Haida Gwaii, 9/10/2024, National Geographic Sea Bird
Aboard the
National Geographic Sea Bird
Alaska
National Geographic Sea Bird visited Haida Gwaii today. In the morning, we visited a Museum and Cultural Center where we learned about the house frontal poles and other utilitarian and creative objects.
In the afternoon, there were a variety of hikes on offer in the forest near Spirit Lake. Everyone was very touched by the beautiful surroundings and culture on our first day in this special place.
I like to remind people that there are very few big surprises left in life, but if you are out in nature, with an open mind and a lot of time, you never know what you will find.
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A misty morning greeted us with three orcas hunting near the ship as we made our way into the Tracy Arm-Ford Terror Wilderness. Before lunch, we made it “across the bar” and into the fjord, where the sun came out just in time to get close to a waterfall at Hole in the Wall. After lunch, the adventurous set out in kayaks and paddleboards to explore one of the many glacially carved inlets along the main fjord. The day was capped off with a Zodiac ride amongst the ice to view the South Sawyer Glacier, where we spotted numerous harbor seals and even a harbor porpoise.
This morning, killer whales blocked us from securing the ship to the dock in Alert Bay. We welcomed the surprise, and guests hurried from their cabins to witness the sight. The whales did not stay around long, but we were visited by almost every single marine mammal as we departed Alert Bay later in the afternoon. The morning saw guests walking the downtown and heading for the Umitsa Cultural Center and Museum. After an informative visit, we continued up the road to the Big House to celebrate the culture of the First Nations. During lunch, we departed from the dock and were quickly in the company of killer whales, humpback whales, Dall’s porpoises, and Pacific white-sided dolphins. It was an incredible display of surface activity with cetaceans in all directions.
This morning, National Geographic Sea Bird awoke to dark grey skies in Queen Charlotte Sound on the south end of Hecate Strait. Stretch class was interrupted by a squall, and the devotees decided that hot drinks in the lounge were a better option. After breakfast, we had a few informative presentations en route to our next landing along the coast of B.C. After lunch, we explored Calvert Island, home of the Hakai Institute, an ecological observatory that supports long term observations of the surrounding environment. After a tour of the facility, we crossed the isthmus from our calm, protected anchorage to a beach along the Pacific. A series of white sand beaches and unique bog ecosystems made for an incredible afternoon of discovery. The long walkers wove their way through bog woodland and bog forests and made it to three different beaches and an amazing overlook. Those who visited the Institute got a tour of the grounds followed by a visit to West and North Beaches. Throughout the day, the skies lifted, and we had a picture-perfect bluebird day for exploring the amazing beaches, forests, and bogs of Calvert Island.
