I took a three-week vacation to Alaska this summer, including a one-week cruise from Sitka to Juneau on a small ship called the Mist Cove, owned and run by The Boat Company, with 24 passengers and 13 crew members. I was invited by a family friend to tag along with their group, and it was the trip of a lifetime, for not much more than you’d pay to sail a similar route with 5000 other people on a giant cruise ship. With daily activities from freshwater and saltwater fishing to kayaking and hiking, it was an adrenaline-packed trip perfect for people who like to get outdoors and play.

Philip fly fishing for Salmon

The Boat Company is a non-profit cruise line (the only in the world) whose mission is to protect the Tongass National Forest and southeast Alaska. The Tongass National Forest is this earth’s last substantially intact, temperate rainforest, encompassing 17 million acres and covering almost 95% of the area known as southeast Alaska (larger than the state of Texas). Since their formation, they’ve invested over 30 million dollars in Alaska conservation, underwriting local organizations and lobbying organizations like the Natural Resources Defense Council and others to defend the Roadless Rule, and more.

Hiking and tree worshipping

Every Boat Company Cruise is an educational odyssey, with immersive morning and afternoon activities followed by a naturalist lecture during happy hour before dinner. Our boat, the Mist Cove, had five motorized skiffs which ferried us to freshwater streams full of migrating salmon, saltwater fishing grounds replete with humpbacks and orcas, deserted moss-covered islands for hiking, and deserted bays for easy kayaking. Before and after our activities, we were treated to gourmet food, including preparations of the salmon, rock fish, halibut, and shrimp that were caught each day by guests.

A group of Humpback whales feeding on krill

The onboard crew was exceptional. In addition to the great food, they chaparoned us each day on our adventures, driving the boat’s motorized skiffs to nearby destinations and making sure we weren’t eaten by the brown bears prowling the islands that make up the southeastern archipelago. I did a lot of fly fishing for salmon on the cruise, and they helped me land my fish with a net and fillet them once we got back to the boat. By the time the cruise was over, we were all on a first-name basis with the crew and shared a lot of laughs together.

My friend Mike catches a nice Halibut

On my cruise, there were two family groups and a couple, who were repeat guests, something that is quite common amongst Boat Company alumni. I enjoyed getting to know everyone, despite our very different backgrounds. The other family group had three younger children along, so there’s really no age limit on who can enjoy the cruise.

Our skiffs came to within a quarter mile of the Dawes Glacier

If you enjoy “active” vacations and learning about natural habitats, I highly recommend checking out the Boat Company. They have two boats, the Mist Cove and the Liseron, that cruise southeastern Alaska from Sitka to Juneau, and from Juneau to Sitka, each summer, alternating each way. It’s a trip you’ll never forget.