Great Bear Rainforest (Part 6)

The next morning we were met by representatives of the Gitga'at First Nation, landed our zodiacs, and walked a short distance inland on Gribbell Island accompanied by guides Derek, Marvin, and Richard.

We were headed for an observation stand alongside a creek that is a favorite haunt of the spirit bears, as well as our first visitor, the regular black bear.

He wasn't too concerned about us.

Soon a spirit bear came long, snagged a salmon, and enjoyed his snack.

After scouting the creek for more, he headed upstream on the far bank.

Time melted away except for the softly increasing light. If you are there for two or three hours, what's the point in watching the clock? If your feet got tired, you could sit down for a moment, but you might miss something. Hermit thrushes, for instance. Fruit bars were passed around to pacify the stomach. We were able to ease up and put our attention at wide-angle, yet always ready to snap back. Sometimes the spirit bear is far away,

and sometimes he is close. Always take your binoculars.

Eventually the time came to rejoin the Island Roamer. That afternoon there were two humpback whales logging, sleeping on the surface with an occasional puff of breath. Ian killed the engine and we drifted with them.

Then they awoke and dove, leaving us thinking that, if they didn't swim too far away underwater, perhaps we would get to see a tail fluke. The pair breached (jumped completely out of the water) just a couple of boat lengths away. We were in awe. I was stunned and did not get a photo of them in the air, but look at the size and closeness of the dive splash ...

We tied up at Hartley Bay for the night, and to take on fresh water. Hartley Bay town is the major Gitga'at settlement, and has no roads, only boardwalks. Here's a picture of the church.

Joan and I took the boardwalk up the stream that flows into the bay; first stop, the fish hatchery.

Half an hour or so up the boardwalk is a small, shallow lake. Just before you reach the lake there is a shoe tree. Is it a home for lost soles, or a way of keeping your roots firmly planted at home?

When we returned to the Island Roamer, it was dinner time. Kate always put on delicious, imaginative spreads, despite the hobbit-sized galley.

What a day!