Category: British Columbia

What an absolutely perfect morning with clear blue sky. We are returning to the Great Bear Rainforest. It was such a special experience yesterday. I can see why our guide refers to this place as Jurassic Park. It certainly has that ‘other worldly’ feel about it. The tide was so low yesterday that we have opted for a later pick-up, scheduled for 08.00. Almost a lie in. As it turns out our departure is even later. One of Tracey’s house guests has moved his car and trailer, but then hidden the keys, instead of leaving them in the ignition where he found them! Tracey is unimpressed and has to ask a friend to take us to the marina. We are chilled and it gives me time to take a picture of our little lodge. Apparently the night before we arrived there was a bear right outside!

What a difference a day makes! The sea is like a mill pond and photos of the impressive scenery are possible.

With higher water levels, passage up the Kildala River is easier though by no means for the faint hearted. We head further up river today as Gunther (the guy who lets us fish in the special pool yesterday) would like to fish there today.

We moor up on a large gravel bank and it is clear to see from the number of footprints and dead salmon that there has been a lot of recent bear activity here.

Paul immediately starts fishing. There are loads of pink salmon here and we can see shoals of them spawning in the shallows. This may be what the bears want to eat, but Paul is after coho and although the fishing is harder than yesterday he is finally rewarded.

After lunch Tracey thinks Gunther will have left the favoured pool and so we return. Gunther has gone but in his place is a helicopter!

We chat to the pilot and I am full of admiration. He is in his eighties and I would say his wife even older, with a walking stick. I suspect in England she would have a blue parking badge. Somehow she gets in and out of the helicopter. Where there’s a will.. Respect for the pioneer spirit! Tracey sweet talks them and they agree to head to another site above the log jam, where boats cannot reach, and leave the pool to us.

It’s been another great day, but sadly no more bears. However I did look at the place where I saw the bear yesterday. Pretty close – 30 yards maybe! Interestingly, Paul was so engrossed in his fishing yesterday that he was totally oblivious to not only its presence… but also his proximity to the bear.

We have a super trip back with some perfect scenery to admire on route.

We relax enjoy some vino blanc on our veranda in the sunshine. Bliss.

We then stroll to the nearest restaurant – Rosario’s. We are shown to our table and surprise! Tracey is there with his wife and friends who are celebrating their wedding anniversary. They tell us to come and join them. They are good company and when we leave, we find that Billy and his wife have shouted us the meal. Too kind. There is a real camaraderie here. I guess that, with remoteness, there comes a need to support each other. I really like the way that everyone here has everyone else’s back. Something largely lost in the UK….

Today Tracey is taking us up the Kildala River estuary and into the aptly named Great Bear Rainforest, where we do indeed see a bear. But more on that later. It is a cool and damp morning but the forecast is good so it should be warm and sunny later. Tracey launches his jet boat and we set off. The sea does not look particularly rough but let me assure you that a one foot swell in a jet boat is extremely uncomfortable. Every bang sends my brain crashing against my skull. Ouch! There is little comfort in Tracey telling me that it is unusual for it to be so bumpy. It is normally very smooth. Is it indeed?! Once we leave the Douglas Channel the water flattens and the ride is more comfortable.

Our next challenge is that the tide is out and the water in the channel is very shallow. Tracey spends a while motoring around the river mouth trying to work out whether we can make it up it. He decides to give it ago. He tells us to hold on very tight as – should we hit something – and the odds of that are fairly high – we will be thrown forward. So up the river we go. Tracey skilfully manoeuvres the boat around rocks and fallen trees and we progress upstream into the Great Bear Forest. It is pristine rainforest apart from the unfortunate presence of power lines, cutting a swathe through the otherwise untouched wilderness.

We spot a baby moose on the bank. Tracey says “Quick Maggie before it moves.” I’m as fast as I can be, but my camera is safely in my backpack to protect it on the journey. Tracey says “You should have been ready and setup.” Oh really? Well I would have been if I didn’t think that I was likely to be smashed into a tree trunk and have 2kg of camera hitting me in the face!!…. I did point this out to him later and he saw the funny side of it.

The baby moose was terrified and on closer inspection looked to have a broken leg. In the bottom picture you can see bear claw marks and a wound on the right haunch. We think it was probably attacked and fell down the bank when escaping. The bear will probably return later to finish it off. How sad.

A few more bends in the river and we arrive at a beautiful pool. It is still misty but the cloud is lifting and breaks of blue are appearing overhead. Two anglers are already at the pool and they have caught a huge coho. This bodes well. They generously say that they will move up river so Paul can have the pool to himself, which is really extremely kind of them. No sooner has Paul cast out his line than he catches a coho.

This is shortly followed with a large chum.

I take a stroll along the river. This really is a delightful spot – peaceful and surrounded by temperate rainforest.

I look down and see fresh bear tracks. Maybe I won’t stray too far from the men and the boat…

I return just in time to see Paul land this beauty.

The skies have now cleared and it is hot. I am continually scanning down river at the gravel banks in the hope of seeing a bear but I am not overly optimistic. Then, far away behind a tree on the far shore I see movement. I see legs and think it is a person. I keep watching and then a bear emerges. It’s a long way off but a bear nevertheless. I run back to the men and yell “Tracey! A bear! Please fetch my camera!” I dash back to my viewing spot – and hoorah the bear is still there. It then starts moving nearer, clambering over dead trees that block its path.

Nearer still and there is eye contact.

I am apprehensive but also excited. The bear does not appear to be interested in me. It is just intent on catching salmon. I watch mesmerised and only realise afterwards how close I was. I took false comfort from the fact that we were separated by the river with a few feet of water in it. Not much of a barrier!

She finally catches a fish and then departs glancing fleetingly as she does. Paul is in the river and sees her being followed by two cubs that must have been hiding in the shrubs on the gravel bank.

In any event they have now crossed the river, are on our side and heading our way. Time to vacate the area!

Tracey and his wife have kindly invited us to have supper with them tonight. We meet some of their friends and enjoy some good home cooking, which is really welcome after all the restaurant meals.

Another early start. Today we drive back to Terrace where we shall meet our guide Gordon. He has a jet boat and will take us out on the Skeena River. The locals call the Skeena the river of mists and many mysterious tales are told about it. It is certainly beautiful with the mist drifting over the surface and blanketing the mountain valleys.

We have an exhilerating ride down the river and spot gulls, eagles and the occasional seal. We moor up on a shingle bank and of course at that point all the native wildlife makes itself scarce. Gordon has brought his two year old labrador with him. He is in his element and spends all day paddling through the river and making sure no wildlife appears! Every so often he comes back on board and annoyingly makes everything wet, but otherwise he is pretty well-behaved. I have always regarded fishing as a peaceful pastime but the silence is frequently broken by Gordon regaling us at length with anecdotes and opinions, which he likes to frequently point out are really interesting…… Don’t get me wrong. He’s a really nice guy and very helpful but sometimes guides, like children should be seen and not heard.

It’s a wonderful river and a lovely place to just hang out. This is probably a good thing as the fish are not really engaging. Paul only catches a small coho and a few pink salmon but nevertheless has a super day.

We take a last look at the spectacular scenery….

…then zoom back up the river and take the boat out of the water.

We say farewell to Gordon who is now off on holiday – bow shooting elk.

Dinner is again at Rosario’s which I have now grown to quite like. I think it always takes time to adjust to your surroundings, drop pre-conceived ideas and just fit in with your new environment. It is very much a family place, with friendly staff and wholesome food. Tonight we order burgers and they are really, really good. Prime beef in brioche buns. To my amazement, I eat the lot. I think the jet lag has gone!

We are up again with the lark and driving back to Terrace. However this time we shall be on a very different river. It is narrower, but deep and fast flowing. Paul was here 20 years ago – fishing with Tracey. He loved it, caught loads of steeelhead and is eager to return. We meet our guide – it’s Gordon again. Apparently he has delayed his departure until tomorrow.

He launches the boat, which is not easy. The current is very strong. Paul spends some time fishing, but it is exhausting as the water is so deep and fast flowing and the bottom strewn with boulders. Paul does manage to land a small coho but it is hard work.

We take a break and Gordon guides us through the temperate rainforest…

….to try to get to a swamp clearing. The going is not easy. Initially it looks straightforward but looks can be deceptive. There are devil’s thorns which you do not want to touch. The hairs are really irritating, though the berries are attractive.

The ground is covered in moss which either masks decaying tree trunks, which give way when you stand on them, or hollows where there once was a tree. We must tread carefully. Then the terrain becomes much more jungly with swamp below the surface. We follow elk paths, which enable us to see where the footing may be solidish. We persevere and catch a glimpse of the clearing, though the vegetation is too dense and footing to wet to allow further progress. Nevertheless, we have the satisfaction of having been able to walk through such primordial forest.

Dragonflies skit above the reeds and moss and I desparately try to capture their flight. I need hours not a few minutes. They are so quick and erratic in their movement.

The day has warmed up and the sky brightened.

We move the boat to a new location. The fish are still not really biting, but the riverbanks are lush with wild flowers and berries….

… and loads of baby toads, in assorted colours ranging from brown, green and yellow and barely half an inch long, clamber over the pebbles on the foreshore. We must be careful how we tread.

We reluctantly leave the Kalum River. It has been a fabulous day and we are ready for a shower and supper.

The weather is damp and misty. I think Tracey had this in mind when instead of fishing, he asked us if we wanted to accompany him on a trip to Hartley Bay to pick up a client. He says there will be lots of whales en route. This sounds great to me and we accept his invitation.

It is a short drive from the lodge to the marina where we pick up our boat. It turns out to be a very solidly built water taxi, which is functional, sturdy and well heated. Tracey takes the helm and we settle in beside him.

Tracey has impressive boat handling skills and he manoeuvres the boat out of the marina with ease. The sea is pretty calm so the trip is relatively comfortable but visibility is poor. Low cloud descends and it starts to rain. Spotting anything will be hard, but we do see several whales in the distance and a pod of porpoises although their presence was fleeting.

I do not hold out much hope for a quality whale encounter. However, as we approach our destination of Hartley Bay, a whale briefly surfaces directly in front of us. It dives but it was close and exciting. Shortly after that we spot what we think is a log floating on the surface.

It turns out to be a humpback whale in a pretty relaxed state. We manage to get fairly close and I stand on deck in the now persistent rain trying to capture the moment.

Given the conditions I am pleased with the results, but as we approach the harbour another “log” is floating on the surface. We move in closer – maybe only 20 yards away – and can determine that this is another whale. It is just casually lazing on the surface and it gives us the most incredible and privileged experience. It allows us to stay with it for several minutes, It calls, blows out water and as a grand finale gracefully lifts its tail before diving down. The air is misty, the light is poor and it is still raining, but given the conditions I am absolutely thrilled with the photos that I managed to capture.

What an exhilerating morning! When we get back to the lodge, the weather has improved, so we sit on our veranda and eat a late lunch before catching up on much needed sleep. We are still not over the jet lag so take the easy option and return to Rosario for supper. This time I make a good menu choice – sweet and sour chicken. It is delicious, really homemade tasting and not a deep-fried anything in sight!

It’s close on 48 hours since we left the UK and we are relieved to finally make it to Terrace. Our luggage is unloaded into a tent outside the terminal building – slightly unusual and chaotic! We find a taxi for our final hour long drive to Kitimat. It turns out there are not very many at the airport so we are lucky.

We arrive at Kitimat Lodge where we are staying in a little log cabin. It is rustic and basic but clean and fairly spacious with a large bedroom, separate kitchen and bathroom. We unpack and join our host Tracey for a welcome drink and then head to the nearest restaurant. High end it is not, but apparently near to the top of the list of what is available in Kitimat. We order seafood linguine with alfredo sauce. On a positive the prawns and scallops are superb and really fresh…… but the sauce….glutenous and far too much of it. The portions are too large and we definitely should have shared, but it has filled a hole and hopefully we shall sleep well.

We do indeed sleep soundly but all too soon it is 05.30 and time to rise for our first day’s fishing. Our guide for the day, Mike, meets us. It is a short drive to the launch site and he skilfully reverses the boat trailer into the Kitimat River and we are off. It is a cool, damp morning and looks like ideal fishing weather. It is Paul’s birthday, so I really hope he has a successful day.

He spends the first three hours wading a short stretch of river where coho abound though he has limited success in catching them. He lands a small one and also a biggie that gets away. The really bad news is that he breaks his brand new Spey casting rod. It is a replacement for his previous one which snapped in exactly the same place. Clearly a design fault. It has a lifetime guarantee but he is not sure he wants another one if they always break!! Just as we are commiserating with him a float boat approaches with the crew singing “Happy Birthday to you.” These were some guys we were talking to while launching the boat. How nice and cheered Paul up!

The weather has improved though there is still a chill wind. There are some lovely views up and down the river. There is also a strong odour of rotting fish where dead and dying salmon lie on the gravel bars after spawning. Not something David Attenborough mentions. Yuck! Fortunately this phenomenon is only in isolated places along the river.

I had hoped to see lots of wildlife whilst Paul was fishing but have little success. There are bears here but they are not showing themselves today.

However there are lots of gulls feasting on the salmon carcasses..

… and eagles and ospreys which are annoyingly all too distant for any half decent photographs.

We then drift down river in the boat, with Paul fishing en route. There are loads of fish in the river and he catches several small coho and salmon.

It is very beautiful and peaceful and there are worse ways to while away a few hours. I take a couple more landscape shots….

… Paul has a final cast or two from the bank…

… and then we head back home.

It is only 14.30 but with the 8 hour time difference we are mega tired. However we still have no provisions, so before we can have a nap we head off to a mini-mart about a 10 minute walk away. There are very limited choices but we manage to find the makings of breakfast and packed lunches and then… Hoorah!!! We can take a couple of hours sleep before dinner.

Kitimat has undergone a large expansion in the last four years due to the construction of a Liquid Natural Gas Export Facility. It has brought in some 4000 construction workers to build the plant and necessary accompanying infra-structure. This is relevant because the place that we decide to eat – “The Blue Room Tavern” is full with said workers. It is only a short walk from the lodge and is meant to be pretty much the best place in town. To say it was noisy would be an understatement and everyone seemed to be on a mission to get hammered. Shots and chasers galore were being ordered. The only seats available for us are at the bar. This is not quite the romantic venue I would have chosen for Paul’s birthday dinner. However the food is surprisingly good and they even had one of our favourite red wines on the menu so it’s not all bad!