Leslie’s alarm went of at 5:42 a.m., her old ‘get up and jog with Carol’ before school time. By 6 o’clock we were rowing Pacifico over the flat, reflective water as the rising sun lit the mountains above. We entered the ¼ mile long lagoon around the corner at the head of Echo Bay as various eagles either sat and stared at us or flew low over our heads. We think that these eagles are pretty satisfied with affairs at this time of salmon migration.
As we pass slowly along, we see bubbles rising and discover springs of cold air bubbling up from the bottom of the lagoon. Shoals of salmon cruise by, and at times they startle and the surface of the water roils. If we were not what scared these fish, then it was likely the presence of one of the 4 or 5 seals that are alternately watching us proceed and watching the schooling salmon.
At the head of the lagoon is a sparkling little river descending the last 5 feet over several small waterfalls. The rocks shine in the brightening light. We drift in Pacifico with quiet rowing strokes from time to time. Every few minutes an eagle flies over our heads as it returns downriver to the lagoon. It seems like an eagle ‘pez’ machine…..
The light is still low, and there, in the dull light, are 2 dark shapes – a mother black bear and her cub. They come to the edge of the lagoon, take a look at us, turn and shamble over to the lowest little waterfall. Mama Bear leans over for a few seconds and then grabs an 18” salmon, and she and her cub retire to the forest.
We wait and drift and watch the fish and the changing morning light. Each time the school of fish gets frightened and makes a bit of splashing, Leslie jumps. Maybe the bear is coming? And, when one of the seals makes a commotion, the same reaction happens. We figure this is our ‘fight or flight’ (almost exclusively flight!) response.
A half hour later, mom and cub reappear and follow exactly the same sequence: down to the water’s edge, follow the little stream a bit, at the narrowest section, take a glance, and then just like at a supermarket, lean over and pick a nice, fresh fish and take it and the baby back in the woods for a bit more breakfast.
Rowing back to Cat’s Cradle on this calm morning,we both feel that we have rowed back in time in Gwaii Haanas, ”Place of Beauty”.
We were joined in Echo Harbor with the two Canadian boats that we had seen prior to crossing to Haida Gwaii, Crossroads of Time and Wingingit II, and a third crusing boat, Evergreen II. We hosted a late afternoon get-together in Cat’s Cradle for these 6 Vancouver area cruisers with their two pre-teen daughters.
For the next two days we had good, long sailing days with fine winds and lovely sunsets. At one point we sailed right by what we are pretty sure was a Mola Mola or Ocean Sunfish. Its behavior was quite peculiar. We would see a fin (“Is that a shark?”) and it would stay above the water for 15-30 seconds, usually slowly pivoting is a partial circle, and then the fin would disappear. We stopped the boat and watched what turned out to be a large bluish-white creature with that dark fin extended above the water slowly progressed toward us. As it nearly reached Cat’s Cradle, it disappeared. It was not to be seen again, though we waited and watched for quite some time.
Audra B. Adelberger
3 Aug 2016Getting ready to leave for Holland Lake,, head busy with details —and then suddenly I was transported to Echo Bay. It felt dreamlike, I was there, I knew what it was like… only gradually did the physical reality of rowing, Honda gone, come through to me. Your last posts have been such pleasure to read, culture and nature intermingled. Not to mention hard physical labor and clever repairs.
Jane Smith
3 Aug 2016As our landscaper and his son use jackhammers and bobcat to loosen concrete, uproot tree stumps and level the dirt back there, I am transported to the calm and quiet of sunrise, sunset and cool streams of water as i read your blog and see your pictures.
And what beautiful pictures they are….my favorites are the ones with shimmering water and fish and flora beneath.
And the colors of the sky at morning….who could not love those.
Thank you for these moments of peace and calmness. Love you, Be safe
Ellen Fisher
3 Aug 2016Yes, the pictures are magnificent, and the words as well. I am truly transported to other times and places and remember so many similar details of various water trips–my first pair of glasses tipping off my face and into the water at age 10 as I pull a poncho over my head on a canoe trip on Torch Lake in Michigan, breaking the rudder on a sailboat off the coast of New England and having to rig a substitute (but far closer to a home base than you!), loons up close and beautiful in Maine, seeing the bottom and its creatures in beautiful clear water in the Virgins and a number of other places, sea otters in San Francisco Bay, eagles soaring in Maine, etc. But you are still doing these adventures, and mine are not recent! I love to read and see, and send kudos to you both for your sense of adventure, planning, endurance, perseverance, problem-solving skills, and imagination!
Lesley
3 Aug 2016You write so beautifully, Leslie. I can almost feel I am with you. I hope you continue to enjoy this lovely trip with good weather.
Julia
3 Aug 2016It sounds and looks magical. So does the seal photo with reflection in the water.
XO,
Julia
Katy Nollman
3 Aug 2016We have such great memories of Echo Bay. It is wonderful to see that you have captured the essence of the wildlife there! Love the polypores…. and the bears!