Within the 6.4 million hectares of land dedicated as the Great Bear Rainforest, a maze of small waterways winds amongst many small islands. We had the opportunity to explore this area, specifically a place called the Sue Channel Provincial Park. As we set off on Zodiac tours in search of beautiful views and possibly wildlife, boats full of guests were greeted from afar by the spouts of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) as they passed through the channel on their travels. The steep, rocky walls that make up the coastline made the search for animals more difficult, but as the tide dropped, small inlets and meadows presented themselves as the perfect spots to catch a rare glimpse of coastal land mammals and other wildlife. For a very brief moment, several guests caught a glimpse of an American black bear (Ursus americanus) foraging on sedges and berries before it darted back into the tree line. Throughout the morning, the search continued. Guests in Zodiacs were treated to incredible views of the peaceful, protected nature around them. The adventure continued as we transited back to Prince Rupert while we scanned the coastlines and looked for humpback whales. We were even treated to a serendipitous, singular breach from one charismatic whale in the distance. The night ended with one last chance to take advantage of the area’s remote nature. We stargazed from the bow in the pitch black of this undeveloped area.
9/22/2024
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National Geographic Venture
Green Inlet
Our last day in the Great Bear Rainforest proved to be one full of excitement, education, and awe. After dropping anchor in the idyllic glacial fjord of Green Inlet, we set out to explore the rocky shoreline and forested granitic fjord walls. The dense fog gradually turned into a wispy mist, which exposed different peaks and valleys of the forest as it moved through. We took turns kayaking through a delightful cove that was loaded with ochre sea stars, rockweed, and blue mussels so thick and dense that the rock they were attached to was hardly visible between them. A river otter scurried along the shore and bald eagles soared above us. From the Zodiacs we visited nearly a dozen thunderous waterfalls that were running hard and fast from the heavy overnight rains. We observed harbor seals observing us back; they were quietly periscoping their furry heads up and out of the water as we approached the rapids where they were hunting salmon making their final journeys upriver to spawn. Upon our return to National Geographic Venture , expedition diver Nick Brown shared his extensive underwater video footage from the area. His presentation was interrupted, of course, by whale sightings, which we rushed onto the bow to appreciate.
