Ahoy sailing friends... Heron Adventures here, headed north for our sixth season afloat!
This summer’s goal: The Queen Charlotte Islands, now
officially named Haida Gwaii.
The plan: We're going to stage this trip, moving Heron to the northern tip of Vancouver island during the first
stage (and leaving it in Port McNeill), then flying back in early August to rejoin the boat and continue north
to Hecate Strait. There we'll wait (but hopefully not too long!), for a good
weather-window in which to make the 55-mile crossing to the Queen Charlottes.
Why the Queen Charlottes? We've dreamed for years of visiting Haida Gwaii’s remarkable abandoned
Haida village sites – and in particular, Ninstints, finally recognized as a UNESCO World
Heritage Site in 2010. Ninstints has the world’s greatest collection of Haida heraldic and mortuary poles,
many still standing just steps from the beach in a state of arrested decay.
The Queen Charlottes, an archipelago of about 150
islands 60 miles off the mainland coast, are known for their remoteness and
wild, rugged shores. (We hope we’re not too late in the season
for the Hecate Strait crossing.) Sometimes called “the Galapagos of
Canada,” the islands have one of the Pacific Coast’s finest remaining
old-growth rain forests, as well as some of the highest density of sea lions,
sea birds, eagles and falcons! Scientists believe that portions of the islands
escaped glaciation during the last ice age, providing refuge for all this rare flora and
fauna.
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| A friend gave us this cool "Haida Gwaii Salt" a few years back... |
And finally, we both loved John Vaillant's fascinating book, "The Golden Spruce."
If you haven't read it, we highly recommend! Based on true story: in 1997, a "British Columbia timber scout named
Grant Hadwin committed an act of shocking violence - he destroyed the
legendary Golden Spruce of the Queen Charlotte Islands. With its rich
colors, towering height and luminous needles, the tree was a scientific
marvel, beloved by the local Haida people who believed it sacred."
My turn on watch, more to come!
Kim
