Gwaii Haanas the heart of
Haida Gwaii
Our trip across Canada started September 20, 2014 - our destination PEI to Haida Gwaii. We arrived Haida Gwaii after a 6 hour ferry ride on November 6th, 2014 at around 5pm.
We have travelled to some out of the way places, taken thousands of wonderful scenic pictures, explored areas of the earth that we can't imagine and then we arrived on Haida Gwaii. Finnally we are here, yes the rain is pounding down on the roof of the RV and we notice but only one small community centre sized store that appeared to hold everything from hardware to groceries. Not many villagers are out and about, but we noticed one logging truck coming down the road. I reach under the seat for the small visitors guide for the Island and with excitement I start to peer through the pages. I notice a great deal of nature, and warnings of the black bear, trails and excursions warning to let others know before you go into the wetlands because because we are entering a wild place without roads or stores or cellphones coverage, and to take plenty of water.
As a child growing up
We ventured outdoors and played cops and robbers, cowboys and Indians and hide-and-go-seek, inventing adventure, creating fun from sun up to sun down. Here we are as adults after learning the art of self entertainment we are finding ourselves arrested by our surroundings, complelled to lement and complain about the rain, lack of services, no internet and no cell towers to connect us. At one point I felt if this was a game I wanted to loose, loose badly so I could be booted off the Island and back to what was.
The rain stops and the sun comes out
A long walk on the beach proves to us the air is different here, when the birds sing they have song and there is an annouying cheerp frog that is only nativer to the Island I'm sure. Water runs down from the rain forests and higher up mountains, rushing fast sounding like continual thuds from pounding drums, who knows it may be sounds far off in the distance, far as the eagle flies.
What I've learned:
The Land: Is rich where the sea meets the shore and the Pacific temperate keeps the rainforest dense, mossy with western red cedar, western hemlock and spruce trees, some standing most covered by moss.
The Sea: Full of life the sea is home to salmon, herring, halibut, rockfish, crab, sea urchins, octopus, with 20 species of whales and dolphins in the waters. The Orca feeds on thousands of pounds of herring to fatten for the winter. Sea kelp is harvested after the herring lay their eggs (roe on kelp) and it is sold to Japan (I've yet to find out why). The sea is a cycle the herring fatten, the salmon eat then spawn to die, while the black bears eat the rich salmon and the herring school again.
The People: Habitation extends over 12, 000 years. Old carved burial poles and longhouse remains on the forest floor. I saw many Haida people and villagers, some walk with backpacks of self carving argelite for sale for visitors who wish to purchase. Others gather in groups standing around chatting about the last hunt I overherd on say.
What I've found:
Peace and grace, surenity and sound, rejouvination and relaxation.
I'll share with you in the following pictures.
Balance Rock
sea glass stone and shells
Rich forests
easy living
eating what the sea offers
making use of wood and driftwood
Creating and crafting
Stories and legends
never changing or maintaining
watching how significat nature can pass.
Now I see the beautify they so strive of the past, keeping this place a secret so it will ever last.
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The only sign in the RV window is now 2fromaway.ca
Guy and I sit side by side during our quiet time and we surprise ourselves about how we both see the same things, but yet write so differently about our experiences, visit his rendition of PEI to Haida Gwaii at peiblog.ca
Until we connect,
Haaw'a Haida
Cindy
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