Views of the inside passage end of May

[tpbf]

We leave Vancouver (Diamond Princess, 5/22) at 4:30 pm and arrive in Ketchikan 5/24 at 6:30 am (making 5/23 a sea day). Now, given that no one here is a ship pilot I know there are no "for sures", but can anyone speculate as to where we will be in the Strait of Georgia when the sun sets on 5/22 and where we will be when the sun rises on 5/23?

 

I am trying to be on the look out for some sights onshore, but figure I should not waste my time when it is dark. Seems to me these big ships have to run on a very tight schedule. Could mean someone may have a sense of where we will be in the inside passage and about when.

 

Or- anyone with anything to recommend looking out for?? I am grateful for all advices.

 

Note: I should have booked b2b given my new found fascination with ship view. Will know better next time.

[paylady]

I am lost without my trusty map from the Upton book. I don't have it with me as I write this.

 

One thing is for certain, you will pass through Seymour Narrows in the dead of night so you will be past that point the next day. Have you checked the sunrise/sunset times for your ports? Daylight is plentiful in late May/early June. Sunrise will be somewhere around 5 AM with sunset around 10:30 PM --- give or take a few minutes.

[Budget Queen]

Sorry, your question absolutely can not be answered. The ship speeds, route vary GREATLY. You can have cpt's who put along Vancouver Island, then head right out to sea until Ketchikan. And various routes all in between. What are you looking for?

[trophy_23]

You will be off Campbell River as the sun sets and transiting Seymour Narrows after sunset. As mentioned above it is hard to say where they will go from there. We have been through inside the whole time (up Grenville Channel) and we have also done the same itinerary but gone offshore until coming in for Juneau.

[Podie]

I did the same trip last year, in late May, and sat on my balcony with binoculars into the wee hours of the morning because I was afraid I'd miss something. But I was not able to really see much of anything after about 10 PM.

[tpbf]

Thanks for your responses. I had my hopes up to be able to see some of the area from Cape Mudge through the Queen Charlotte Strait and into the sound. From the maps I have it was this area where I hoped we would be close enough to the shore to be able to get a good look at human habitat, flora, fauna, and assorted wildlife.

 

I have a couple of points of interest if you know where they might be viewed: 1/ Places of human habitation within the wilderness including ancient sites or working sites. 2/ Places where rivers or other larger water run off areas empty into the waterway (Campbell River/Sutil Channel seemed my best bet).

 

Even booked starboard side so I could try to peek out through the night onto BC mainland side. The topo maps I am using looks a great deal like those of West Virginia (of all places) - everything goes straight up!!

 

I know I will not be disappointed, but should any of you know of a highlight or two - fill me in.

[Budget Queen]

Thanks for your responses. I had my hopes up to be able to see some of the area from Cape Mudge through the Queen Charlotte Strait and into the sound. From the maps I have it was this area where I hoped we would be close enough to the shore to be able to get a good look at human habitat, flora, fauna, and assorted wildlife.

 

I have a couple of points of interest if you know where they might be viewed: 1/ Places of human habitation within the wilderness including ancient sites or working sites. 2/ Places where rivers or other larger water run off areas empty into the waterway (Campbell River/Sutil Channel seemed my best bet).

 

Even booked starboard side so I could try to peek out through the night onto BC mainland side. The topo maps I am using looks a great deal like those of West Virginia (of all places) - everything goes straight up!!

 

I know I will not be disappointed, but should any of you know of a highlight or two - fill me in.

 

This is a northbound cruise?? You are going the wrong way. Definately you have WAY more opportunity for this viewing going Southbound. On most of my northbounds, I have been completely past Vancouver Island by daylight second day. I am ALWAYS up prior to dawn for what ever look I can get, and it has been less than 50% still inside Vancouver Island. None of the cruises I have been on detour to Bella Bella northbound, but Princess and HAL sometimes do southbound. Plenty of ships go open ocean from early morning. You won't see anything during the "night", it's pitch black.

 

Ships get no where near the shore, and binoculars, at least 10 power and wide angle are "necessary". Marine wildlife is easy to see, land wildlife, difficult and rare.

 

I have seen the Vancouver Island northern residents a few times but, again, was most always in that predawn timeframe. You need forward, not side viewing.

Dixon Passage is a possible humpback sighing area. Inquire of the bridge, via the Purser the timeframe.

[plenox]

I also enjoy spending hours bundled up outside to watch the sea birds gliding with the wave. Take a pair of binoculars with you. Otherwise, they are just little black dots out there.

[Putterdude]

It's a bit hard to predict as it will depend upon the tides in Seymour Narrows. I live on the Sunshine Coast about an hour after the ships pass under the Lions Gate Bridge (I'll be waving to you)...some nights the ships come by us in great haste and other nights they are all but drifting by. I would suggest that by sunset you will be will be somewhere between Comox and Campbell River and at sunrise you will be in Queen Charlotte Sound between the north tip of Vancouver Island and Morseby Is., the bottom island of the Queen Charlotte Is. Most cruise today, including Princess, unfortunately sail in Hecate Strait although depending upon traffic, time, wind a tides...some ships will occasionally sail in Grenville Channel. I have sailed in Grenville Channel on many occasions over the years and it really is beautiful but for the most part only the smaller ships sail it today and the occasional HAL ship.

[fleckle]

It's a bit hard to predict as it will depend upon the tides in Seymour Narrows. I live on the Sunshine Coast about an hour after the ships pass under the Lions Gate Bridge (I'll be waving to you)...some nights the ships come by us in great haste and other nights they are all but drifting by. I would suggest that by sunset you will be will be somewhere between Comox and Campbell River and at sunrise you will be in Queen Charlotte Sound between the north tip of Vancouver Island and Morseby Is., the bottom island of the Queen Charlotte Is. Most cruise today, including Princess, unfortunately sail in Hecate Strait although depending upon traffic, time, wind a tides...some ships will occasionally sail in Grenville Channel. I have sailed in Grenville Channel on many occasions over the years and it really is beautiful but for the most part only the smaller ships sail it today and the occasional HAL ship.

We were fortunate to be on the Celebrity Millennium last year when the captain took us through Grenville Channel heading northbound from Vancouver to Ketchikan. I don't know if the Millennium does that frequently or if we just got lucky that day.