Prince Rupert, British Columbia & the Inside Passage
A bright fall morning in the remote coastal town of Prince Rupert, British Columbia was a welcome respite after the rather wild ride though Dixon Entrance last evening. The pleasant Sunday morning walk up the hill to the Museum of Northern British Columbia was followed by an interesting tour of the fine exhibits that highlight the elements of the potlatch ceremony that has been practiced up and down the Northwest Coast for thousands of years.
Our guides were members of the Tsimshian nation, and we were invited into the nearby longhouse to witness some of the clan stories of supernatural beings granting powers to humans as well as several evocative dances and songs performed in striking traditional regalia. These powerful songs and family stories hold the history of this land and its First Nations people and continue to empower their rich heritage.
Everyone had a bit of time to walk about this quiet town, enjoying the shops, the ships and boats in the harbor or perhaps taking time to have coffee with a friend.
Our potlatch host is a member of the killer whale clan, and possibly that connection (or our sharp-eyed Rick) was the lucky card that brought about our exciting encounter with these largest of the dolphin clan this afternoon. The whales were milling about near the shore of some nearby islands, and after following them awhile, there seemed to be perhaps five or so individuals scattered across the bay. Two were adult males with their distinctive tall dorsal fins and the power of their muscular hunter’s bodies was evident when they surfaced near the ship.
Here in the inland waters of British Columbia, we would expect the whales to be either resident type (fish eaters) or transient type (mammal eaters). After watching them and looking at photos of the whales, Jack found there were no clear ID matches of these whales available. Most likely they were transient type whales.
We’ll all be keeping a sharp lookout for more of these fascinating animals as we continue our voyage south through the glorious waterways of the Inside Passage.
