The Wilderness Mariner Course
A Cruise of Opportunity Onboard the Science Research Vessel Endeavour
At the helm of the Endeavour, heading west.
Running a boat in remote waters takes more than seamanship — it takes judgment, patience, and respect for wilderness. From Puget Sound and British Columbia to Alaska and the Arctic, the distances are vast, the charts are thin, and help can be far away.
The landscape isn’t just rugged — with glaciers, volcanoes, and rainforest — it’s wilderness at its most unspoiled. Wildlife abounds: whales breach, sea lions bellow, puffins skim the surface. This is where we live and work — and what we love to share.
Once or twice each season, we open that world to a small crew of students for our hands-on Wilderness Mariner Course — a 10- or 12-day cruise of opportunity aboard Endeavour, our 72-foot, 100-ton research vessel.
Led by Captain Bill Urschel and first mate Corky Parker, the program covers every aspect of seamanship in these remote waters — navigation, deck and watch duties, galley work, and time at the helm. Every student is an active crewmember, learning by doing: standing a real watch, handling a real vessel, and gaining the confidence that only experience can bring.
Each course is limited to eight students. For 2026, we are accepting only women mariners. Tuition includes coursework, two-person shared cabin accommodations, and all meals aboard (travel not included).
Graduates receive a U.S. Coast Guard Sea Service Form CG-719S, documenting 10 or 12 days of sea service on a 100-ton vessel in near coastal waters — credit toward a current or future Master’s license.
Applicants must be 18 or older, in good health with reasonable agility, and prior boating experience.
“Great learning experience. I’d do it again.”
-- Matt Martincich
“Captain Bill was a great guide and a patient teacher.”
-- Brook Frost
Students get lots of time at the wheel.
The topics include ice and glaciers.
How to safely and legally observe wildlife.
Daily discussions follow the curriculum.
Provisioning and storage are critical.
Seattle to Ketchikan
May 1 – May 10, 2026
All Women
This 10-day run up inside passage in mostly protected waters in spring is gorgeous. We head north from Seattle up the east side of Vancouver Island through the fjords of British Columbia across the top of Hecate Strait into Alaska.
Program cost is $4,750 per student: includes coursework, shared cabin accommodations, and all meals. Airfare is not included.
Sand Point to Kodiak
September 16 – September 27, 2026
All Women
Explore the north rim of the Gulf of Alaska with us on this 12-day adventure along the Alaskan Peninsula and the wildnerness landscapes of Katmai and Aniakchak Bay, famous for their volcanoes, glaciers, dinosaur footprints, and giant bears.
Program cost is $5,250 per student: includes coursework, shared cabin accommodations, and all meals. Airfare is not included.
Curriculum
The Captain’s Mindset: The wilderness mariner always has backup plans, redundant systems, and spare parts. What do you plan for and think about to keep your boat afloat and crew safe?
Piloting: Charts of the wilderness often lack the data of charts closer to home. How do you read a chart and plot a course when the data is thin, wrong, or missing?
Resource Management: You are on your own out there. What are the basic time, speed, distance, and fuel calculations when fuel, fresh water, and food are far away?
Night Operations: Sometimes we must travel in the dark. What are the dangers of being underway at night, and how to do it safely, and with what gear?
Understanding Sea Conditions: Today’s online weather forecasts are accurate, but how do you use wind, waves, and swell data to forecast the sea state … and what sea states are acceptable?
Rough Water Operations: How do you handle a boat in rough conditions? How do you mitigate the motion? What can you do if it gets worse than predicted?
Icy Water Operations: Ice in the water is common near tidewater glaciers. What ice can you push through and how do you do it? What ice do you need to avoid? How close can you get to a glacier?
Shallow Water Operations: Shallow water in the wilderness is unavoidable. Where and when is it safest to go shallow, how do you avoid running aground … and what do you do if you do run aground?
Anchorages: Good anchorages are not always obvious. Neither are bad ones. How do you read the land, as well as the chart to tell a safe anchorage from trouble?
Anchors and Anchoring: Your boat and probably your life depend on your ground tackle. Which anchors are best, how much chain do you need, and how to you deploy it all when you don’t know what’s on the bottom?
Shore Boats on Shore: Tides in the north can be huge. When going ashore, how do you cope with low tides stranding your shore boat or high tides setting it adrift?
Running Shore Boats: Shore boats are essential in the wilderness. How do you run an outboard in unknown water, how do you run a jet boat up a river in four inches of water, and what are the human-powered alternatives?
Remote Medical: People can get hurt in the wilderness. What goes into a medical kit for the wilderness, does telemedicine work, and how can you call for an evacuation?
Line Handling: We still need knots and we need to know how to handle lines and fenders. What are the basic knots and techniques you need to know?
Gear for the Wilderness Boat: It’s often cold and wet in the maritime wilderness. What are the best hats, jackets, gloves, and boots for wet, cold weather on the wilderness boat?
Wildlife: Whales, bears, birds, sea lions, otters, and other wildlife are everywhere in the north. What is the best basic gear for finding, watching, and listening to wildlife?
Fresh Seafood: In distant waters, fresh fish, crabs, and shrimp are welcome in the galley. How do you catch them while underway, with a minimum of gear and hassle?
Bear Defense: The threat of attack from a bear or other wild animal is remote but real. How do you protect yourself and others?
Provisioning: A crew cruises on its stomach. How do you keep meal plans simple and effective, and how do you provision for the long haul?
Travelling at night can be done safely.
Interpreting weather data takes practice.
We teach survival skills on board.
We share the beaches and meadows with bears.
Some ice is safely broken, some not.
Sea otters have rebounded from near extinction.
We find peace and beauty everywhere.
Shore boat handling and bear defense are key.
Questions? Email us at Expeditions@AlaskaEndeavour.org.
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