Summer Dispatch: Glacier Bay Solice, New Bones, and an Invitation
Launching the Alaska Small Ship Cruise Season in Glacier Bay National Park
101 years after her first voyage here, Westward was one of the very first small ships to enter Glacier Bay National Park this past May—and for days upon days, she hardly saw another vessel. With just four guests aboard, it was one of the most VIP wilderness trips imaginable.
Westward in Glacier Bay
Aboard their wooden time machine, they experienced Glacier Bay as few ever do: scant humans around, wild, and awakening for the season. Captain Hurt called it the most impressive season opening he’s seen—for both wildlife and the raw, cinematic beauty of spring in the park. One of our guests described it as, “an experience apart from time in which the rest of the world recedes, and you’re fully present and immersed as each day’s adventure unfolds”.
The Wooden Boats of Port Townsend
Catalyst is preparing for her first Glacier Bay trip of the summer after undergoing a substantial yard period over the winter and spring. Three major projects were completed to help carry this nearly 100-year-old ship—launched in 1932 as the University of Washington’s first oceanic research vessel—into her next century.
First, Catalyst began the initial phase of a multi-year electrical system upgrade, including new capacity for taking on shore power. Three cheers to the Port Townsend Shipwrights Co-Op for taking on this project. For guests, this change is seamless and unnoticed. But for her crew—those modern mariners working in concert to preserve her legacy—it’s a meaningful improvement. A touch of modernization, bringing a bit more ease to life aboard without compromising her soul.
Second, her clutch – and that is an oversimplification. Barry Stephens and Daniel Armstrong completely removed this very heavy engine room component, took it into the machine shop at Stephens Marine, and rebuilt it. Decades of buildup was removed. Everything gone through. New clutch friction material added. We believe the last time this extensive of a project was done to this particular piece of machinery was in the 1960’s. It is now shifting in and out of gear with ease, and friction temps are consistent and within spec.
What was the third and most massive project completed? Some really big trees have been rearranged and now make up a substantial portion of Catalyst’s bow.
Her forward keel, forefoot (that graceful curve from keel to bow), and the lower section of her stem have all been replaced with beautifully fitted timber. It’s a significant piece of work—one that ensures Catalyst remains strong, seaworthy, and stunning as she carries another generation up the wild coast.
Lately we’ve shared how much it means to us that these magical ships support not just the livelihoods of their day-to-day crew members, but the entire economic ecosystem that they touch. And goodness, was it ever touched these past few months. A sweeping hats off, and hearty cheers to the shipwright community and the Port of Port Townsend. Thanks to the amazing craftsfolk tucked into their nook of the Olympic Peninsula, Catalyst received an impressive electrical, mechanical, and structural healing, and is even cutting through the water a whole Knot faster than before.
Why Your Alaska Small Ship Cruise Booking Matters
It could go without saying, but we’ll say it anyway: keeping historic wooden ships alive is very expensive. And that’s where you come in.
Every trip you book with us isn’t just a vacation—it’s an investment in legacy. The revenue we earn through our small ship cruises goes right back into these vessels. Into planks, bolts, and bow timbers. Into skilled labor and irreplaceable knowledge. Into future generations getting to step aboard a living piece of maritime history.
We’re not running completely immersive cruises just to educate and entertain, (although, we are really good at that part). We’re stewarding icons.
And this summer, we still have a few select cabins open aboard our small ship cruises in Alaska. If you’ve been on the fence, this is your invitation to step aboard the most historically enriched small ship cruise in Alaska.
Join us for an unforgettable small ship adventure in Alaska, and help keep maritime history alive—one voyage at a time.