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Optional Pre-Tour Workshop

Full Day Kodiak Marine Wildlife Photography via chartered boat and Full Day Kodiak Island Adventure Photography

Dates: June 30–July 2, 2026
Length: 2 Days / 2 Nights
Tour Size: Cindy and Bayliss — two leaders with 8 photographers
Cost: Double Occupancy – $1,799
Deposit: $799.00 Balance $1,000 due March 1, 2026
Includes: Full Day Marine Wildlife Tour, Full Day Kodiak Island Tour, Two Nights Lodging, 2 Breakfasts, 2 Lunches
Not Included: Dinners or Kodiak guide gratuities (plan on $50/day/person)

Details:
One half of the group will do the marine wildlife tour on Day 1 and the Kodiak Island adventure on Day 2, and vice versa.

Marine Wildlife Tour:
We’ll search for breaching whales, nesting puffins, sunning sea lions, and sea otters floating with young on their chests. Established in 1918, the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge protects most of the archipelago as wilderness. Accessible only by air or sea, these islands offer unmatched beauty and solitude. Our spacious charter boat provides versatility, visibility, and maneuverability with twin 300 HP Suzuki outboards, allowing photographers access to the heart of the action.

Kodiak Island Adventure:
Enjoy a full-day guided excursion that includes an expertly guided rainforest walk along lily-padded lakes, velvety moss forests, rocky shorelines, flower-filled meadows, and dramatic sea cliffs. These many ecosystems provide an opportunity to see an array of wildlife, including our famous Kodiak bear which frequents the area to feast on salmonberries. Delight in chocolate lilies, lupines, wild roses, or bog orchids. Discover sea anemones, chitons, and sea stars while tide pooling. Taste berries, flowers, and kelp along the way as you learn about life on our remote Alaskan island. After a gourmet local seafood charcuterie picnic, explore WWII remnants and take a scenic drive to some of the most picturesque spots on the island. We will stop at rivers and bays to look for bears, fox, ermine, and salmon, and visit remote beaches such as Fossil Beach and Surfer’s Beach before ending the day with a celebratory drink at a local brewery or historic bar.

Pre-Tour Itinerary:

• June 30: Arrive Kodiak, check in to hotel. Dinner on your own.
• July 1 & 2: Marine Wildlife Tour and Kodiak Island Adventure.
• July 2: Main Workshop begins. Welcome dinner and orientation.

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Main Workshop

During our six nights aboard a privately chartered expedition yacht, we’ll explore the rugged Alaskan coastline in search of the most exceptional bear photography opportunities Alaska can provide.

Dates: July 2–9, 2026
Length: 8 Days / 7 Nights
Tour Size: Cindy and Bayliss — two leaders with 8 photographers
Cost: Double Occupancy – $10,767
Single Supplement: $1,000
Deposit: $3,500 upon confirmation; Balance $7,267 due March 1, 2026
Location: Kodiak & Katmai Coast

Overview:
Remote. Wild. Spectacular. A once-in-a-lifetime photography workshop that immerses you in breathtaking wilderness, home to approximately 2,200 brown bears. Unlike lodge-based adventures, where you’re confined by flight timetables and weather limitations, our workshop is defined by proximity and flexibility, allowing us to maximize our time photographing the bears. Aboard our privately chartered expedition yacht, we’ll navigate the rugged Alaskan coastline, seeking out the very best photographic opportunities. If inclement weather strikes, our yacht provides a sanctuary until the skies clear and the magical light beckons us back to the bears. You will return home with incredible action and intimate photographs of Alaska’s Coastal Brown Bears in beautiful settings. Operating primarily from Hallo Bay, Geographic Bay, and surrounding areas, our 98-foot Coast Guard Certified vessel, manned by an experienced, certified captain and crew, is perfectly suited for exploring Katmai’s volcanic coastlines. Equipped with a 28-foot landing craft, we’ll swiftly access remote shores where brown bears play, nurse, graze, fight, fish, and roam against stunning backdrops.

Included:

• Classroom instruction, welcome dinner, hotel in Kodiak (July 2)
• All transfers
• Roundtrip floatplane Kodiak–Katmai
• 6 nights aboard the yacht
• 5 full days, 2 half days in the field
• All meals/snacks on board
• Crew gratuities

Not Included:

• Transportation from your home to Kodiak and back.
• Hotel stays before/after trip
• Alcoholic beverages on yacht
• Waders (limited loaners available)

Activity Level: Moderate. Expect 3–4 miles hiking/day over uneven terrain, wearing waders and carrying camera gear.

Main Workshop Itinerary:

• July 2: Arrive Kodiak, check-in, classroom instruction, welcome dinner.
• July 3: Depart Kodiak by Floatplane arrive at our accommodations for the week abound our privately chartered expedition yacht. Afternoon & evening: photograph lots of bears doing lots of things.
• July 4–8: Out in the field early for best light. We may pack a lunch or return to the boat for lunch and then out again for the afternoon and evening. We may also spend a few hours in the skiff where photographic opportunities include sea otters, seals, bald eagles, puffins, and maybe whales.
• July 9: Morning session, return to Kodiak by floatplane, connect to flights home.

Note: This all-inclusive workshop includes $1,900+ in added value (Kodiak hotel/dinner $400, crew tip $600, floatplane $900+)—plus Cindy’s invaluable expertise.

Exclusive Post-Workshop Reunion

As an added bonus, every group photo workshop includes a private Zoom reunion. This is far more than a casual check-in—it’s a chance to reconnect with your fellow travelers, share your ten favorite images, and receive thoughtful critique. The deadline to select and present your images provides the perfect push to complete your editing workflow, while the process of narrowing down to ten becomes an invaluable editing exercise in itself. Participants often call these reunions a highlight—like reliving the best moments, only this time with friends for life.

Cancellation Policy: Due to the high level of time and financial commitment required to secure guides and accommodations in Kodiak and along the Katmai Coast during prime bear season, all payments (including deposits) are non-refundable unless your spot can be filled. If you fill your own spot, a full refund will be given. If I fill your spot, a $350 administration fee will be deducted from your refund. Travel insurance is strongly recommended.