Feel the wind in your hair on a Two-Masted Gaff Topsail Schooner, while Historian David Campion shares a narrative of another age when the Hudson Bay Company had a stronghold in the region. Join Professor Campion and Lewis & Clark alumni and friends on this exciting adventure, exploring the magnificent waters of the San Juan Islands aboard the historic Schooner Zodiac!
Guests are encouraged to join the crew, helping to hoist the 7000 feet of sails. When not assisting with sailing duties, you may be in the chart room, learning about navigation or actually at the helm of this fine vessel. You might grab the binoculars to see a passing orca or actually help with chores and swab the deck. While enjoying the ship’s excellent meals you can share stories from your time at Lewis & Clark or compare notes from the day’s adventures.
Great care has been taken to restore the Schooner Zodiac to the way she looked when first commissioned; varnished mahogany, oak and teak are focal points throughout her main salon and galley.
Professor Campion will help bring the history of the region to life.
Magnificent orca whales live in the San Juan Islands year round; it is the best place in the world to see them. You can also view humpbacks, minkes and even gray whales.
While the crew of the Schooner Zodiac can make no guarantees about the weather, they always endeavor to give passengers a fun filled and unforgettable experience.
Great food, fun, fellowship and adventure! Journey with curios-minded Lewis & Clark alumni and friends.
Sample Itinerary
(Final Itinerary will be updated in June 2024)
Wednesday, July 24th
Most participants will travel to Bellingham today, stay overnight in Bellingham.
An optional non-hosted dinner will be organized at a local restaurant.
Thursday, July 25th
9:30 am Board the Schooner Zodiac at Bellingham Cruise Terminal
10 am Set sail and follow the wind!
Possibly drop anchor nestled in behind Decatur Head
Possible hiking on James Island
Friday, July 26th
Enjoy the thermal winds in Orcas Island’s Eastsound.
2:30-ish, go ashore at Eastsound, Orcas Island. Free time to explore..
5 pm, Excursion or Presentation
Possible overnight anchorage at Buck Bay.
Saturday, July 27th
Depending on the wind, sail through Upright Channel.
Or head back out through Obstruction Pass and down Rosario Strait.
Take the kayaks or sailing dinghy out for a spin.
Sunday, July 28th
Make our way north in San Juan Channel.
12:30-ish go ashore to explore San Juan Island.
Visit Friday Harbor.
Professor Campion will lead the group through a local museum.
Reboard the Schooner Zodiac.Watch the sunset from our anchorage at Parks Bay on Shaw Island
Monday, July 29th
More sailing!
A swim, kayaking, possibly crabbing, and more.
Storytelling, and singing.
Tuesday, July 30th
Find some wind and go sailing!
Time to go ashore and check out the tide pools.
Possible overnight anchorage at Echo Bay, Sucia Island.
Wednesday, July 31
Sail back to Bellingham.
Accommodations
The Schooner Zodiac originally launched in 1924. While aboard, passengers stay in single berths or private staterooms and socialize in common areas for meals and other gatherings. The Zodiac is heated and well ventilated.
Being a vintage craft, guests share close quarters on the lower deck. On the top deck guests enjoy the fresh air, starry skies and more open spaces. The 24 guests, plus the crew share three restrooms. While there are showers aboard the Zodiac, for water conservation purposes, guests are not encouraged to take daily showers. Please take the virtual tour here before registering.
Standard berths are 48 inch bunks, adjacent to the ship’s salon and feature a heavy curtain. Guests need to store their gear with them in their berth as space on board is limited.
The ship’s staterooms are located both forward and aft and contain multiple bunks, a sink, a mirror and a door for privacy.
One must be able to negotiate stairs and narrow walkways in order to navigate the living areas on the Schooner Zodiac. See the virtual tour here.
Included Services
Six nights and seven days aboard the Schooner Zodiac.
While aboard the Schooner Zodiac, all meals and snacks are prepared by the ship’s professional chef using the freshest Northwest ingredients.
A 10% tip fir the crew has been included in the trip fee
Use of kayaks and rowboat.
Shore excursions to state parks and quaint island towns.
Not Included
Roundtrip flights and/or transportation from home city to Bellingham, WA
Hotel accommodations and an optional group dinner on Wednesday, July 24th, 2024.
Travel Insurance
Meals, drinks, and snacks while visiting port towns. There is always a free option back on board the Zodiac.
Any items of a personal nature
Pricing Information
Standard Lower Berth: $2895 per person* {Two Berths Available}
Standard Upper Berth: $2,295 per person* SOLD OUT
2-Person Stateroom: $5,595 for all Cabin* SOLD OUT
2-Person Plus Stateroom: $5,995 for all Cabin* SOLD OUT
*10% tip for crew has been included
Please Note: Double Cabins are sold out. We will offer an August 10 - 15th Voyage and it should be posted October 26th. Please email Andrew McPheeters if you’d like to be put on a preferred list and he will contact you when registration opens.
Travel Insurance is recommended on Lewis & Clark trips, please click here for more information. Sometimes coverage needs to be purchased within a week of booking a trip.
Dr. Robert B. PamplinJr. Associate Professor of History
Professor David Campion’s research interests include the British Empire in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries—particularly in North India, Ireland, and the Mediterranean. He has studied the influence of Irish revolutionaries in the development of Indian nationalism and is currently working on a book about the Indian Police during British colonial rule. His scholarly interests tend to focus on the effects of cross-cultural contact, particularly in a colonial setting. This includes the British exploration and trade in the Pacific Northwest and the influence of the Hudson Bay Company. David’s research and teaching have been supported by the William J. Fulbright Foundation, the American Council of Learned Societies, the Andrew J. Mellon Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the American Institute of Indian Studies, and the Rotary International Foundation.
