Pacific Catalyst (Alaska)

Signed up for a (very) small boat cruise on the Pacific Catalyst II next year up in Alaska. Has anyone gone with them? Impressions?

Thanks!

Signed up for a (very) small boat cruise on the Pacific Catalyst II next year up in Alaska. Has anyone gone with them? Impressions?

Thanks!

Back from this non-cruise 'cruise'. It was wonderful! The Catalyst is a 12-passenger 75' wooden boat that we traveled with around Glacier Bay, AK (there were actually only 11 passengers on our trip). 4 crew - captain, engineer, cook and naturalist. All were friendly, helpful, knowledgeable, and great fun to sail with.

We sea kayaked, hiked ice floe-strewn beaches, motored through ice fields to hidden glaciers, watched bears (black and brown) from our nightly moorings, had Dall porpoises playing with us as we sailed, saw orcas, humpbacks all over the place (including bubble-netting off Hoona), watched otters, mountain goats, puffins, eagles, seals, and many others. Sat in the pilothouse with the captain, who was always ready to divert for and linger with wildlife sightings. Food was incredible - 3 gourmet meals each day! Cultural expeditions and visits to some of the fishing towns on the far side of the inlet near the Pacific. A thoroughly wonderful trip that I hope to repeat!

I have videos posted on my youtube channel.

https://www.youtube.com/user/realcatena

haven't gotten through my pictures yet.

I am so glad to see your report on this! Had wondered about those small boats and this sounds fantastic! Thanks for sharing!

I also put some pictures on the Alaska port of call board. You can find them on this page:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1475037&page=5