Haida Gwaii, 9/10/2024, National Geographic Sea Bird
Aboard the
National Geographic Sea Bird
Alaska
National Geographic Sea Bird visited Haida Gwaii today. In the morning, we visited a Museum and Cultural Center where we learned about the house frontal poles and other utilitarian and creative objects.
In the afternoon, there were a variety of hikes on offer in the forest near Spirit Lake. Everyone was very touched by the beautiful surroundings and culture on our first day in this special place.
I like to remind people that there are very few big surprises left in life, but if you are out in nature, with an open mind and a lot of time, you never know what you will find.
We awoke to a blanket of calm in the air. A thin fog, blueish light, placid water, and the sights of sleepy boats in the harbor were the archetypical backdrop for the beauty of Haida Gwaii. Our expedition took us off National Geographic Sea Bird to the Haida Heritage Center. Here we had the privilege to be guided through the museum to get a closer look at the art, livelihood, totem poles, and the beauty of the Haida way of life. What we witnessed gave us a small taste of the wonder the Haida have maintained for generations. The afternoon took us deeper into the island, to the rainforests in the interior. Our forest walks took us to the Spirit Lakes where we witnessed the splendor and deep biodiversity among old growth western red cedar and Sitka spruce. Today was both for land and sea, with our undersea team scuba diving at a nearby island and naturalists showing guests the invertebrate life up close that we had been sharing space with on the dock. As the day comes to close, I write from open waters as we make our way south to the island of SG̱ang Gwaay.
This morning, we sailed north out of British Columbia, Canada and entered Alaskan waters. We explored Misty Fjords National Monument, a wilderness area which is part of Tongass National Forest. We were surrounded by steep rock cliffs, snow-capped mountains, U-shaped valleys, and numerous waterfalls. It was simply breathtaking!
Today was the first day we arrived on the Pacific Coastal Islands of Haida Gwaii. We had a beautiful morning sailing into Skidegate. After an early breakfast, we disembarked to take buses north to the community of Masset. Christian White, an incredibly talented carver, showed us his totem pole carvings, it was the celebration of 20 years since one was erected. We got to tour his workshop where he has a canoe in progress. The second group visited the home of James Hart, an accomplished artist who shared some of his work, such as a raven rattle and his bronze shaman statue. The kindness of these men, to invite us into their homes and share their stories, was incredible. We returned to Christian White’s where a feast was prepared with venison stew, Caesar salad with herring eggs, black seaweed flakes, salmon, pickled beach asparagus, spruce tip and fireweed juice, and many more delicious local delicacies. Dances and songs were demonstrated and to finish it all up, there was a dance for the women, followed by a dance for the men. These visits are always special, and we felt honored to be able to visit and learn from the Haida.
