Another beautiful day greeted us on the British Columbia islands as National Geographic Sea Bird docked in the fishing boat-filled marina at Queen Charlotte City. We spent the morning of our third and final day on Haida Gwaii learning about the art and culture of the Haida people. Our visit to the Haida Heritage Centre at Kay Llnagaay revealed more cultural treasures while an informative guided tour on the Skidegate museum grounds covered the crests and stories of six totem poles representing historic Haida villages. With the pleasant scent hanging in air, cedar shavings lay at the feet of the carvers as they busily worked on the “United” totem pole amongst other totems and canoes.
The afternoon was spent cruising across the choppy waters of Hecate Strait towards the Inside Passage. The photography team led a photo critique session on selected guest photos. Dinner was delayed due to high activity in the waters outside. A large pod of at least a hundred Pacific white-sided dolphins were dashing at the surface chasing the ship. Thousands of dark colored sooty shearwaters carved the seas while humpback whales surfaced with bellowing breaths. We followed one energetic whale that breached several times alongside the ship. Cheers of excitement came from many of us with each pectoral flipper slap, tail fluke, and spinning breach. Dinner can wait… was on most of our minds.
