We spent almost a month in the Gwaii Haanas National Park archipelago, where the English word "wildlife" truly comes to life! We observed quite extraordinary wildlife (black bears, caribou, orcas, whales, seals, eagles...) in a preserved environment. During the first two weeks, we visited the east coast with the remains of Haida villages, where friendly guardians explained the meanings of the ruins and totems. The good weather allowed for beautiful walks along the shore at low tide and in the coastal rainforest. There are no marked trails, and logging being prohibited due to tensions between communities in the 1980s, the vegetation has reclaimed the old roads. The children are thrilled to play explorers. Three years in warm waters haven’t tropicalized us, and we easily adapt to swimming in cool water! We still enjoyed our visit to the geothermal springs of Hotsprings Island with its 40-degree pools...
Coastal navigation often leaves us windless due to the terrain, forcing us to start the engine, but the distances are short.
After Sgang Gwaay Island in the south, a UNESCO World Heritage site, we head up the west coast of the archipelago to Bottle Lake Fjord, passing through the large Tasu Inlet. The good weather leaves us, and the continuous rain limits our outings but reveals beautiful waterfalls on the mountainsides. We then take advantage of a northwest window to cover the 190 miles to the small village of Bella Bella on the mainland coast, where we are currently.
We will continue our gradual descent to Vancouver Island, exploring the many anchorages the area offers. The sun is back!
