Routes Less Travelled: Haida Gwaii Adventures

The Ferry With The Funny Name

It’s funny what random and bizarre thoughts percolate through a person’s mind while waiting for a ferry. In my case, it was the name of the ship that my wife and I plus two friends were about to board. The vessel that would take us from the port of Prince Rupert on the Northwest coast of BC across 100km of open ocean to the storied isles of Haida Gwaii was called the, “Northern Adventure”. That struck me as a rather odd. Don’t get me wrong. I like a good adventure as much as the next person but in a suitable craft such as a canoe, kayak or even a white water raft. On a ferry, I prefer calm, peaceful, unadventurous voyages yet as I waited for the loading process to begin, I couldn’t but help wonder if the name was simply a marketing ploy or an omen of things to come. The answer arrived sooner then expected.

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The "Adventure" Begins
The Northern Adventure was indeed adventurous, in more ways than one, beginning with the loading process. Most car ferries load from one end and unload through the other. Not the Northern Adventure. Vehicles entered and exited through the same opening at the rear of the ship. For small cars, this wasn’t a problem. They drove on, turned around on the car deck and parked facing the stern. Larger rigs such as trucks, campers, motorhomes or vehicles pulling travel trailers weren’t so lucky. They had to back on - down a long steep ramp. Talk about a white knuckle “adventure”. For the less adventurous or those lacking “backing” skills, crewmen from the ferry were available to take over. Regardless, it made me glad that I hadn’t brought my travel trailer along for this part of our trip.

The Trip

Speaking of our trip, it had actually begun several days earlier when my wife and I plus another couple left the lower mainland and headed north to Haida Gwaii in our RV’s. Each couple was travelling in a truck and pulling a travel trailer. Originally, we had planned to take both rigs across on the ferry to Haida Gwaii but scrapped that idea when we discovered how expensive it would be – approximately $1,600 for each rig (round-trip)! Instead, we decided to leave one truck and both trailers on the mainland and stay in a rental accommodation during our 5 day visit. Even then, with all of us travelling together in one vehicle, the round-trip cost was still more than $400.

The Crossing

Once on the ferry and beyond the safety of Prince Rupert harbour, another “adventure” loomed ahead - Hecate Straight. This stretch of water which separated the BC mainland from Haida Gwaii was considered one of the most dangerous on the planet. Known for huge waves and violet storms, it made for a very “adventurous crossing when the seas were running high. Thankfully, conditions were fairly calm during our passage and the ferry itself, relatively comfortable. It boasted a good size snack bar, gift shop, sleeping cabins plus lots of places to sit, eat, work or just relax. Good thing too because the crossing usually took around 8 hours.

Queen Charlotte City

It was early evening by the time we docked at the Skitegate ferry terminal on Graham Island, the largest and most northerly of the 400+ islands which make up the Haida Gwaii archipelago. With the sun setting in the west, we headed for our lodgings in the village of Queen Charlotte City, about 10 km to the southwest. Our base for the next 5 days was a funky little hotel called “Gracie’s Place” in downtown Queen Charlotte City, or as “downtown” as a village of about 900 people gets. Nearby were a few shops, a couple of restaurants, a good size grocery store, bank, government liquor store, laundromat, RCMP station, hospital and the Queen Charlotte visitor centre which provided us with a wealth of information on things to see and do during our stay. Their gift shop was also very nice, featuring the work of local artists.

Expedition to Skedans

Across the way from our hotel was a small harbour, which served as the starting-point for several chartered companies offering tours to the Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and Haida Heritage Sites on south Moresby Island. One of those charter companies, “Haida Style Expeditions”, was entirely native run and offered tours to several heritage sites. We chose their expedition to the abandoned Haida village of Skedans (K’uuna in the Haida language) about two hours south by boat or in our case, a very fast zodiac which often seemed to leap from wave top to wave top. For the less adventurous, a heated and enclosed craft is also available. Along the way, we were treated to amazing views of specular landscapes, ocean vistas and abundant sea life.

At one time, Skedans had been just one of several thousand semi-permanent settlements dotting the shores of these islands. This particular village contained a number of long houses, each holding about 80 residents in each. Sadly, small pox decimated the native population, forcing the abandonment of this and most other native settlements. Nevertheless, our guides did an amazing job bringing Haida history and culture to life. Their knowledge of local wildlife and geography was impressive as well. As a result, our time there seemed to fly by and all too soon, we were heading back.

Skitegate/Haida Heritage Center

North of Queen Charlotte City and a few kilometers on the other side of the ferry terminal was the native village of Skitegate, home of the Haida Heritage Center, an award-winning museum and cultural center jointly run by the Haida Nation and the Federal Government. The center housed some amazing examples of Haida art, carvings and artifacts. During our visit, we were lucky enough to see several native carvers in action, creating a totem pole for the new hospital in Queen Charlotte City.

North Island Delights

At the northern end of the island were the villages of Masset and Old Masset. Old Masset was a native community and home to a large number of carvers and artists. It was also home to “Sherri’s Gas Bar and Grill” a local restaurant which served a variety of delicious sea food dishes including an amazing seafood chowder – just the thing for a cool and drizzly day.

About a mile to the south, lay the village of Masset, the largest community on the island with a population of about 2300. It was also the home of Haida Gwaii Discovery Tours, a tour company operated by Massett’s mayor, Andrew Merilees. Andrew was not only well versed in the cultural and natural history of the area but he was also an amazing guide and gifted story teller. To really get a sense of this region and what it has to offer, a tour with Andrew was a must.

Thanks to his tour, we discovered a wonderful campground on the northeast tip of the island, not far from Massett called, Agate Beach Provincial Park. This park had no services but did offer shoreline sites overlooking a beautiful, white sand beach. While the water may have been a little on the cool side, the view was incredible and the ocean life; crabs, mussels, oysters and clams were abundant. It was one of the few times I wished I had brought my trailer. While there were several other provincial and regional parks on the island, Agate Beach was my favourite.

Andrew also introduced us to a kooky little café and bakery about half way between Agate Beach and Massett called, “Moon Over Naikoon”. Built in a converted school bus, this eatery was famous for among other things, it’s cinnamon rolls and justly so. They were delicious.

All too soon, our time on Haida Gwaii was over and we were back on the Northern Adventure, returning to Prince Rupert and mainland BC. With 8 hours to kill on the return voyage, it was hard not to reflect on our island experiences and form a few impressions.

Thoughts and Reflections: The Good Stuff

There's a lot to recommend these islands as a tourist destination. For example, the islands are filled with breath-taking scenery, unique vistas, beautiful beaches and abundant sea life.

The laid back, unhurried life style enjoyed by locals is a welcome alternative for city folks looking to “get away from it all”. And, as its off the beaten track, contending with throngs of tourists is not a problem. For RV’ers especially, that could be a real plus. For example, on the day we visited Agate Beach Provincial Park, at least a quarter of the sites were empty. A similar park on the mainland would have been booked solid, months in advance.

Thoughts and Reflections: The The Other Stuff

But, there's the "other" stuff. The most obvious is expense. Haida Gwaii is an expensive destination in more ways then one. It's expensive to get to, especially in an RV and expensive to visit once there. Everything from food (especially restaurant meals) to fuel costs were significantly more then on the mainland. Ironically, the one exception was booze, or at least that was the case with the BC Government Liquor Store. According to the manager, prices were the same, no matter where the store was located. So, a case of Molson's Canadian costs the same in Queen Charlotte City as it did in downtown Vancouver.

And then there's the distance. Haida Gwaii is a long way from anywhere. Just getting to the ferry terminal at Prince Rupert was a long, multi-day journey from Vancouver (or most other major centers). Add in the crossing time and it's a very long trek indeed.

Once there, camping options are limited. As far as I could determine, there was only one RV park on Graham Island (Hidden Valley RV Resort) that offered any services. The provincial and regional parks had none which may suit some folks but, not all of us want to vacation off the grid.

Besides limited camping options, there were no RV dealers or service centers on the island. If something breaks on the RV, there's a good chance it will stay broken until a return to the mainland.

In addition, tourist activities are limited. The tours to Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and Haida Heritage Sites are definitely worth checking out, as are the fishing charters and kayak excursions. Most of the provincial parks, especially at the north end of the island offer hiking trails of varying length and difficulty. The Haida Cultural Center and a few other smaller museums are worth visiting as well but beyond that, there's not a lot to amuse or entertain visitors.

Vehicle travel on the island is somewhat limited as well. The only paved highway on the island – Highway 16 – runs between Queen Charlotte City and Massett. Beyond that, most other routes are dirt or gravel and many are active logging roads where visitors, even those with 4-wheel drive are not encouraged to venture.

And finally there’s the weather. This area is referred to as a coastal or temperate rainforest for good reason. It rains a lot! During our visit in early August, it rained almost every day for at least part of the day. Sometimes the precipitation was little more than a drizzle while on other occasions, it came down in buckets. While the sun did make an occasional appearance, it was usually brief and infrequent.

In the End ...

So, with all things considered, was Haida Gwaii worth the expense and effort to visit? For me the answer was, “Yes”! There’s no denying the unique appeal and captivating atmosphere of this land at “the edge of the world”. The beaches were beautiful and uncrowded. The scenery was stunning and dramatic. The wildlife, especially on or in the ocean was spectacular and abundant. And, the natives (both Caucasian and Aboriginal) were welcoming and friendly. While it’s not a location that would appeal to everyone, for those who like their adventures on routes less travelled, it’s a perfect destination.

Haida Gwaii Resource List:

Routes Less Travelled

Monday, 5 March 2018

Haida Gwaii Adventures

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