Canada: Paddling the Coastal Wilderness… (trip)

Canada: Paddling the Coastal Wilderness of Haida Gwaii

  • Sandspit Airport, Sandspit, British Columbia, Canada
  • Boats, Barges & Small Ship Cruises
Canada, North America

from $3,390* per person10 DaysMay, June
Comfort accommodations Exertion level: 3
Operator: Explorers' Corner 10 people max
    Paddle where whales, porpoises and sea lions abound, in the islands once known as the Queen Charlottes
    Intermediate sea kayaking
    2 nights bed and breakfast, 7 nights wilderness camping in tents. Or, combine the north and south portions for a 2-week trip.

Perched on the outer edge of the continental shelf 60 miles from the mainland of British Columbia lies Haida Gwaii, ‘Place of the Haida People.’ Its ancestral name recently restored by the B.C. government, the archipelago was previously called the Queen Charlotte Islands. In May and June, nutrient-rich waters around Haida Gwaii bring more than a million seabirds here to breed. The sea also supports an incredible mosaic of intertidal and subtidal marine life, as well as whales, porpoises, seals and over half of British Columbia’s sea lion population. Thriving in the cool, moist maritime climate are giant red cedars and centuries-old Sitka spruce and western hemlock.

The southern main island of Haida Gwaii is called South Moresby, home to Gwaii Haanas ('Place of Wonder') National Park Reserve and Haida Heritage Site. This new park encompasses 138 islands and 42 freshwater lakes, with the peaks of the San Cristoval mountains — the rugged backbone of South Moresby — rising 3,000 feet above sea level. Our sea kayak trips traverse the east coast of the archipelago through Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and Haida Heritage Site during springtime, when wildlife and weather conditions are typically in their prime. This paddling odyssey features superb campsites, where we absorb the majesty of the wilderness around us while enjoying gourmet meals skillfully prepared on the campfire.

It takes two weeks to complete the entire traverse. It’s possible to combine two different one-week trip departures to experience all that Haida Gwaii has to offer in a single 17-day trip. For those joining a 10-day trip only, one trip will paddle the northern half of the traverse, and the other will paddle the southern half. Weather permitting, the southern trip will travel south of Burnaby Narrows through the Houston Stewart Channel to the Pacific Ocean, where we will hopefully visit Rose Harbor and the UNESCO World Heritage site of Ninstints, an ancient Haida village. The northern trip will visit the old-growth forest at Windy Bay, enjoy the scenic pools of Hotsprings Island and visit the village of Tanu. On all trips, we will break camp and travel to our next camp taking advantage of low tides to explore the abundant intertidal life. There will be ample time for snorkeling.

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Canada, North America

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Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive Sandspit, B.C.
We arrive independently in Sandspit, B.C. where we are met and transferred to our local B&B. The afternoon is free to walk along the beach, enjoy the peace and quiet, and photograph the eagles. If time permits, we will visit the local museum. After dinner, we’re briefed on the week of adventure ahead.
D...B & B in Sandspit

Day 2: Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and Haida Heritage Site
The group will transfer south by motorized boat, a two-hour ride during which we enjoy our first immersion in the gorgeous scenery of the islands and keep an eye out for whales. We arrive at a site in Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and Haida Heritage Site where we share the collective fun of making camp and organizing our kayaks. Time permitting, we will launch the kayaks for a short introductory paddle.
B, L, D... Wilderness Camping

Days 3-8: Sea Kayaking in Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and Haida Heritage Site
During the heart of our journey we travel by expedition sea kayak, traversing the east coast of Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and Haida Heritage Site between the Haida village sites of Tanu and Ninstints. Highlights include superb campsites on secluded beaches, exploring the intricate world of intertidal life, cooking fresh fish over the campfire, snorkeling in clear waters rich with marine life, walking in moss-carpeted rainforest, and enjoying the presence of marine mammals that are often close by.
B, L, D... Wilderness Camping

Day 9: Return flight to Sandspit
As we conclude our journey by sea, we meet the charter that returns us to Sandspit, where we are transferred to our comfortable bed & breakfast lodgings. After a welcome hot shower, we are treated to a Haida dinner feast in Skidegate. Please note: For those travelers combining the north and south portions, you will not return to Sandspit until Day 16.
B, L, D...B & B in Sandspit

Day 10: Fly to Vancouver / Home
The day is free for further exploration around Sandspit until we meet our early afternoon flight (cost not included) south to Vancouver. Two week travelers fly to Vancouver on Day 17.
B...Return Home

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