Explore our coastal history with our Historic Tours offered in partnership with The Museum at Campbell River. Each trip explores the history of the region onboard one of our boats that include both indoor and outdoor seating areas, and an on-board washroom. In addition to our experienced Captain, and on-board naturalist who is constantly on the lookout for wildlife to point out, the Museum Guide is there to share the fascinating stories of people who have lived in the Discovery Islands region.
Ripple Rock & Discovery Passage
Take a deep dive into the history of Discovery Passage with a special focus on the monumental undertaking to blast the top off Ripple Rock, the infamous marine hazard in the middle of Seymour Narrows. Explore the bays of Granite, Duncan and Menzies and hear the stories from Indigenous history to early logging, commercial fishing, and life on the coast. This trip includes a delicious meal at Brown’s Bay Resort.
Please note, lunch with tea/coffee and a gratuity are included in the tour fee. Any additional cocktails or specialty drinks can be purchased by the individual traveler.
Date: May 19
Redonda Islands & Waddington Channel
East and West Redonda Island are known for their topography with towering peaks and the deepest waters of Desolation Sound. Travel to the places first charted by Captain Vancouver when he sailed in 1792 and learn how people once occupied this part of the coast. As you cruise around the southern tip of Quadra Island, past Mitlenatch, Twin, and Hernando Islands to enter Desolation Sound you will hear heart thumping stories of the challenges of establishing a home, building a community and making a living in this very rugged terrain. You will wind your way through Waddington Channel with a stop to see the stunning Cassel Falls located within Teakerne Arm Provincial Park.
Dates: May 26 passengers will be asked to pack a lunch while Aug 4 trip is a catered lunch on board.
Thurlow Islands
These islands are a hidden treasure among some of the most breathtaking scenery. Although sparsely inhabited today, the Thurlow Islands have a rich history from Indigenous villages to logging camps, forestry stations, commercial fishing, and gold mines. On the way up, travel through Seymour Narrows and over the historic Ripple Rock site. Stretch your legs as you enjoy a delicious meal at Blind Channel Resort and hear a brief chat with a member of the Richter family, who have been living on West Thurlow Island for several generations.
Please note, the meal with tea/coffee and a gratuity are included in the tour fee. Any additional cocktails or specialty drinks can be purchased by the individual traveler.
Dates: June 2 and June 19 include Lunch.
June 16, July 3, July 7, Aug 11 and Aug 14 include Dinner
Desolation Sound
Experience the myriad bays and inter-connected coves nestled among the small islands of Desolation Sound. Retrace areas explored by Captain Vancouver of England and Captains Galiano and Valdez of Spain in 1792. The tour views the rugged beauty of the coastal mountains as we imagine daily life for people of the Sound. Special trips to Desolation Sound include a “Romance on the Rapids” themed sunset tour on June 30 with stories of love, lust, and heartbreak on the coast. July 28 and August 25 will also include a visit into Malaspina Inlet to see the area made famous by broadcaster Grant Lawrence and his podcasts about growing up in Desolation Sound.
Dates: June 9, June 30, July 21 includes catered lunch
July 28 & Aug 25, Sept 1 please bring your own lunch
Sonora Island
Cruising past Quadra, Read, Maurelle, and Stuart Islands to reach Sonora Island, you will experience the area’s notorious tidal rapids, and hear tales of the hardy characters that struggled to make a living and a home in the area. Hear tales of their hardship, perseverance, innovation, and sometimes, economic ruin as you cruise past the many landmarks along the way. Stretch your legs at Dent Island Lodge and indulge in a delicious meal at the remote marina.
Please note, the meal with tea/coffee and a gratuity are included in the tour fee. Any additional cocktails or specialty drinks can be purchased by the individual traveler.
Dates: June 23 summer solstice dinner
July 14, July 24 includes lunch
Discovery Islands
The Discovery Islands are alive with history! Travel to the islands first charted by Captain Vancouver when he sailed through in 1792, see where First Nations and early settlers occupied this part of the coast and learn about life in remote logging camps and float houses, where the only news from the outside world arrived with the Union Steamships. You’ll hear about the characters who lived and worked on the Discovery Islands including Quadra, Read, Maurelle, and Stewart, to mention only a few in the complex chain of islands that make up this region. A catered box picnic will be enjoyed at Big Bay. Please note, the lunch location includes a walk up a steep dock ramp.
Dates: July 17, July 31 includes catered lunch
Cortes Island
Explore the nooks and crannies of the bays, inlets and coastline of Cortes with a full circumnavigation of the island. Stop for a catered box meal on board in one of the beautiful bays and hear stories of the intriguing history of logging, forest management, float home communities, settler farms, and the devastating whaling industry of 1860’s. You’ll weave through Lewis Channel, cruise past Twin Islands and its royal connections, past Hernando with its sandy beaches and Marina Island.
Dates: Aug 18 includes catered lunch
