We awoke this morning on board National Geographic Sea Lion, navigating north of Ivory Island towards Matheison Channel. Dropping the hook at Rescue Bay at the entrance of Jackson Passage we lowered our small boats for our first excursions ashore.
Penetrating into the thick temperate rain forest, the hikers found a game trail to start their B.C. bushwhacking experience. Not long into the woods our first stop of botanical inquiry was the pervasive skunk cabbage whose yellow spathe adds color to the sea of green that makes up this enchanted forest. Fairy puke, a lichen with a catchy name, further led the way to unpeeling the layers that help to make this understory environment so unique.
Climbing a steep hill, we encountered many downed trees where overturned roots created chasms that looked like perfect denizens for black bears to hibernate. With closer inspection we discovered bear prints in the dirt and were wowed by the fact that a black bear had in fact used this site very recently! Other groups meandered along the shore in the company of a diverse group of foraging birds while others explored by small boat the tranquility of Jackson Passage.
After leaving the morning’s anchorage we headed north under bluebird skies deeper into the Great Bear Rainforest in search of the elusive spirit bear. Cruising along the shore we discovered pictographs and waterfalls emerging from the emerald forest and soaked in the amazing weather that has thus far blessed us on our voyage. Entering Sheep Passage we were exposed to our first good glimpse of B.C. fish farming and the discussion of what has become B.C.’s number one agricultural product.
Leaving the beautiful landscape of Fjordland Recreational Area we headed north up Graham Reach and ended our day at the relic cannery site of Butedale.
