Explore Alaska's Inside Passages, Glacier Bay, the San Juan Islands and the Sea of Cortez
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Together at last. These sister ships don’t get to sleep in the same place very often. But when they do, the night is magic. The 1st purpose built Alaskan Expedition Ship (1924), Westward, in the back. The University of Washington’s first oceanographic research vessel (1932), Catalyst, swinging on the hook up front.
We’ve been overwhelmed by your amazing comments this week as you watched Captain Bill Bailey cast off the lines of Westward, this time from the dock side! It’s a true testament to his hard work and dedication in fostering our incredible Pacific Catalyst community.
Bill and Tracie have shared more insights in the link below. Rest assured, our team at Pacific Catalyst is as committed as ever to keeping these magical ships alive for you. M/V Catalyst and M/V Westward are ready for your next adventure!
We have a few remaining cabins open this summer in Alaska, or join us in Baja this winter. Who knows, you may even see your old captain and chef dipping their toes in the Sea of Cortez.
To our wonderful patrons and team members, After nearly 30 seasons of adventures along the Pacific shores of North America, it is time for Tracie and I to plot a course into the remote and sublime archipelago known as retirement. When I bought M/V Catalyst and formed Pacific Catalyst around her, I w...
After years of sailing classic yachts in Alaska we have created a boutique oasis in Todos Santos.
This is Westward sailing from Bartlett Cove in Glacier Bay this morning, after Tracie and I dropped their lines and waved to her remarkable crew and wonderful guests.
This marked our last official act as owners of Pacific Catalyst and the classic yachts Westward and Catalyst.
We leave them in good hands, and are certain that their new steward is prepared and equipped to continue their operation for this next phase.
Thanks to all of you who have sailed with us over the years, it has been an incredible 20 years, thanks to all of you.
Please continue to follow Tracie and I in our new venture at Blue Turtle Garden here on Facebook.
Greetings, we have had a couple of last minute cancellations and are able to make some of you incredible deals.
We have a couple of cabins available on Westward’s next two sailings. The first sails from Juneau on May 28, and arrives in Sitka on June 4.
The second trip departs Sitka on June 6 and arrives in Petersburg on the 13th.
Both voyages are 8 days and 7 nights aboard Westward, which is celebrating the centennial of her first voyage to Alaska in 1924.
If you’re interested send us a PM here and we’ll get you more information.
We have never made an offer like this before, so act quickly if you’re interested.
Check out www.pacificcatalyst.com for details about the boat and trip.
This morning was interesting. It began with thunder and lightning before transitioning to snow. However, the conditions created a perfect tableau of the Alaskan wilderness that many seek and few find.
A good day for a fire in the fireplace!
Westward is celebrating the centennial anniversary of her first Alaska charter season in 1924.
If you’re in Juneau, come on down!
There are 2 cakes, engine room tours and an open boat. Tours until 3:00 pm today.
Westward arrived In Port Townsend Tuesday morning at 3:00, and after a busy and productive 32 hours, sailed this morning at 11:00 bound for Juneau Alaska.
Safe travels to her capable crew!
This is how we move Catalyst between her spot in the shipyard to the water. Busy day today!
Westward has cleared into the US in San Diego, and has headed north toward Point Concepcion.
Bad weather continues challenge her crew as we hope to round Point Conception, one of the major turn points along the West Coast, before weather forces her back into a port of refuge.
Once back in port, high winds and rough seas won’t begin to abate until at least the 20th.
We have to be in Juneau Alaska on May 3rd to prepare for our role in Juneau’s Harbor Festival, where we will celebrate the 100th anniversary of Westward’s first arrival in Alaska in 1924!
After weather delays in Bahia Santa María and Bahia Tortuga, Westward is underway en route for San Diego, where she is expected to arrive mid-day Thursday. She will do a quick crew exchange, clear customs back into the US, and then set sail again in hopes of getting as far north as possible before the next series of storms force her back into port.
This looks like its going to be the longest and most challenging reposition trip in our experience.
Catalyst on her way to the boatyard. Time for her spring makeover.
It was 33 degrees that morning, and it was extremely refreshing when the water ran up my arms while pressure washing her bottom.
Extremely.
22 days out of Port Townsend and Westward has arrived in La Paz, Baja California Sur.
It was an epic and challenging voyage, but her crew rose to the occasion and are now enjoying tacos la pastor.
Westward at the end of sea trials and just before weighing anchor to begin her 2 2039 mile reposition cruise from Washington state to La Paz, Baja California Sur.
THe weather along the coast of Washington, Oregon and California is far from ideal, but it is time to go.
Estimated arrival in La Paz is 08:00 on Tuesday the 21st.
Good sailing Westward crew!!
Westward all painted up and ready to go.
New rocker custom cast by Port Townsend Foundry to replace two that broke in 2021. And, Catalyst arriving in Port Townsend at the end of her 2023 season.
It has been a while since I have updated our FB page. A lot has happened in the last 5 weeks!
We hauled Westward on September 28, and had shipwrights, painters, machinists and crew members all prepared to go to work.
We launched her last Friday after checking off more boxes on our wish list than ever before. Tomorrow we will finish tuning the engine and adjusting the newly overhauled transmission, fuel up and head out for sea trials. The crew is ready to confront the winter ocean and begin the long run to La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico.
Not every day that these two are able to cross paths on their Southeast Alaskan adventures.
-Catalyst and Westward anchored outside of Fords Terror
Boy did the Westward have a firework show!! Happy 4th
For the Catalyst Crew that's a wrap for the time being at Glacier Bay.
Thanks to all the guests and wildlife who made the trip such a great time.
Update! The CATALYST is prepping to head out on part 2 of its back-to-back trip into Glacier Bay National Park. Just one of the many amazing places that we are able to go and explore.
For many, the magical northern part of Glacier Bay is a favorite for those who love wild, raw, majestic landscapes. It's not hard to see why. This part of Alaska has drawn explorers for centuries. Each is mystified and humbled by its grandeur.
If anyone has general questions, or just wondering where she is or how she is doing just leave a comment.
A spectacular day in Glacier Bay.
Westward is on her first trip of the 2023 summer Alaska season, and is anchored in a secluded cove with no other vessels in sight.
As we served lunch a moose trotted across a far shore, swam the stream at the head of the cove, and the ran down the beach about 300 yards from us!
It didn’t seem concerned about us at all, but something had it spooked!
During lunch a large brown bear emerged from the Alders in about the same place we first saw the moose.
It meandered down the beach, turning over rocks and nibbling some grass, before it headed into the forest, no doubt to take a nap.
When combined with breaching humpback whales, Dall’s porpoise riding our bow wave, and a scattering of sea otters, it has been an extraordinary first day in Glacier Bay!!
And I haven’t even mentioned the food!!
One guest said that she had just had the next 3 meals she has eaten in the last 30 years!
The last time I wrote an update all I thought we had to do was clean Westward. Change her main engine and genset oil and filters. Provision her for Alaska and her northbound reposition, touch up her paint and do laundry.
We had 24 hours to accomplish those tasks and get her on her way north and then we had 3 days to prepare Catalyst to sail for Alaska.
It was all going pretty well too. We’ve been doing this for a long time, and getting things done within an impossible time frame is a skill we have all perfected. Going well that is until I started to change the oil on the genset. There was water in the oil, which is a Very Bad Thing.
We made calls and realized that making repairs was going to be outside our time limit. So we bought the only generator in Seattle that would fill all of our space and power requirements.
Dorin Ellis, fresh (or physically and mentally exhausted) from the epic haulout of his own classic boat, Mitlite, took the lead.
The afternoon of Sailing date +2 saw us craning the old generator out and the new one in, and the afternoon of sailing date +3 had Westward ready to go. Due to the days lost and the looming opening of our full Alaska season requires Dorin and the rest of Westward’s capable crew to motor 24 hours a day almost all the way to Juneau.
They are now around Cape Caution and on schedule to pass through Ketchikan on Monday.
Meanwhile, having ignored Catalyst while helping to get Westward underway, we were in trouble on her preparations. Most, but not all of her preseason projects got finished, provisions loaded and stowed, fuel tanks filled and haul out supplies moved to storage, and she was able to leave only a few hours behind schedule, a deficit she has now made up as she approaches the north end of Vancouver Island.
There was no time to train Catalyst’s new crew, so I am along to help, forgoing my scheduled time at home (again).
It has been a few (eight) years since I was tue engineer on Catslyst, so it has been an Easter Egg hunt finding valves, switches and parts, but it is slowly returning. Our new engineer, Kelly is extraordinary, and has already spent hours in the engine room cleaning and polishing.
Captain Che has been doing the same in the pilot house, and the brass handrails have been freed from years of tarnish.
Westward has arrived safely in Port Townsend. Now we have all day tomorrow to prep her for her Wednesday 06:00 departure for Alaska.
We are being inundated with spam posts. Ignore any posts that encourage you to click on a link!!!!
Westward at rest last night in San Diego. Not quite half way from La Paz to Port Townsend.
| Monday | 09:00 - 17:00 |
| Tuesday | 09:00 - 17:00 |
| Wednesday | 09:00 - 17:00 |
| Thursday | 09:00 - 17:00 |
| Friday | 09:00 - 17:00 |
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This is Westward sailing from Bartlett Cove in Glacier Bay this morning, after Tracie and I dropped their lines and waved to her remarkable crew and wonderful guests. This marked our last official act as owners of Pacific Catalyst and the classic yachts Westward and Catalyst. We leave them in good hands, and are certain that their new steward is prepared and equipped to continue their operation for this next phase. Thanks to all of you who have sailed with us over the years, it has been an incredible 20 years, thanks to all of you. Please continue to follow Tracie and I in our new venture at Blue Turtle Garden here on Facebook.
🇺🇸✨ **Happy 4th of July from Pacific Catalyst!** ✨🇺🇸 As we celebrate the spirit of independence, we also honor the rich history and legacy that define Pacific Catalyst. Our classic wooden yachts, the M/V Catalyst (1932) and the M/V Westward (1924), have been navigating the beautiful waterways of the Pacific coast for 100 years, offering unique and immersive experiences that connect us with nature and history. True American treasures. This Independence Day, we reflect on the freedom to explore and the responsibility to preserve our stunning natural landscapes and historically significant ships. Our commitment to eco-friendly tourism ensures that the pristine beauty of these regions remains untouched for generations to come. 🎆 From all of us at Pacific Catalyst, Happy 4th of July! 🇺🇸🛳️ #PacificCatalyst #4thOfJuly #IndependenceDay #HistoricLegacy #EcoTourism #SustainableTravel #AdventureAwaits
Westward arrived In Port Townsend Tuesday morning at 3:00, and after a busy and productive 32 hours, sailed this morning at 11:00 bound for Juneau Alaska. Safe travels to her capable crew!
This is how we move Catalyst between her spot in the shipyard to the water. Busy day today!
Catalyst on her way to the boatyard. Time for her spring makeover. It was 33 degrees that morning, and it was extremely refreshing when the water ran up my arms while pressure washing her bottom. Extremely.
It has been a while since I have updated our FB page. A lot has happened in the last 5 weeks! We hauled Westward on September 28, and had shipwrights, painters, machinists and crew members all prepared to go to work. We launched her last Friday after checking off more boxes on our wish list than ever before. Tomorrow we will finish tuning the engine and adjusting the newly overhauled transmission, fuel up and head out for sea trials. The crew is ready to confront the winter ocean and begin the long run to La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico.
A spectacular day in Glacier Bay. #pacificcatalyst #woodenboat #classicyachts
We had been following the group of humpback whales for a couple of hours, as they foraged along the shoreline looking for herring and an opportunity to feed on the oil-rich fish. Occasionally one or another would breach, or execute a series of tail throws, perhaps in frustration at the groups inability to find food, or encouragement that they soon would. The first indication that their quest was on the verge of fulfillment was when the group coalesced, and one member made a slow lunge into a small school of herring. More whales began joining the group until it grew to about 20 animals, including at least 2 cow/calf pairs. The entire pod dove as one and a few minutes later erupted from the ocean’s surface with volcanic suddenness. A new seamount, born of muscle and need. It was impossible to guess where the next cetaceous explosion would occur and we seldom caught the beginning of a bubble net, so we just drifted and watched, maneuvering only to keep our bow pointed at the most recent display. Perhaps the herring sought shelter in the shadow of Westward’s hull, or it was just a coincidence, but while we were excitedly looking for the whale’s tell-tale 50 foot in diameter ring of bubbles at a range of a few hundred yards, someone looked down and saw that there were bubbles all around our drifting boat! Before they could yell, or even lift their cameras, 20 humpback whales rose from the sea all around us, some rubbing against the boat so intent on their need to eat as much as possible to prepare for their long fall migration. I grabbed my camera to record this once in a lifetime event but was trembling so much that I turned on the video camera as I picked it up, recording my passage from the pilot house to the side deck, where, once I had the jumble of whale backs, flukes, and pectoral fins centered in frame, I turned it off. I then held my inert camera very still, slowly panning as the whales consumed their prey and began to dissipate, then I turned the camera
We had an extraordinary sea lion encounter on our last trip in the Sea of Cortez. Our guests were swarmed by about 30 super excited sea lion pups as soon as they arrived and jumped in th water. It helps to be the first boat there, which we do every time we visit. #pacificcatalyst #seaofcortez #westward #woodenboats
Pre-dawn as we round the southern tip of th Baja Peninsula. 122 miles to La Paz. Water temp is now over 81! We should be moored in La Paz by 9:30 tonight!
Passing Point Sur. Wind is from the north at 24 knots. 6' northwest seas breaking occasionally. We're riding it fine and averaging 8.3 knots. Every once in a while a wave breaks under the stern and dances us around a bit, but not too bad. These conditions will be with us until we reach Point Conception at around 02:00 tomorrow morning. #pacificcatalyst #westward #woodenboat.
Crossing the Oregon boarder and entering California waters. 13 miles off shore, making 8.5 knots in calm (finally) seas. On our way to La Paz for our winter season in the Sea of Cortez.
An extraordinary encounter with a female humpback teaching her calf her unique fishing style.
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