Aboard Pacific Yellowfin: Great Bear Rainforest & Humpback Encounters

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Read about Yacht Expedition Designer Venetia’s recent journey through the Great Bear Rainforest.

Stepping aboard Pacific Yellowfin in the heart of the Great Bear Rainforest felt like entering another world. Over the week, I found myself capturing breathtaking Great Bear Rainforest photos, watching a humpback whale sleeping just beneath the surface, and drifting alongside grizzlies as they fished for salmon zombies. We spent hours snapping playful sea lion pictures, before winding down with a cosy Bhutanese food cooking class onboard, sipping Rishi masala chai as the rainforest faded into the evening mist. It was a journey filled with rare moments and unforgettable wildlife encounters.

EXPLORE PACIFIC YELLOWFIN

A land aptly named, a week in the Great Bear Rainforest provided a wealth of bears, rain, and great, towering forests.

Arriving late in the evening, under a curtain of rain, I ducked onboard and into the warm, welcoming embrace of Pacific Yellowfin. A haven of shining polished wood, knitted blankets, and a homely open galley – she offered a sanctuary from the relentless wilderness outside.

After a convivial welcome and safety briefing by the captain and crew, we settled in for our first night onboard. With full stomachs and piping hot showers, it was a comforting end after a long day of travel.

Dawn arrived, ushering in the first true glimpse of this remote wilderness. We set off cruising down forest-lined fjords shrouded in mist that rose from the rain-drenched trees. Safely ensconced in the bridge, Captain Colin started to share some of his endless knowledge and local stories with us. Surrounded by the Yellowfin’s original instruments and tables covered in nautical charts, we laid plans for the week ahead.

great bear rainforest photos
luxury yacht branding British Columbia

We took advantage of a brief weather window to hop onto Pacific Yellowin’s covered tender. Armed with snacks, hot drinks, and stacks of binoculars, we embarked on our first safari at sea. Hugging the coast, we were treated to scores of humpbacks gently breaking the surface of the ocean as they crested, each breath a miniature geyser in the still air. A curious-looking lump of driftwood caught our attention. Switching off our engine and drifting closer, the “driftwood: shifted and released a billowing breath. A sleeping humpback. Floating just beneath the water’s surface, this was an otherworldly encounter even for a seasoned veteran of British Columbia’s waters such as Captain Colin.

The next morning, as we journeyed through a steep valleyed fjord, a sudden yell from the bridge had us all running onto the rain-misted deck. Around us, humpback whales were breaching and spinning out of the water. Crashing back into the waves, their enormous bodies sent ripples echoing through the fjords.

 

Anchoring beneath the spray of a crashing waterfall, we set off in a shallow draft tender to explore upriver. Wrapped in layers of waterproofs, we navigated upriver, witnessing zombie salmon drifting down with the current, their life cycle complete. Seals surfaced to peer curiously at us before darting away just as quickly. High above, bald eagles perched on the branches of ancient trees like silent sentinels.

So focussed on the water below and trees above, we almost missed a mother bear with her teenage cub resting at the water’s edge. Silently, we drifted closer, watching her snuffle along the forest fringes, before disappearing into the dense thicket, her cub ambling behind. Later, a massive male grizzly emerged from another tributary. Our tender fell into hushed stillness as he rose tall against a tree, nonchalantly using it as a scratching post, his casual movements both powerful and amusing. Satisfied, he plonked down, using a burly paw to scratch behind his ear. Finally, he snacked on a drifting zombie salmon before swimming across the river and vanishing into the forest.

where is the great bear rainforest

Awaking before dawn at our new anchorage, we set off upriver once again. A dramatically clear sky made the early start worth it as streaks of cloud ribboned across the otherwise clear sky. Peering along the shore the stillness was eerie almost otherworldly, pierced only by eagle cries and distant animal calls. This serenity was playfully shattered by an effusive labrador aboard a small canoe. Serving as bear protection, he and his owner stopped to chat with us on their way upriver. Serving as bear protection, the Labrador and his owner - a Canadian National Parks worker - stopped to chat with us on their way upriver to monitor fish stocks and the wider ecosystem.

Returning to the yacht, we were delighted by the chef’s attention to detail as personal touches and breakfast favourites gleaned from conversations onboard were served. Restored, we embarked on a safari to find thousands of sea lions sun-basking and barking on two rocky outcroppings. The sheer energy of the scene - a roaring, bustling colony vying for precious space - was nothing short of electric.

Later, we dropped in at a remote outpost for an immersive lecture by a local whale and dolphin research team. The recordings of whales practising their songs, the sounds reverberating through the fjord walls were a truly ethereal symphony.

As we cruised toward home, we were treated to the rare sight of bubble feeding – a phenomenon endemic to the waters of Alaska and British Columbia. A frenzy of gulls marked the spot as the waters beneath them erupted with the mouths of breaching humpbacks their intricate underwater teamwork driving fish to the surface. As we watched on, the pod moved through the fjord sporadically crashing through the water as gulls dove towards them in a frenetic cacophony of movement.

 

As the pod moved on so did we. We were invited to join the chef in the open galley. Here we were treated to a Bhutanese cooking class complete with masala chai and fascinating stories of the chef’s life that had led him around the world and back to British Columbia and the Pacific Yellowfin. The evening ended with a final, spectacular sunset, a breathtaking farewell after a week of rain, wilderness, and untamed beauty - a reminder of the raw, beautiful power of the wild.


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luxury yacht great bear rainforest photos
pacific yellowfin
great bear rainforest photos Labrador on boat

Feeling Inspired?

If Venetia's journey through the Great Bear Rainforest aboard Yellowfin has inspired you, get in touch with our Yachting Team to start planning your journey today.



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