Special Charter Flotilla Opportunities!

Beauty and grandeur around every corner, the delights of cruising the waters and islands of Desolation Sound and the Broughton Islands Group, are many and memorable.  Keep a watch out for bears, whale, deer and eagles, gather muscles and oysters, bird watch, fish and relax, as you explore these wondrous cruising grounds. Join any one or more of the five flotilla legs, timed to provide the best weather and scenery, before the summer crowds arrive.  Charter one of our well-maintained yachts yourself or, if you prefer, we have several by-the-stateroom rental options available. Beginning and advanced learning opportunities as well.

General Information

Leg #1 (Saturday, May 3 through Friday, May 9):  Depart Bellingham and travel up into Desolation Sound and the Discovery Islands.  Your charter will conclude in Heriot Bay/Campbell River*. 

Leg #2 (Saturday, May 10 through Friday, May 16):  Depart Heriot Bay/Campbell River*, travel through Desolation Sound and the Discovery Islands, then up through Johnstone Strait to the fjords of the Broughton Islands Group.  This trip will conclude in Port McNeill.

Leg #3 (Monday, May 19 through Wednesday, May 28):  10 day leg, departing from, and returning to Port McNeill.  Travel in and around the majestic fjords, graceful waterfalls, and cozy anchorages of the remote Broughton Islands Group.  Look for bears, whales and other wildlife, gather muscles and oysters, birdwatch, fish, relax, and explore. 

Leg #4 (Saturday, May 31 through Friday, June 6):  Depart Port McNeill and travel down through the Broughton Islands Group, Johnstone Strait, the Discovery Islands and Desolation Sound.  This leg will conclude in Heriot Bay/Campbell River*.

Leg #5 (Saturday, June 7 through Friday, June 13):  Depart Heriot Bay/Campbell River* and travel down through Desolation Sound and the Strait of Georgia, stopping to explore Jervis Inlet and the beautiful Princess Louisa Inlet.  Then on down through the Gulf Islands and San Juan Islands, concluding this leg in Bellingham.

* Option for charter guest and students to board/deboard at Campbell River may be available, depending on weather, currents, and schedule.

Flotilla Fee:  $250 per week per boat.  (On boats offering "by the stateroom" rentals, the flotilla fee will be split evenly by all people onboard, including the skipper.)

Flotilla Leader:  Roger Van Dyken is the founder/owner of San Juan Sailing and San Juan Yachting. He loves boating and has led flotillas circumnavigating Vancouver Island as well as the B2B (Bellingham to the Broughton Islands) Flotillas. He and his wife Marlene also cruise in Europe each year. He's logged 6,000 miles on their 70’ 1908 converted Dutch barge on Europe’s inland waterways and authored a book on the subject. Roger is a USCG licensed captain, a racing skipper for over ten years, and holds multiple instructor certifications by the American Sailing Association. In addition to his work at San Juan Sailing and San Juan Yachting, he is founder and currently president of the Pacific Northwest Charter Association  (PNCA), a retired Air Force colonel, a former Washington State Representative and is active in many civic organizations locally.  The flotillas are his “wonderful getaway time”.

By-the-Boat Options:  Charter one of our well-maintained sailboats, motoryachts, or trawlers for one or more legs of this exciting flotilla adventure.  Explore beyond the reaches of a normal charter by taking advantage of the one-way itineraries of the first, second, fourth and fifth legs or the Port McNeill start/finish of the third leg.  Simply choose from our list of eligible flotilla boats and charter it for your chosen portion of the flotilla.      

By-the-Stateroom Option

The Manta 42 Catamaran "Ninja", the Beneteau 42 "Kipper Kite", and the Nordic Tug 37 "Weak Moment" will be available for by-the-stateroom charter for some or all of the legs of the flotilla.  Depending on your skill level and/or what you learn from your skipper/instructor, you will be welcome to participate (as the skipper deems prudent) in the operation of your vessel, including helm time.  Or, sit back, relax, and let the skipper handle everything!

Stateroom Rates:  $1400 per cabin for Legs 1,2,4,5 (seven day legs)

$2000 per cabin for Leg 3 (ten day leg)

Note:  In addition to the cabin rate, everyone onboard (including the skipper) will split the following expenses equally through use of a "ship's kitty":  food, moorage fees, fuel, flotilla fees ($250 per week) and other incidental expenses.

Instruction Options

1.  Basic Sailing to Bareboat Certification Learn-N-Cruise:  A 10-day Basic Sailing to Bareboat Charter Certification Learn-N-Cruise (ASA 101/103/104) is being offered during Leg #3 (Monday, May 19 through Wednesday, May 28).  This course will begin and end in Port McNeill.  For more details on this special 10-day Learn-N-Cruise, click here.

2.  Intermediate Learn-N-Cruise:  One-Week Intermediate (ASA 114 Cruising Catamaran plus ASA 105 Coastal Navigation Option) Learn-N-Cruises will be offered during Legs #1 (May 3 - 9), #2 (May 19 - 28), #4 (May 31 - June 6) and #5 (June 7 - 13). These one-way courses will follow the path of the flotilla.  For more details on these Intermediate Learn-N-Cruise options, click here.

3.  Advanced Lean-N-Cruise:  One-Week and  Two Week Advanced (ASA 106 Advanced Coastal Cruising plus ASA 105 Coastal Navigation Option) Learn-N-Cruises will be offered during Legs #1 (May 3 - 9), #2 (May 19 - 28), #4 (May 31 - June 6) and #5 (June 7 - 13). These one-way courses will follow the path of the flotilla.  For more details on these special one-way Advanced Learn-N-Cruise options, click here.

Photo Gallery

With so much to see and explore, these photos are but a quick sampling of the delights of cruising the waters and islands from Bellingham, up through Desolation Sound and to the Broughton Group. 

This is the photo that sums up why we travel to these beautiful places.	Marv catches the first fish.	The falls above Toba Wildernest. These falls power the resort via a homemade hydroelectric plant.	The view towards Toba Inlet from the docks at Toba Wildernest.	Another view of the Toba Inlet area.
One of many beautiful waterfalls in Toba Inlet.	Due to the shear cliffs of the inlet, water falls straight down into hundreds of feet of water, allowing admiring boats to venture quite close.	A bear spotted in Okisollo Channel.	A bear spotted in Okisollo Channel.	More fresh shrimp in the Broughtons.
The mountains of Thompson Sound.	Sailing up Malaspina Strait.	The mountains of Thompson Sound.	The towering heights of Thompson Sound really dwarf a 45 foot sailboat.
Roger "picking" mussels.	One of the joys of flotilla cruising is sharing meals with your fellow boaters. Here a group meal of those freshly picked mussels.	Mussels, showing the telltale signs of growing up in the wild.	The beautiful Lacey Falls.	Sailing Sutlej Channel.
Roger practicing his hunter/gatherer skills again.	Esprit de Mer entering Roaring Hole at slack tide.	Shrimp boat and heron.	Esprit de Mer entering Roaring Hole at slack tide.	Sailing along Well's Pass.
Another view of Well's Pass.	Totems at Alert Bay.	A brisk sail through Queen Charlotte Strait.	Buying shrimp straight from the boat in Powell River.	Enjoying a fresh shrimp dinner aboard!
Another beautiful sunset in Lund.	A view of the mountains of Desolation Sound.	Swimming in Melanie Cove. Not as cold as you might think.	Esprit de Mer wrapped in the quiet solitude of Melanie Cove.