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Cover photo by Marion Owen
Click here to order your Kodiak Island visitor's guide today!

(All photos on this site are by Marion Owen unless specified otherwise)

Whales, puffins, sea otters, purple lupine...

As the second largest island in the United States, Kodiak is a birder's and marine mammal watcher's paradise. Over 200 bird species have been identified in the archipelago.

Kodiak's rich waters also attract sea otters, Dall porpoise, Pacific white-sided dolphins, harbor porpoise, Steller sea lions and whales. In fact, few places in the world offer so many species of whales in one place: fin, minke, humpback, sei, orcas, and gray whales.

These unique excursions offer a wide variety of experiences, aboard our classic 42-foot motor yacht, the M/V Sea Breeze. Guests travel in comfort in the privacy of this lovely, teak-paneled vessel.

The ocean air gives you a healthy appetite, which is a good thing since meals are gourmet all the way. Marion is a master gardener and co-author of Chicken Soup for the Gardener's Soul) and she loves to cook. You'll discover why it's called "Galley Gourmet, a feast underway!"

Onboard Accommodations

The Sea Breeze provides comfortable sleeping accommodations for up to four guests, plus a private head (bathroom) and shower -- an ideal vacation setup for two couples. Why not invite your best friends? In the evening we anchor in quiet coves with time for slide shows, beachcombing, discussion and relaxation.

Select from a variety of wonderful options...

You have a smorgasbord of activities from which to choose, including, but not limited to:

• View and photograph whales, sea otters, sea lions and other marine mammals.

• View and photograph eagles, puffins and seabird rookeries.

• Participate in a 3-hour photography workshop.

• Visit longtime Alaskans living a subsistence lifestyle.

• Stroll through fields of wildflowers.

• Explore one of best-preserved World War II sites in the world. Gun emplacements and dozens of moss-covered Quonset huts are nestled in the forest. (See photo at right.) To learn about Kodiak's key role during WWII, visit the Kodiak Military Museum's web site.

• Visit a coastal Alaska native village.

• Explore coastal tidepools and beaches.

• Observe commercial fishing vessels at work. (Over 800 streams in the Kodiak area support spawning stocks of wild salmon.)

• Visit Russian Orthodox cloistered nuns living a subsistence lifestyle.

• Hike remote islands and beaches.

• Continue your adventure by getting dropped at a remote lodge. Ask for details.

Physical requirements

Guests should be in good health and reasonably good physical condition. They need to be capable of climbing off and on the boat into an inflatable raft for shore excursions.

Equipment list and suggestions

• Personal items.

• Waterproof hiking boots and nonskid, comfortable shoes.

• Rain gear, "polar fleece" wear (avoid feather down clothing).

• Hat, sunglasses, sunscreen.

• Binoculars, camera, journals, sketchpads, etc.

• Soft-sided luggage.

What we provide on board

In addition to all your meals and transportation to/from shore, we provide:

• Bedding and towels.

• Life jackets.

• AC power.

• Meals.

• Field and nature guides.

More about the photography

Opportunities to photograph "nature at her best" are everywhere. As a professional photographer, Marion can help you get the most out of your equipment, whether you use a digital or traditional camera. She can provide a 3-hour, hands-on workshop, or simply answer your questions during the trip.

Marion shares her 25 years of photography experience as a published photographer (Sunset, TIME, National Geographic Traveler, Patagonia, Nature Conservancy, Associated Press). You'll enjoy her easygoing manner, and her no-nonsense tricks of the trade.

To experience one of the best photographic experiences available today, you are encouraged to bring:

• A tripod or image stabilizer

• Extra film or image storage disks

• Extra batteries and/or a charger

• Note pad and camera manual

• Back pack for carrying equipment

• Cable release, lenses, filters, and other accessories

• Cotton bandana

NOTE: Do you have a lot of stuff to bring?

You are welcome to ship bulky gear and equipment to us in advance of traveling to Kodiak. We will gladly store it until you arrive. Please contact us to make arrangements.

Activities to do before or after your cruise

In addition to the multi-day excursions aboard the Sea Breeze, Kodiak offers an impressive selection of complementary activities to suit guests' special interests. In addition to what is listed below, the Kodiak Island Convention and Visitors Bureau office, located at the ferry dock, is a very good place to start.

• Visit the Baranov Museum (located in the oldest wooden building on the West Coast)

• Visit the Holy Resurrection Russian Orthodox Church, the oldest Orthodox parish in Alaska (photo at right).

• Explore the WWII Military Museum (located at Fort Abercrombie State Historical Park)

• Go deep sea fishing for salmon, halibut, and rockfish

• Go golfing at the 9-hole Bear Valley Golf Course (Rule No. 1: Let the bears play through!)

• Hike around Fort Abercrombie State Historical Park, featuring one of the world's only "pure stands" of Sitka spruce trees.

• Go fly fishing for salmon along the road system's very accessible rivers.

• Walk the docks: Kodiak is consistently ranked as one of the top three fishing ports in the US. The Port of Kodiak is home to more than 770 commercial fishing vessels. Eleven shore-based processing plants keep the community humming around the clock.

• Go on a 4-hour, world-class, bear viewing flightseeing trip (This can be included in our Creative Cruises. Call us for details.)

• Visit the Alutiiq Museum and view native crafts, world-class art, history and their archeological collection.

• Go on a plant walk (3 hours): Join author, teacher and naturalist Fran Kelso for a unique botany lesson to learn about the rich diversity of Kodiak Island's edible and medicinal wild plants.

• Science in action! Visit fisheries scientists at work.
  The Fishery Industrial Technology Center and the Kodiak Fisheries Research Center are located on Near Island. These facilities house a special "touch tank" and variety of ongoing research involving king crab, seabirds, microbiology and marine mammals, as well as the latest in food sciences.

We hope to see you soon on one of our creative cruises. (As soon as you have a confirmed reservation for a Creative Cruise, please fill out and mail us a completed passenger reservation- information form.) We have a charter agreement to explain our reservation and refund policy.

Breathtaking scenery, gracious hosts and fabulous food. Thank you!--Greg and Denise Williams, Tulsa, OK

You've certainly figured out how to have fun and share it with others.--Janet George, Anchorage, AK

Awesome trip. Great food and wonderful hosts.--Rina Guadagni, Redding, CA

This lady's slipper orchid is one of many beautiful wildflowers around Kodiak island

This was the highlight of my Kodiak trip.--Lois Meyers, Colfax, WA

Even better than all the recommendations!--Sharon Tracy, Tigard, OR

Commercial fishermen pull in the net aboard a salmon seiner

A tufted puffin poses on a rocky cliff. Kodiak is home to tufted puffins, horned puffins, kittiwakes, eiders, goldeneyes and more!