Aug 5th
Back from our trip South to SGang Gwaay.
It's really hard to know where to begin. Probably the easiest way to put it is that it's best to throw away all of your mental pictures of Haida Gwaai ---- those images of cold, rocky shores with huge surf; horizontal rain, fog, seagulls all that stuff -- just forget it.
This place is quiet, secluded bays with beaches of sand or very fine, smooth pebbles, and yes, some gravel ones. It's cloudless skies, temps in the high 20s, (mid 30s inside the boat for a few days) swimming in the ocean and eagles, whales and seals everywhere.
SGang Gwaay was a very special place: the mortuary poles and house foundations remain as the legacy of the Kunghit Haida who lived there. The island itself is beautiful, well-kept by the Haida Watchmen, with trails that wind through dense forests, onto rocky beaches and, seemingly, through rock walls. Our guide, "Girl" (aka Christine) was knowledgeable and friendly with a great sense of humour, and loved to share the history and significance of SGang Gwaay
Rose Harbour in Houston-Stewart channel, close to Anthony Island (SGang Gwaay) was the busiest place we found; a couple of private residences, float planes, mooring buoys and (holy cow!) about a half-dozen boats sighted at once! We anchored in Louscoone Inlet, where we found the float with the water hose attached to fill the tanks.