quickly disappearing in the bush. Transit to anchor at the Indian Group Islands.
Day 7	Alert Bay Travel to Alert Bay for the last night onboard. Alert Bay once was a thriving fishing center with many canneries and a large fishing fleet. Now it is a sleepy island with a few restaurants, a large native population and a great native museum.
Day 8	Port McNeil Arrive in Port McNeil around noon.

 

Knight Inlet ~ 7 Nights

Itinerary
Day 1	Port McNeil - Sointula 12.00 noon boarding in Port McNeil. This small port has basic services and well stocked stores. Good transportation by road or air. No problem parking a car! Sail to Sointula, the island settled in the early 1900s by the Finnish who had dreamt of their own Utopia (Sointula). Explore the village with its distinctive colored houses.
Day 2	Pearse Island - Farewell Harbour - Grease Island Proceed to Pearse Island and Farewell Harbour. Check out the Chief's Bathtub where the Indian chief’s stamina was tested by having to sit in the natural bathtub. At night watch the sun set while at anchor at Grease Island.
Day 3	Knight Inlet - Kitty Cone Enter the Mighty Knight Inlet! Travel into the Fjord and see a more magnificent view around every corner. Spend the night at anchor at Kitty Cone, a 1200’ steep cliff right above the boat! Awesome.
Day 4	Fyord Proceed and explore. Take a shower at Cascade Pt. Falls and anchor at the head of the Inlet by the mouth of the Klinakklini River.
Day 5	Glendale Cove On our return, check out the Ahnuhati River. Check on the grizzly bears in Glendale Cove while at anchor.
Day 6	Minstrel Island Sail to Minstrel Island; anchor at Clio Channel or at Potts Lagoon.
Day 7	Alert Bay Travel to Alert Bay for the last night onboard. Alert Bay once was a thriving fishing center with many canneries and a large fishing fleet. Now it is a sleepy Island with a few restaurants, a large First Nations population and a great native museum. At anchor or docking available.
Day 8	Port McNeil Arrive in Port McNeil around noon.

 

Port McNeil to Port McNeil ~ 10 or 14 Nights

Itinerary
Day 1	Port McNeil - Soitula 12.00 noon boarding in Port McNeil. This small port has basic services and well stocked stores. Good transportation by road or air. No problem parking a car! Sail to Sointula, the island settled in the early 1900s by the Finnish who had a dreamt of their own Utopia (Sointula). Explore the village with its distinctive colored houses.
Day 2	Queen Charlotte Strait - Blunden Harbour Proceed to cross the Queen Charlotte Strait to Blunden Harbor. This was at one time a major Indian settlement and the remains of the town can still be seen. Inland from the harbor is a large tidal lagoon with great exploring by kayak or zodiac. Spend the night swinging at anchor.
Day 3	Southgate Island Group Sail to Shelter Bay for noon stop. Explore the Southgate Island Group and proceed into Schooner Channel and anchor in Cougar Inlet or Treadwill Bay. This is dense and wild country!
Day 4	Nakwakto Rapids Check the tide and run Nakwakto Rapids. These are the most dangerous and strongest on the coast! Enter the labyrinth of the Seymour Inlet, a remote and the latest charted area. Anchor at night. Option: several days more exploring into this very large inlet.
Day 5	Slingby Channel Out with the tide and proceed to sea by Slingby Channel. Anchor at Nigel Island.
Day 6 - 10 / 14	Indian Group Islands Add part of, or all of, Trips 1 or 2, above.

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