Queen Charlotte Islands Kayaking
The Queen Charlotte Islands are known as “The Canadian Galapagos” due to the fact that this archipelago was isolated during the last ice age, possibly remaining unglaciated, and as such, supports a unique assemblage of flora and fauna. In addition, the Haida people who were it’s earliest inhabitants were noted as perhaps the most war-like yet artistic of the native peoples of the Northwest Coast. Their art stands today as the most valued of the coast, and their culture is alive and well in the Charlottes. In addition to the wealth of Haida culture that is present among these islands, there is also an abundance of wildlife. Eagles, the islands' ever-present sentinels, observe our passage from their perch in giant cedar trees. Peregrine falcons dart about the sky before diving to attack their unsuspecting prey. Immense Sitka spruce trees tower over the darkened forest floor and the remote shorelines are a beachcomber's paradise.
TRIP DESCRIPTIONS for our 2010 SEA KAYAK TOURS:
Our first trip in 2010, June 12-19, Hotsprings to Skincuttle, will begin near Hotsprings Island at the North end of Juan Perez Sound. A luxurious soak in the natural outdoor hot pools of Hotspring Island, with the San Cristoval Mountains forming a spectacular backdrop, will be a fine introduction to the many pleasures of this wonderful part of the world. Next we travel south across Juan Perez Sound, passing through Burnaby Narrows into Skincuttle Inlet. If you are interested in marine biology this is the trip you should consider. The density of marine life in the intertidal zone at Burnaby Narrows (also known as Dolomite Narrows) is probably without equal anywhere in the world.
We will repeat this route in the opposite direction on our sixth trip, July 17-24 Skincuttle to Hotsprings.
On our second tour in 2010, June 19-26, Skincuttle to Ninstints, we will continue south from Skincuttle Inlet in our sea kayaks around the eastern tip of Moresby Island, through Houston Stewart Channel past the tiny, isolated community of Rose Harbour, and end up on the southern-most tip of Moresby Island. From here, we can paddle to the abandoned village of Ninstints on remote Anthony Island (Sgan’gwaii). The southernmost tip of the Charlottes is quite exposed to the Pacific weather systems and again our itinerary will be strongly influenced by the weather. This trip and the following three trips have the wildest flavour and some of the most wild and beautiful scenery to be found in the Charlottes. Because of its inaccessibility, the village of Ninstints is the best preserved of all the Haida villages, with the greatest number of standing mortuary and memorial poles, and has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The small islets of this area are nesting ground for several types of seabirds including the Tufted Puffin and the Ancient Murrelet, as well as hunting grounds for Peregrine Falcons.
We will paddle this route in the opposite direction on our fifth trip, July 10-17 Ninstints to Skincuttle.
The third and fourth trips: the Kunghit Explorer 1, June 26-July 3 and Kunghit Explorer 2, July 3-10,are trips during which we will spend the week exploring the area at the south end of the park. One focus of our journey will be a visit to one of the major highlights of any trip to the Queen Charlottes, the long abandoned village of Skaang Gwaii, or Ninstints on Anthony Island. This moss-covered village has the largest number of original standing poles in North America and is a UNESCO World Heritage Sites and a breath taking location for a settlement. This area offers some of the most wild and beautiful scenery to be found in the Charlottes. Options include fantastic beach combing, viewing stunning intertidal life, a possible visit to the isolated community of Rose Harbour, staying in some of the choicest campsites in the Charlottes and experiencing the power and majesty of the outer coast.
For the last trip of our 2010 season in the Charlottes, Hotsprings to Tanu, July 24-30, we will taxi to Moresby Camp from Sandspit where we'll meet the Zodiacs, (motorized boats) that will take us south into Gwaii Haanas National Park. Your journey will begin in the vicinity of Hotsprings Island in Juan Perez Sound. We will start with a luxurious soak in the hot pools. The spectacular backdrop of the San Cristoval Mountains will convince you that the Queen Charlottes are truly one of the most special places on earth. From Hotsprings Island,we travel north via the Bischof Islands and Darwin Sound, poking our noses into some of the fjords cut into the side of Moresby Island and getting glimpses through the mist of the San Cristovals towering above us. We'll search for ancient fossils along the shorelines of what has been called one of the most scenic areas in the Charlottes. We'll finish off the week with a visit to one of the major highlights of the trip; the long abandoned village of Tanu (Sea-Grass-town). This moss covered village has the best preserved long house sites in the North Moresby area and you can almost feel the ghosts of the Haida people who for tousands of years made this their home. Celebrated author and artist, Emily Carr, wrote lovingly about her time in this place and her paintings of Tanu are among her best. We hope the peace, mystery and quiet beauty will stay with you long after we have transferred by boat back through the north end of the park to Moresby Camp where we will catch a van taxi back to Sandspit.
Kayaking through the Queen Charlotte Islands is truly an amazing trip and sea kayaks allow you to experience them from a unique and exhilarating point of view.