Haida Gwaii: Windy Bay (Hlk'yah G̱awG̱a) and Wrap-up

 On May 31st, 2025, the Island Solitude sailed from anchorage #7 to Windy Bay, or Hlk'yah G̱awG̱a, the final watchmen site of our Haida Gwaii adventure. With this visit, we'll have visited all five sites. (Click on any image to enlarge.)

The day began with paddling or a zodiac cruise at the anchorage. Some went solo,

some double,

while Joan and I opted for the zodiac cruise.

Afterwards, with everyone back aboard the Solitude, a black bear -- Haida Gwaii subspecies -- decided it was safe to explore the tidal zone.

As we pulled into and along the main channel, the mix of clouds and sun created "god rays."

Eagles are always a treat ...

The watchmen site at Windy Bay sits behind a wide beach.

The watchman favored us with an extensive talk about the history of the island and the watchmen.

Don't cross the pebbled ring.

He is standing in front of the Legacy Pole, raised in 2013 to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Gwaii Haanas Agreement. Its size makes it difficult to take it all in at once.

A side view.

A zoom into the midsection,

and a peek-a-boo.

This image of the nearby Blinking House is pulled from Wikipedia with some reformatting.

Those desiring an early return to the boat had a long walk to the zodiac (low tide).

Employing a pole to free the zodiac.

Many of us went for another walk in the woods.

More rain forest giants!

Inevitably, the time to sail on arrived.

We passed more clusters of Steller sea lions that had walked out of the water.

They seemed to be everywhere.

We arrived at our final anchorage, the same cove where we first boarded the Island Solitude, and settled in for the night.

 

The next morning, we had time to paddle or zodiac around the harbor before the van arrived to take us to the airport. Joan and I opted for the zodiac ride, and we wandered far.

Note the snow patches atop the peaks.

Here are the remains of a logging camp's pier. The Sitka spruce of the Pacific Northwest was prized for many uses, including aviation.

Cruising by the islets in the bay revealed an abundance of flora.

An automated weather station for a frequently used harbor.

 

The red dot is one of the kayak folk. Click on any image to enlarge!

Then it was time to reverse our arrival and meet the transfer van at the landing.

After a bumpy ride on logging roads and then better roads, we arrived at the airport. It was just starting to open for the daily flight to and from Vancouver, so we had time to grab a bite and shop.

At the Vancouver airport, we revisited the canoe sculpture. What a remarkable people the Haida were and are.

Back home, Joan and I applied Haida pole stickers to our cars.

Haida Gwaii: G̱andll K’in Gwaay.yaay (Hotspring Island)

Soon after awakening at anchorage #6 on May 30, 2025, we were treated to the sight of a black bear (Haida Gwaii subspecies) prowling along the shoreline, no doubt looking for something to eat for breakfast. (Click on any image to enlarge.)

Then the Island Solitude sailed to the Watchmen site of G̱andll K’in Gwaay.yaay, also  known as Hotspring Island, not so far away.

It was low tide when the zodiacs deposited us upon the beach.

Yep, this was the right spot.

We hiked past an even rockier beach.

An ocean-flensed root mass.

What a tiny crab!

And cute too!

Some of our troop headed directly for the hot spring, while a posse of others, including Joan and me, explored more of the area first. The tide was still out.

The Watchmen cabin is just above the hot spring.

 

There's a bathhouse also fed by the springs, where visitors are asked to wash before entering the pool.

The Haida Gwaii archipelago experiences intermittent earthquakes; in 2012, a magnitude 7.8 quake centered on Moresby Island caused this spring to dry up, but it resumed flow in 2015, albeit at a lower rate. The spring feeds this pool; several of our group indulged.

Nobody wanted their picture taken.

Then it was time to sail on. We encountered eagles camped on rocks,

possibly resting up from what is called a "tornado" of eagles hunting over water. My next photo hints at this formation; a tornado has many more eagles, and at a much higher altitude.

The best photo of an individual eagle on the wing that I could manage:

Click on any image to enlarge.

We reached a secluded bay for anchorage #7 in time for a shore expedition. This photo looks back at the Island Solitude as we headed out.

Our destination is a small bay beyond the anchorage, reached by a narrow channel invisible in this photo.

A browsing deer in the grassy patch. A boy -- check out those antler nubbins.

Eddy, our NatHab guide, fastened the zodiac securely near the stream feeding the bay. We didn't want that to float away!

Some of the densest and wettest forest we'd seen.

The stump of a tree harvested long ago.

This is a "bear tree." The ursine critters use them to communicate: scent from specialized glands is rubbed onto the bark, conveying info such as a bear’s identity, gender, and reproductive status; the height of claw marks indicates the bear's size. Male bears frequently mark trees during the breeding season. Note the missing moss on the lower trunk from all that rubbing.

We edged closer to the creek bank for a peek upstream, a good location for bear spotting, and waited a while, but nobody showed up.

Later, back aboard the boat, Eddy led us in a review of our voyage so far.

He's also been keeping a species list, prompting us to add any new entries every day.

Tomorrow will also be full, including our fifth and final Watchmen visit.