Kumealon Inlet and Prince Rupert
As Expedition Leader David announced this morning at breakfast that we weren’t anchored in this particular inlet to see anything specific – sometimes it’s nice to start the day off with a Zodiac ride. As the Zodiacs zoomed away from the fantail, it was indeed refreshing to take deep breaths of the crisp air and feel the wind on our faces. With no direction in mind, we explored the inlet, discovering an eagle at home in its nest, and glimpsing a river otter scampering along the rocky shore. We rode in the Zodiacs as far as we could go, but it was not the shore that eventually halted our explorations – it was a small (and growing increasingly larger) section of rapids. As the tide fell, the water rushed faster and faster from the lake into the inlet. Curiously, we learned, these rapids flow in both directions, depending on the tide. If we visited the inlet hours later, we would see the water rushing from the inlet into the lake. It was hard to imagine that the water flowing with such speed at us would reverse during the day and flow just as forcefully away from us. We wondered about the inlet’s name – the letters an interesting mix with a familiar sound…perhaps the inlet’s name derives from the word “chameleon”– the water quick to change its direction and adapt to its tidal environment?
We returned to the Sea Lion and weighed anchor, setting our course for an afternoon stop in the town of Prince Rupert. As the ship sailed north, our thoughts began to head north as well. Tom McAllister painted vivid images of the early days of exploration and trading along the Northwest Coast. Docking in Prince Rupert shortly after lunch, we set out to explore British Columbia’s northernmost port city.
We were invited to a local museum featuring beautiful Tsimshian artwork. The Tsimshian people are members of the native nations of the Pacific Northwest region. We learned about their culture and traditions from the exhibits and folkloric dance performances. Expedition Staff Sharon Grainger helped us recognize the difference between the Tsimshian’s style and that of the Kwakwaka’waku culture introduced to us in Alert Bay. Following the Tsimshian dance performance, we were invited back to the museum for a “high tea” reception hosted by our Hotel Manager Judie Blewitt. We spent our final afternoon in British Columbia sipping Her Majesty’s own Murchie’s tea, and sampling tasty spreads, cheeses, butter tarts, and Nanaimo bars. The remainder of the afternoon was ours to explore the charming port town – searching for Pacific Northwest art, tasting a pint of local brew at the wharf side pub, or simply window-shopping along the main street. As the signpost illustrates, we covered many directions today through various means of transport – tidal inlets via Zodiacs, Native culture via the museum, and through town guided by our sense of exploration.
As Expedition Leader David announced this morning at breakfast that we weren’t anchored in this particular inlet to see anything specific – sometimes it’s nice to start the day off with a Zodiac ride. As the Zodiacs zoomed away from the fantail, it was indeed refreshing to take deep breaths of the crisp air and feel the wind on our faces. With no direction in mind, we explored the inlet, discovering an eagle at home in its nest, and glimpsing a river otter scampering along the rocky shore. We rode in the Zodiacs as far as we could go, but it was not the shore that eventually halted our explorations – it was a small (and growing increasingly larger) section of rapids. As the tide fell, the water rushed faster and faster from the lake into the inlet. Curiously, we learned, these rapids flow in both directions, depending on the tide. If we visited the inlet hours later, we would see the water rushing from the inlet into the lake. It was hard to imagine that the water flowing with such speed at us would reverse during the day and flow just as forcefully away from us. We wondered about the inlet’s name – the letters an interesting mix with a familiar sound…perhaps the inlet’s name derives from the word “chameleon”– the water quick to change its direction and adapt to its tidal environment?
We returned to the Sea Lion and weighed anchor, setting our course for an afternoon stop in the town of Prince Rupert. As the ship sailed north, our thoughts began to head north as well. Tom McAllister painted vivid images of the early days of exploration and trading along the Northwest Coast. Docking in Prince Rupert shortly after lunch, we set out to explore British Columbia’s northernmost port city.
We were invited to a local museum featuring beautiful Tsimshian artwork. The Tsimshian people are members of the native nations of the Pacific Northwest region. We learned about their culture and traditions from the exhibits and folkloric dance performances. Expedition Staff Sharon Grainger helped us recognize the difference between the Tsimshian’s style and that of the Kwakwaka’waku culture introduced to us in Alert Bay. Following the Tsimshian dance performance, we were invited back to the museum for a “high tea” reception hosted by our Hotel Manager Judie Blewitt. We spent our final afternoon in British Columbia sipping Her Majesty’s own Murchie’s tea, and sampling tasty spreads, cheeses, butter tarts, and Nanaimo bars. The remainder of the afternoon was ours to explore the charming port town – searching for Pacific Northwest art, tasting a pint of local brew at the wharf side pub, or simply window-shopping along the main street. As the signpost illustrates, we covered many directions today through various means of transport – tidal inlets via Zodiacs, Native culture via the museum, and through town guided by our sense of exploration.
