Vancouver Island: we’re going on a bear hunt

The view from my window this morning 

This is from a terrifyingly small floatplane that I had to literally walk the plank to board. I cannot tell you how exhilarating it was to not fall in the water. Honestly, the plane was bouncing in the water, the dock was bouncing in the water, there was a plank to cross - also moving and not in time to the other things - and there were steps to climb into the plane. Seriously you know me, you know why I’m amazed I managed it.

Right up until the surprising moment of airborne I was unconvinced it could get all these people, squeezed in tightly like peanuts in a shell, off the river runway but take off it did and what an experience it was. 

Talking with them we get the sense that Canadians understand/relate to distance in much the same way as Aussies do. Where we have a vast red nothingness to cross they have this, lots and lots of this …

The place we’re staying, Knight Inlet, is so remote there’s ‘no way we could walk out’ according to our dinner companion, Brent who keeps essential things like power & toilets working. My guess is that is not an easy uncomplicated job in the wilderness.  

We landed on this river, quite as spectacular as the take off, and the there was no time to waste!

After an orientation/safety tour of the complex we were straight into donning our very fetching wet weather gear and out onto the water for a quick tour of the inlet and our first bear sighting!

The experience of sitting quietly, gliding gently along the water in a skiff, watching through binoculars as Flora (Mumma bear) & Fauna (baby bear) were foraging for barnacles is one I’ll treasure for the rest of my life. I know up close they could kill me but they looked so huggable. 

We are the first visitors of the season, the complex is closed over winter. The ‘Spring’ memo didn’t get delivered in this region so I hastened back to our room after this adventure to put on all the clothes I’d packed before the next adventure, which was on a short lunch break away. For the Bests was a hike in the woods and the Allans a ride further afield in a bigger boat. 

One of the highlights of this trip for me was going out in the choppy waves. The wind had got up to the point that made it necessary for a high wind warning - ‘perhaps you want to sit this one out guys we’ll do something else instead?’ Many opted to stay on terra firma at this point but some of the crazier said can we still do it? To which the reply was ‘really?’ 

‘Yeah let’s go!’ 

‘ummmm it will be bumpy’

‘We’re up for it’

🤦‍♀️ tourists

Have you ever seen a rodeo where the cowboy is holding on to the bucking horse for dear life? The ride was a bit like that - it was SO FUN! 

The waterfalls were perhaps the highlights scenery-wise. This one was the funnest one. 

Eddy, our guide, told us about the First Nation tradition of cleansing themselves by standing naked in its water before their fishing season began. They honour this tradition still (although not the nakey bit) by backing their boats up under it … ‘wanna do it?’ We all looked at him. 

He said ‘Seriously, you guys stand out the back, I’ll park you under that waterfall’. There was merely a moment to think before a unanimous ‘okay!’ We’ll almost unanimous, MGM was like 🤦‍♀️ no I’m not doing that. 

But I mean how often does this opportunity arise? To stand under a pristine glacial snow melt waterfall. It was exhilarating. And shockingly cold. And squealy. I was not the the only girl squealing. 

I’ve never loved my intrepid husband more. Even though he didn’t embrace the waterfall thing, he came with me & he hates boats, especially small ones on bouncy water. He came bc a) he knew that’s what I wanted to do it & b) to make sure I didn’t fall over board (I’m pretty sure). He went straight to our room for a lie down when we got back. I went straight back out on the water with Tony to try to see more bears. 

This was the antithesis of the last trip. Idling slowly up the estuary on water as still a painting. Not a sound other than the water under the boat and the occasional bird - magic. We saw Flora & Fauna again and their sometimes companion Thimble. 

The first orientation of the day, at the floatplane dock, alerted us to the go go go nature of this place and go go go we did! We were also very well fed (the food here is excellent) we were certainly ready for bed …. by 8pm lol. I was very much looking forward to wilderness for sleeping. With no ambient city lights I thought I’d experience that rarity - complete darkness. With no city traffic right outside the widow - the bliss of complete silence. 

Not so much. Like Brent says. No one ever thinks about where the heat comes from. Well I can tell you. That bright light shining directly in my window is the generator. This sucker runs until 10pm & starts up again at 4am and the ‘don’t fall in the water lights’ stay on all night.

I crave dark & quiet. It is so rare in our times and was very surprised not to get it in the wilderness. I guess that’s the price one pays for being able to charge my phone and eat a hot brekki.