As our southward journey continues across the protected waters of the Inside Passage, so too does our understanding of the magic that is so intertwined within the ecosystem that is the Pacific Northwest. We pass by mountain peaks and cliffs that rise up and disappear into the clouds above almost as suddenly as they appear. Temperate rainforests exude ancient power, mysteriously shrouded in mist and lichen, as if to further conceal the secrets they hold inside. The ocean is more accommodating to our curiosity, briefly pulling back the tide like a magician’s cloak to reveal the colorful wonders of the intertidal zone. We are a constant and willing audience to this living stage and are privileged to not just witness, but explore the hypnotic setting the surrounds us.
Taking full advantage of Canadian hospitality (so gracious that it even extends to the outer reaches of wilderness!), we drop anchor by Jackson Narrows Marine Park for a morning of activities. In an arguably organized flurry of logistics we set out by foot, kayak, or expedition craft. Raincoats and lifejackets add splashes of reds and oranges to the deep green of the trees and brilliant purple ochre sea stars—a combination that does not go unnoticed by the growing numbers of avid photographers, guest and staff alike. After sufficient adventures have been had, it’s all back aboard the trusty National Geographic Sea Lion and out into somewhat open waters. We have all become a bit enamored by the ocean, enthralled by the surprises and riddles it holds. Robert Henri perhaps puts it best:
“Why do we love the sea? It is because it has some potent power to make us think things we like to think.”
