4 Night Cruise sailing from Sidney roundtrip aboard Island Odyssey.

NOTE: This cruise may be aboard either Island Odyssey or Island Roamer. Please check at time of enquiry/booking.

Canadian Gulf IslandsThe Gulf Islands are considered by many sailors to have some of the best cruising on the west coast of North America. Late spring and fall are the ideal time of year to visit; summer crowds are absent and the weather is generally mild and gentle.

Gulf Islands National Park Reserve
Explore Nature in these Beautiful Islands by Sail
People with an interest in natural history will thoroughly enjoy this trip. Each voyage is accompanied by an experienced naturalist who will give talks, slide shows, and lead shore excursions. With the help of interested participants we plan to keep a list of the animals and plants we sight each day. We do daily shore excursions in our inflatable zodiacs, as well as short hikes on the various islands.

Wildlife:
We expect encounters with Dall's porpoise, harbour seals, two species of sea lion, and perhaps orcas or minke whales. Porpoises are great fun as they often rush over to the boat and ride on the wave under the bow. The annual bird migration will be underway and we expect to see many species of birds - bald eagles, auklets, murrelets, cormorants, phalaropes, and various species of gulls.

Sailing:
The Gulf Islands are considered by many sailors to have some of the best cruising on the west coast of North America. Late spring and fall are the ideal time of year to visit; summer crowds are absent and the weather is generally mild and gentle. Our voyages focus on the new Gulf Islands National Park and several marine parks among the islands. We sail the many scenic channels among the islands of the archipelago.

Natural History:
We go ashore frequently, walking with our naturalist to learn about the flora and fauna. Each night is spent at anchor. There are lovely quiet anchorages; often with trails for an evening or early morning walk ashore.

Along the shore we will explore the intertidal zone for fascinating invertebrates - starfish, sea anemones, clams, crabs and perhaps nudibranchs. The sheltered waters made these islands a favorite wintering site for Coast Salish native people. Throughout the islands there are native rock carvings (petroglyphs).