SGang Gwaay, Haida Gwaii, British Columbia, 9/12/2023, National Geographic Sea Lion
Aboard the
National Geographic Sea Lion
Alaska
Steaming southward, we rolled with the seas throughout the night. As morning twilight began to brighten the clouded skies, National Geographic Sea Lion slipped into protected waters. Our small ship nimbly wove through braided channels toward our destination.
SGang Gwaay is one of the highlights of a visit to Haida Gwaii. From day one we have anticipated this destination, so we were thrilled that the weather lined up to make a visit possible. Haida Watchmen guided our time ashore, taking us through the magnificent forests and showing us ancient totems facing the sea. While the village here is no longer inhabited year-round, what still stands is part of a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Such an incredible location deserves a full day. For our afternoon some of us went ashore, while others explored the islets via Zodiac. Lush forests of kelp blanketed much of the water’s surface, providing a healthy habitat to foster a robust marine ecosystem. Feeding on that system was a suite of marine predators that dotted the land at the ocean’s edge. Pelagic cormorants darted about, lining up on rocks where gulls loafed and seals rested.
The health and power of SGang Gwaay was impossible to ignore. The ocean is productive, the forest is massive, and the people who steward this environment have a rich and ongoing history. The privilege we hold in visiting this place is to be cherished.
Born in the mountains of east Tennessee, it was easy for Steve to fall in love with the wonderful natural environment around him. What started as a childhood passion to scan the creeks and ponds for all they would reveal evolved into a studied desire...
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After a comfortable evening sail through Johnstone Strait, we arrived in Tenedos Bay within the Desolation Sound Marine Park just prior to sunrise. The morning views were spectacular with wispy bands of mist on the tree-covered mountains, clear skies, and a hint of orange in the sky reflecting off the glassy waters as the sun rose. Many guests enjoyed the early morning views from all decks as oystercatchers and belted kingfishers sounded off with the rising sun. Conditions couldn’t have been more perfect for kayaking and standup paddleboarding in the morning. The calm waters made for a beautifully peaceful yet aerobic paddle as we explored around a small island within Tenedos Bay. Amongst the red cedars and the Douglas firs, the sunlight highlighted the red bark of the Pacific madrones, locally known here as arbutus trees. These trees are becoming much more prevalent as we journey southward on this, “Remarkable Journey: Alaska, British Columbia, and Haida Gwaii. Prior to lunch, the fun continued for both participants and spectators alike during our Polar Plunge! The plunge wear was varied and included a pink Power Ranger suit and a Gumby suit worn by Second Mate Jenna. It was so much fun with laughter and smiles all around, and it made for some fun lunchtime conversations. For the afternoon, we opted to remain anchored at this beautiful place and took scenic Zodiac cruises to explore the area more. Harbor seals, kingfishers, and many oysters were among the nature we spotted. Today was a fantastic final full day on board National Geographic Sea Bird . Experiences and memories that will last have been made during our voyage. Tomorrow morning, we disembark in Vancouver.
Just before the light of day, National Geographic Sea Bird made her way towards Government Dock in Alert Bay on Cormorant Island in British Columbia. Our floating home cruised all night, making her way across Queen Charlotte Sound before finally entering Johnstone Strait at its northernmost end. Cormorant Island is located just south of this location and was our destination. Alert Bay is home to the Namgis band of the Kwakwaka’wakw Nation. After docking, we made our way to the U’mista Cultural Center to get acquainted with another of the many Indigenous Nations that make up the northwest coast of North America. We were greeted by several of the people who manage the Cultural Center, and we eventually divided into two groups. One group made its way to the Potlatch Collection, while the other half enjoyed a film from Namgis filmmaker Barbara Cranmer in the upper half of the cultural center. The center was established in 1980 and houses a very important collection of potlatch regalia that was stolen from the Kwakwaka’wakw Nation in 1921 by the Canadian government, which had outlawed potlatches. The potlatch was held on Village Island. The people of Alert Bay petitioned the Canadian government for the return of their stolen regalia and were told, “If you build a museum, we will return your regalia.” The museum was built, and repatriation began. The Namgis people of Alert Bay were among the first to create an interpretive center/museum to tell the story of their treasures from their point of view! Alert Bay became a vocal community from that time forward. Many other Indigenous nations along the northwest coast followed suit by creating interpretive centers to house their own treasures and preserve the Living Cultures of the Northwest Coast peoples for future generations. We arrived in Alert Bay on an unusual day, as there was a community wide power outage from 10 am to 4 pm. This required the U’mista Cultural Center and our natural history staff to design a day of operations without power. At 10 am sharp, the electricity in Alert Bay shut down. Just before then, Bruce Alfred arrived on site and conducted a tour through the Potlatch Collection in the lower end of the Cultural Center. The lights went out, and Bruce kept talking! The staff came down to the collection area and let us know that it was time to exit the Cultural Center. Outside, Bruce gathered us all for an in-depth discussion on carving and the creation of bentwood boxes. He is considered a world expert in this fine art form. With a wicked sense of humor and through a very detailed discussion, Bruce explained the complexity of constructing bentwood construction. A very intricate form of box construction that is more than 5,000 years in age, this style of box continues today with “new” tools introduced by non-natives. As we listened from under the protection of a tent, we watched the fall weather slowly making its way down channel, headed for Alert Bay. Our group made its way back to the ship for lunch. We made a brief stop at the ancestral burial grounds of the Namgis people. We were met by another community member, Brendon, who walked us through the many totem poles and detailed their history and importance. After lunch and hosting several community members on board National Geographic Sea Bird , we gathered once again for a short journey to “Gator Gardens.” This marshy area was renamed Alert Bay’s Ecological Park in 1998. The water is part of a backed up, swampy area that is made by a dam created in 1870 to bring fresh water to several canneries along the waterfront of Alert Bay. Those canneries operated until 1941. It took five years for the top of the hill to flood, eventually killing the trees and creating a bog-like environment that exists to this day with old growth western red cedar trees standing like giant sculptures. The weather finally hit Alert Bay, and rain came down in torrents as we made our way through the forest. We were sheltered from much of the rain under western hemlocks, some of which were old growth trees and mammoth in size! Eventually, we made our way back downhill to the ship. Once everyone was on board, National Geographic Sea Bird made her way south to Blackfish Sound. This area of moving sea currents is home to many marine mammals and seabirds. We made our way through a grey and rainy day with shades of dark green as we watched humpback whales. Seabirds made their living on the rich resources of the ocean water that make up Blackfish Sound and Johnstone Strait. Today was another amazing day exploring the many regions that make up the Inside Passage and the waters inhabited by Indigenous peoples for many thousands of years.
The morning we woke up to was unexpectedly gorgeous. Passing through Hecate Strait on our way to view waterfalls from the bow, we were greeted by a fin whale — and we knew it was going to be a great transit day. The guests (as well as crew and natural history staff) all enjoyed a much-needed morning to sleep in. Everyone aboard National Geographic Sea Bird loved the incredible brunch prepared by the galley team, led by head chef Neal Skannes. After brunch we admired the cascades of Butedale and Canoona. The day was filled with presentations by kelp biologist and naturalist James Coyer, a photo critique session with our certified photo instructor Gemina Garland-Lewis, and watercolors led by naturalist Shannon Malone. Just as Jim reached the halfway point of his presentation on the Kelp Highway, a pod of northern resident killer whales were spotted off the bow. Everyone rushed outside and was treated to the sight of about seven individuals near the ship. They surfaced frequently, changed direction, and even spyhopped as we passed through. It was one of the many close and touching wildlife experiences of our trip. The evening recap went a little differently than usual. “Freaky Friday” is a tradition, usually on two-week trips, during which the natural history staff swaps roles with the hotel staff. The stewards gave presentations during recap while the naturalists mixed cocktails, served dinners, and placed chocolates on guests’ pillows. The experience was enjoyed by all the passengers, crew, and staff. Then we turned in, eager for our morning arrival at Alert Bay, one of the true highlights of this journey.
