Jen and Dave: Adventuring

Last night ended with a disappointing message – our booked trip to SGang Gwaay (Ninstints) had to be cancelled due to forecast gale force winds. So a new plan was needed. 

After making a quick breakfast, we hopped in the car and headed down logging roads to Rennell Sound. The road was a bit rough, but the forest was beautiful and green (outside of logging areas). This area was logged some time ago, so the only traffic was other recreation users, and the logged areas were filled with young growth. 

Reaching Rennell Sound, we parked at the beach and enjoyed the view. Layers of rolling hill, partially obscured by clouds and fog, and calm seas. 

This is apparently a favourite place to fish from, with many boats staged near the boat ramp. We watched one launch, and it was clear the calm waters and steep beach made it ideal. 

Not much beachcombing due to the steep beach, but while Dave took several drone flights, Jen did a watercolour sketch and read a book. 

On the way back to town we saw two Taan!  A mother and cub. Taan are a subspecies of black bear unique to Haida Gwaii. They are big – the biggest black bear in North America- with large jaws adapted to intertidal foraging. 

Upon reaching town, we visited an artist/crafter pop up. Some cute and unique things are coming home with us!

The penultimate stop of the day was Balancing Rock, which (strangely enough) is a large rock that appears to be balancing. The tide was mostly in, but Dave still found a limpet and a hermit crab in amongst the rock kelp. 

Last stop was the grocery store, before returning to our accommodations to make a comforting meal of Chinese sausage fried rice. 

After a delightful breakfast of French toast with salal berry jam and coastal huckleberry jam, we packed up and said farewell to Old Masset.

Our first stop was in Port Clements, where we drove through town and walked the Rainbow Pier. We were excited to watch a belted kingfisher – a lifer for both of us – and observed an unflappable eagle perched on a large boulder. Dave also took a short drone flight.

Next we stopped at the beach at the south end of Naikoon park. As we walked the dunes we saw some very pretty wildflowers.

Crystal Cabin was the next stop, mostly because Dave’s coworker recommended the food truck stationed there, Charters. It was unfortunately closed. The gallery was much higher end and less random than Jen remembered, so onwards we travelled.

Shortly south on the highway was St. Mary’s Spring. The namesake carving is no longer there, but Jen remembers visiting decades ago with her friend Marcie. It was said if you drank you would return. Jen took a sip for each of them, in Marcie’s memory.

Our last stop was the wharf area of Daajing Giids (known for a short while as Queen Charlotte City), where we attempted and failed to find lunch. Everything was closed! We bought a ball of sourdough- which turned out to be exceptionally tasty- and headed to our accommodations for a week here.

This is the nicest place we’ve stayed, yet not the most expensive. A beautiful suite, adjacent to the garage of a home, with everything one could hope for. Called the “Live Edge Suite” it has live edge wood accents throughout the two story studio apartment. A full kitchen, bar counter, and bathroom are below. Above, bed, desk, and walk-in closet. We immediately felt comfortable and pampered.

Dinner was also a swanky affair at what’s apparently the hottest restaurant in town, Blacktail. A line had already formed when we arrived at quarter to the opening hour, and not everyone in line at opening got a table (with many having to sit outside or face long waits). We enjoyed a house-made grilled sourdough with ricotta cheese, hot honey and pistachios to start. Dave has pasta bolognese, and Jen the fisherman’s stew. So delicious.

Today’s deer count: 🦌🦌🦌🦌🦌🦌🦌🦌🦌🦌

We slept in today as breakfast was at nine. Served family-style, we enjoyed coastal huckleberry pancakes and fruit salad with the other guests and our hosts.

Our first stop of the day was North Beach in Naikoon Provincial Park. This sandy beach stretches for ten kilometres across the northeast of Haida Gwaii’s Graham Island, from Taaw Tlldaawee (Tow Hill) to Rose Spit. We walked about halfway, to a relatively modern shipwreck, before retracing our steps.

Next, we explored the boardwalk along Taaw Tlldaawee itself, through verdant forest to rocky outcrop. A blowhole adds drama and cultural importance to this spot. Jen then took the boardwalk back to the car while Dave summited the unique rock formation, formed by a volcanic cinder cone’s columnar basalt standing up to the weathering of the last ice age on the ocean side, while the hill was carved away.

Northern park explored, we then exited the park and found another beach to explore, where Jen could hunt for agates and shells while Dave took a quick flight with his drone.

Ravenous, we found the only open place in town (most things closed for B.C. Day), a pub serving appetizers. We had a quick meal, then went for a drive around Masset and Old Masset (the later of which is on reserve).

The thing that struck us is how alive and present the Haida culture is, despite the obvious and terrible impacts of colonialism. Poles are considered living members of their community, and are present at community buildings, institutions, and at private homes alike. Many buildings are longhouses or are constructed to reference these iconic structures. Art is everywhere, and the language is on street signs and throughout the area.

We are so lucky to be guests on these lands.

Today’s major event was the ferry ride from Prince Rupert to Skidegate (Haida Gwaii). It is entirely unlike the southern routes – arrive two hours early, ID checks to board, careful puzzle-parking of vehicles to squeeze standbys on. It’s not a RORO – you exit the way you drove in – so it’s much slower to load and unload.

We ended up leaving an hour behind schedule, but made up some time for a total six hours crossing time. The ferry was spacious and comfortable- reclining seats, a generous cafe.

Upon arrival we headed north to Old Masset, where we are staying in a guest house run by community members. We stopped along the beach to take in the big, wide open views. We also saw two deer (introduced species, not native to the island) and five bald eagles.

We left Terrace this morning after a delicious classic breakfast at White Spot (included in our stay), and headed north. 

Around 1775, a volcano erupted in Nisga’a. The lava spilt from a rift in the mountain, and moved quickly across their territory. Faster still was the sulphuric gases, which killed over two thousand Nisga’a men, women and children in their communities. 

Since that time, mosses and lichens have started to reclaim the land, and the four surviving Nisga’a communities share management of Anhluut’ukwsim Lax̱mihl Angwinga’asanskwhl Nisg̱a’a Park (Nisga’a Memorial Lava Beds Park) with BC Parks. 

We started by visiting Ts’itksim Aks (Vetter Falls), a short walk from the road. It was beautiful. Next, we went to the Visitor Centre beside the campground, a beautiful longhouse with a front wall that tells the story of the lava. 

The Wil Luu-galksi-mihl Gan (Lava Cast Tree) stop was quite interesting. You walked out 100m on a smooth lava flow to a tree cast, which formed when lava hardened on the outside of a tree or log before the inside burned. 

Next we stopped at the village of Gitwinksihlkw on the north side of the Nass River. Until recently, it was accessible only by boat or by a 400 foot long suspension bridge. Here we observed their pts’aan (poles) and the fish wheels they use to capture, tag, and release salmon. 

Lunch was a picnic on the shore of Lava Lake, which formed fret the lava flowed. 

The highlight of the day was a guided hike from a Nisga’a forest management specialist to one of the cinder cones. The area is restricted to guided activities only due to the sensitive ecology. After fifteen minutes up a gated gravel road, we hiked 6 km return through young forest, then second growth forest, then across the lava bed. 

We had a break at the top of the cone, on the caldera. The scale was unbelievable, and you could see the ledges from the first, second, third and final flows. 

After our hike we grabbed a pita in town, then headed west to Prince Rupert, following the train tracks and the Skeena. This was a gorgeous stretch of highway. We even saw a bear cub! A great day.

Today was a driving day. We watched the farms and rolling hills turn to foothills and then mountains, and joined the mighty Skeena in her path.

For lunch we pulled off on a quiet side road by Endako Mine and enjoyed charcuterie from the cooler while surrounded by pine trees.

Another stop of note was in Smithers, where we had a lovely early dinner (guess who ate what). We also visited a bakery Dave’s colleague had recommended to buy treats for tomorrow, and a roadside fruit stand for some Okanagan cherries and peaches.

Witset was another interesting stop, where the First Nation harvests salmon by dip net in a waterfall narrows.

We pulled into Terrace near bedtime, but excited for the real adventure start – tomorrow we go to Anhluut’ukwsim Lax̱mihl Angwinga’asanskwhl Nisg̱a’a Park, also known as Nisg̱a’a Memorial Lava Bed Park.

A note for those who read yesterday’s post within a few hours of it going live – Dave has added a drone video and a phone video to the end of the post.

Today we took the path less travelled. Leaving from Hope, we followed the Fraser Canyon on Highway 1, then splitting off at Lytton to Highway 12 before joining Highway 97.  BC tourism calls it the “Ranchlands and Rivers” route, and the name is apt. 

Driving through Lytton was a challenge. Devastated by wildlifes a few years ago, the forests around the town were burning again. A helicopter was hard at work dumping water, but the fire is out of control. Our hearts are with the community and Lytton First Nation. 

After a stop in Lillooet for lunch and several scenic vista pullovers, we visited Jen’s cousin and family in 100 Milehouse for a few minutes before continuing north. They were surprised at how slow our progress was!

A brief snack stop at Marble Canyon Provincial Park (not so scenic without a hike!), dinner in Quesnel, and a bedtime arrival in Prince George.

This day was about living the journey and enjoying each other’s company. Chatting and laughter, podcasts, and marvelling at the scenery (including three deer and sixteen bighorn sheep!) – this is time well spent.

And from the drone:

Cantilever Bar Fire video filmed on iPhone. Do not fly drones near fires!