Northern
Lights Fact Sheet
Background
Northern Lights Expeditions, founded in 1983 by David Arcese, is a
premier sea kayaking company, offering kayaking trips along the British
Columbia coastline from June to October.
Philosophy
Northern Lights Expeditions guides paddlers of all experience levels
on three to seven-day adventures. Tours focus on sea life along
the wilderness coastlines of British Columbia.
Northern Lights
Expeditions designs sea kayaking adventures with wildlife encounters
in mind. Paddlers come in contact with sea life, including orcas,
harbor seals, river otters, minke and humpback whales, and white-sided
dolphins. Priorities are respect for the ecosystem without interrupting
the fine balance of nature.
Key
Individuals
David Arcese, Founder and Expedition Director.
Employees/Guides
15
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Company
Profile
The Northern Lights Expeditions experience is cutting through crystal
clear waters, watching eagles dive for fish and orcas swimming alongside
your kayak.
David Arcese
has paddled in exotic locations around the world, including the
Galapagos Islands, South Pacific, North Atlantic, Sea of Cortez,
and Central America. Studying exotic wildlife and experiencing warm
water kayaking were great. However, he found that nowhere else in
the world compared to his own backyard -- the coast of British Columbia.
The idea was
simple. Arcese wanted to work in the wilderness and experience wildlife
along the Canadian coast and provide an outlet for people to share
and appreciate its beauty. In 1983, Arcese developed Northern Lights
Expeditions as a small kayak outfit offering sea kayaking trips
to Washington's San Juan Islands, British Columbia's Inside Passage
and Mexico's Baja Peninsula.
In 1990, Northern
Lights Expeditions decided to focus specifically on sea kayaking
adventures along the western Canadian coast. Northern Lights has
been developing relationships between people and the wilderness
ever since.
From May through
October, Arcese and his guides operate week-long sea kayaking expeditions
reaching the remote waters and wilderness along the coastline of
British Columbia. Northern Lights Expeditions takes paddlers of
all experience levels -- particularly those with no experience at
all -- on adventures to watch orcas, harbor seals, river otters,
minke and humpback whales, porpoises, and white-sided dolphins in
their natural habitats.
They also offer
'Mothership' kayaking experiences. Four guests join Northern Lights'
skipper and guide aboard Northern Lights' 40-foot yacht for days
of exploring the coast while living in onboard luxury.
During Northern
Lights adventures, paddlers feast on gourmet meals, often including
wild berries and freshly caught fish. At the close of the day, guests
are provided with a variety of accommodations, great food and the
chance to reminisce about the events of the day.
Northern Lights
Expeditions offers the ultimate escape from hectic daily life to
an outdoor adventure, where you can lose yourself in the serene
landscapes and enjoy the camaraderie of your fellow paddlers.
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Company
History
| 1983 |
Northern
Lights Expeditions (NLE) operates its first sea kayaking trips
with weekends in Washington's San Juan Islands and week-long
trips in British Columbia's fabled Inside Passage. |
| 1985 |
Beginning
of two winter season operating sea kayaking trips in Baja California,
Mexico. |
| 1986 |
Pioneering
sea kayaking expedition to the Galapagos Islands. Over a five
year period, NLE leads ten unique kayaking/sailing adventures
to Galapagos and Machu Pichhu.
Special kayaking/hiking/snorkeling trip to Maui, Hawaii.
Special 'Halley's Comet' kayaking trip to the Fiji Islands,
South Pacific. |
| 1988 |
NLE
develops successful program to revitalize an abandoned Native
Inside Passage village, provide employment initiatives for its
descendants, and protect its remaining artifacts. |
| 1989 |
NLE
initiates lodge-based kayaking trips at British Columbia's '4-star'
Farewell Harbour Resort. |
| 1990 |
NLE
focuses exclusively on British Columbia kayaking adventures. |
| 1991 |
NLE
develops a sophisticated guide development and training program
offered to prospective guides. Acclaimed by the Ultimate Adventure
Sourcebook as "the best of its kind." |
| 1994 |
NLE
operates trips in the Saguenay Fjord in Quebec, encountering
its endangered beluga whales. |
| 1995 |
NLE
begins adventures among the 'Lost Islands' of British Columbia's
remote, northern wilderness coast.
NLE provides support for Discovery Channel series featuring
Northern Lights' kayaking adventures.
NLE provides support for CBS special report featuring Northern
Lights' kayak/whale encounters. |
| 1996 |
NLE
establishes award-winning web site at www.seakayaking.com, the
most thorough and informative sea kayaking site on the world
wide web with up-to-date field reports on each of our trips.
Donates trip and provides film support for a worldwide children's
"Free Willy" effort. |
| 1997 |
NLE
returns to Baja's Sea of Cortez for one winter/spring season
of sea kayaking adventures. |
| 1998 |
NLE
purchases former fishing vessel and converts it to the custom
yacht 'Spirit Bear' to allow in-depth, live-aboard kayak exploration
of the Great Bear Rainforest. |
| 1999 |
First
voyages of the 'Spirit Bear'.
NLE provides a special trip for a group of breast cancer survivors
and begins an affiliation with the Breast Cancer Fund. The fund's
top fund-raising prize is a Northern Lights sea kayaking adventure.
|
| 2000 |
NLE
initiates a project to study and protect the threatened wolf
populations of the 'Lost Islands.'
NLE initiates special trips on the 'Spirit Bear' for photography
of grizzly bears, black bears and eagles. |
| 2001 |
NLE's
19th year as the world's most respected operator of sea kayaking
adventures. |
| 2002 |
NLE
begins its 'Farthest Shore' trips along the northern British
Columbia coast. |
| 2003 |
NLE
unveils its 'Wild Orca Adventure' trips, and becomes the only
kayak outfitter ever to guarantee whale sightings.
NLE redesigns its web site at www.seakayaking.com. The new web
site quickly wins awards for superior design and usability.
NLE begins offering grizzly watching and whale watching 1-day
tours.
BC Business Magazine rates Northern Lights' Spirit Bear Voyages
one of BC's "Ultimate Getaways". |
| 2004 |
NLE
begins its 22nd year as North America's premier sea kayaking
expedition outfitter. |
Why
kayak?
- Sea kayaks float in water as shallow as 3-inches, allowing paddlers
to explore sites and wildlife other boats can't easily reach.
- No experience is necessary to join a guided tour. Kayaking is
easy to learn and can be enjoyed from the first experience.
- Sea kayaks are different than river kayaks. Sea kayaks are stable
and have rudders controlled by foot pedals, making them easy to
steer.
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