Author: Maggie Page 5 of 36

Daybreak finds us anchored in Home Bay, Princess Royal Island. We are heading out on a pre-breakfast excursion to walk through the rainforest and to explore the shoreline. This is a wide open bay with skeletal trees washed up along its edges.

This is an area where there has not been logging so the forest is in a much more natural state. We enter the forest and although the ground is soft, thick and mossy, the reality is that the soil is very shallow. Probably only a metre or so deep. It is quite remarkable that such large trees manage to remain upright.

After a short walk, we return to the beach. I concentrate on photographing the small things.

I could easily spend the whole morning here. There is lots to see. Sandpipers hunt amongst the pebbles and flocks of sea birds swoop and flock above the water.

Too soon we must return to the tender. However there is a problem. The water is shallow and it has run aground. People have to disembark to make it lighter. And there is a deal of pushing and shoving.

The real problem though is that the tender cannot come in close. This means that we have two options. Wellies off and wade barefoot or wet boots. I roll my trousers up, take my boot off and put my foot in the icy water. As soon as I step on the bottom I realise my mistake. Everything is covered in barnacles. There is no way I can walk barefoot. Nothing for it but to put my welly back on and let it fill up with water as I wade to the boat. It’s an adventure and fortunately Cascadia has a good welly stock and issue me with a nice new dry pair.

A late hot breakfast is eaten whilst we depart and head down the aptly named Whale Channel. There are whales everywhere – mainly humpback but we do also see two fin whales though not close enough for photos. There is a tender excursion before lunch in which we see more whales. Two make us jump by surfacing and blowing out very close to the boat.

We continue to Ashdown Island where hundreds of Steller’s sea lions laze on the rocks, squabbling and honking noisily as they fight for the limited space.

This is a busy day. We head back for lunch. Cascadia makes passage to the Estevan group of islands. We are now on the Pacific edge and away from the mountains and fjords. There is a swell on the ocean that we have not experienced before. The clouds give way to clear blue skies.

We then make another sortie to the Hickey Islands. It is beautiful here – isolated islands with a hazy mountain backdrop. However navigating between the islands can be tricky. The channels are largely uncharted and there are huge kelp beds to negotiate. Avoiding wrapping kelp around the prop requires alertness and slow travel.

There is lots of bird life though, as ever, it is not that easy to photograph them from a moving boat. No reason not to try though…

We make a landing on a very boulder strewn island. It takes a few attempts to successfully moor up close enough to disembark without flooding our boots again. We all manage part from Olivia, who is in the other boat and as she steps onto a boulder slips and gets thoroughly wet trousers. No injury though and we all think it is very funny.

We collect plastic debris and clamber over the rocks and driftwood. It is good to stretching our legs. Tomorrow is our last full day and will largely be spent making our way back to Kitimat. In the morning we have an interesting talk on the life cycle of salmon and the ecological challenges that they now face. In the afternoon we make our final excursion in the tenders into Foch Inlet. I decide to not take the camera and just enjoy the scenery… It is pretty impressive.

There is of course the obligatory waterfall…

…and creeks feeding the lagoon with flat areas that potentially could afford us a view of bears or wolves. We see none but there are loads of birds. Bald eagles soar and kingfishers flit along the shoreline.

Our farewell dinner is an extra special one with white table cloths and four courses instead of the usual three. The starter of seared albacore tuna and the spot prawn risotto to follow deserve special mention. Delicious.

Dinner is a fairly boisterous affair and is followed by a slide show of the trip which hopefully we shall be sent a link to in due course. A great keepsake.

On our last morning the weather has deteriorated and it feels very autumnal. There is low cloud and persistent rain. This is the right day to be leaving.

I have enjoyed our week on Cascadia, although it was perhaps not all I had hoped it would be. I expected to have more mammal encounters. The animals are here but very difficult to find in the dense forest. Nonetheless, there were some very special moments and as I read back through the blog I do not feel in the least bit short changed. I must offer a huge thank you to all the crew who looked after our every need and made the trip so pleasurable.

The map above plots our route and we have explored everything from the narrowest inlets, steep sided fjords and pretty coastal islands. This is a spectacular part of the world and definitely worth visiting.

We have anchored on the west coast of Gribbell Island. The weather is set fair and this promises to be a rather special day. The plan is to try and have a really good bear experience and maybe even encounter a spirit bear.

The spirit bear (or kermode bear) is a sub-species of the American black bear and is not an albino. The white fur comes from a recessive gene (two black coloured bears can parent a white cub if they both carry the recessive gene). There are between 100 and 500 white black bears. A male can weigh more than 225kg and a female is much smaller at 135kg. It is thought that the light colour gives these bears an advantage when fishing, as they are harder to see against the bright sky. On average they catch 35% more fish than a black coloured bear.

We are eager for action. We meet Marvin (who belongs to the Gitga’at people) who will guide us and take us to a special stretch of river where bears are regularly seen. He lives in Hartley Bay which is a First Nations community.

It is home to the Gitga’ata (sometimes Gitga’at or Gitk’a’ata), which means “People of the Cane.” The Gitga’at are members of the Tsimshian nation. As of 2013, 167 band members live on the reserve and 533 members live off reserve in Prince Rupert, Vancouver or other regions. A distinctive feature of the community is the wooden boardwalks which are used rather than gravel roads.

WIKIPEDIA

We step ashore, scrambling over 20 feet of boulders, and take the 20 minute walk along an old logging road. It is now becoming overgrown with alders and a variety of shrubs, mosses and ferns, but there is nevertheless a clear and easy path to follow. We hear wolves howling. Goodness – if we saw them this would be truly amazing! Apparently, they are occasionally seen here but are very wary of people. It is unlikely that they will put in an appearance. The going is easy apart from a short steep stretch down to the river but fortunately ropes have been installed to ease our passage. There are three designated viewing places along the river bank, comprising 2 platforms and for the photographers – camping chairs along the path.

We sit quietly, watching and waiting. The wolf calls are growing louder and one of Marvin’s spotters says a wolf is approaching. How exciting! But it is not too be. We have clearly been seen and the wolves have distanced themselves. We sit quietly for several hours. Time to photograph the mosses and ferns.

It is not particularly cold but sitting still for a long while does eventually let a chill creep in. We are delighted to be handed a steaming mug of hot chocolate. It tastes good.

Small birds flit among the undergrowth and provide some camera target practice. A family of dippers entertain us with their bobbing movement as they hop from pebble to pebble in the river, catching small insects and larvae.

Then at last there is action. Marvin says a bear has been seen and is heading our way. This time we are not disappointed. A black body emerges from the undergrowth a couple of hundred metres upstream.

It only puts in a brief appearance but it shows promise. Now we are all re-focussed. Maybe another hour passes and we go back to capturing dippers, kingfishers and watching the numerous salmon battling their way upstream in the too shallow water.

Then another bear appears – maybe the same one. She is upstream but slowly and steadily heading towards the first platform.

We click away, trying to bag as many shots as possible. You have no idea until after the event just what the quality of the encounter will be. Pixels are free so we just keep shooting. The bear pauses to glance up at her audience… I wonder what she is thinking.

She passes the platform and makes her way into the stream and towards us, searching for fish as she goes.

I have moved position and moved lower and closer to the water’s edge. My comfort is that Marvin is sitting next to me and I reckon if he thinks I am safe, then I probably am. However, my heart is pounding and the black bear just keeps coming. She is crossing the stream and walking directly towards me – 12 feet away. What the heck am I doing. My heart is pounding but I have to just keep clicking the shutter.

She then changes direction and ambles along the centre of the stream. She pounces and successfully catches a salmon. Marvin smiles and punches the air with his fist. What a thing to observe…and so close. We watch as she munches away. For good measure, I also take some video, but as it happens, I have some pretty decent photos. What a privilege!

We stay all day and the crew bring us packed lunches. Nobody is bored – even the non-photographers are finding the location mesmerising. We are certainly in luck today and our patience is rewarded by the appearance of a spirit bear. It is not close and not everyone sees it…. But I am lucky and do!

This is the day that just keeps giving. Back aboard Cascadia there is an announcement that humpback whales are breaching in front of the boat. Well, it turns out that they are not only ahead of us, but also to our stern. What a performance they are putting on! It lasts for over an hour. Astonishing. Fin slapping, rolling and then huge breaches with a resultant gigantic explosion of water. This is followed by a delayed boom of thunder as the whales’ impact on the surface is heard. Nobody quite understands why the whales behave in this manner but it is thought that it could be a form of communication.

What a difference a day makes! Yesterday’s rain has given way to clear air and azure skies. Puffy clouds hang over the mountainsides. Glorious.

Before breakfast some of the group opt for kayaking at our overnight anchorage of Chief Mathews Bay. We opt for a lie in. There were quite enough early starts last week! We head to Kimano Bay in search of bears. It is of course an abortive mission. We should know by now. We have so far seen and heard loads of Canadian Geese. Who’d have thought it in Canada of all places!? Jokes about Canadian Geese abound and the thought is proffered that maybe the bears have goose suits that they use for camouflage….

However, it is a great location to observe bird life. Eagles put on a good display…but shame that the back drop is always forest so there is no clarity of subject definition.

Gulls cry noisily…

And a western grebe goes about its business…

We sit and quietly soak up the majestic scenery and marvel at how the conifers manage to cling to the bare granite faces.

We are now heading west through the Gardner Canal to Europa Bay. This is another endeavour to locate the elusive bear. As we approach the shoreline we spot a grizzly bear fishing in the creek. Hoorah! There is great excitement and our only problem is finding somewhere to disembark. The water is shallow, grasses line the shore and mask the water depth.

We are still in the tender, feel safe and are afforded a great view. The light is just perfect and a huge grizzly goes about his business, not giving us a second glance.

There is lots of bird life here too. Cute harlequin ducks…

…and tiers of gulls…

After several abortive attempts we make it onto terra firma and, staying close together, approach the bear.

The bear makes his way upstream and out of our view. We walk into the forest and settle down on the river bank upstream from the bear… and wait. It is not exactly comfortable and those annoying mosquitos and black flies engulf us. I have at least found somewhere half comfortable to sit amongst some mossy tree roots. A lot of the group have to stand.

Time ticks by and then… across the creek… a black body presents itself. Unfortunately, because it has emerged directly opposite us, it can see us only too clearly. It is spooked and disappears back into the dense undergrowth just as speedily as it had appeared. We sit for an hour or so hoping he will return but to no avail. Nevertheless, I have some great shots, so am more than happy.

We while away the day at Kitimat Lodge, drinking tea and eating up surplus chocolate bars. The weather is fair so we sit out on the terrace until our taxi arrives to take us on the 15 minute journey to MK Bay Marina. Here we will board our home for the next week – Cascadia.

She has a crew of 10 and there are 22 passengers in 12 cabins. We embark at 17.00 and our expedition leader, Phil, takes our photos. This is for ease of remembering who everyone is. Crib sheets are posted on the wall. What a great idea.

Phil shows us to our cabin – Salt Spring – which is larger and more comfortable than I had imagined and with a really good shower.

Shortly after embarkation we cast off and head for our first anchorage at Eagle Bay. En route we are given a safety briefing and talk on life aboard and what to expect. Then it is time for dinner. What a treat! The food is truly excellent and so appreciated after the super fried diet last week!

After breakfast we have our first excursion in the tenders to Gilttoyees Inlet. The tenders are brilliant and are like mini-landing craft with a flap at the front that lowers for ease of shore landings. There is a side door that makes boarding from Cascadia dead easy. So much more comfortable and stable than a zodiac.

The scenery is stunning.

We even catch a glimpse of a bald eagle.

We return to the boat for a photography briefing and light lunch, whilst moving to a new location.

The weather has improved and it is turning into a hot afternoon. We head for the Gardner Canal where our next outing is into Kiltuish Inlet in the hope of spotting bears. The tide is fairly low so we have to progress slowly up the creek so we do not run aground.

There are lots of pink salmon so we are hoping bears may appear. We tie up to a tree root and wait. It is very hot and mosquitos bombard us. Gulls rest along the shore and feast on salmon titbits. Disappointingly there is no sign of a bear.

Come morning, we head east and further in to the Gardner Canal. Yesterday’s sunshine has been replaced with grey skies and moody cloud hanging in the valleys.

We have a morning excursion at Rigby Reach, where we view a variety of waterfalls. There has not been much rain recently so their outflow is light. They must be truly spectacular in the spring when they are full of glacial melt water.

We catch a brief glimpse of a pair of otters scooting along the rocky bank. Seals play in the water below the waterfall above.

The weather has now really deteriorated and we don our full wet gear as it is raining heavily. We head into the mouth of the Kitlope River estuary. There we see a replica of the G’psgolox Pole, the original is also there but lies rotting in the forest close by.

The Gʼpsgolox totem pole was a nine-metre-high mortuary pole that was made in 1872 by the Haisla people on the shore of Douglas Channel in British Columbia, Canada. In 1929 it was brought to Sweden and the Museum of Ethnography. In 2006 it was returned to the Haisla people. In 2012 it was allowed to decompose, in accordance with the Haisla tradition for long-serving poles.

Wikipedia

The Gʼpsgolox totem pole is attached with a legend. It is told that, in 1872, a smallpox epidemic infected the people the Haisla Nation (located in the north of what is now called British Columbia), killing the vast majority of inhabitants. The leader of the Eagle Clan of the Haisla tribe, named Chief Gʼpsgolox, lost his whole family due to the epidemic, as well as many of his friends. The legend tells that the bereaved Chief Gʼpsgolox travelled to the forest and attempted to find help there. In the legend, he met with the spirits Tsooda and Zola, who told the chief to go to the edge of a mountain at dawn, where he would see his deceased loved ones and learn to heal those still living. In the legend, this is how Chief Gʼpsgolox complied and gained vital knowledge, learning the nature of the spirits, the Haisla spirit of continuance and transition. In appreciation of the spirits’ help, Chief Gʼpsgolox commissioned a nine-metre-tall totem pole with three figures. The bottom two figures commemorate the deceased and the top figure represents the Tsooda

Wikipedia

Our wet adventure continues but we all put a brave face on it….

The scenery is great but the unrelenting deluge makes it hard to appreciate. We disembark on a large gravel bank and see plenty of footprints of bears, moose, wolves and more. We are told to stick together as there is safety in numbers.

After a long and soggy afternoon I luxuriate in a really hot shower. I was soaked through despite having supposedly waterproof clothing. I shall be complaining to ‘Rab’ when I get home!

As we move to our night anchorage at Chief Mathews Bay, we pass rock wall paintings. I know little about them so shall need to read up when back home.