A WHALE OF A TALE

Today’s transit to Skedans on the northeast corner of Louise Island took us across open water and the infamous Hacate Strait.  

Living up to its reputation the seas were “mature” according to Greg.  Code for rough.  During the rolling around we were treated to a display from a number of humpback whales that were breaching and diving all around the Swell. Spectacular stuff.

Despite the heavy seas, life on board had been very comfortable this past week.  While cabin space is limited, the main salon was a pleasant place to spend down time, socialize with fellow passengers and crew - and of course enjoy our meals. 

Cocktail hour on the aft deck

Final dinner - rack of lamb

Speaking of which, the food quality on board was astonishingly good.  Chef Lila had certainly perfected her culinary skills before joining the Swell, including spending a spell at one of Vancouver’s top restaurants.  

Every meal she produced was different, beautifully presented with lots of fresh ingredients.  No breakfast or lunch was the same and each evening’s three-course dinner a highlight after a busy day ashore. 

In between meal times there were home made snacks and baking aplenty.  So much for baked beans twice a day on a converted tug.  This was fine dining on a pearl of a vessel.

Because of the weather Skedans proved to be too difficult to reach so we continued on, going ashore for a beach walk, getting soaked then appreciating the skill of the crew getting us back on to the zodiac in tough conditions. 

Soon we had caught up with Maple Leaf Adventures’ sister ship - the Maple Leaf, a gorgeous two mast schooner. 

Captain Steve called Maple Leaf on the radio demanding they down their sails and prepare to be boarded.  Radio silence followed and as we got closer to Maple Leaf we were subjected to a surprise attack.  

Water hoses at full throttle aimed in our direction.

And that’s no whale of a tale.

PADDLING ON A PAINTED OCEAN

An early morning paddle 

We anchored off De La Beche overnight, a sheltered bay surrounded by rocky outcrops and heavily forested above the waterline.  The rock face along the water’s edge was etched with moss and lichen, the colour palate ranging from lime to hunter green.

The kayaks on board Swell are short but very stable which helped matters as we stepped from Swell onto the zodiac and then into the kayak.  Probably not the most graceful of moves, but on the bright side, we didn’t fall in.

Watery reflections everywhere we turned

Just like a duck taking to water, once installed in the kayak with paddle in hand we were off.  The filtered sunlight cast deep shadows over the bay creating the most beautiful watery reflections.  It was as though we were in an impressionist gallery.

Low in the water on the kayak we had a close up view of the fried egg and lions mane jellyfish, their yellow and red colourings providing a dramatic contrast to the greenscape.

Back on board Jeff produced water colours and the would-be artists among us set to work.  A serious session of creativity followed and perhaps a burgeoning hobby too?

Later in the day we arrived at Windy Bay on Lyell Island, the site of a standoff between First Nations and the logging companies in 1985.  It took two years before the matter was settled in favour of the forests. 

A walk through the forest trails with Watchman David revealed the stature of the forest - one 900 year old Sitka Spruce, its girth enormous with a 54 foot circumference stretched majestically skyward. Hard to imagine this was the size of tree the forest companies had been going after.

Posing at the base of a "giant of the forest"

Watchmen on the Legacy Pole
Some wearing gum boots!

David was an engaging host who entertained us during our walk with stories, humour and forest facts.  Old growth Hemlock, Western Red Cedar and Western Sitka Spruce line the banks of a salmon bearing river, the mossy forest floor springy underfoot from the compacted layer of pine needles.  

Part of the trail took us across a river otter’s den with its front and back entrances camouflaged between intertwining tree roots.  

On the opposite side of the stream deer foraged in the grassland. 

David’s colleague Donna explained the story of the legacy pole erected in 2013 to commemorate the establishment of Gwaii Haanas. 

She also pointed out the longhouse that had been erected, initially to house the protesters in the 1980s logging standoff.  Nowadays the longhouse acts as overnight accommodation for the occasional kayaker grounded due to bad weather.

Captain Steve edges us into Anna Inlet

Tonight’s overnight mooring was at Anna Inlet.  Accessible through a narrow entrance the inlet was yet another magical resting point in the green and blue landscape.  Although the presence of a black bear or two raised the wilderness stakes a tad.  
  

HERE'S A LITTLE JINGLE YOU HAVEN'T HEARD IN A WHILE

James waits for us on the beach

SGang Gwaay lies on the exposed southwest coast of Gwaii Haanas - about as far to the south as Masset is to the north in the Haida Gwaii islands group.  

We had now travelled Haida Gwaii from its northern tip to its south western boundary.

Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981 SGang Gwaay’s village is a sacred site to the Haida.  After the population was decimated by epidemics introduced after first contact, hundreds died and were buried in caves and mortuary houses with high ranking individuals laid to rest atop beautifully carved mortuary poles.  Stepping ashore we reminded ourselves we were about to walk among these spirits on sacred ground.

All that is left - Mortuary Poles overlook the beach on SGang Gwaay

James, the Haida Watchman who greeted us did a fine job, giving an informative description of what the SGang Gwaay village site would have been like in its glory days and the changes that had occurred after first contact leading to the community’s decline.

James gave an engaging description of the Watchmen‘s responsibilities. We were hanging on to his every word.  While James said he was an Eagle we suspected there was an element of the trickster in his DNA - a closet Raven perhaps? 

Describing the maintenance work that takes place on the mortuary poles he explained that he and his fellow Watchmen use a cherry picker (that has seen better days) to reach the top of the structures so that foliage that has taken root in the decaying poles over the past season can be cut back. To pass the time he plays traditional Haida songs on his personal music player.  Speaking to a space at the top of a decaying mortuary pole that had once contained a bent box with the remains of a great chief secured inside he has been heard to quip “here’s a little jingle you haven’t heard in a while” and “will that be a short back and sides this time“.

A beautiful raven mask takes shape

Our tour of the village poles and fallen timbers complete, we walked across the crescent shaped beach through a verdant woodland area to the Watchmen’s Cabin and met the other Watchmen.  

Ken is a talented artist who showed us his sketches and drawings.  Retrieving his latest carving we were impressed to see the form of a raven mask taking shape.  Such a mild mannered man, he didn’t seem aware of his own talent.  Do hope he becomes famous one day.

Halibut and Chips

Back on board, part of the previous day’s halibut catch was served in a beer batter - fish and chips accompanied by Spinnaker craft beer from Victoria.

Fortified, we reboarded the zodiac for a beach walk.  The trail through the forest was a little arduous as the only other users appeared to be the deer.

Crawling under the odd fallen tree and over rotting tree stumps we tramped through the thigh high grass to a secluded beach, its black sand and bleached wood gleaming in the sun.

Quite a lot of debris continues to wash ashore from the Japanese tsunami and Jeff, the marine biologist/photographer/deck hand (a very talented young man) came across a shoe, a few boat floats in various sizes and the inevitable plastic bottles which were collected and taken back to the Swell for disposal. Reboarding the zodiac Captain Steve made us all feel human when he lost his balance and fell into the water!  Unperturbed we motored back to the Swell from this tranquil setting. Our final shore visit that day would be Rose Harbour and the old whaling station.

Rose Harbour is located on private land where a handful of residents live an isolated life and refuse to sell to Parks Canada despite generous offers. 

Before stepping ashore Naturalist Greg made his way to Susan’s house to ask permission to land the party.  Known for her garden and the sumptuous dinners she puts on for local kayaking groups, Susan also has a contract with the Parks Service to undertake beach garbage collection and was not home.

Gutz, another resident who has lived at Rose Harbour for 33 years invited us ashore and we walked amongst the derelict remains of what had been a busy whaling station until it was decommissioned in 1941.  Gutz showed us his latest acquisition, the jawbone from a Finn whale about 8 feet in length.  He hauled out segments of the baleen which the Finn whale uses to filter the krill it consumes - strong and flexible, the baleen has many applications.

Gutz talked about all the items that have washed up on the beach from the tsunami.  The beachfront was crammed with all kinds of marine items, whale bones, machinery from the rusting remnants of the whaling station and other debris.

It was a beautiful evening, the skies were clear and the setting sun caste a golden glow over Rose Harbour as we motored back to the Swell for yet another magnificent dinner produced by Chef Lila.  The wine flowed a little more freely that evening as the group unwound and passed judgement on another fantastic day in Haida Gwaii.

Caesar Salad, Pork Tenderloin and Cheesecake -
the calories mounting up at a frightening rate

THE SPOT PRAWN BONANZA

Breakfast a new treat every day.  Today ricotta stuffed
crepes with homemade fruit compote and sausages

After the fishing success of the previous day, the heads and tails of the halibut and ling cod that had sacrificed themselves were put into traps and deposited overnight in the hopes of luring spot prawns, crab and other bounty.  

The traps came back empty. 

Today’s adventure involved viewings of bird and sea life, the highlight of which was a zodiac ride through Burnaby Narrows. 

The tidal action pushes seawater through a 50 meter wide channel providing a steady stream of plankton and nutrients for the organisms who call this isolated place home.

Sea urchin & friends temporarily
on display before returning home

Sea cucumber

Hundreds of marine species live in the Narrows - notably bat stars, turban snails, sunflower stars, clams, crabs of various origins, jelly fish and sea anemone - providing a colourful cornucopia of life below the surface.

The same characteristics that make Burnaby Narrows special also make it vulnerable.  Because of the tides, the marine environment is often exposed so existence can be tenuous.

Colourful Sea Stars line the ocean floor

Greg expertly avoids being snagged by an angry crab

Examining a Sea Star up close

Along the pebbled shoreline we caught sight of a black bear foraging on the beach and later a deer nursing her newly born fawn.

Turning back to the spot prawn debacle, as luck would have it a passing trawler captain in communication with Captain Steve indicated they had had a good haul of spot prawns.  Negotiations began.   

Ready for the lemon and garlic

Spot Prawns fresh from the sea

Our craft beer provided the suitable tender for a bin full of their spot prawns, although we think Chef Lila’s presence on the zodiac and her engaging smile went some way to making sure we received fair exchange for the beer. 

Captain Steve acts as bartender

The hot tub serves as a bar for the spot prawn feast

Spot prawns were prepared for pre-dinner snacks up top, their poor little heads set aside for bouillabaisse. 

Life sucks sometimes.  

AN OCTOPUS'S GARDEN

Many of the communities that flourished along the coastline of Gwaii Haanas are long gone, their populations ravaged by disease after first contact and then by warring factions within the various tribal clans.  The remaining Haida population consolidated, migrating to the safety of communities further north.  Over the past 150 years or so their empty villages have slowly decayed and are in the process of returning to nature. Sad to say that in a few generations they will be lost forever.

Tanu in its heyday

All that remains of a Tanu longhouse

A recent inventory of the Gwaii Haanas marine area revealed over 600 Haida archaeological sites.  One of the best preserved examples can be found at the foot of Gwaii Haanas at SGang Gwaay, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  

With favourable weather, Captain Steve made the decision to first visit Tanu then spend the rest of the day heading south to visit this remarkable site.  That accomplished, we would retrace our way northward to visit other less remote sites protected from the open ocean.

During the summer months, the Haida Gwaii Watchmen Program gets underway, their members serving as guardians and hosts of this and four other Haida village sites down the coast - Skedans, Tanu, Windy Bay and Hotspring Island. 

Taking the zodiac ashore we met Walter and Mary, the Watchers of Tanu, viewing the decaying remains of dwellings that had once stood, now blanketed in a carpet of emerald green moss and lichen. Nurselings stretched to the sky from the remains of fallen beams and mortuary poles. 
 

Raven's magnificent hat and Haida Watchmen T shirt

Walking out to the headland we studied the octopus’s gardens on the shoreline constructed at one time to trap octopus in the changing tide.  Had Ringo Starr received his inspiration from this place? Likely not, but a colourful idea.

Mary introduced us to her step-daughter Raven, a precocious three year old who eventually consented to donning her cedar hat. The traditional Haida hat was beautifully woven with cedar and strands of copper.  

After some encouragement from her admirers it was smiles and photos all round.

Lunch on board - hamburger
on a home made bun

The famed Haida artist Bill Reid is buried on Tanu, his grave overlooking the moody sea.  By now the rain had stopped.  The reflections cast by the trees and mountainsides into the water made our experience feel almost ethereal.

But the excitement was not over for the day.  

Back on board those who had decided to fish took their positions on deck.  It didn’t take long before ling cod appeared on the line and then to everyone’s surprise a 60 pound halibut that fought furiously before it was brought on board to be dealt with by Naturalist Greg who expertly dispatched the fish and prepared an enormous container of fillets ready for the galley.

Earlier in the day Mary had presented Greg with freshly caught sockeye salmon which was on tonight’s menu. With ling cod and halibut likely to follow on successive evenings it left Doug pondering his options.  

Delicious salmon entree

Doug doesn't look too worried about the seafood offensive

A good thing our wonderful crew had taken his dislike of fish into account.  

Chicken for Doug.  

All the more for us!

THE EAGLE AND THE RAVEN

According to Haida tradition, you are born to one of two clans - the Eagle or the Raven.  Haida Gwaii - Islands of the People - has a rich, colourful culture, its origins dating back thousands of years. 

As with all ancient cultures, the natural order of things becomes irreversibly altered as external influences appear.  When the first European explorers discovered these beautiful islands off the west coast of British Columbia nothing would ever be the same again.  After first contact a familiar pattern of disease, colonization and exploitation took its toll. 

While some things change forever, other aspects of a culture endure and it was our introduction to Haida Gwaii that could not help but touch us - its history, raw beauty and traditions, literally on our own back doorstep.

Over 400 islands located at the tip of a submerged ridge make up Haida Gwaii. To the west, the continental shelf drops sharply into the Pacific Ocean while to the east, the shallow Hecate Strait, notorious for its high winds, is also well known for its fishing grounds.  

There are two main islands on Haida Gwaii - Graham and Moresby where the bulk of the 4500 population live.   A paved highway runs from Sandspit on Moresby, north to Old Masset at the top end of Graham, passing through the communities of Queen Charlotte, Skidegate, Tlell, Port Clements and Masset.  Haida Gwaii is located on a fault line and has suffered through two of Canada’s strongest earthquakes, a 7.7 magnitude in 2012 and an 8.1 magnitude in 1949.

A two hour flight brought us from Vancouver to Masset.  Our lodge accommodation on North Beach overlooked a wild headland where on a clear day the Alaska coastline is visible.  But not today. The weather, while temperate, is changeable in the extreme and we were greeted by low cloud, light rain and weak attempts by the sun to show its face.

Mystical sea creature perhaps?

Our first excursion into the surrounding area look us along a gravel road lined with Sitka Spruce, Western Red Cedar and Western Hemlock.  Tree branches supported oddly shaped bundles of brightly coloured moss.  

They, like the Haida, came with a bit of a mystique, some appearing to take the shape of recognizable forms like a bear, a raven or a whale. It was strange how easy it was to see these apparitions hanging in the trees.  

In the distance we could hear the ocean, the tide rushing up the shoreline, receding just as rapidly. 

Hiking from North Beach to the summit of Tow Hill the views over the coastline to Rose Spit were formidable as the surf crashed on the sandy beaches below. 

Raven and the First Men

This would be one of those aha moments.  We have long admired Bill Reid’s work, and in particular his cedar carving of Raven and the First Men which resides at the Museum of Anthropology in Vancouver.  

Raven, the trickster, tries various strategies to coax a group of small men hiding inside a clam shell out on the beach on the Rose Spit coastline.  Timidity eventually overcome, they appeared.  In local mythology, this marked the birth of the Haida Nation.  

A tad spine tingling. 

Surveying his territory

A lone eagle swooped down onto a tree below us and took in the view.  Its not often one can say we looked down on an eagle perched high in the treeline.

Legends abound on Haida Gwaii - for instance the story of the Golden Spruce, a freak of nature revered and honoured by the Haida. Its destruction by a disaffected logger created enormous controversy. He was making a statement about logging practices not appreciating that the Haida regarded the tree as spiritual.

Memorial Poles outside the
Haida Heritage Centre

The Haida Heritage Centre at Skidegate is not to be missed. Located on the site of an old Haida village, its six memorial poles outside the building speak to the Haida clans and their traditions in dramatic fashion.  Each one is beautifully carved with crests and other decorations.

A short ferry ride on MV Kwuna took us south across the inlet to Moresby Island.  This was followed by a tedious journey along a bumpy, potholed logging road.  

Using a radio call system, the driver reported in regularly to ensure our small vehicle would not come a cropper as logging trucks barreled down the gravel road sending dust and grit into the air in voluminous brown choking clouds. After a seemingly endless hour of dust and clearcuts we arrived at our destination of Moresby Camp.  

At last!

MV Swell

A tranquil bay with sweeping views.  Our home for the next week was anchored offshore - MV Swell - a beautifully restored tugboat that would take us south to the tip of Gwaii Haanas - Islands of Beauty. 

Good thing we are on speaking terms!

Chef Lila at work 

Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve, National Marine Conservation Area Reserve and Haida Heritage Site has no roads, population or cellphone coverage and we would be discovering this remote beautiful place over the next week.

We unpacked in our cramped quarters.  

The Red Alder suite turned out to have many hiding places for stowing essential outer clothing and boots.  

Over cocktails we gathered in the Salon to receive introductions from Captain Steve and his four member crew - Given, Greg, Steve and Lila. We couldn't have asked for better.

Considering the compact galley, Chef Lila produced an elaborate three course dinner accompanied by BC wines while animated dialogue ensued on the journey to come.