Prince Rupert and Cruising South in British Columbia
Last night we fell asleep with visions of the aurora borealis spreading in a green glow across the sky, and we knew that clear night sky bode well for us today. This morning we awoke on approach to Prince Rupert, British Columbia, Canada, with blue skies and dappled clouds. After breakfast, we set off with a short, steep hike up from the dock to Canadian Immigration, but it was all easy from there. It was the friendliest Immigration team we’ve experienced in many years — all smiles and oh so very easy-going.
From there, we first headed to the Museum of Northern British Columbia with its exquisite collection of Tsimshian art and artifacts. Our tour introduced us to the interesting history of the First Nation peoples, and we found ourselves looking back with interest at this ancient culture and their traditions.
From the museum we moved on to the longhouse up the road where we were warmly greeted by the Gwis’amihlgigoohl Dancers. We had been divided into members of the Eagle, Wolf and Killer Whale clans, choosing a volunteer leader for each. Through these groups, we came to better understand the role of various clans in the cultural tradition. Through stories and dance, we were brought into the Tsimshian world, learning about the great feasts and ceremonies that are their traditions. The Chief’s narrative made this a most enlightening and interesting experience, explaining different aspects of how dancers reflect the animals whose clans they reside in. Our own three Lindblad clan chiefs were all women, and we were all delighted to hear that the Tsimshian have a tradition of female chiefs.
It was a glorious day, and after lunch we set sail on a southerly heading to continue our exploration of this coastal region. On the bow, it was warm and sunny, a lovely place to be. Our Captain took us on an expeditionary exploration of Kumelon Inlet. It was fun to explore this inlet with many smaller islets, never knowing what may be discovered next. We all found it beautifully scenic.
As we headed south we received a call for help sent by the Canadian Coast Guard. A trawler in Baker Inlet had their prop entangled in a line and they needed a diver to remove it. In typical Lindblad style, we came to the rescue. We are sometimes surprised by the multi-faceted talents of our staff and crew, and today was no different. Our designated diver was Michael Faruolo, National Geographic Sea Lion Hotel Manager. Michael returned to the ship victorious, saying it was an easy fix and the water was surprisingly warm. Brrrrrrrrrrr.
We headed off into the night with the full moon ahead and many eyes looking back for a hint of the northern lights in the sky behind us. We will look ahead to see what tomorrow brings.
