Exploring the British Columbian Archipelago’s Most Remote Sacred Site By Marc Cappelletti I am walking in the footsteps of chiefs and carvers, warriors and weavers, shamans and slaves; people as connected to the land as the very trees from which they once made their homes. The ground is soft. It is sacred. And it lies at the edge of the world—Haida Gwaii, British Columbia. We are at the ancient village of SGang Gwaay Llnagaay, formerly known as Nan sdins or Ninstints, on the eastern edge of SGang Gwaay (Anthony Island).
When we, as Canadians, talk about our whole country, we say “from coast to coast to coast.” The three coasts feel very different underfoot. In the west, deep moss makes a trail that feels like walking over sofa cushions; in the east, long grasses swish and slap against your boots; and up north rocks and rivulets form tiled patterns over the permafrost. It was the west coast that convinced me to start working at sea.
Newfoundland’s Gros Morne National Park is one of the few places where you can walk on the Earth’s mantle and also cruise glacially carved freshwater fjords.
In this episode of Expedition Spotlight, join Cultural Specialist Susan Flanagan as she reveals what discoveries are in store on our Canadian Maritimes and Newfoundland expedition.
Today we visited Floreana, one of the oldest islands in the archipelago. We started the morning with an early visit to the very famous Post Office Bay. Here we continued a fun tradition by leaving behind our postcards with hopes that they reach our loved ones sometime in the future. After breakfast, we went snorkeling near a beautiful rock formation called Champion, where we enjoyed the presence of sea lions, colorful fish, and some sharks! As we had lunch, a pod of bottlenose dolphins swam nearby. We enjoyed observing them jump and race our ship. In the afternoon, we visited Cormorant Point. This area is an active sea turtle nesting site. It has a beautiful brackish water lagoon, where a colony of flamingos is found. It was a spectacular day.
The first full day of our expedition brought us to Bartolome Island. Located on the east side of Santiago, this small island has unique geological characteristics and stunning landscapes. We started our expedition early in the morning. We hiked all the way up to Bartolome’s summit and observed the marvelous Pinnacle Rock, a striking jagged formation. In the last part of the morning, we snorkeled. We had the chance to swim with Galapagos sea lions, sharks, and the incredible Galapagos penguin. We spent the afternoon searching for the fantastic Galapagos land iguana at Cerro Dragon on Santa Cruz Island. At this time of the day, the iguanas rest below bushes. They are seeking shade due to the temperature at this time of the year.
With a very relaxing kayak outing in the morning at Espumilla Bay, on the north side of Santiago, our day started. We also enjoyed a very relaxing snorkeling excursion and a Zodiac ride. We followed this up with an interesting visit to Buccaneer Cove. In the afternoon, we concluded a beautiful week on board with a stop at Puerto Egas Beach where we relaxed a bit then strolled along the coast, checking on waders and fur sea lions.
Santa Cruz Island is the largest inhabited island in the archipelago and perhaps the most diverse. The contrast between nature and culture makes it a very interesting and fascinating place. In the morning, we visited the Giant Tortoise Breeding Center and observed the young tortoises that will later be repatriated to their island of origin. As we walked into town, we encountered sea lions intermingling with humans, then we had a great lunch at the Bahia Mar restaurant along the waterfront. We spent the afternoon in the highlands where we visited a local family-run sugarcane plantation. We had the opportunity to taste some of their products such as sugarcane honey, molasses, taffy, and moonshine. This was a very rich experience where our guests learned how people live in the Galapagos and shared a little bit of their daily lives. We finished this interesting day by visiting giant tortoises in their natural habitat as well as a few birds, including mockingbirds, pintail ducks, moorhens, and finches.
We arrived at Santa Cruz Island with clear skies and bright sunshine. We experienced the humid and vibrant green of the island while visiting the Galapagos National Park and Charles Darwin Foundation, learning about the conservation efforts these two institutions have contributed over the years working together. Later, we were welcomed by some of the farmers in the highlands, and in the afternoon, we immersed ourselves in the habitat of the Giant tortoises which are the emblematic animal of this enchanted island. Photos by Christian Villaroel and Paola Luque
