The Arctic Tern: Mothership Kayaking

April-May 1998

This is an article from WaveLength Magazine, available in print in North America and globally on the web.

by Jim and Nancy Lethcoe

Mothership guided sea kayaking trips allow our guests the opportunity to spend the day sea kayaking from destination to destination while our 40 ft. Nordic sailboat, Artic Tern III, provides on-board accommodations and food. You can travel fast and light without worrying about setting up camp and repacking gear into your kayak. If it rains, you have a warm and dry place to sleep and eat waiting for you.

Mothership supported kayaking is also ideal for parties with different skill and endurance levels or different vacation priorities. Part of your group may wish to make the longer paddles between anchorages, while others may prefer to sail on the Arctic Tern III and spend more time exploring the bays and wildlife watching. Our mothership supported kayak trips provide this greater flexibility.

Here is a description of our most popular mothership trip:

Day 1: Arrive at camp and board boat. Depending upon your arrival time, we will overnight at the dock or sail to a nearby anchorage.

Day 2: Sail to Jade Harbor (about 3 hours depending upon ice conditions). Stronger kayakers will probably wish to make this crossing by kayak. From Jade Harbor it is about a 2-hr kayaking trip to the east side of Columbia Glacier's new fjord. Explore the morainal area and icebergs, watch seals and sea otters for about 3 hours, then paddle back to boat (1 hour - the current is with us returning). Enjoy a hot meal and relaxing time aboard the Arctic Tern III. Overnight at Jade Harbor.

Day 3: The Arctic Tern III will sail to Granite Bay (about 5 miles). Guests may sail or kayak to Granite Bay. Granite Bay is a large, well-protected bay which guests enjoy exploring or guests may make a more challenging paddle along the west side of Columbia Bay (past arches, sea caves, Eagle nests) to the Columbia Glaciers western moraine. Again, guests enjoy a hot dinner and quiet evening aboard the boat.

Day 4: Sail or kayak to Long or Eickelberg Bay (about 10-12 miles). When the salmon are running, there are numerous Glaucous-winged and mew gulls, harbor seals, and bald eagles feeding on the salmon. There is a good chance (but never guaranteed) of being able to watch black bears feeding.

Day 5: Sail or kayak back to Growler Island Camp visiting Jackson Hole and Eagle Bay (approx. 10-15 miles) in time to catch 5pm boat to Valdez or anchor in Growler Bay and return to camp 8:30 am next morning to catch boat to Whittier.

Jim and Nancy Lethcoe

Alaskan Wilderness Sailing & Kayaking

Prince William Sound Books

Box 1313 Valdez, Alaska 99686

907/835-5175