To sit in total silence watching a spirit bear and a black bear, five metres away, as they fish for salmon is a priceless experience. British Columbia's Great Bear Forest is a magical place and Maple leaf Adventures have organized a tour which is close to perfection. It's not for everyone, but if you are passionate about conservation, wildlife, spectacular coastal and mountain scenery, are fascinated by indigenous culture, and don't mind a little rain, this is the trip of a lifetime. Tour leaders, Marlo Shaw and Anthony Mallinson, were outstanding, friendly, approachable and extremely knowledgeable . They were backed up by every member of the shipboard crew. Food and accommodation on board Cascadia were uniformly excellent, and the complete organization was seamlessly enjoyable.

This fall, my wife and I had the privilege and pleasure of visiting the Great Bear Rainforest aboard the MV Swell. The ship itself, a converted tugboat, exuded both character and tradition. The crew, to a person, attended to our every need, a quality that was greatly appreciated by all the guests. Having lived on the west coast of BC for over 50 years I imagined that I knew the area well. However, I soon realised that the flora and fauna we were observing and experiencing would take that knowledge to a significantly higher level. The holiday, for us, was the definition of the word “Adventure”. Thank you “Maple Leaf”.

I can't believe we're already at the end of our wonderful week on the central coast; I had no concept, a the beginning, of the riches we would see. Thank you! -and for the wonderful meals- I could go on and on! I look forward to another trip sometime in the future.

An unbelievable experience with the most dedicated and involved crew I’ve ever experienced. Every day was ‘magical’. The bar for my next adventure now is high! A true way to tick off a bucket list item in such a successful way. Thanks so much to all the fabulous crew.