Dive Traveler STAY A WHILE
The 90-foot (27m) long wood hulled classic Nautilus Swell (www.
nautilusswell.com) has a long and colourful history serving first as a tug then as a charter fishing vessel, and after a $3.5 million refit is now a luxurious dive charter live-aboard that explores the remotest waters of Alaska and British Columbia. As the newest destination in its itinerary, Haida Gwaii offers cold water divers a new region to explore on Canada’s Pacific coast province. The Haida Gwaii itineraries can start at Port Hardy on northern Vancouver island and finish at the town of Sandspit in Haida Gwaii, while others commence at Sandspit and conclude in Alaska. Air Canada Jazz flies daily to Sandspit and BC Ferries operates regular service from Prince Rupert on the northern BC mainland to Haida Gwaii.
When you’ve finished your cruise it’s well worth spending a few extra days exploring more of Haida Gwaii. With a rental car from the Sandspit airport you can catch the ferry north to Graham Island where there’s plenty of exploring to do in the towns of Queen Charlotte City, Skidegate and Masset. At Skidegate, the Haida Heritage
Centre and Museum (www.
haidaheritagecentre.com) is a fascinating place to learn more about the history of the islands and the Haida people. You can watch a new generation of Haida artists carving huge Totem Poles and Haida war canoes. In Masset and Queen Charlotte City you will find galleries showcasing Haida art that includes the highly prized carvings from black argillite, a soft black slate found only on Haida Gwaii and used exclusively by Haida carvers. Haida Gwaii’s resident population is just 4,000 give or take so you are always assured of plenty of room exploring the trails and beaches. You can also rent a kayak at
Moresby Explorers Ltd. (www.
moresbyexplorers.com) to explore the islands independently or sign up with one of several kayak tour companies to join a kayak trip back to Gwaii Haanas National Park. At the north eastern tip of Graham Island you can walk what seems like forever on the endless surf swept beaches of Naikoon Provincial Park and climb the winding boardwalk to the summit of Tow Hill where you can look northward across Dixon Entrance to the islands of Alaska, just over 30 nautical miles away.
36 Magazine
Another memorable dive during
our time at Haida Gwaii was at Inner Low Rock in the Copper Island Group. There, we were treated to endless sloping walls blanketed in stubby short white and orange plumose anemones. It seemed like we could glide over them forever. Grunt sculpins and decorated warbonnets were among countless fish and other critters that made their home in this carpet of life. Steller sea lions often haul out on the rocks here but were preoccupied when we came through. We didn’t see any above or below the water on that occasion
Top: lush reefs. Bottom: Haida war canoe
ride. Centre: A
resident muppet smiles for the
camera.Right: Nautilus Swell offers a classic
live-aboard dive experience and the sunsets are free of charge
but there’s so much to see if you have a keen eye, such as the Moss Head Warbonnet whose tiny head I spied staring out at me from its nook in the rock. At the end of this dive we tuck
into the shelter of a small submarine canyon to do our safety stop and the surge almost sweeps me onto a large, well-camouflaged Cabezon hidden on the reef. I’m not sure who’s more surprised, but in a sudden reactive moment it disappears into the depths. There’s so much to see that you don’t see! On final ascent I glimpse a strange- looking but familiar stare in the kelp
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