My cousin Cathy and I arrived a day late because a poor bird flew into the plane that Air Canada uses on this route and grounded it the day before, but we arrived safe and sound the next day.

During our time in Richmond, where Air Canada put us up, we were told about a fisherman’s village called Steveston and decided to spend some time there. Time well spent. It is a working fishing village and also full of quirky stores and of course, seafood restaurants.. We had a look around and had dinner. I recommend it before it is “discovered”.

The Wharf
The fisherman’s boats in the background. Cathy taking a call.
Me, looking pretty happy with myself.

We arrived the next day in Sandspit, got a car sorted out, and drove by the ferry to Graham Island. This is posted where all the cars arriving by ferry have to pass.

It is well worth taking the time to read them. An ardent anti-trump person took the time to do this. Hope it vented his/her spleen.

On to Jags, our lodging.

Jags. Right on the ocean, the Hecate Straight.
Harvest Moon in Haida Gwaii
Breakfast the next day, downstairs. Yum.

To be honest, I can’t remember what we did each day, but we did a lot of hikes, starting with the Spirit Lake Trail.

The island is full of carvings of course.

More trails followed. Agate Beach, up at the north end of the island, past Masset,

Yes, we found agate.

And on to Tow Hill and the Blow Hole. The walk up was pretty much straight up. Slight exaggeration. But steep. But the views were spectacular.

Tow Hill
I hope this plays. It is not the blow hole, which I did not capture well, but this is also pretty impressive.
Not very successful blow hole video. Which one is the official blow hole?

We visited the Haida Gwaii Museum and Heritage. Everyone I spoke to about visiting Haida Gwaii said it was a must. In part it recounted the protests mounted by the Haida and others against logging on South Moresby Island of old growth cedar trees. I remember hearing about it in the news during the 80’s, and I know The David Suzuki Foundation, an environmental organization was one of those supporting the Haida. The result was the creation of Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve, National Marine Conservation Area Reserve, and Haida Heritage Site. And the formation of Haida Nation.

The Heritage Centre and Museum was built to resemble a traditional long house.

Haida Gwaii Heritage Centre and Museum.

As we hiked on trails we saw many stumps of very very large trees, and on Jungle Beach we saw these:

If they build it, we will climb it.

And this:

Clearly loved by locals and visitors. The desire to add to it was irresistible.

We had amazing weather. This day was forecast as a rainy day, but clearly was not. We watched a video of a totem pole being carved, in the 80’s at the Haida Museum, and then raised in Skidegate. The first in many years. You could see the happiness on the faces of the elders, and the eagerness of the people helping to raise it in the video. Sadly, I did not write down the carver’s name, although he is now a famous carver, but we did see the actual pole while exploring Skidegate

It was very moving to see it in place. It felt like a beginning of reclaiming heritage.

We saw many interesting things on our hikes, but no bears or other animals. But lots of plant life.

I didn’t look this one up, but it was soft to the touch.
Of the Bankeraceae family, a fungi

Light through the trees on the Spirit Trail

Moss covered everything that did not move

From the Parmeliaceae family, a lichen forming fungi

And a little sea life, lots of shells of all sorts.

This reminds me of the jellyfish on Talisker Bay when we stayed there in the early 60’s.
Balance Beach was a must visit
We ate here twice.
Cathy had discovered Persephone cider and I had a almost IPA, along with delicious food.
Yep, no wifi, how radical is that.

It was so busy the first time we ate at Gather that we shared a table with a couple from Nova Scotia. They had been there a few days, and Kate was born in Haida Gwaii when her father was the doctor. They gave us great ideas, including eating at Haida House in Tllaal. I had the most delicious seared tuna. We walked along the river afterwards and saw:

Just swimming across the river.

We had intended to eat here on our last night, at Blacktail, which opened at 5 pm. We arrived at less than 5.05 and it was packed to the gills, go we went back to Gather.

Some last pictures:

In Daajing Giids
Reflected rainbow, my first.

As we planned this trip around going on the Ocean Wayfinder, a 72ft, 2 masted ketch to the Great Bear Rain Forest we were in Haida Gwaii late in the season. If I came again I would make sure I could do a tour of Moresby Island where you can visit ancient Haida villages and learn from the Guardian Watchmen. Only accessible by water, the tours had ended for the season.