Day 31/July 31 – Clarke Cove to Whale Point to Cameron Cove

Another spectacular day (one of these days I’m sure I’ll stop starting the blog this way). Bit of a sleep-in until we realized the high slack tide was actually quite a low one and if we wanted to get out of Clarke Cove we were going to have to do it at 9am. Pulled anchor and carefully inched our way through the amazingly narrow opening to Clarke Cove and headed out into the open rolling ocean. Fog rolled in and crept around the islands and we kept a few steps ahead and up into the islands of Taylor Bight – the location of Cetacea Lab headquarters – Whale Point. We passed a colony of sea lions sunning on a rock, 4 or 5 humpbacks and a million leaping salmon shooting out of the water in every direction.

Anchored one cove over and headed over in Sturdi. Whale Point is a lovely place of welcoming people who are there for the cetaceans that gather here every year.  Janie welcomed us and walked us up from her house to the lab. She told us the story of how her and the other whale researcher, Herman, had arrived in 2000 seeking a place to observe whales. They asked the Gitga’at who pointed them towards this location in Taylor Bight – she glowed as she remembered coming up and finding the location that looked out perfectly over two channels and the bight, had a beach where they could safely keep their boat and a fresh water source. Janie’s dog Cohen, the closest thing we’ve seen to a spirit bear to date, walked us past an outdoor clawfoot tub with the most spectacular view, golf-ball sized huckleberries, clothes-lines and the tents of interns under speakers mounted to trees for night observation and recording of whales. We entered the lab to find two welcoming, but focused, interns and Eric, a Phd candidate from San Francisco who was working on some plans for Bangarang – his sailing/whale research vessel that he is using to collect data on food sources in the water columns in this region.

This is a very important place for whales. The number of humpbacks returning to this area have increased substantially since Janie and Herman have been monitoring them. The most amazing thing is that the second largest mammal on the planet, the Finn Whale (second only to the Blue Whale) started showing up here in 2006 and have been increasing in numbers dramatically. No one knows where fin whales winter, but we do know that they are coming here to feed in the summer. The channels of this area provide a rich food source for these whales, it’s also very quiet. Ocean noise has a significant impact on whales – when ocean noise increases, whales stop communication. There are fewer and fewer quiet fertile places for whales to go in the world and this is one of them.      

In studying the sounds of humpbacks, Janie has noticed that there is a song that they sing when they mate in the fall. The main chorus of the song is consistent, but she has noticed that there is usually a new verse that has been added or changed from year to year and all of the whales know it! Janie played us some samples as we looked out over the sunny bight and watched salmon jumping and a few whales breaching in the distance. Such a magical place.
We made our way over to Cameron Cove which is usually home to two lodges in the summer – King Pacific Lodge and another sport fishing lodge – but they were both gone for the season so we had the whole place to ourselves.

Anchored in a nice location with a good view of the estuary to keep look out for bears. Fish were frantically jumping all around us. A school of herring came in and filled the bay – Scott thought he heard rain, but it was the sound of herring schooling on the surface of the water. 

Day 30/July 30 – Plenty Cove to Clarke Cove – Dis’ju and The Wall

5:30 am start this morning. Pulled the trap to find 5 deliciously huge crabs for later. Coffee, glassy waters, heading out for more exploration = happiness. We will be back to Loredo Inlet. Came around Loredo Sound and into Loredo Channel. The guide books warned us that this Channel can be exceptionally dangerous with high winds and chop, but it was hard to imagine on this morning.
We were given permission by the Kitasoo Xais’xais to visit the site of Dis’ju – one of the last standing big houses in the world. It was a contender for UNESCO World Heritage Site status, but the Kitasoo Xais’xais elders voted it down for fear of the crowds that might be drawn to this sacred place. We arrived to find a group of kayakers from Gabriola Island (also having consent from the Kitasoo Xais’xais) on the lovely sandy beach. One woman seemed very familiar and after a bit of chatting we discovered that she had taught a dog obedience/training course I had taken in the Yukon!

We took our time taking in the site - slowly walking around imagining the families and ceremonies that would have taken place here. It’s one thing to know that people have lived and managed these lands and waters since time immemorial, but it’s another to be in a place like this and actually see it - almost feel it. There is another beach on the other side of Dis’ju that mirrors the beauty of the other. Spent a bit of time there and then headed back to Nordri who was pleasantly waiting for us in the sun.

Continued up Loredo Channel in good time to have a visit with the Cetacealab folks at Whale Point – a whale research station and hydrophone network. I’d met the lead researcher, Janie at a meeting in Vancouver and was excited to actually be in the place where she’s collected the most amazing data on the cetaceans that gather here every year. The wind filled in a bit and we had a perfect tack over to the station. We called them on the radio and were surprised that at such close proximity we could hardly make one another out. After confirming each other’s location, we quickly realized that it wasn’t Whale Point directly ahead of us, but The Wall, one of their lookout stations. Janie encouraged us to summon The Wall, they’d already been following our conversation on 14 and invited us in.
The Wall is a tiny plywood construction that hangs out over the rocks on the outside of the Wall Islets of Renninson Island. As we approached we were greeted by one of the researchers, James in a green canoe. He pointed us in the direction of as secure an anchorage as you can get in places like these and we hopped in Sturdi to have a look. James and Sophie, two students from St. Andrews in Scotland, were coming to the end of their 9 week watch at The Wall. They constructed the lookout in 2 weeks and take turns on watch which involves scanning the ocean every 15 minutes for whales. They shared the most amazing stories and photos (including one of a killer whale entirely suspended in the air) of the whales they’ve seen all summer.

We headed back over what seemed like a tropical island for our boat and headed back across Laredo Channel to find the small opening to Clarke Cove where we were going to spend the night. We had to wait for high tide to get through the narrow and shallow entrance, so we dropped a line. Within 10 minutes had a fish. Found the entrance and cautiously made our way into the lovely calm cove that you would never think opened onto the Pacific proper.

As we tucked in we could hear The Wall, Whale Point and the Gitga’at Guardians sign off and wish each other a good night on the radio. It had been such a long day, but we had seafood management issues. Crabs needed to be cooked and salmon needed to be cleaned. Exhausted, we sat out in the cockpit shelling crabmeat under the bug net in the light of the coleman lantern.      

Day 29/July 29 – Alston Cove to Plenty Cove

We decided that Loredo Inlet was treating us well and so we decided to spend another day. Pulled anchor at Alston Cove and headed over to Plenty Cove which is supposed to be a bay of plenty of crabs. Dropped the trap and headed on across the Inlet to Fifer Cover and set anchor for the day. Hot and sunny. Took Sturdi up the estuary here and left her at the head of the creek and followed the bear and wolf trails up to the lake. Passed by the tastiest blueberries we’ve found yet. After observing the amazing flora and footprint traffic, Scott dove right into the fresh water. I had a quick dip, but prefer the cleaner tidal waters and saved my dip for back at the mouth of the creek. Picked blueberries all the way back. Just before getting back in Sturdi we noticed a Kitasoo Xais’xais bear research site. So cool to see this non-invasive bear data collection in action.   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 28/July 28 – Klemtu to Altson Cove

Another weather window – outside we go! It has been amazing to be able to take our route to the outside of the islands. We didn’t think that was going to be possible. We topped up our water and headed off under the sun. 

Waited for low slack tied to get through Meyers Channel. As we took our time to round the elbow in the channel, we noticed a fin rise out of the water in the distant shoreline. Orcas! We turned off the engine and drifted down. The orcas came up and were circling and feeding all around us. There was a young one that stayed close to its parent as they came up and circled. We watched quietly from the bow for over half an hour. 

Crept through the channel passing over kelp beds and by petroglyphs and pictographs. Came up Laredo Channel and found Alston Cove – a paradise all to ourselves. Took Sturdi up a creek to explore and found more berries. Berries of all kinds – salmon, thimble, salal, blue, huckle. Was nice to get the salt out a bit with the fresh water. Struggled to get the dingy back out of the creek after the tide had pulled out. 

Relaxing evening with Alston Cove Shandi’s (1 part lucky lager, 1 part lemonata sanpelligreno) – delicious. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 27/July 27 – Klemtu

We took our time today – had a sleep in, caught up on some boat projects (Scott finally got his Grandpa’s navigation chair set up!) and had a nice visit with Doug Neasloss who pointed out some special places on a chart. We were getting ready to go, but the wind picked up and it was late in the day, so we stayed another night. Had a walk down to the BC Ferries terminal that the Kitasoo Xais’xais leased. Picked a few more berries. Had a delicious dinner of the crab that Phil had given us the day before and freshly smoked salmon that Scott tended to all evening. Wandered around the closed store to pick up a weak wifi signal – only enough to send a few work emails.

 

 

 

Day 26/July 26 – Uncharted Cove to Klemtu

Headed out early from Uncharted Cove and pulled our empty prawn trap. We must have confused a beautiful double ended steel hull sailboat – they headed in to uncharted cove as we were leaving because we noticed them coming back out a few minutes later - easy to get lost amidst the confusing inlets and channels. 

Had a nice day – first foggy day with a little bit of rain. Still warm though. Came up an inlet and did a bit of fishing. Glassy calm. Passed a few boats. Cautiously came through a narrows. Saw an otter as we crossed the channel into Klemtu.

I just love listening to the radio when you come into communities. The first thing we heard was a child saying, “I love you” and someone returning the sentiment. Others casually summoning one another. Announcements of this meeting and that meeting. “can you bring this with you?”. 

We rounded the gorgeous big house that sits on the corner of Klemtu welcoming all visitors to the village. We weren’t sure where to pull in, so we found a space at the end of a less full dock that had a few houses on it. Had a chat with the fisheries manager who was tidying up after a day on the water. Learned about the Guardians, abalone and crab surveys they are involved in, the tourism and bear watching season about to start. Then Phil pulled up with the SEAS and Nancy Turner having been out in the field for the day. They had collected samples of flora and did an experiment to see how many huckleberries they could pick in 15 minutes. They also had a haul of crabs of the most amazing size. 

We were joined by Doug Neasloss, Stewardship Director and Whitney Sadowski, Marine Planning Coordinator and all gathered at Nancy’s residence in the Administration Office for a dinner of salmon, crab, potatoes, slaw and huckleberries and chocolate covered hob nobs for dessert. Lovely to listen to everyone’s stories and observations from this wonderful place. After dinner we walked down to the Big House for a tour and sharing of Kitasoo Xais’xais stories. An incredible evening.