Dowager Island to Butedale, B.C
All guests aboard the National Geographic Sea Lion stirred for breakfast from their berths after a rocky crossing of Queen Charlotte Sound. Entering calmer narrower passages along the central B.C. coast we admired the emerald forest and relished in the calm while cruising Mathieson Chanel. Finally, after a few beautiful days, we experienced the weather the northwest is known for.
Dropping the hook off Dowager Island we explored a forest and intertidal that no Lindblad ship has explored before. Groups departed on various activities exploring rich waters via kayak, investigating exposed tidal flats or penetrating the forest. In kayaks, we saw harbor seals pop up their heads with inquiring looks between their whiskers while we were in awe by the size of the sea stars that lay beneath them. In the forest, marsh marigolds in bloom covered the sodden earth, as beetles attracted to the odor of the skunk cabbage pollinated the flowering stalks that lay beyond their yellow sheathes. Testing the worthiness of our boots we pursued deeper into the bog, searching for culturally modified trees while learning about some of the flora of the temperate rainforest. Back on the mother ship we removed our soiled garb for dry threads and warmth and celebrated our first outing on earthen ground!!
Heading north we passed by Klemtu, home of the Kitasoo Band and admired the amazing artwork of the ceremonial big house. Naturalists positioned on the bridge scanned for the elusive Spirit Bear that dwells in the great bear rainforest while others enjoyed the comforts of lounge or berth before an afternoon talk.
Prior to dinner we visited a historical site based on one of two resources that have driven the economy of the Pacific Northwest. Butedale is the site of an old cannery that operated from 1911-1966 and was once home to 500 cannery workers. If timbers could talk, the story of fallen Butedale would tell stories from the 20s and 30s that would give us even more appreciation of this remote place, the lives of native people, Chinese and Japanese that worked the slime and canning lines and perhaps a looking glass for the future of our fisheries that suffered then as they do today.
