Seeking Serenity and Culture in Haida Gwaii

In Skidegate Inlet, Mateo Cariglino and I paddled sea kayaks past oystercatchers, guillemots, Harlequin ducks and even a Steller sea lion. We passed uninhabited islands, steered clear of the ferry that connects Haida Gwaii’s two main islands and made our way back to the village of Daajing Giids by lunch before the grey clouds unleashed a downpour.

The nicest part, though, was how calm the ocean was.

Cariglino has plenty of guiding experience, but when he launched Haida Gwaii Kayak this year, his dream was to offer day tours and rentals. He wants kayaking to be for everyone, not just those experienced enough for week-long trips to Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve, National Marine Conservation Area Reserve, and Heritage Site (yeah, it’s a mouthful).

“These are the calmest waters in Haida Gwaii for sure,” Cariglino said.

Calm. That’s exactly what my week in Haida Gwaii was.

People wonder when Haida Gwaii is poised to be “the next Tofino.” By that, they mean on the global radar and buzzing with tourists all year long. But besides involving British Columbia islands, these two spots are nothing alike. Tofino is about storm watching, surfing and beach walks. Haida Gwaii is about Haida culture, kayaking and forest walks.

Both communities are remote, but Tofino is on Vancouver Island and you can drive to it. You’ve got to fly to Haida Gwaii from Vancouver and deal with an archipelago. Whether you land in Sandspit on Moresby Island or in Masset on Graham Island, you’ll need to secure a rental car and use a ferry to island hop. Gwaii Haanas — a bucket list Parks Canada place with a triple-barrelled designation — involves permits and licensed tour operators and can only be accessed by boat or floatplane.

How I loved figuring all that out.

And how I welcomed taking an online orientation and pledging “to respect Haida Gwaii and Haida Ways of Being.” My May trip came just after B.C. recognized the Haida Nation’s Aboriginal title to Haida Gwaii, an island region of about 10,000 square kilometres whose name means “Islands of the People.”

About half the population of 5,000 is Haida. I pledged to acknowledge Haida title and do things like speak kindly and listen thoughtfully, accept that not all places or events are open to visitors, and be mindful of my environmental footprint.

For the first half of my shoulder season solo trip, I stayed in welcome silence at an oceanside cabin at the Haida House at Tllaal (I’ve slept at its lodge before). It’s owned by Haida Tourism and is on Graham Island, where there are admittedly more people and more things to do.

That’s where I road tripped to Balance Rock, a boulder by the ocean that you can try in vain to topple. It’s probably the most photographed thing in Haida Gwaii. I didn’t see any whales, but outside the Daajing Giids Visitor Centre, I admired a giant copper and cedar humpback by sculptor Lon Sharp that speaks to the way that coastal people “inherit the ocean.”

I hiked through mossy rainforest on the Golden Spruce Trail, once home to a famous tree that bore golden needles instead of evergreen ones until a misguided protester chainsawed it to death. I drove as far north as Naikoon Provincial Park, but got caught in another downpour and scrapped a hike to a blow hole by the sea.

At the Haida Heritage Centre at Ḵay ‘Llnagaay (which was designed to give the feel of a traditional Haida seaside village), I toured the Haida Gwaii Museum, canoe house and carving shed, and nodded approvingly at reserved parking spots for Elders and a stop sign that said “GAYSDLL” in the Haida language.

Wherever I went, there were Haida totem poles to admire, even two flanking the entrance of the Co-op food store in Skidegate, where cheeky ravens landed on the hood of my vehicle demanding a share of my groceries.

For the second half of my trip, I stayed at a modern quonset-style cabin at Hekate’s Retreat on Moresby Island, looking right at the property’s Willows Golf Course and having private meals since the new Clubhouse Restaurant hadn’t quite opened. Hekate’s also rents two RVs parked at its nearby RV park for a spin on glamping, and is close to both Sandspit airport and a beach. The retreat loaned me a Jeep when all the car rental companies were sold out — something they do for guests.

On the day that I finally made it to Gwaii Haanas, I drove from Hekate’s to the ferry, parked and hopped in a van with James Cowpar, co-owner of Haida Style Expeditions, and eight other mostly American adventurers who share my love of peaceful and remote places.

I say finally because when I tried to visit the “Islands of Beauty” in 2017, the sea was too rough for my floatplane to land and transfer me to a Zodiac. We were aiming for SG̱ang Gwaay (Anthony Island), a Haida Watchmen site and UNESCO World Heritage Site with upright and fallen poles, house pits, and remnants of longhouses.

This time, we replaced part of the long ocean journey with a drive down logging roads, and then hopped in the 30-foot Melissa June (which boasts covered seating and a bathroom) to visit other Gwaii Haanas sites.

Managed by the Council of the Haida Nation with funding from Parks Canada, the Haida Gwaii Watchmen program posts Haida men and women at five remote village sites from May to October. They protect cultural and natural resources and, at their discretion, chat with the visitors who mostly arrive with tour operators but occasionally find their way independently.

We made it to two Watchmen sites.

At Hlk’yah G̱awG̱a (Windy Bay) on Lyell Island, we met Gordon Russ and Reg Wesley and learned about the 42-foot Gwaii Haanas Legacy Pole. It honours the co-operative management agreement between the Haida Nation and Canada, and speaks to the community’s successful 1985 blockade against old-growth forest logging that led to the creation of this federally protected place.

At G̱andll K’in Gwaay.yaay (Hotspring Island), we spotted bald eagles and soaked in hot pools with views of the Juan Perez Sound. The source of the mysterious water isn’t known. Shane “Tuna” Bell, a cultural guide with Haida Style Expeditions, led us to and from the boat down a rocky shoreline and through more Pacific temperate rainforest.

Only 3,000 people a year make it to Gwaii Haanas. Haawa (thank you), we kept saying.

Two of the best parts of that 11-hour day? Cowpar’s storytelling and his culinary skills barbecuing the chinook salmon, halibut and Sitka black-tailed deer that he had personally harvested.

I sure ate well in Haida Gwaii.

At Cedar + Salt in the Haida Heritage Centre, the tuna poke was tempting but who can resist a smashburger with double chuck and brisket patties on brioche with hand-cut fries?

I developed a mini obsession with the splurge-worthy $5 peanut butter cookies at JAGS Beanstalk Coffee Shop (and walked them off on Spirit Lake Trail).

But there was something about the community vibe at Gather in Daajing Giids that really resonated. The golden milk — a trendy turmeric “latte” made with oat milk — took away the chill from that early season kayak. So did a warm salmon salad plated with a schmear of nicely whipped feta.

Speaking of salmon, I have the vaguest memory of going to Haida Gwaii as a child on a family fishing trip, back when it was known by its colonial name, Queen Charlotte Islands. This time I was mindful of my pledge to respect Haida Gwaii’s bounty and “only take what I need to feed myself today.”

Driving to the airport, I waved goodbye to the Spirit of Sandspit salmon — another of Sharp’s giant copper and cedar sculptures — before flying home rested but invigorated by Haida lessons about how to be a more thoughtful traveller.

MORE ABOUT VISITING HAIDA GWAII

Where to Stay: On Moresby Island near Sandspit Airport, Hekate’s Retreat has cabins that sleep two, two houses for larger groups, RV rentals, and RV/camping sites. Room Rates: A recent search of the property’s website showed summer cabin prices start at $279. Address: 342 School Road, K’il Kun (Sandspit), Haida Gwaii, British Columbia (see map below).

Getting There: From Vancouver, Air Canada flies to Sandspit on Moresby Island, while Pacific Coastal Airlines flies to Masset on Graham Island.

Getting Around: Don’t book a trip without securing a rental car as they’re limited (and be sure to ask whether you can take your vehicle onto logging roads). Gwaii Adventures offers fully equipped adventure van rentals for those who want to camp.

Tourism Information: gohaidagwaii.ca, hellobc.com

Disclaimer: Jennifer Bain was hosted by Haida Tourism, Destination BC and their partners. None of these organizations reviewed or approved this story before publication.