Johnstone Straight and Alert Bay
A gray on gray day with shades of dark green greeted the Sea Lion as she continued heading north towards our afternoon destination of Alert Bay on Cormorant Island. Mists like witch’s brew lay across the water near the edges of the shores with only a breath of air to stir them.
Many of us wandered up on deck to test the climate and retreated back to the warmth of the Sea Lion, where our historian was preparing to give a lecture on explorers and the early mapping of this region. Just as Michael began a section of his lecture on Johnstones Straight, an announcement came over the PA system……killer whales, killer whales!!! Come to the bow!!! The lecture was temporarily postponed so we could observe the Northern Community of killer whales, primarily found in the Johnstone Straight area.
Once on the bow, we found that five killer whales were quite happy to be in rather close contact with the Sea Lion. For the next hour we watched as three adults and two young killer whales played with each other and showed an unusually wonderful interest in our vessel and the many faces hanging over various rails around the ship! As the Sea Lion slowed, a hydrophone was dropped, and a chill ran up the spine of several observers… these whales had a lot to say, and the squeaks and clicks were obviously communication between these five whales. Slowly the whales approached our vessel. Our first sign was a trail of bubbles in the smooth surface of the water, then the shape and white markings of the whales would appear below the surface as the animals rose to breath and to greet us! At one point we saw the telltale bubbles rise to the surface and looking very closely saw five whale faces all looking up, their bodies hanging vertically in the water, just under the bow of the Sea Lion. The whales continued to be very curious about our ship and swam from one side to the other while we went from port to starboard rail, watching over the side just as curious! Looking down the rails of the Sea Lion, all one could see were smiles on faces and all one could hear were the sounds of delighted human beings closely encountering marine mammals just a few feet away.
All to soon we had to depart our new friends, who followed the Sea Lion riding her wake of departure!
Back inside, Michael continued his talk on the early mapping of this area as our ship continued north heading for Alert Bay.
Just after lunch the Sea Lion pulled up to the Government dock in the center of Alert Bay. It was an auspicious day, the foretelling coming from our morning of play with killer whales. We had been invited to attend the unveiling of a brand new totem pole. The pole was carved as a commemorative piece honoring a canoe gathering held earlier in the summer. The canoe gathering named, “Gaining Strength” was dedicated to the youth of Kwakwaka’wakw people. The ‘Namgis people of Alert Bay hosted the canoe gathering and invited First Nations people from up and down the Northwest Coast. Families came from north and south along the coast of British Columbia, Washington State and Alaska. Nearly two thousand people made the journey from their respective homes bringing their hand-painted cedar canoes and paddlers to a traditional gathering sight on Vancouver Island. The end of gathering would bring those two thousand people, their canoes, their families and many guests to the small community of Alert Bay and a final celebration in the Big House.This afternoon we made our way to the U’Mista Cultural Center where the unveiling of the new totem pole would take place. Many members of the First Nations community of Alert Bay were present. At 1:30 PM hereditary chief, Bill Cranmer stepped forward along with four other hereditary chiefs to begin the honoring of this new pole and most importantly the master carver Stephen Bruce and his two apprentices, seventeen year old Shane Salmon and eighteen year old Morris Johnny. Chief Bill welcomed everyone in attendance, acknowledging all the people who contributed to the Canoe Gathering and then began the blessing ceremony prior to unveiling the totem pole. While Chief Bill sang a traditional blessing song eagle down was spread around the ground where the totem pole stood. Then, the blue drop cloth was pulled from the totem pole and to the delight of all of us from the SEA LION the revealed pole was a killer whale with a bald eagle sitting on top! The connection had been made between our morning visitors and a beautifully carved killer whale forever standing facing the waters of Johnstone Straight from its base next to the U’Mista Cultural Center.
We were then invited by Chief Bill Cranmer to join the rest of community in a celebratory gathering in the Big House about five blocks distance from harbor and U’Mista.Inside the house, there was lots of laughing and talking as community members and guests arranged themselves in the seats around the house. Chief Bill came forward again, making a formal thank you to many people present including members of our Lindbald staff, much to everyone’s enjoyment! Then the T’sasala Cultural Group entered the main dancing floor of the Big House and for the next hour we watched the children, our greatest resource, dance with tremendous pride for the elders, their parents, their peers and the many guests present. At the end of the dances, we were all invited to join in a fun dance and at least two hundred people left their seats and joined our hosts the ‘Namgis people dancing around the central fire.After much applause, we shook hands with the members of the T’sasala Cultural Group, and then made our way around the room shaking hands with parents and elders. The matriarch and eldest member of the ‘Namgis people, Auntie Ethel was seated in a beautiful hand painted chair, and our elder Helen Smith joined her for a lively chat… two elders from different nations talking of the little things of importance in lives spanning over ninety years.
