The 71 ft. sailboat, Ocean Light II and her crew offer exploratory, photography, and natural history tours of the BC coast and SE Alaska.

From the skipper, Tom Ellison and mate, Jen Broom; "2003 will be our 28th year operating on the BC coast, and we look forward to a season filled with adventure, wildlife, wilderness and friends.  Our boat, the Ocean Light II (an Ocean 71) is thought by many to be the perfect BC coast charter boat.  She is newly renovated and spacious both inside and out.  We are the pioneers of professionally guided bear viewing and photographic trips to the Khutzeymateen Valley, Canada's only grizzly bear sanctuary and to the Midcoast, home to the elusive Spirit Bear.  We also offer natural history, adventure tours to Haida Gwaii (the Queen Charlotte Islands), BC's Midcoast and SE Alaska.  Join us as we once again explore the beauty, tranquility and wildness that make the Pacific Northwest a magnificent destination."

The Boat
Ocean Light II is a spacious 71' ketch rigged sailboat.  She is a wonderful coastal charter vessel; comfort is the major reason.  Charters on even 80 and 90 footers are often envious of the Ocean Light II, with her sleek lines, generous deck space and large centre cockpit which accommodates ten while sailing.  Down below, she is newly renovated and features a 14 x 17 ft. main salon with seating for 12, while still leaving space to move about freely.  The five separate guest cabins accommodate up to 9 people and all cabins close off from the rest of the yacht.  There are two heads with showers and a new galley.  The interior is white enamel, douglas fir and mahogany.  Performance is the second major reason boats like the Ocean Light II are such favorites among experienced charterers.  Ocean Light II has the pedigree and waterline to leave virtually all other charter yachts in her wake.  In addition to her comfort and performance, Ocean Light II features all the extras expected of a BC coast charter boat: Two hard bottomed inflatables, four cycle outboards, four kayaks, video, 120v power, and an extensive library.  The Ocean Light II has been carefully maintained and her gear and machinery continually updated.

The Queen Charlotte Islands, also known as Haida Gwaii, offers the greatest overall coastal journey.  There is a wealth of cultural and natural history here and a chance to see wildlife and wild places at their finest.  Explore the coast by kayak, walk through towering spruce and cedar trees enveloped in moss, soak in natural hotsprings, catch and barbecue salmon and halibut, visit seal and sea lion colonies, visit ancient Haida village sites with remains of poles and longhouses still standing, wander down white sand beaches and explore the intertidal zone.  Join us as we watch orca, humpback whales, minke whales, dolphins and porpoises frolic in the waves, and as we sail past some of the most spectacular scenery in the world.

We offer 8 day tours of the South Moresby wilderness and we want your trip to meet your personal goals, be it photography, adventure, relaxation, bird watching, or time with family and friends.  We use the boat as a vehicle to get you to a variety of different scenes, always stopping for the night in a safe, calm anchorage.  We specialize in family tours and special interest groups, and can design a trip to meet any needs.  Haida Gwaii aboard the Ocean Light II is perfect for those who want a holiday, want to meet new people, want to breathe clean air and explore a new place.

The Khutzeymateen Valley, Canada's only Grizzly Bear Sanctuary located north of Prince Rupert, is home to more than 50 grizzlies.  After helping win protection for the area, we have been authorized by BC Parks to run grizzly bear tours here.
Each May for the past 12 years the Ocean Light II has headed north to view bears and many other forms of wildlife in their natural setting.  Much of the viewing is done from shore as well as from the inflatable and sailboat.  It is a photographers dream come true.  We offer 4 day tours of the Valley, which supports a robust ancient trilogy of grizzly bears, spawning salmon and mammoth Sitka Spruce trees.  The area also attracts wolves, migrating geese, ducks, seals, beavers, and otters as well as orcas and humpback whales.  The watershed boasts over 100 species of birds.  Uninhabited by humans, there are no roads, villages or campsites, making this valley pure wilderness and the perfect habitat for the grizzly bear.

2003 will be our 14th year running charters in the mid coast region of BC, also known as the Great Bear Rainforest, and home to the elusive Spirit Bear, a subspecies of the black bear.  We are the originators of tours in this area and still offer the only professionally guided tours.  In the past we have worked closely with bear biologist, Wayne McCrory to help us become knowledgeable of the area and its wildlife.  The whole mid coast is currently under pressure from logging companies and we hope wise management decisions will be made.  Protection of the area is needed not only for the Spirit Bear but also for the trees, fish and other birds and animals that depend on an intact ecosystem.  In conjunction with the Valhalla Society, we are focusing our efforts in this area to help get it protected.

Aboard the Ocean Light II you will explore BC's spectacular coast, with its inlets, bays and old-growth forests and home to the Spirit Bear.  Our 8 day tours will use the boat as a base and a motorized inflatable to transfer people to shore.  The photographic opportunities are amazing.  You will have access to some of the world's best bear viewing.  An exact itinerary is difficult as we design our trips around the bears and travel to different locations will depend on the weather, time of year and group needs.  However, the rewards are great as you become a part of a small percentage of people who have viewed this unique bear.

The journey to SE Alaska is a magnificent example of wilderness and breath taking scenery.  It differs from our other tours as we spend more time on board the boat traveling the vast distances that make this endless frontier.  Wildlife is abundant, with whales, dolphins, seals, birds and bears showing themselves constantly.

We explore vast fjords with 1000 foot waterfalls, calving glaciers and floating icebergs, dense old-growth forests, sandy beaches, rocky shores and in June a myriad of wildflowers.  We also have the opportunity to stop in some of the unique towns along the way, which are great for people to stretch their legs and explore at their own pace.  Our 10 day tours are perfect for people who love boat travel and the wildlife and landscape opportunities are unsurpassed.