The central coast of British Columbia is a land of
fjords set between stupendous mountains, islands,
waterfalls and great river estuaries.
Home to grizzly bears, wolves and the mysterious
white Spirit Bear, it has many names – the Great
Bear Rainforest is most well-known.
Accompanied by wonderful naturalists, many of them
actively researching the area, we have enjoyed
spectacular trips here each year on the classic schooner
Maple Leaf since we pioneered these trips in the 1990s.
Great Bear Rainforest –
Rare Rainforest Fjords Harbour Wildlife
The sea winds its way around western islands and
then snakes down glacier-hewn valleys at the foot of
the mountains: these are the Great Bear Rainforest’s
fjords.
Some call it “Yosemite by the sea”.
On Maple Leaf you’ll travel close to the fjords’ granite
walls, where waterfalls drop hundreds of feet
to the ocean.
Whales and dolphins may surface and feed beside us
as we travel.
The ancient rainforest of spruce and cedar trees clings
to some mountainsides and pushes out of the fertile
river valleys.
People have described these forests of ethereal green
light as “living cathedrals”.
In the eighteenth century the European explorers
had another word: sublime.
Where the rivers and forests meet the sea, the Great
Bear’s fecund estuaries form.
These meadows and brackish waters are of prime
importance to the area’s wildlife, from bears and
wolves to eagles, ravens and ducks, providing food
in spring and fall and transitioning fish and nutrients
between forest and sea.
Grizzly Bear, Spirit Bear and Other Wildlife Viewing
The rich river estuaries in the spring and the prolific
salmon runs in the autumn support B.C.’s largest
remaining populations of the mighty grizzly bear.
The area is home to an equally large population of
black bears and is the sole habitat of the white
Kermode Bear (or “Spirit Bear”, as it is known to the
native peoples of the coast).
With Maple Leaf, you’ll float in a shore boat or sit in
a safe place on land to watch these great mammals
fish, rear cubs, munch on sedge or turn over rocks for
crabs and other marine snacks.
You’ll also learn the “behind the scenes” information
about how the estuaries work and support the life of
the Great Bear Rainforest.
In the springtime, the meadows burst with new plant life,
and newly-awakened grizzly bears graze on tender
new shoots.
In the Autumn, spawning channels of the rivers are
covered with salmon.
This spectacle creates a feeding frenzy as bears and
other mammals feast on the bounty.
We may hear, and, if we’re lucky, see the elusive
coastal wolf, which researchers recently confirmed
catches salmon, too.
Eagles by the hundreds, ravens, harlequin ducks and
a host of other birds join the fray.
To witness these phenomena are two of the greatest
experiences in nature.
Explore the worlds of several northwest First Nations:
the Heiltsuk, Kitasoo Xai’xais, Haisla, Gitga’at and
Henaaksiala.
Everywhere is evidence of their civilization.
Fish traps, bark-stripped trees and longhouse remains
give testimony to a way of life tuned to the rhythm
of nature.
You’ll visit modern villages, talk with local residents, and
see the ancient art traditions still in place today.
Remote Pleasures – Hot Springs, Wild Food
The Great Bear Rainforest’s ocean frequently provides
succulent Dungeness crab and prawns for our table.
We often visit one of the natural, out-of-the-way
hot springs that bubble up here.
Anchoring in a cove or bay, you’ll go ashore by zodiac
or kayak and sink into the rejuvenating warm water.
A far cry from commercial hot springs, these pools are
usually empty but for ourselves.
A Wilderness with a Complex Future
A ten-year land use plan recently announced by the B.C.
government, with stakeholders from conservation groups,
First Nations, tourism, local communities, resource
extraction industries, scientists and others, protects
2 million hectares of this wilderness.
Sadly, much of the rest of the area is immediately
threatened by massive clear-cut logging.
We feel it is critical that as many people as possible
see this place and become aware of the magnitude of
the potential loss of so much critical habitat and
immeasurable beauty.
CHERYL YOUNG, REALTOR
SAANICH PENINSULA REALTY
SIDNEY B.C WWW.CHERYLYOUNG
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