Bubble-Net Feeding in the Great Bear Rainforest!

A few guests onboard the Island Odyssey this week were lucky enough to see a group of Humpback Whales bubble-net feeding! This is very rare to see in the area, as we usually talk about this in Alaskan waters. Captain Randy Burke called into the office to chat about the experience.

BC is Stained by the Blood of the Great Bear - The Trophy Hunt Begins Today...

September 10th (today) marks the beginning of the fall bear hunt trophy season. To everyone at Bluewater Adventures, and many other BC organizations, tour operators, environmental groups...this marks a very disturbing time. Surveys in the area are already showing an extreme lack of bears in the area because of the reduced number of salmon. For more on the bear hunt and other conservation efforts in the Great Bear Rainforest, please visit http://www.pacificwild.org/

Bluewater Captain Neil Shearar is also launching a new Campaign this week to urge the provincial government to take action on this issue. Join his Facebook group today "BC is Stained by the Blood of the Great Bear" and talk about your experiences in the area, your thoughts on the hunt, and make your own t-shirt to support the cause. Bluewater staff are taking action against the hunt...will you? Purchase your stop the hunt bracelets onboard our vessels in support of the movement.

Check out an article printed yesterday in the Globe and Mail about the lack of bears in the Rainforest. Click Here

Favourite Places on the Coast

Everyone has their favourite place on the coast, or in my case a few places. Recently I was onboard the Island Odyssey traveling in Southeast Alaska when I discovered another place to add to my list. We stopped at the Baranof Island Hot Springs...talk about unreal. Walking up the wooden boardwalk into the forest and then coming across these amazing hot springs, overlooking the rushing waterfall was incredible. There were 2 large hot pools and 3 smaller cold ones - which you needed to go in after awhile! There was also a free bath house with 3 private rooms overlooking the bay. A great way to spend the evening. A very surreal place...

Photo: Leanne Carey

Spirit Bear sightings this morning from the Island Roamer!

Captain Ian Giles phoned in this morning with news of Spirit Bear sightings from the Great Bear Rainforest. Just north of Princess Royal Island the bears have been wandering the shores already this season. We hope all of our September Bluewater trips have the same luck!

Photo: Patrick McCloskey

Khutzeymateen Valley June 23-29, 2010

ROLL OUT THE GREEN CARPET...these bears are coming to the KHUTZE!
Photo: Leanne Carey

Join our first ever expedition into the Khutzeymateen...Valley of the Bears. Aboard the Island Odyssey we will start and finish in Prince Rupert, BC. $ 3675 CDN + taxes

Click here to see our full 2010 schedule and download the itinerary for this trip

TD Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup

Did you know more than 1 million seabirds and 100,000 marine mammals and sea turtles die each year as a result of marine debris? - international coastal cleanup report, 2006

Be a Part of the Solution! - Register by Sept 4th!
Join a clean up crew, or become a crew leader
September 19-27, 2009
http://www.tdgcsc.ca/

Approximately 80% of the litter found along shorelines and in waterways originates from land and land-based activities.

Gwaii Haanas Speaker Series - Vancouver Aquarium

Parks Canada has partnered with The Vancouver Aquarium to offer a unique speaker series to present the stories of Gwaii Haanas. Each engaging event allows audience members to explore a different aspect of the region and understand the need for its protection. Come and learn about some of the issues that affect the areas that Bluewater operates in - and you can be sure to spot some of our staff in the audience!

Session 1: Exploring the islands
Monday September 14
A virtual tour of Gwaii Haanas with stunning visual footage and presentations by the people who live, breathe and respect this extraordinary B.C. region.

Session 2: Icons of the Pacific
Monday October 26
It's no fluke that whales are here. Join us in exploring the marine life within Gwaii Haanas and why protecting this area benefits us all.

Session 3: Changing Seascapes
Monday November 16
Learn about ancient Haida villages, changing sea levels and how historical trade practices have all played a role in shaping today's Gwaii Haanas.

Session 4: Healthy oceans, healthy people
Monday December 7 Whether it's dining out or reporting a whale sighting, your actions can make a difference to our oceans. Join us for this special conclusion to find out what you can do to help.

Please enter at the Aquaquest Administrative Entrance.

To confirm your seat, email: lectureseries@vanaqua.org or call 604-659-3432. Please identify which session you would like to attend.

Haida Gwaii 2010 - Into Ethnobotany?

Come aboard with Island Roamer with Nancy Turner, ethnobotanist and author of 'Plants of Haida Gwaii' and her good friend, Haida Matriarch Barb Wilson in Gwaii Haanas. Explore the native use of plants and the roll these plants play in Haida culture. For more information on the Queen Charlotte Islands click here

Take the PLUNGE! Book Alaska 2010

Come experience Alaska like you never thought possible. This trip will exceed all expectations! The list of wildlife is too long to list... so come list it yourself. 2010 Adventures now available. Check out our schedule for more details

Humpback Whales Playing in Frederick Sound

Check out these active whales from Frederick Sound. Island Odyssey guests watched in awe this past July as the Humpback whales were so active in the waters. Everyday they saw large numbers of Humpback whales and even transient Orcas.

Spend a Moment with a Bear

At the Anan Wildlife Observatory in the Tongass National Forest, you can view bears in their environment - feeding on wild salmon, walking in the water, laying down on the grass.... It is a great chance to see bears interact with eachother...watch as black bears and brown bears confront eachother, see eagles soaring through the trees, witness a healthy salmon run and enjoy nature. To visit Anan Creek, you have to apply for permits. Bluewater takes care of this for you so you can enjoy this spectacular place.

Click here to see what is available for 2010!

Go Coastal in 2010!

Take advantage of Early Booking Discounts and book your 2010 adventure now! Contact our office for more details. 1.888.877.1770

Gourmet Food On the Island Odyssey

Gourmet Chef Annie Strucel Serves up amazing meals like this in the Galley everyday!