Tugboat Adventure Offers Fish and Ships

Tugboat Adventure Offers Fish and Ships

Amid the pristine waters of Inside Passage in British Columbia, Westwind Tugboat Adventure guests can fish and cruise while enjoying the abundance of beauty and the presence of wildlife. Two restored, 85-foot 1941 tugboats named Parry and Union Jack carry between eight and twelve passengers through one of North America’s last frontiers.

The tugboats follow fish through narrow, scenic channels and anchor daily in coves otherwise hidden among majestic fjords and groups of islands, including Langara, Prince Rupert and Bella Bella. Along the way, adventurers get a good look at gray whales, humpback whales, porpoise, eagles and oracles. They also explore uninhabited shorelines, dig for clams, visit ghost towns, historical ports of call or soak in a natural hot spring. Guests also land on desolate islands and shorelines with interesting names such as Squattery, Squawderee, Qlawdzeet, Refuge Cover and the Lucy Island Lighthouse. They also explore dense and fertile forests of cedar, fir and spruce trees with forest floors that resemble a fern-studded, six-inch-thick green felt carpet.

With eight-day cruises from May through September, it’s wilderness and water at its best. Guests are treated to a bear-scout excursion up the Kwinamass River or follow the annual migration of silver, sockeye and coho salmon. To complement the coastline cruise is legendary food prepared by chefs who create a combination of mouth-watering and healthy cuisine. The chef uses a 1930s vintage diesel stove to serve fresh salmon, halibut, snapper, chicken or turkey with a selection of fresh vegetables, home-made bread, rolls and muffins, and dessert.

The tugboats provide deluxe accommodations with two berth cabins, a cozy lounge with a fireplace, and all the comforts of home, including tiled showers, bathrobes and hair dryers. The captains and crews of Westwind also offer guests with first-class service and have a rich supply of local history to share throughout the adventure.

Westwind caters to fishing enthusiasts, supplying all the tackle, licenses and clothing. The state-of-the-art, 18-foot aluminum catamarans are fully equipment with radios, fish finders and quiet Honda four-stroke outboard motors. Kayaking is also available for guests who prefer to privately explore secluded beaches and islands.

Now in its 30th year of operation, the philosophy of Westwind Tugboat Adventures staff is that fun can take precedence over fishing, but they are usually synonymous because Westwind knows how to make the adventure pleasurable for everyone. Guests wake at 5am and are plied with steaming coffee and fresh-baked rolls. Fishing begins an hour later with either lessons for the rookies or lines immediately cast for experienced anglers.

Westwind Owner Bob Jordan came from a long line of commercial fishermen who worked the waters of the Adriatic and Mediterranean seas, and later, the salmon and halibut fisheries of Western Canada and the North Pacific. Although studying drafting and mechanical engineering in college, fishing was in his blood so Bob and his wife Kathy opened a charter business in the late 1970s. Soon after a fire destroyed what they owned, Bob purchased a derelict wooden tug for $15,000 and spent a year personally rehabilitating the Union Jack. At the time, the tug was one of a few vintage, all-timber vessels powered by an original 38,000-pound 400hp Union Diesel.

By the mid-1980s, Westwind Tugboat Adventures had evolved into a high-end fishing and adventure cruise. In 1987, Bob rescued the deteriorated motor vessel Parry. After a $500k refit, it was added to the Westwind fleet.

This trip of a lifetime is great for families, corporate groups, couples or individuals.

For more information, visit www.tugboatcruise.com or call 1-888-599-TUGS (8847).