Last night we departed the city lights of Vancouver as we start our northbound expedition. Sailing through the Salish Sea, we awoke surrounded by the mountains and trees of British Columbia. By afternoon, National Geographic Sea Lion dropped anchor at Desolation Sound Marine Park. Desolation Sound lies within the traditional territories of the Tla’amin, Homalco, and Klahoose First Nations who have lived in and stewarded these lands and waters for thousands of years. The sun and perfect weather beckoned us to explore, so we put down our kayaks and Zodiacs. With bald eagles overhead, sea lions in the water, and green forest surrounding us, it was a picturesque introduction to coastal British Columbia.