Take the first sail cruise through the newly named Salish Sea (Gulf Islands, B.C.) with a Salish elder as onboard historian this fall.

Read on or visit the trip page at Maple Leaf Adventures’ site.

— A Side of the Gulf Islands Rarely Seen –

Maple Leaf Adventures, an award-winning B.C. adventure cruise company, is offering the trip, a 5-night exploration of the nature and history of the Gulf Islands area of the Salish Sea, Oct. 18-23.

If you think you know the Gulf Islands … think again. This trip includes visits to remote islands and wildlife colonies that are way off the ferry route – such as Cabbage Island, Tumbo Island, and Isle-de-Lis.

The trip includes walks on wild beaches, in forests and to bluffs with spectacular views. An expert onboard naturalist helps guests understand and enjoy the natural world. Wildlife viewing (think huge sea lions, porpoises and seabirds) is also included.

— The Salish History of the Islands with Elder Florence James –

And Penelakuth elder Florence James will be aboard as a special guest to share her people’s history of the islands with Maple Leaf guests.

A trip with James is a very special experience. As a child she was regarded as a keeper of her people’s memory, and she carries with her the history of Galiano Island, Kuper, Thetis, Valdez, and Saltspring Islands, as well as many more in the Salish Sea.

She can evoke for guests the ways her people viewed the land and the sea, where canoe trees were tended, how vision quests took place, where villages were situated, how people travelled by canoe between the islands, and what has happened since European contact.

— A Sought-After Teacher –

James, a fluent speaker of Hul’q’umi’num, is also a language teacher at Vancouver Island University, as well as being involved in sharing Penelakuth culture with her people, and with researchers around the world.

“We are honoured and excited to have Florence James aboard the Maple Leaf,” says Maple Leaf Adventures president Kevin Smith. “As an ecotourism company, we place a huge importance on working with First Nations to teach our guests about the traditional culture and history in the territory. Being able to do this in the Gulf Islands is a first for us.”

– Sailing, Gourmet Local Food Included --

Other hallmarks of a Maple Leaf trip include sailing the classic, 92-foot schooner Maple Leaf, gourmet food prepared by the ship’s chef, and camaraderie between guests and crew.

– About the Salish Sea –

The Salish Sea was officially named this summer. It refers to the waters and environs of the Strait of Georgia, Puget Sound, Haro Strait and Juan de Fuca Strait. Many of the islands in the Canadian portion of the Salish Sea are part of the new Gulf Islands National Park Reserve, protected because of the ecosystems’ rarity and vulnerability to development. The Salish Sea name recognizes that almost all of it is the traditional territory of the people who speak Salishian languages.

— Dates & Prices –

Oct. 18-23, 2010, 5 nights/6 days, Cdn $2150 per person, includes all accommodations, beverages and meals by the chef, shore excursions and use of gear on board including kayaks. An additional trip runs Oct. 25-30.

— Inquire or Book –

Info: View the Gulf Islands BC Sailing Cruise page or call 1-888-599-5323 or +1-250-386-7245. Or, inquire by email form.

by naturalist Briony Penn

photos, from the trip, by Greg Shea (eagle) and Kevin J. Smith (bear)

The division between air, land and water is often blurred in the Great Bear Rainforest as animals move between the three, but during this June trip, it seemed as if there were no boundaries at all.

At a mainland inlet, we watched a bald eagle fall out of the sky onto a feeding scoter, and then swim half a kilometre with the thrashing duck in its talons to the other side.

At the top end of Gribbell Island, we watched a deer swimming hard across the channel as the wolves sat at the beach and watched their disappearing prey. (The wolves will swim, too, but not that day.)

A herring ball off Banks Island had bald eagles, herring, rhino auklets and orcas all appearing to move seamlessly between sky and sea.

And at another mainland inlet, we watched grizzlies paddling between salt marsh meadows while feeding on sedges, looking like the Stellar sea lion as they swim with snouts in the air.

It isn’t hard to imagine, the evolutionary steps that many of these creatures have already taken from sea to land, land to air and air to sea.

Learn more about Maple Leaf Adventures’ Great Bear Rainforest tours.

Visit Briony Penn’s website.

The whales and bears on the B.C. coast get a lot of attention, being what we sometimes call “charismatic megafauna”.

But this rich coastline is full of amazing creatures who may be small, like this black-eyed hermit crab, but they sure are charismatic.

This creature came up in our trap one morning in Haida Gwaii and stole all the attention from some beautiful Dungeness crabs.

We think you’ll love it, too!

Read about the Haida Gwaii Tour with Maple Leaf Adventures.

Here is an update we received via satellite from the ship. The crew and 8 guests are on a sailing cruise along the entire B.C. coast, from Prince Rupert to Comox, B.C.

This report was sent from Johnstone Strait, where the Maple Leaf and her passengers were one of the first ships to see the returning northern resident orcas this year. Not to mention a host of other cetaceans!

“We’re just now travelling west of Naka Creek with a group of 5-6.  No id’s yet though.  Nice spyhop and a drive-by from a big male!

Blackfish Sound was a treat this morning for breakfast: breaching humpbacks, Dall’s propoises, and harbour porpoises.”

- from first mate Paul Smith, via satellite

Learn more about Maple Leaf Adventures’ killer whale watching tours.

Learn more about Maple Leaf Adventures’s Great Bear Rainforest tour

e powerful and sacred arms of Haida Gwaii.  Onboard the 92 foot wooden Schooner ‘Maple Leaf’ myself, the Captain, his crew and our 8 guests explored the southern island of South Morseby for 7 days.

I was reminded how incredibly lush the forest is, where your hand could simply be lost as it burrows into the carpeted moss that blankets the entire forest floor. I recall how every living thing whether sunflower star or barnacle, bird or slug, tree or whale – is so huge, seeming well-fed and flourishing healthily. The times I have visited these ancient isles I remember experiencing a feeling of peace and tranquility. I also experience a strong se

nse of relief knowing that the right people are guarding this treasure and protecting it from wrongful hands. These islands that are situated 40-100km offshore have an abundance endemic species that you can not find anywhere else on the planet. Maintaining this balance and allowing this natural paradise to thrive and simply let be is the focus of those who are assisting in the managing of Haida Gwaii.

The fantastic humpbacks of Haida Gwaii. (c) Paul Smith

“A big push today under a bright blue sky and a following sea has rewarded us with reaching the deep-south of Gwaii Haanas – Kunghit Island.  The jubilant humpbacks were showing off the best of their tail-lobbing, fin-slapping, krill gulping moves all along our route from Juan Perez Sound.

“The anchor is down and we are home for the night.  Looking forward to a campfire and another fantastic sunset.”

• May 9 report from first mate Paul Smith, via satellite, from the Maple Leaf on the Haida Gwaii – Queen Charlotte Islands tour

“Coming off the deck into the wheelhouse, I can smell the wood smoke smell in my jacket from last night’s beach fire at the southern tip of Haida Gwaii.  The seas are calm and we are heading for my favorite beach [a totally isolated, white sand crescent beach, surrounded by rainforest and seabird islands].  Everything is good.”

• May 10 report from captain Kevin Smith, via satellite, from the Maple Leaf on the Haida Gwaii – Queen Charlotte Islands tour

“At Boles Point after a great day at the beach, and sailing around the southern tip of Haida Gwaii – Cape St. James! Two of our guests found a glass ball each on the beach. We’ll be at SGang Gwaay tomorrow morning.”

• May 11 report from captain Kevin Smith, via satellite, from the Maple Leaf on the Haida Gwaii – Queen Charlotte Island tour

“Great float through Burnaby Narrows. Headed to Hot Springs Island now.”

• May 13 report from Capt. Kevin Smith, via satellite, from the Maple Leaf on the Haida Gwaii – Queen Charlotte Island tour

“Setting sails now. Surrounded by humpback whales and sun.”

• May 14 report from Capt. Kevin Smith, via satellite, from the Maple Leaf on the Haida Gwaii – Queen Charlotte Island tour

Image (c) Paul Smith

This beautiful photo by first mate Paul Smith shows a grizzly sow in her autumn world: a brilliant green and gold estuary, where a small river lets salmon penetrate the rainforest after a journey up a coastal fjord.

In the company of gulls, ravens, eagles and a host of other creatures, she’ll spend almost every day in this spot in all kinds of weather. Some years, she’ll have a cub or two with her. Some years, she’ll be on her own. From the Great Bear Rainforest.

See the full size photo on Maple Leaf’s Photo of the Month page.

Read about the Great Bear Rainforest tour. ]]> http://www.mapleleafadventures.com/blog/green-gold-and-grizzly-photo-of-the-month/feed 0 http://www.mapleleafadventures.com/blog/great-vibe-at-the-salmon-migration-event-great-report-on-closed-containment http://www.mapleleafadventures.com/blog/great-vibe-at-the-salmon-migration-event-great-report-on-closed-containment#comments Mon, 10 May 2010 19:23:25 +0000 admin http://www.mapleleafadventures.com/blog/?p=163

Image (c) Sherry Kirkvold

We’ve been sharing information about the threats to wild salmon (and therefore to wilderness tourism) for years now. This week, two significant things occurred:

1. Independent consultant Dr. Andrew Wright released his investigation into the economic feasibility of closed containment salmon farms on land, and found there is a significant economic return.This refutes what the Norwegian salmon farming companies (who practise open net pen salmon farming which is a proven threat to wild salmon) have always said in the past. We love that Andrew took a businessman + engineer’s perspective on this and investigated. Not sure why the net-pen salmon farming businesses didn’t show that kind of vision and initiative years ago.You can read more here.
2. Maureen went to the Get Out Salmon Migration walk + rally in Victoria. Here thousands of people from all walks of life, from wilderness and whale watching tourism businesses, to First Nations communities, to fishing families, to elected government officials, to concerned citizens of all kinds, gathered in a positive and inspiring way to show their support for getting open net salmon farms out of BC waters.You can read more here.