Prince Rupert and the coast of British Columbia
During the night the Sea Bird sailed across the border between Alaska and Canada. Because we’d adjusted our watches to British Columbia time, it was still dark in the early hours before breakfast, but the gathering light revealed a grayish day accompanied by a light drizzle. The port city of Prince Rupert loomed into view and we were docked soon after breakfast. The formalities of ‘clearing’ with immigration officials were executed in short order and we were off for a visit to the Museum of Northern British Columbia and a story-telling hour in the nearby Tribal House. The museum is housed in a magnificent building, reminiscent of older tribal houses with huge cedar trunks supporting the roof. The collections are exceptional and beautifully displayed.
Soon after departing the dock in Prince Rupert we experienced some dramatic weather. The temperature was near sixty degrees and blue skies predominated with some patches of cloud. Ahead we could see the water was greatly disturbed by gusts sweeping across the bay. Whitecaps danced ahead of the wind as spindrift was lifted high above the surface. In places small waterspouts whirled in mist and foam and the low clouds scudded at great speed above our ship. Smaller boats could be seen racing for shelter or tucking into a lee. Several of us gathered on the bow with cameras ready and caps pulled tight as we watched and anticipated the arrival of the fierce winds. The gusts raced over our bow, rearranged our hair and rattled the lids of the deck boxes. We whooped and cheered as the full fury of the squall burst upon us and then settled to a hard blow. A call to the bridge revealed that the anemometer had peaked above 80 knots!
And then the storm blast came
And it was perilous and strong.
The storm winds blew, the white foam flew
And chased us south along. –
Apologies to Samuel Taylor Coleridge,
In the relative shelter of the harbor and channel, the waves never had a chance to build and so little motion was felt on board. A riot of rainbows followed in our wake for the next hour. They appeared, and then faded again. Some were doubled and arched high above while others spread low and nearly flat to the sea.
Later in the afternoon as we wended our way through British Columbia’s protected waterways, Judie, our Hotel Manager, set out a feast of All Things Canadian. Butter tarts, Nanaimo bars, MacIntosh apples and more filled the table in the lounge. The line wound ‘round the lounge, each eager for a sampling. A special tea blend from Victoria’s Empress Hotel complimented the treats.
The blustery winds and beating rain continued through much of the evening hours but our sturdy little ship continued southwards, her compliment of travelers comfortable and sated.
