Today the Sea Bird spent the first part of a misty Pacific Northwest day cruising in Desolation Sound, an intricate network of fjords and narrow passages cut by Ice Age glaciers into the mainland coast of British Columbia. On this warm but misty day, it was hard to imagine the thousands of feet of ice that engulfed the landscape only 12,000 years ago.
About mid-afternoon, the ship arrived at Teakerne Arm, a fjord cut into the southwest coast of West Redonda Island. Here, within a provincial marine park, we discovered a perfect beach to stage kayak operations, and also a short but interesting trail into the forest. While kayakers explored the interesting intertidal zone along the coastline, a group of colorful hikers tramped off into the forest fringing Cassel Lake. Not far from the trailhead, a 100-foot waterfall spilled over the granitic basement rock to the sea.
Today's photo shows a group of explorers taking a close look at the impressive temperate rainforest.
