Two more days spent exploring the islands of Haida Gwaii. Lessons learned - it takes a lot longer than you expect to go any place and do things and activities can be changed quickly so you better be prepared for the flow. We have experienced some fascinating people and story tellers.
Our plans for Sunday were an example of both lessons. We headed off to Masset in the pouring rain. It is probably about 110 km but easily took us an hour and a half. The front poles - we saw came with interesting stories told by our guide James. They don’t call them totem poles but are front poles, mortuary poles. The carvings are fantastic! Of course this part of the trip involved a gift shop stop.
From there it was over an unpaved, very bumpy road to the very northern part of the island. We didn’t have enough time to go to Tow Hill but it was still rainy and cloudy so guess we would not have seen Alaska. We did experience the blow hole but were frustrated by the group down there for the whole time. Managed one picture without the one fellow right in front or the second one who decided to crawl into it - CRAZY!
Our dinner plans were changed and so we headed back south to enjoy a lovely meal cooked by Roberta in her home. Interesting appies, a soup with potatoes and halibut and a main course dish with smoked salmon, baked salmon, venison, rice with wild sea asparagus, organic carrots, coleslaw with huckleberries.
Roberta’s son was preparing salmon for smoking in the small wooden shed.
Weather impacted our next day as well as we were scheduled to be on a full day trip to the hot springs and windy bay. While it looked great in the harbour and inlet, the straight was definitely not calm. So a shortened boat trip through the inlet and westerly we went. Absolute beautiful scenery with the deepest blue waters and sky. Bear sighting!
A special treat was Sue who entertained us with stories and music. Sue was out captain’s mother and added color to the trip. Rowan on the other boat did a dance for us.
With a free afternoon we enjoyed a picnic in Skidegate and then pushed ourselves for a 3 km hike on the Spirit Lake Trail where learned more about the trees, the forest and of course the culture. The pictures don’t do justice to the size and magnificent old cedars.
The afternoon was topped off with a visit to one more pole, a mortuary pole that was raised for our guide’s uncle. The story became very personal. Can you spot the eagle’s nest?
All in all a couple of very full and enriching days. Some sites close to home. This fence is made of wood, not rock.
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