Grenville Channel, British Columbia
Today we explored the beautiful passage called Grenville Channel. Looking down the long, narrow channel, it appeared to go on forever, as mountains ahead faded into the haze. It was a breathtaking sight. Higher mountaintops were deep in snow.
A solitary young humpback whale swam right along the steep, rocky shore. We watched quietly and listened to it breathe. We heard geese, and looked up to see a flock of gray-fronted geese flying northward.
We explored Lowe Inlet, a tiny cut on the east side of the channel. A steady stream of white chunks of foam (or was it ice?) floated on the water’s surface, and we speculated on its source. The ship ventured a bit further, and a wide, low waterfall came into view. All of the bubbly white foam could be traced back to this waterfall! It seems that salmon will be able to jump up this waterfall at spawning time. About ten harbor seals swam in the water nearby. What a paradise in which to live! There were beautiful reflections on the water’s surface. We drank it all in while sipping warm chai tea on the ship’s bow.
In the afternoon, we ducked into another gorgeous place called Klewnuggit Inlet. We found a landing site for a short walk on soft, mossy ground, surrounded by lush, green forest. Above us, branches were draped in lacy mosses, yellow skunk cabbage flowers grew in the low, wet spots, and we saw a giant cedar tree up close in the forest. Later in the afternoon, we encountered another solitary young humpback whale, with numerous barnacles on its body.
