Haida Gwaii

On our last night in Haida Gwaii, we thought we should bring the blog up to date on our wonderful visit. It started with a visit to the very south end of the island group, to a small island on the west coast just out into the Pacific called SGaang Gwaii. It is the site of an old Haida village.

On arrival at Gordon Cove and landing on SGaang Gwaii, Conor's first words were "this island is magical". The richness of the shell life and bone life on the beach told of the bounty in the seas around ...

and the forest was enchanting as you looked up into it from the shore.
We walked over to the watchman hut where Shirley and Jordon greeted us. Jordon was to join us on our trip to the abandoned village. Conor was very saddened by the fact that 90% of the population had died from smallpox on making contact with Europeans. It was due to this huge decrease in population that the village was eventually abandoned.

The high wall in the woods here was used to shelter children if the village was attacked by enemies. The children would be let out through the back of the longhouse, where a ladder would be raised to let the children scramble to the top and hide.


The mortuary poles that still stand are quite inspiring. The boys enjoyed identifying the whales, eagles, bears, and other animals and fish carved on them.





In the picture below, I am holding a sea urchin shell that Eoin found under a tree. The purple colour was amazing. Since the sea otters are no longer around to eat them, the kelp really suffers. Sea otters have been spotted on the west coast of Haida Gwaii so they are slowly coming back along the kelp patches.



After leaving SGaang Gwaii we took advantage of the flooding tide and headed up the coast to Bag Harbour. Here's Eoin the next day, rowing around while we wait for low tide to explore Burnaby Narrows. This area is renowned for the incredible intratidal life.


So much so that the deer (and quite often bear)

and this oyster catcher are also out searching in it at low tide.


I'm on rowing duty as we slowly work our way through the narrows at low tide slack (that's when there is no tidal stream)


The photo doesn't do the intratidal justice but it will give you an idea of the star fish, star bats, sea urchins to be found here.



Here are the boys all weighing anchor to head up to Hot Springs.

and what a treat that was.....
So nice we think we'll come back again tomorrow.



We anchored just off the springs and Ilari looked great in the water as we soaked!




We headed up to Windy Bay early the following morning, and had a great trip ashore with the watchmen David and Paul.

The walk through the forest was amazing. It's incredible the tree formations that can occur when the nursery logs rot away.





The highlight was the "Big Tree"


It would take 15 adults to hold hands around it but for someone the size of Eoin that might be more like 25!

A view back at Ilari as we walked through the woods in Windy Bay... note the great day.

We managed to have a bit of a sail back for our 2nd visit to Hot Springs, again in sunshine and then headed over to Haswell Bay for the night. We spotted two Sand Cranes on shore. They looked like ostriches they stood so tall and the feathers are very fluffed at the back.

While out rowing with the boys, we spotted this great cloud formation behind the boat, it looks like a ski slope.


This one, spotted in Echo Bay, looked like a glacier coming down the inlet. Where is headed to the next day.

Oon the way we spotted this whale!
Here is is off in the distance as we entered Hoya Passage.




He makes his way slowly over to us to say hello

...and puts on an amazing show.




He rolled


and he showed his flippers



as he was so close we could hear his breathing. At times it even felt like he was talking to us.

After about 20-30 minutes we backed away and let him move on. All aboard were completely blown away by the experience. I'm not sure that photos can capture it.

We anchored for a few nights in echo bay, as recommended by David the watchman in Windy Bay. Here's me rowing us all up to have a look at the waterfall.

The deer onshore were really friendly. We had hoped to see bears onshore but none were spotted, so we were delighted to catch sight of our first bears of the trip in Thurston Harbour on our first night out of the park.


While waiting out for better sea conditions to head up to Queen Charlotte City we spend a day at Gordon cove near Moresby Camp where the boys spend the day making masks, listening to stories and looking for Waldo!








On arrival in Queen Charlotte City the dock was full so we anchored out in Bearskin Bay. Which meant Ian's sister Nathalie could see us arrive from her window in town!


We visited the Museum and Haida Cultural Centre where Nathalie is the director. The extension and changes that have taken place over the last few years are world class. Unfortunately we'll miss the official opening which is later in August.
Over the last few years contemporary Haida artists have carved some incredible house posts.





Some are still in progress in the carving house where some new canoes are also being carved.


A big hit for the boys was the performance house where the both took to the floor to dance to the beat of the drums!

The boys were blown away by Balance rock, an incredible precariously-placed rock that has stood for generations.


A big advantage to being in town is that Auntie Nathalie is on hand to read stories on the boat and at the cabin!





The trip to the cabin was fantastic I felt I really got to shut down I didn't need to worry about weather, tides and currents or our next anchor spot!
It's a one room cabin on 7 acres of wood in Naikoon Provincial Park that stretches onto the beach... a great getaway.
Here's Conor picking wild strawberries on the way to the beach. The cabin is peeking through the trees. We've been lucky to feast on salmon berries while here also.

There is a sea monster at the beach end to mark the spot.


There are even Jedi warriors there!


We took a great hike up to the Tell river mouth and a wreck from the 1920s, and found all sorts of treasures along the way.





We even spotted some river otters at the mouth. They were upset about something and making an awful snorting sound.

Here's Eoin with all the sand dollars Ian and he found!

Its not all beach walking. Conor learned to play Solitaire (Patience) while a humming bird came by to dance mid-air for us. The Haida say that humming birds bring joy and healing. I can only say that Conor and I were really uplifted by the experience.


We also went up to the north coast where the rock formations are very similar to the north coast of Ireland.




The forest around the property is great for exploring.
Here are Conor and Eoin searching for an old Haida Sweat Lodge.


and Conor and Ian on the trail to the road.



note the mushroom-like features when the moss grows on the stumps!

But it's not all play.. wood has to be cut for the stove.

And fires have to be lit on the beach

for marshmallow roasts!!