Discover Alaska
Come, fill your senses with the magnificence of Southeast Alaska. Aboard the small ship, David B. Your adventure includes a visit to the glacier-carved fjords of the Tracy Arm/Fords Terror Wilderness, where snow-covered peaks, and evergreen forests form the backdrop of a place where bears, eagles, and whales call home. On your Alaska Discovery Cruise, you’ll not just experience the remote wilderness of the Tongass National Forest, but you’ll feel a part of the forest as we cruise to remote coves and bays that are inaccessible to the large cruise ships. Here your senses will be filled with all the beauty and majesty of what is truly Alaska.
Iceberg on the Beach in Alaska
Throughout your small ship adventure, you’ll be spoiled by more than fantastic views and amazing wildlife. The accomodations aboard the the David B are comfortable and all the gourmet meals are fabulous. Everyday there is fresh baked muffins, scones, or croissants and sourdough bread to accompany rich gourmet meals of fresh seafood, meats and hand-made pasta not to mention deserts that you will want to savor.
Sample Itinerary for Alaska Discovery Cruise
Day 1 – Juneau to Wood Spit
Day 2 – Wood Spit to North Sawyer Glacier to No Name Cove
Day 3 – No Name Cove to Pybus Bay
Day 4 – Pybus Bay to Petersburg to Ruth Island Cove
Day 5 – Ruth Island Cove to Gambier Bay
Day 6 – Gambier to Taku Harbor
Day 7 – Taku Harbor to Juneau
Juneau to Wood Spit
Your small ship adventure aboard the David B begins at 12pm at the Intermediate Vessel Float in downtown Juneau. Once you’ve had a chance to get acquainted with the boat, the crew and your fellow passengers, we’ll get underway from Juneau. Our route will take you down Gastineau Channel and into Stephens Passage. This waterway goes between the mainland and Admiralty Island. Along the way you can watch for humpback whales and icebergs. Our anchorage at Wood Spit is within the Tracy Arm-Fords Terror Wilderness Area. After the anchor is down you can head to the shore for a beach walk before dinner. Wood Spit is also a place where we often watch humpback whales and bald eagles feeding with a full view of Sumdum glacier in the background.
Wood Spit to North Sawyer Glacier to No Name Cove
The second day is spent mostly on the boat as we cruise though Endicott Arm to Dawes Glacier; a tidewater glacier. You will see many signs of past and current glaciation, such as hanging valleys and deeply striated rocks. Watch for mountain goats that cling to the impossibly steep walls of the fjord. As the David B nears Dawes Glacier you will begin to see Arctic Terns and fantastically shaped icebergs. You’ll arrive at the glacier about lunchtime and have an hour or more to enjoy watching Dawes Glacier calve into Endicott Arm while dining on a hot bowl of chili and just-out-of-the-oven cornbread. On the way back from the glacier we might meet up with one of the Forest Service’s Wilderness Rangers who can chat to us about goings on in Tracy Arm/Fords Terror Wilderness. We’ll anchor in No Name Cove at the head of Tracy Arm in the evening.
No Name Cove to Pybus Bay
No Name Cove is a great place to get into the kayaks after cruising to Dawes Glacier. This anchorage is amazingly beautiful. It has wide views of glacier covered mountains and often times you can watch and hear humpback whales. Brown and black bears both use this cove and are easily watched from kayaks or from the deck of the David B. For bird watching, red-throated loons, marbled murelettes, surf scoters and bald eagles are all abundant. After kayaking we get underway for Admiralty Island and Pybus Bay.
At North Sawyer Glacier on an Alaskan Cruise
Pybus Bay to Petersburg to Ruth Island Cove
We leave Pybus Bay in the morning and cruise towards Frederick Sound to watch humpback whales. In the summer months humpback whales feed in these nutrient rich waters. It is not uncommon for you to see groups of five or more whales cooperatively bubble net feeding. After watching whales we will continue on to Petersburg. The town of Petersburg is a hard-working fishing community with a strong Norwegian background. It is the best place to get a taste of a real Alaskan town unspoiled by the mega-cruise ship lines. After returning to the David B we will head out to Thomas Bay and our anchorage in Ruth Island Cove.
Ruth Island Cove to Gambier Bay
After breakfast we will put the kayaks in the water and spend the morning kayaking in Thomas Bay. Here you will be treated with views of the Cosmos Mountain Range and the Patterson Glacier. After kayaking we are back underway and heading towards Admiralty Island and Gambier Bay. On our way to Gambier there will be more time to spend watching humpback whales as well as sea lions. Once the anchor is down in Gambier Bay you can go ashore for a beach walk before dinner is served.
Gambier to Taku Harbor
Designated as a National Monument in 1978, Admiralty Island offers great bear viewing and Gambier Bay’s Snug Cove is an excellent place to watch for brown bears. These coastal grizzly bears number about 1600 on Admiralty Island, which is about one bear per square mile. The island’s native name is Kootznoowoo meaning “fortress of the bear.”
In the morning after kayaking or a shore excursion we are back underway and cruising towards Taku Harbor. Arriving at Taku Harbor in the evening you’ll still have plenty of time to go ashore. While on the beach you will want to explore the ruins of an old cannery and walk through an inter-tidal sculpture garden that has been fashioned from old abandoned gear used in the cannery. While everyone is ashore your chef, Christine will be busy making a special dinner for your last evening aboard the David B. It’s a great evening where everyone reminisces about the fun and adventure they’ve had cruising in Alaska.
Taku Harbor to Juneau
We raise anchor at 8:00 am to head back up Stephens Passage and into Juneau. On the last day of your Alaska small ship adventure cruise, you’ll have time to watch for birds and more whales as the David B heads back to Juneau.
Please note that this is just a sample itinerary and that there are many more options for anchorages for us to take advantage of.
To Book Your Alaskan Adventure Now
Give us a call at 877-670-7863 or send us an email for special pricing for the whole boat.
ON JUNE 16, 2006, the David B left Bellingham, Washington bound for Juneau, Alaska, on her maiden voyage as a passenger vessel. Eight years earlier, Christine and Jeffrey had found the David B tucked behind a breakwater on Lopez Island. The tired old wooden boat, built in 1929, was showing her age. When the young couple stepped aboard the neglected vessel, her sturdy work-boat style captured their hearts with an ageless beauty that only the young dreamers could see... 
