Start in Juneau, the capital city of Alaska, and paddle through glacially carved fjords along the Northernmost leg of the famed Inside Passage. Our final destination will be the little fishing town of Haines at the foot of towering mountains and hanging glaciers just outside of Glacier Bay National Park.

The journey begins in Juneau, Alaska. Although part of the mainland, Juneau is not connected by any road system, making it a de facto island and the perfect place to start a sea kayaking expedition.

Starting in the waters of Echo Cove, we will soon leave behind the bustling capital of our 49th state and move northward along the base of the Coast and Chilkat mountains. Paddling along rocky beaches and around uninhabited islands, we are constantly on the lookout for wildlife. Humpback and Killer whales cruise these waters during the summer months, feeding on herring and hooligan, alongside Stellar sea lions and harbor seals. When the clouds part, we can see rivers of ice from the Herbert and Eagle glaciers running from the Juneau Icefield and eventually to the sea.

After a day or two of paddling our sea kayaks, we will be alone for the most part, seeing the occasional fishing boat or subsistence fisherman. The coastline of the fjord between Juneau and Haines is rich in wildlife and home to many species, including brown and black bears, wolves, and moose to name a few. Your guide lives and works in these waters and on this coast living with the creatures that have inhabited this area long before Europeans came to its shores and will teach you how to travel safely in this environment. We will tread lightly and use Leave No Trace camping practices, not only maintain the wildness of this place but to keep us safe from harm.

We will use expedition style kayaks ranging from 17 to 21 feet in length designed to travel great distances. This time of year, the weather from the Gulf of Alaska pushes winds from the south and we will use those to aid our travel north to the not-so-sleepy little fishing town of Haines.

This sea kayak expedition will have its challenges and we will paddle nearly 80 miles over 7 days, but we will have time to stretch our legs and explore the coastline on hikes in the evenings or on a rest day. Physical fitness and sea kayak experience is importand and participants on this trip should be comfortable in intermediate conditions of 15 knot winds and 3 foot seas. We will spend some time going over safety information and paddling technique so that your Alaskan sea kayaking expedition is not only a safe one but educational as well.

Sea kayaks have a long history in the waters of Alaska and are a great way to enjoy the fjord between Haines and Juneau. They allow us to travel almost silently and be inconspicuous, letting us become part of the this world we are visiting.