Whale Channel, Great Bear Rainforest

The Ketch

Ocean Wayfinder

NEW for our 2026 expedition season! The ketch Ocean Wayfinder is a 70-foot (21-metre) sailing vessel and certified passenger vessel. Bringing this purpose-built vessel to Outer Shores Expeditions this November 2025 reflects our ongoing commitment to sharing the wonders of our coast in a way that is thoughtful, respectful, and deeply connected to place. With more space and comfort for guests, and the same low-impact, high-engagement approach, Ocean Wayfinder, along with Passing Cloud, will continue our tradition of sustainably exploring and supporting the conservation and communities of the BC coast.

Overview

We are excited to set sail on the next chapter of Outer Shores Expeditions as we welcome a second vessel to our offerings for the 2026 expedition season.

Joining Passing Cloud, our beloved 70’ classic wooden schooner, is a remarkable sailing vessel with its own long and storied history of exploration along the coast of British Columbia: Ocean Wayfinder.

Designed by renowned Canadian naval architect Stanley C. Huntingford, and built in Vancouver by Cooper Enterprises in 1984 as a private yacht designed to sail around the world, Ocean Wayfinder completed a major renovation in 2003 to update the cabin configurations and all safety systems.

She is a 70-foot ketch-rigged sailing vessel and Transport Canada certified passenger vessel, constructed of fibreglass. While similar in length to Passing Cloud, her hull shape, width, and greater freeboard (i.e., the distance between water level and deck height), make her a substantially larger vessel that supports a wide range of amenities and enhanced guest experiences. Renowned for her comfort and capability, and meticulously outfitted for extended coastal cruising, Ocean Wayfinder is perfectly suited to the exploring the windswept fiords, island archipelagoes, and remote marine environments of Canada’s Pacific Coast.

Photo (right): Ocean Wayfinder (AI assisted). Updated imagery to follow shortly after her November 2025 arrival!

Accommodations

Ocean Wayfinder features six private guest cabins, two crew cabins, three shared heads with hot showers, and an extensive natural and cultural history library. Her spacious main salon and dining area with high ceilings are filled with natural light and surrounded by warm wood cabinetry, books, and charts, an inviting hub for sharing meals, stories, and discoveries.

All cabins aboard Ocean Wayfinder are thoughtfully designed with comfort and practicality in mind. Each features at least one porthole, ample storage space for your gear and personal items. You’ll also find electrical outlets in each cabin, so you can recharge camera batteries, power personal devices, and enjoy the warm glow of a reading light as you settle in for the evening, whether you’re reviewing the day’s wildlife sightings or simply unwinding with a good book from the ship’s library. 

On deck, guests will find ample space to relax and take in the views, whether scanning the shoreline for bears and coastal wolves, photographing whales, or when sailing or cruising. Ocean Wayfinder’s large warm wheelhouse and sheltered aft cockpit provide panoramic views and generous seating areas, making wildlife viewing comfortable in all weather conditions.

Photo (left): Ocean Wayfinder (AI assisted). Updated imagery to follow shortly after her November 2025 arrival!

What to Expect On board Ocean Wayfinder

Like Passing Cloud, Ocean Wayfinder is a fully-crewed expedition vessel, typically sailing with 8-12 guests and four crew members: Captain, Deckhand, Chef, and Naturalist/Expedition Guide.

Ocean Wayfinder carries:

  • Ultra-quiet and low-emission twin diesel engines
  • An auxiliary generator to support all onboard systems, including hot showers, cabin heating, galley appliances, and electronics charging
  • Sails include: in-mast furling main and mizzen sails, furling genoa, and gennaker.
  • Approximately 3000 litres of freshwater
  • Two rigid-hull inflatable skiffs with outboards engines
  • Four sea kayaks

 

Access to the main salon and passengers cabins is via a gentle staircase and wooden handrail, and boarding and unboarding expedition skiffs is via a dedicated transom stairway and water-level swim grid with uprights for support.

Her galley includes an electric convection oven, pantry, and generous fridge/freezer space to support the same high standard of food and hospitality our guests have come to expect from Outer Shores Expeditions.

We are preparing to welcome the Ocean Wayfinder later this fall. As we move through this exciting transition, we’ll be capturing new photos and videos to share—so stay tuned for a closer look at the vessel we look forward to calling home in the near future.

Photos (right): Ocean Wayfinder, James Thompson Photography