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Wild Root Journeys

Highlights and Stories: Kayaking in Gwaii Haanas

When I became a certified sea kayak guide, I immediately sent my resume to every company based in Haida Gwaii! To me, this seemed like the most epic place to paddle and guide. I was hooked on kayaking, and Haida Gwaii was the first goal I set for myself. It felt wild, mystical, and on another level. Unfortunately, I wasn’t hired in my first season to work in my dream destination, so my next goal was to acquire all the skills I could, so that the next time I applied, I would be scooped up and living my dream.

After years of working for two companies (one women-run and one First Nations-run) on the West Coast of Vancouver Island, and another in Squamish territory, I applied to a company on the northern end of Vancouver Island to bring my goal to fruition. Each company I worked for taught me invaluable skills and knowledge and was absolutely unique in its operations and range of kayaking. The wait tested my dream and made my first experience in Haida Gwaii that much more special. After years of guiding, I finally arrived..
Visit to Ninstints, Haida Gwaii

The land here holds a depth that is palpable; it sings into the air and swirls around you. The trees dance in the wind, the ocean has a weight, a look, and a richness unlike anywhere else I’ve guided. Everything feels grand. The rock here feels uniquely ancient. I have always felt that the ocean brings forth land that is new, adapting, and asks this of us as well, while mountains and inland areas like the Rockies feel more settled, old, and wise with the test of time. Haida Gwaii somehow offers all of this at once.

I’ve heard that if you visit once, you’ll want to return, and if you visit three times, you’ll always want to be here—if you haven’t already moved here. After six years of guiding here, often on trips that lasted 15 days, Haida Gwaii is set into my being. I am forever changed.

Taking the zodiac water taxi into Gwaii Haanas is an experience in itself. My countless journeys back and forth have offered up amazing scenery, blissful wildlife, calm winds, and swells, as well as the chunkiest boat rides where both engines failed and the level of saturation from both saltwater and rainfall—never mind the level of exposure—was unparalleled to anything else in my life. Morsby Explorers is the local company that has always done an exceptional job of keeping the group safe and mitigating situations in all that nature has had us endure. On the zodiac is where I also saw the solar eclipse, though, this far north, it was more of a partial eclipse. The sky did darken on this boat ride as the group of 11 onboard passed around two sets of glasses to view the phenomenal event. What an experience to start the trip with!

The distance between Tanu and SGang Gwaay, as a direct route, is 120 km. The trips are often split at Burnaby Narrows and are offered as either an eight-day trip to the north, an eight-day trip to the south, or as a complete 15-day journey. Typically, we will paddle around 80–100 km in an eight-day trip, or between 40–55 nautical miles.

Some amazing places in Gwaii Haanas:

Tanu: A moss-laden former village site with incredible house structure poles. The watchmen welcome groups and share stories of the past and present on a walking tour of the area. After the second smallpox epidemic, the village had to be abandoned. Bill Reid’s grandmother was born in Tanu, and it’s also where his ashes were buried. Octopus gardens can be seen at low tide, and the cabin here offers more time to chat, often with a cup of tea in hand, along with the Haida watchmen and a library of great resources.

Windy Bay: Not always accessible on trips due to its southeast exposure, this former village site features an incredible forest walk with 900-year-old Sitka trees and a watershed that, at the right time of year, sees adult salmon spawning in the creek. This watershed was the epicenter of the 1980s protests to save the old-growth forests to the south. These efforts by the Haida and their allies eventually led to a halt in old-growth logging by 1987. In 1988, the area was protected under National Parks, and by 1993, the Gwaii Haanas Agreement was signed, confirming both governments’ rights and responsibilities to protect the area. When the weather allows for a visit, we always try to make it happen.

Hotspring Island: Perhaps the lap of luxury, this place has a wow factor of a gazillion! The absolute mystery of the freshwater, the perfect view, the amazing temperature, and the wonder of sitting along a fault line that has shaped this area make it a dreamy experience. The trail to the hot springs is also magical, and sometimes the trees on the route host a bounty of chicken of the woods, a delicious mushroom that can be cooked in butter and garlic to pair with any meal. The impermanence of the hot springs adds to its appeal, after a 7.8 magnitude earthquake blocked the hot spring in 2012, lasting until 2015.

Burnaby Narrows: The narrows are known for being one of the richest intertidal areas in the world. There are many amazing areas to see epic intertidal life in Gwaii Haanas, but this is perhaps the most well-known. Because there is so much to see here, we often give a small talk using our ID books beforehand to make the experience richer. We’ve seen a good rebound in intertidal life here since the mass sea star wasting syndrome in 2013, and we are hopeful for this to continue.

Burnaby Narrows, Haida Gwaii

Rose Harbour: The only private and quirky settlement outside the watchmen sites within Gwaii Haanas is located here. Tucked behind the forest is a partially carved dugout canoe of the Kunghit Haida, who resided year-round on SGang Gwaay and dates back at least 100 years. For a short while, the harbour was a prolific whaling station from 1910 to 1943, during which time the Pacific Whaling Company processed around 5,000 whales here. Some remnants from this era still exist in the harbour, along with many of the records.
Whaling Station Haida Gwaii

SGang Gwaay: This is the island where the village of Ninstints lies, which was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1981. To kayak and visit here requires the right weather windows, which sometimes means waiting out a storm or taxiing a boat to make the crossing safely. The trail and boardwalk to the village is lush and enchanting. The watchmen share their way of being, stories passed down, and a deep understanding of life in Haida Gwaii.

Village of Ninstints, Haida Gwaii

For me, Haida Gwaii is a place you want to move slowly through. You immediately become enveloped by it and want to understand and be a part of the magic. There are few places I’ve been to where I feel more alive. I still remember the first time I danced my airport cart down the street in Sandspit to our local accommodations and later walked the empty cart back, just becasue you can and so you do. I always feel more universally connected here because the greed of modern man has not diluted the beauty of this living world, I am grateful for all those who stood their ground at Windy Bay to stop old growth logging to allows us this experience. There is an endlessless of awe, a vastness that allows you to get lost in thought, and a depth of visceral gratitude that awaits.

Orca in Haida Gwaii

Have you been to Haida Gwaii? What moments do you still hold close? Are you interested in a multi-day kayak journey here? We would love to hear your stories and dreams to visit here!

 

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