Offered as a Custom Trip in 2008


Style: Prince William Sound has always been one of our favorite areas to paddle! We hope you will join us as we visit tidewater glaciers, fish for salmon and halibut and camp along some of the most beautiful coastline in the world.

Our route and timetable are subject to change in accordance with the weather, paddlers abilities and wishes. We will use single and double kayaks and expect our participants to be flexible and take turns in the different kayaks. During our trips we live by the influence of the weather and the sea conditions.

Crossing Latitudes is working with a highly regarded outfitter and charter boat company in Whittier, our gateway town to Prince William Sound.

Day 1 Welcome to Anchorage and Alaska! Our trip starts at 5:00 p.m. at the Barratt Inn. We will meet you in the lobby . You are welcome to check in earlier. Please contact us if you need assistance or your travel schedule does not get you into town until later this evening. Tonight we are all staying at the hotel.

Best Western Barratt Inn
4616 Spenard Road, Anchorage, AK 99517-3299
(907) 243-3131 or 1-800-221-7550
Email: info@barrattinn.com www.barrattinn.com

After introductions and dinner we will make sure everyone has all the necessary equipment for the expedition. This will be our last chance to purchase quality outdoor gear. Please read through the Equipment List for recommended clothing. We will also pull out the charts and take a look at our route.

Tonight we will pack up our personal gear in water tight bags. We should expect the best, yet be prepared for the worst. The weather can be warm and sunny, but rain and wind are more normal. Luggage you don’t need on the trip can be stored at the hotel.

Day 2 Following a hearty breakfast we will drive an hour along Turnagain Arm. This amazing inlet has the world's second highest tidal range, an impressive 35 feet. From the small community of Portage we will drive though a series of tunnels beneath the Chugach Mountains before we reach Whittier and Prince William Sound. Whittier is a unique recreation and fishing town built by the Army during W.W.II.

This trip does require some previous paddling experience, and we recommend that you have outdoor living experience, stamina and endurance. Your leaders will demonstrate some basic sea kayaking techniques including a capsize and assisted rescue so everyone is familiar with our basic rescue procedures. During our first day we will take our time to ensure that each participant demonstrates safe and proper paddling techniques.

We will be chartered out to Applegate Island. This is an ideal starting point for our expedition. It puts us into the heart of Prince William Sound. From here we will head south towards the Chenega Glacier in Nassau Fjord. From this point on our meals will be cooked on camping stoves and our nights will be spent sleeping in tents.

While loading our kayaks (Seaworthy, Necky, Wilderness System and SEDA), we will double check all food, camping and sea kayaking equipment. We'll take a final look at the nautical charts prior to leaving and confirm our destination for the day. The weather and the group’s paddling ability will help us determine our speed of travel.

Day 3- Day 10 "Icy Bay", "Port Wells", "Nassau Fjord", "Dangerous Passage", "Perry Island" and "Chenega Glacier" are names on the chart that will become familiar to you.

Few locations in the world are as scenic as Prince William Sound. Our paddling route includes travel between islands and visits into fjords with tidewater glaciers. Prince William Sound offers spectacular and varied natural history; it is a place for observation, exploration and discovery. The sea teems with life—whales, porpoises, sea otters, seals and sea lions are often seen. A great variety of sea birds inhabit its waters and shores. Tidal pools with starfish, anemones and other small creatures dot the tidal zone. We strongly recommend that you bring a pair of binoculars for observing water conditions and wildlife.

During our expedition we encourage your input while making decisions on where to camp, how far to paddle and what areas to explore. Working together is what makes a Crossing Latitudes trip unique.

The tides on Prince William Sound can be reach up to 15 feet. Finding the perfect beach when the tides are high is an interesting aspect of camping here. You will become a pro in reading the tide lines on the beach and as long as you pitch your tent above where the leaders pitch their tent, you'll be safe from the incoming tide!

The weather on Prince William Sound can be variable. Overcast and cool days are the norm for summer in this maritime climate of abundant rain. You can expect it to rain or drizzle for at least half of the expedition. Storms can prohibit paddling and ground us on a beach for a few days. But storms can not prohibit us from enjoying this wonderful world. We will beach comb and hike up in the surrounding tundra. The salmonberries and blueberries ought to be plentiful at this time.

Of course we hope to take advantage of Alaska's fine fishing too. Crossing Latitudes provides hand lines and some tackle but if you are an avid fisher-person we recommend that you bring your own equipment. Rockfish and halibut are the most common fish and there is a good chance to catch a salmon.
Where there is salmon there might also be black bears. On this expedition we need to take bear precautions. This means that we might hang our food bags in the trees in some areas and we ask you not to bring in any food into your tent. We will have tarps to hang out under so you can still enjoy a cup of cocoa in the evening.

Day 11 If the weather and sea conditions are in our favor we’ll paddle into Whittier this morning. Our overall trip distance is approximately 75 - 100 nautical miles. If the weather is not in our favor Honey Charters will come and pick us up.

Upon our return to Whittier we will unload, clean gear and kayaks and then drive back to Anchorage. In the late afternoon we’ll check back into our hotel where our luggage, a bed and hot showers await us. Tonight we'll celebrate with a well deserved dinner at a local restaurant.
Tonight's' lodging and dinner are included in the expedition price.

Day 12 Breakfast and a final group photo will mark the official ending of our expedition. Please don’t plan to leave Anchorage until this morning.

General Information:

Travel Insurance: We recommend that you protect yourself from unforeseen circumstances while traveling. Crossing Latitudes offers the Travel Guard "Protect Assist" insurance plan. It protects you in the event that you have to cancel your trip for a variety of reasons. It covers you for everything from your cancellation to Trip Interruption, Travel Delay, Lost, Stolen or Damaged Luggage, Baggage Delay, Medical Expenses, Emergency Medical Transportation and more. This plan is ideally suited for adventure travel.

Pre- and post-trip accommodations: We recommend EDMONDS TRAVEL outside Seattle. "KJ" is our primary contact person, she will help you book tickets. Call: 1-800-261-3868. Email: kj@edmondstravel.com

Weather: The weather on Prince William Sound can be variable. Overcast and cool days are the norm for summer in this maritime climate of abundant rain. You can expect it to rain or drizzle for at least half of the expedition. Sunny days will be a welcome exception. Here the average temperatures range between the low 50's to 70’s. At times, the elements can prohibit us from paddling but not from enjoying these spectacular places. Good rain gear and footwear will also enable us to explore the mountains, forests and coast by foot.

Last minute assistance: If you need assistance shortly before departure or while traveling to Alaska, you may call Crossing Latitudes: 1-800-572-8747 or 1-406-570-4245. Please leave your name, a message and a number where we can reach you.

We are looking forward to our adventure together!

Tim & Lena Conlan
Crossing Latitudes, Inc.