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Official Blog of the Great Bear II

First class wilderness adventures and holiday cruises on the coast of British Columbia.

Current | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |2019 | 2018-2016 | 2015 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006-2004

Winter 2009

Stop Bear Trophy Hunting

bear claw logo
See our NEW Merchandise Page for photos, descriptions and prices for:

  • Crew Jackets & Crew Vests with our logo
  • Crew Fleece sweaters with our logo
  • Baseball style caps with our logo
  • Military style (short brims) caps with our logo
  • Sterling Silver Pendants carved by Tsimshian/Haida artist Justin Clifton.

Taxes are included in the price of the merchandise, but postage/shipping is not.


The red fleece scarves with black blanket-stitched edge and the bear track design by Tsimshian / Haida artist Justin Clifton are being sold by members of the Commercial Bear Viewing Association of B.C. to raise money to help STOP THE TROPHY HUNTING OF B.C.'S BEARS!

The bear track with the head of a salmon inside the track symbolizes the symbiotic relationship between bears, the salmon, and the First Nations peoples whose land they share.

Although the bear track was created by Justin Clifton to be used in Ocean Adventures logo, we are happy to share this unique piece of art to help this important campaign.

We would like to give a special thank you to Agata and Matte of West Coast Monograms for their generosity in helping members of the Commercial Bear Viewing Association of B.C. with this important project.

West Coast Monograms supply the Crew Jackets, Vests, Fleece Sweaters and Caps with our logo embroidered on each, that are available for purchase by contacting our office.

For more information on products available through West Coast Monograms, and the very professional services they provide, visit their website here or call Matte and Agata at 604-980-5504.


MORE NEW PHOTOS ARE ONLINE!
Out of the Mist

See the magic of our latest season of adventures! View our NEW PHOTO JOURNAL here!


NEW DEPARTURES ANNOUNCED

Although B.C.'s Fiordland has been part of many trips we have offered for years, we have, at our guests' suggestion, decided to offer two trips in 2010 that focus just on this amazing B.C. Park. Our 8-day trips to Explore B.C.'s Fiordland will take us into the heart of the Great Bear Rainforest in spring and again in late summer. Spectacular landscapes, unparalleled wildlife viewing, and awe inspiring First Nations culture are the focus of our trips here. See our 2010 Schedule for departure dates to Explore B.C.'s Fiordland.

Circle of Life Photo: Patrick DiFruscia 
June is spring on the north coast of British Columbia... Waterfalls, Wildlife and carpets of Wildflowers! Canadian landscape photographer Patrick DiFruscia will join us again in 2010 in this awe-inspiring wilderness to teach us how to capture the essence of these powerful landscapes. This landscape photography expedition is LIMITED TO 4 GUESTS. See our 2010 Schedule for the departure date for Waterfalls & Wildflowers.

Explore B.C.'s Fiordland in June was popular as our voyage of discovery and draws us back again in June to experience all that these islands and their surrounding waters have to offer... Humpback whales bubble net feeding... migrating Fin and Minke whales... Orcas looking for seals... nesting seabirds here to raise their young... unique wildlife.. and the First Nations cultures of at least two coastal peoples. In an effort to help protect the unique wildlife of these areas, further details of this trip will only be available by contacting our office.

See our 2010 Schedule for the departure date for Explore B.C.'s Fiordland in June.


Click here to view our updated schedules.



OUR NEW LOGO

Justin Clifton & Jaime Milward

Great Bear II Logo

Justin Clifton (Biography)
Justin Clifton was born on the Queen Charlotte Islands (Haida Gwaii) and has lived most of his life in the small coastal village of Hartley Bay. He proudly holds the name "Niis A Waatk", a name that was passed down to him from his grandfather, who was given this name at birth. Justin's parents are of Haida and Tsimshian ancestry and both of these distinct west coast backgrounds reflect in Justin's elegant and intricate silver carvings. He has been honing his artistic talent for years, but has recently started to make his living through his artistic craftsmanship in 2008. He credits Jessel Bolton and John Sterritt with teaching him through their talented artistry in both wood and metal carving and aiding him in fulfilling his dream of becoming a respected carver. Justin has a strong sense of spiritual creativity and attributes many of his inspired carvings to his spirituality and visions.

We are honoured that Justin agreed to create this design of the bear tracks with the head of a salmon inside the tracks for our new logo.

To reach Justin you can email him HERE.

Jaime Milward (Biography)
Jaime grew up in the Yukon and has recently made Vancouver her home.

After graduating from a Graphics Communications program at BCIT in 2008, Jaime fell in love with recreating other people's visions.

Jaime says she jumped at the opportunity to be involved in designing our new logo — and we're very happy she did. Jaime found that recreating our idea proved to be a very rewarding challenge. To reach Jamie you can email her at HERE.


Inspiration for the logo...

Our love of and respect for bears... Grizzly, Black, and Spirit Bears, our passionate dedication to their conservation, their important relationship with their environment, and their intertwining in the cultures of the First Nations people whose traditional lands we visit... were all inspiration for featuring bears so prominently in the name of our ship AND on our logo.

Justin Clifton's image of the bear tracks with the head of a salmon inside the bear tracks symbolizes the important symbiotic relationship between the bears, the salmon, and the Great Bear Rainforest... and the First Nations people whose traditional lands they share.

You will be seeing Bear Tracks...
The next time you see our ship Great Bear II she will be wearing the new bear tracks designed by Justin. Justin has created silver pendants for us with the bear tracks design, which will be available for you to purchase. Jackets, vests and hats will be embroidered with the new logo. If you are traveling with us this year we'll be waiting for you dressed in our jackets or vests with our new logo.

We hope that you will join us as we celebrate the launch of our new logo, by celebrating bears and lending your voice to their conservation.


There is Hope... and there are Solutions...

  • Hunting for trophies and just for sport is unacceptable and CAN BE STOPPED.
  • Fish farming MUST BE MOVED from open nets to closed, contained, and on land... to protect the already dwindling stocks of wild Pacific salmon from sea lice infestations. The wild Pacific salmon are the lifeblood of our coast.
  • Oil SUPER Tankers MUST NOT RETURN to our coast — one accident will make the Exxon Valdez seem insignificant, destroying ecosystems and the traditional lives of many First Nations people.
  • TOURISM, CULTURE, and SCIENCE MUST BE ENCOURAGED as a means to provide jobs and encourage pride within coastal communities.
  • COME to the GREAT BEAR RAINFOREST and see how important the bears are to their rain forest ecosystems. Along the way enjoy local food, accommodation, arts and culture — and — enjoy the passion, dedication, and knowledge of local guides. The more success tourism can generate in coastal communities, the less people will have to depend on industrial fish farms and industrial logging for jobs to feed their families.

Mahatma Gandhi said...
"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated."

For more information...

  • Visit PACIFIC WILD and see their new video on trophy and sport hunting in B.C. Add your name to the growing list of people from all over the world TO STOP THE HUNT. April 1st is the start of the spring hunt in B.C.!
  • Visit DOGWOOD INITIATIVE to understand more about how oil tankers could affect our coast and what you can do to stop them.
  • Visit FARMED AND DANGEROUS and find out how open net salmon farming is affecting your health and our oceans. With wild Pacific salmon stocks disappearing, the bears and other wildlife that depend on them are suffering too.
  • Watch independent filmmaker Twyla Roscovich's documentary on our wild salmon, the lifeblood of our coast... and the affects of salmon farming on our wild Pacific salmon populations: Salmon Confidential.

Coastal Photography Cruises


Spring 2009

NEW PHOTOS ARE ONLINE!

See the magic of our latest season of adventures! View our Photo Journal here!


NEW DEPARTURES ANNOUNCED

Whale Watching, B.C. Central Coast (3 days) — August 23, 24, 25

Our NEW 3 day WHALE WATCHING departure on B.C.'s central coast will give you an opportunity to experience some of B.C.'s most spectacular whale watching. To maximize your time aboard and ensure 3 full days with us, we suggest that you travel to Bella Bella a day in advance of the trip and depart from Bella Bella on the day following the trip. We suggest the serenity and comfortable accommodations of Whiskey Cove B&B for the 2 nights on either side of this 3 day trip. When you have questions regarding this exciting trip, we would be happy to answer them.

Islands of the Spirit Bear/ The Inside Passage (9 days) — Aug 27 to Sep 4

Due to popular demand, we have added the 9 day trip "Inside Passage/Islands of the Spirit Bear". This trip will start in Bella Bella and end in Prince Rupert (with guests leaving the ship in Hartley Bay and being flown to Prince Rupert on the last day of the trip. (Seaplane flight included in the price of the trip.) If you'd like to experience some of our coast's most spectacular scenery and wildlife viewing, this is the trip for you! When you have any questions regarding this exciting 9 day trip through the heart of the Great Bear Rainforest, we would be happy to answer them.


Click here to view our updated schedules.



OUR NEW LOGO

Justin Clifton & Jaime Milward

Great Bear II Logo

Justin Clifton (Biography)
Justin Clifton was born on the Queen Charlotte Islands (Haida Gwaii) and has lived most of his life in the small coastal village of Hartley Bay. He proudly holds the name "Niis A Waatk", a name that was passed down to him from his grandfather, who was given this name at birth. Justin's parents are of Haida and Tsimshian ancestry and both of these distinct west coast backgrounds reflect in Justin's elegant and intricate silver carvings. He has been honing his artistic talent for years, but has recently started to make his living through his artistic craftsmanship in 2008. He credits Jessel Bolton and John Sterritt with teaching him through their talented artistry in both wood and metal carving and aiding him in fulfilling his dream of becoming a respected carver. Justin has a strong sense of spiritual creativity and attributes many of his inspired carvings to his spirituality and visions.

We are honoured that Justin agreed to create this design of the bear tracks with the head of a salmon inside the tracks for our new logo.

To reach Justin you can email him at justin_time72@hotmail.com

Jaime Milward (Biography)
Jaime grew up in the Yukon and has recently made Vancouver her home.

After graduating from a Graphics Communications program at BCIT in 2008, Jaime fell in love with recreating other people's visions.

Jaime says she jumped at the opportunity to be involved in designing our new logo — and we're very happy she did. Jaime found that recreating our idea proved to be a very rewarding challenge. To reach Jamie you can email her at jaimemilward@gmail.com


Inspiration for the logo...

Our love of and respect for bears... Grizzly, Black, and Spirit Bears, our passionate dedication to their conservation, their important relationship with their environment, and their intertwining in the cultures of the First Nations people whose traditional lands we visit... were all inspiration for featuring bears so prominently in the name of our ship AND on our logo.

Justin Clifton's image of the bear tracks with the head of a salmon inside the bear tracks symbolizes the important symbiotic relationship between the bears, the salmon, and the Great Bear Rainforest... and the First Nations people whose traditional lands they share.

You will be seeing Bear Tracks...
The next time you see our ship Great Bear II she will be wearing the new bear tracks designed by Justin. Justin has created silver pendants for us with the bear tracks design, which will be available for you to purchase. Jackets, vests and hats will be embroidered with the new logo. If you are traveling with us this year we'll be waiting for you dressed in our jackets or vests with our new logo.

We hope that you will join us as we celebrate the launch of our new logo, by celebrating bears and lending your voice to their conservation.


There is Hope... and there are Solutions...

  • Hunting for trophies and just for sport is unacceptable and CAN BE STOPPED.
  • Fish farming MUST BE MOVED from open nets to closed, contained, and on land... to protect the already dwindling stocks of wild Pacific salmon from sea lice infestations. The wild Pacific salmon are the lifeblood of our coast.
  • Oil SUPER Tankers MUST NOT RETURN to our coast — one accident will make the Exxon Valdez seem insignificant, destroying ecosystems and the traditional lives of many First Nations people.
  • TOURISM, CULTURE, and SCIENCE MUST BE ENCOURAGED as a means to provide jobs and encourage pride within coastal communities.
  • COME to the GREAT BEAR RAINFOREST and see how important the bears are to their rain forest ecosystems. Along the way enjoy local food, accommodation, arts and culture — and — enjoy the passion, dedication, and knowledge of local guides. The more success tourism can generate in coastal communities, the less people will have to depend on industrial fish farms and industrial logging for jobs to feed their families.

Mahatma Gandhi said...
"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated."

For more information...

  • Visit pacificwild.org and see their new video on trophy and sport hunting in B.C. Add your name to the growing list of people from all over the world TO STOP THE HUNT. April 1st is the start of the spring hunt in B.C.!
  • Visit dogwoodbc.ca to understand more about how oil tankers could affect our coast and what you can do to stop them.
  • Visit safesalmon.ca and find out how open net salmon farming is affecting your health and our oceans. With wild Pacific salmon stocks disappearing, the bears and other wildlife that depend on them are suffering too.
  • Watch independent filmmaker Twyla Roscovich's documentary on our wild salmon, the lifeblood of our coast... and the affects of salmon farming on our wild Pacific salmon populations: Salmon Confidential.

    Current | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |2019 | 2018-2016 | 2015 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006-2004

  
First class BC wilderness cruises, coastal tours and charters on the West Coast of British Columbia aboard the 54 ft. Great Bear II, out of Vancouver, BC.
· Haida Gwaii · Queen Charlotte Islands · Great Bear Rainforest · Gulf Islands · Princess Louisa Inlet ·
· Desolation Sound · Howe Sound · Indian Arm · Whale Watching · Bear Viewing · Wilderness Adventures ·

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