The owner of the elegant 210ft schooner Athos opted for a true away-from-it-all adventure, exploring remote British Columbia and its incredible wildlife. Mike Pickering reports
The Inside Passage is one of North America’s great cruising grounds – an intricate, fjord-lined waterway stretching from Vancouver Island to Alaska. It’s a route known for its remote anchorages, powerful tides and extraordinary wildlife yet it remains rarely explored by superyachts beyond the occasional high-latitude explorer design.
That’s precisely why the owner of Athos, the world’s largest privately owned two-masted schooner, chose it for an extended expedition. Athos spent three months cruising from Victoria on Vancouver Island to Juneau, Alaska – some 900 miles as the crow flies, but with extensive detours exploring fjords, anchorages, and wildlife hotspots, the total distance covered was closer to 1,400 miles.
Whether on a 40ft cruiser or a 200ft superyacht, sailing British Columbia is both demanding and rewarding. Careful planning is essential, but a truly successful voyage requires adaptability. Strong tides dictate daily schedules, deep fjords test anchoring skills, and avoiding floating logs requires constant vigilance. These conditions create the kind of raw adventure that gets you truly back to nature; something that’s increasingly rare for superyacht owners to experience.
“A big part of the decision was wanting to get off the beaten track,” Athos’s owner explains. “British Columbia isn’t a typical superyacht destination, and that’s exactly why I wanted to go. The wildlife was a huge part of it; you’re sailing alongside orcas, spotting grizzlies on the shoreline, and watching eagles dive for fish. That’s not something you get in the Med.
“But the trip wasn’t about proving Athos could handle it: we already knew that,” he adds. “It was about taking advantage of her full capability. She’s built for proper passagemaking, whether that’s threading through fjords in BC or cruising between anchorages in the Caribbean. This trip just reinforced that she’s as much at home on an adventure as she is in the Med.”
The 64m (210ft) Athos is the world’s largest privately-owned two-masted schooner. Photo: Oli Riley
The Hoek-designed Athos was built by Holland Jachtbouw and launched in 2010. She underwent a 14-month refit at Huisfit, relaunching in 2023 with an additional 4ft in length on her remodelled stern, and an additional crew deckhouse.
With a length overall of 210ft and a maximum draught of 8m (which can be reduced to 3.7m by lifting its centreboard-style swing keel), the schooner is well-suited to exploring the region’s deep fjords but still required careful anchoring strategies. The addition of a second tender garage in her recent refit proved invaluable for launching two onboard RIBs (a 7.2m and a 5.8m) allowing guests and crew to explore deep into the region’s narrow inlets.
Yet for captain Tony Brookes, the scale of the challenge wasn’t primarily about the boat’s size, it was about the planning and navigation required for the remote Canadian waters. With over 40 years’ of superyacht experience and six circumnavigations behind him, Brookes is no stranger to challenging cruising grounds. British Columbia presented its own unique tests.
“The Inside Passage is not a particularly extreme cruising ground,” he says. “But it’s intricate. The real challenge is managing tides, finding the right anchorages, and being aware of the shifting conditions – not just from a weather perspective but also from a navigational one. It’s all very deep water, but you still need to know where you can comfortably stop.”
Spectacular anchorage in British Columbia. Photo: Oli Riley
Planning & adapting
The preparation was as demanding as the voyage itself. The crew followed the fundamental principles of passage planning – what the International Maritime Organisation refers to as APEM: Appraise, Plan, Execute, and Monitor. This structured approach was essential for navigating the complexities of the Inside Passage.
Athos’s route took her from Victoria through Puget Sound before entering Desolation Sound (despite its name, a famously spectacular cruising ground) then north via Malcolm Island, Bella Bella, Rivers Inlet, Fjordland, and Prince Rupert. From there, she cleared into Alaska at Ketchikan before continuing to Juneau and Glacier Bay.
The coastline of south-east Alaska and northern British Columbia is a fractured network of islands, like a broken pane of…
Wind conditions allowed good sailing about 60% of the time, but once inside the fjords, the steep topography made for fickle breezes. Passages between anchorages were typically just two to three hours for Athos to cover, but often stretched longer as bear encounters, seal colonies or thermal springs became impromptu highlights. The team utilised a combination of traditional resources, digital tools, and the unbeatable – yet sometimes quirky – knowledge of local mariners to plan the itinerary.
“Planning a route through the Inside Passage required a mix of preparation and real-time adaptation,” Brookes explains. “I relied on tide tables, tidal atlases, and local cruising guides, along with the great crowdsourced information on Noonsite for additional insights.
Having been to the region before I had a good foundation, but I also made a point of speaking with other cruising boats in the area to get up-to-date information. For the guest-on sections, we brought in two local guides – Greg Shea and James Fisher – who were absolutely invaluable.”
Stand-up paddleboarding for an up-close view of Canadian wildlife. Photo: Oli Riley
Chatting to local cruisers refined anchorage choices and avoided hazards. “You might have a plan, but the conditions will always dictate your choices,” Brookes says. “That’s why talking to locals and adapting to what you see on the water is just as important as what’s on the chart.”
“You can’t beat the knowledge of local fishermen – wherever you are in the world,” he explains.
“Even if their advice goes against every theoretical convention, they’re usually spot on. A chart can only tell you so much. When a local fisherman tells you, ‘Anchor here, not there,’ they’re usually right.”
Whale encounters and floating hazards required on-the-fly decisions. Encounters with large pods of humpback whales meant slowing down or even altering the planned route entirely.“You don’t chase whales – they find you,” Brookes recalls. “Humpbacks surfaced metres from the bow, and we cut engines to avoid disturbance.
“You don’t want to rush past a spectacle like that. It’s part of the experience, and there were plenty of times when we chose to stay put for a few extra hours just to take it all in.”
A breaching humpback whale – sightings were not unsual, and often they’d be seen in large pods. Photo: Oli Riley
Deadheads – submerged logs drifting unpredictably –were a constant concern. Athos never moved at night, and a constant lookout watch scanned for hazards. “Even in a well-planned passage, you have to be flexible. There’s no point in sticking to a rigid schedule if it puts the boat at risk. The best sailors in these waters are the ones who know when to change their minds.”
Weather & wildlife
One of the defining aspects of sailing in British Columbia was its unpredictability. Fog banks could roll in within minutes, while sudden wind shifts made passage planning an ongoing process. “PassageWeather.com was invaluable, but nothing replaced local knowledge,” Brookes notes.
“The Canadian and US VHF weather services provided real-time updates, and when dealing with an environment this changeable, that kind of information was critical.”
Predictions guided the planning, but live observations dictated execution. Long-range forecasts helped shape the route, but conditions often evolved faster than models could account for. Monitoring local changes – through visual cues, barometer trends, and VHF updates – was fundamental to adapting the plan in real-time.
Alone in the wilderness… but despite it’s name, Desolation Sound is a spectacular cruising ground. Photo: Oli Riley
Photographer Oli Riley joined the expedition to capture Athos’s journey through this wild, ever-shifting landscape. The constantly changing conditions made his work as demanding as the sailing itself. “British Columbia’s light changed in minutes – perfect one moment, misty the next,” he says. “It made capturing the grandeur of the place a real challenge, but also what made it so special.”
The wildlife created some memorable encounters. On one occasion, guests out kayaking found themselves in the path of a pod of humpbacks, watching as the massive creatures rolled onto their sides, their gaze fixed curiously on the human visitors. Another time, a mother grizzly and her two cubs swam across a channel, their route passing directly in front of the anchored schooner.
“That was the kind of thing you couldn’t plan for,” Riley reflects. “You’d just be going about your day, and suddenly nature would take centre stage.”
The sheer abundance of marine life shaped the experience. “We saw more whales than boats,” Riley says. “Some days, we saw no one. Then, suddenly, out of nowhere, an orca pod or a group of sea lions would appear. The scale and drama of the place were unreal.”
A moment for contemplation in one of British Columbia’s strikingly beautiful fjords. Photo: Oli Riley
Self-sufficiency
On board Athos, provisioning meant living off the land and sea where possible. The crew caught fresh salmon, rockfish, and crab daily, making each meal an extension of the journey. “We never worried about seafood; the ocean provided more than we could eat,” Brookes says. The ease of fishing played perfectly into the owner’s vision for the trip: a true expedition, where the landscape and the crew’s skill determined the day’s provisions.
With 10 crew on board and 8-10 guests per trip, resupplying required careful planning. While Athos was almost always at anchor, seaplanes played a key role in logistics, flying in fresh produce and managing guest changes from Vancouver. To most, the idea of flying in supplies might sound like a luxury: in these waters it’s simply a necessity – about as common as ordering a bike courier food delivery in a city.
“It’s quite something to see a plane touchdown next to your yacht with crates of fruit and vegetables,” Brookes says. “They’re not just practical, they’re part of life up here. Whether you’re in a fishing camp, a remote lodge, or a yacht, if you need something, chances are it’s coming in by air.”
Inflatable canoe proves a great way to experience nature at close quarter. Photo: Oli Riley
Ready for anything
With no immediate access to medical facilities or rescue services, Athos had to be fully self-reliant. The crew underwent additional medical training before departure, ensuring they were prepared to respond to injuries, illness, and worst-case scenarios.
The yacht carried a well-equipped medical kit far beyond the usual first-aid supplies, including a real-time diagnostic machine linked to shore-based doctors. This allows the crew to transmit vital signs, conduct remote assessments, and receive immediate professional guidance. “Having a direct line to a doctor is a game changer,” Brookes says. “It means you don’t have to make emergency decisions in isolation.”
Athos is just as much at home in high latitudes as she is in the Med. Photo: Oli Riley
Beyond medical concerns, Athos had contingency plans in place for mechanical failures, fire, and man-overboard scenarios. The crew conducted regular drills, ensuring that in an emergency, everyone knew their role.
For evacuation, seaplanes provided a crucial backup. These aircraft weren’t just for bringing in supplies – they were a potential lifeline. “In an emergency, a seaplane could reach a hospital far faster than a boat or helicopter,” Brookes says. “It’s the reality of operating in these waters.”
The crew’s preparation wasn’t solely about expecting the worst – it was about ensuring that Athos could continue her expedition without incident. “Self-sufficiency isn’t just a mindset here,” the captain explains. “It’s a necessity.”
The off-the-beaten-track trip was a unique superyacht cruising experience for owner, guests and crew. Photo: Oli Riley
Finding magic
Reflecting on the expedition, Brookes is clear on what worked – and what they improved as they went along. “Planning is key, but so is flexibility,” he says. “You need a route, but you also need to be ready to abandon it in favour of something better.”
That lesson was put to the test when a planned afternoon stop was thrown out entirely after a pod of whales appeared unexpectedly. “We were meant to be moving on, but instead, we spent three or four hours just watching them,” Riley recalls. “That moment defined the expedition for me. If we’d stuck rigidly to the schedule, we’d have missed something unforgettable.”
For those considering a similar trip, Brookes’ main advice is to simply take your time. “The stretch between Campbell River and Ketchikan is truly special. The real magic is in the places where nobody else is.”
One of the most striking sections was the 500-mile stretch between Desolation Sound and Prince Rupert – untouched, remote, and largely ignored by passing yachts. “Desolation Sound to Prince Rupert is a forgotten wilderness coast,” he says. “Most boats skip it and go straight to Alaska. BIG mistake!”
British Columbia has some of the world’s largest gatherings of Steller sea lions. Left: grizzly bear checks out the visitors. Photo: Oli Riley
And for those looking to escape the crowds? “Forget the usual spots like Glacier Bay. It’s beautiful, but it’s busy. Go somewhere nobody else is looking.”
The Inside Passage delivered exactly what Athos’s owner had sought: a true adventure, away from the usual yachting routes. For her captain and the crew, it was an experience that reinforced why they sail. “It’s about finding the places where you’re truly alone with the wilderness,” he says. “British Columbia still has that. Not many places do.”
Unlike polar destinations, where the environment can feel harsh and unrelenting, British Columbia’s wilderness is vibrant, its forests alive with wildlife, its waters teeming with marine life. “There’s nowhere else quite like it,” Brookes adds. “It’s remote, but it’s also rich. You’re alone, but never without something extraordinary happening around you.”
Next up for Athos will be a voyage to Greenland in 2025, a high-latitude expedition slotting between the Caribbean and Mediterranean seasons. After weaving through BC’s forests and fjords, Greenland offers a stark contrast: an empty, glacial wilderness where ice dominates and the sailing is even more demanding. Whether on an expedition sail or a more traditional cruise, Athos is a superyacht built for adventure.
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