Haida Gwaii has always been a dream of mine to visit. It is remote, hard to access, rarely visited and most of all, rich in history. The first nations people have been living here for more than 6000 years, and the culture is still strong today. Europeans made it to Haida Gwaii in the mid 1800s, and that chapter of our history book is a very dark one, and was almost the end of the Haida People. Populations have slowly risen back over the decades, and with it came the culture. Ancient culture is still common practice on the islands today, and I am looking very much forward to learning as much as I can during my stay. History of the first nations is most prevalent, but scattered all around the island is bits and pieces of history from cultures all around the world. This is the final piece of land between Canada and Japan, and the rugged coastline is littered with shipwrecks, totem poles, villages and more. It is one of the few places that still has stories to be discovered.
I am visiting for a month, and I truly can not wait to dig into some of the stories and adventures here. In this episode I try to cross off the “touristy” locations, because I want to see it all, but then our focus will go to the remote and hard to get to places.
I have been so fortunate to learn and share culture all around the world, and that is a huge draw for me in Haida Gwaii. The Haida people have the oldest history in our country, and some of the strongest that remains today. The smallpox epidemic stripped much of the ancient traditions from the Haida people, but the desire to learn and bring it back is very strong on the islands, and I am honoured to be able to learn a small amount. Thank you to the Haida people that allowed me to come and talk with them about their particular art and history. Many of these traditions date back many thousand years, and to see this still preserved today in Canada is incredibly important. Take a closer look at some more art from Gwaai: http://Instagram.com/gwaai_carvings
I was also very fortunate to be invited on a Sitka Blacktail deer hunt, which is an experience that is only available in a small number of places. The Sitka Blacktail is not native to these islands, and is actually an invasive species here, but a bountiful food source for the locals. The meat is some of the best that you will ever find in a deer, and they are plentiful on the island. Managed correctly, it could be a full time food source for the inhabitants that wish to hunt them.
This was my first time getting to go hunting, and I hope that it is not too graphic for the viewers. Knowing where food comes from is sometimes difficult for some people to see, but I hope this segment can be appreciated for what it is.
The archipelago of Haida Gwaii is remote group of over 1000 islands, most of which can only be accessed by boat. Lucky for me, I travel with a boat that is capable of some pretty awesome ocean adventures. Coming to Haida Gwaii, I knew I would be taking any chance I could to get on the water and get out to some of the spots that few people ever get to see, and this one certainly did not disappoint, but first we had to take the opportunity to visit Rose Spit.
Rose Spit is an absolutely beautiful place to visit, with an absolutely unbelievable view. There are no roads to the tip of the spit, but some people do take their vehicles, but you will see in this video the risk that comes with that decision. I am thankful to have been able to see it without risking the truck, and if youre visiting Haida Gwaii I recommend adding it to your list. On the way to Rose Spit is Toe Hill, which is another awesome stop with some glorious views and rock structures. From both of these locations you can even see the far off mountain ranges of Alaska.
Getting down to Rennell sound is a really fun trip, but it comes with a warning. The final three km of the trip will take you down the fourth Steepest hill in North America, at 25% grade. Lots of folks had warned me about taking my truck down there, but it is actually no problem at all. If it has been raining, I think the hill might not be as easy, but on the right day it can easily be done in a car. The camp spots in Rennell Sound are beautiful, and the adventures out of here are spectacular. Being on the west coast, the ocean can be incredibly dangerous here, so make sure to plan your trips out very accordingly. The fishing is very good (if you’re not me), the coastline and views are beautiful, and if you do some research you can find a fair bit of history scattered behind the tree line here.
We set out in search of an abandoned logging camp, but unfortunately it seems that there is not much left to see today. Never the less, it was a great adventure with some great company.
