(Disclaimer: this is a long post with a lot of photos)
Fingers on the keyboard, it has taken me a goodly amount of time to find a starting place to write about our experience at Klahoose Wilderness Resort. How can I put words to the soaring forested mountains, to the glacial waters and ocean inlets, to the up-close grizzly bear viewing, to the sharing of rich cultural history and knowledge of the land by the First Nations Elders who were both our bear guides and our hosts at the resort, to the camaraderie shared amongst the small group of people with whom we have spent 4 days being immersed in pristine natural and cultural beauty — which superlatives best describe the awe, the gratitude, the excitement, the fulfillment of the outdoor experience of being on a small boat across inlets traveled for centuries, making our way to glacial rivers filled with spawning salmon?
Truly, where to begin? This entire experience was fashioned around a grizzly bear photography workshop, given by Matt Shannon. As the only non-photographer on this trip, but knowing what I know about skill and technology from hanging around John for as long as I have, watching him make photos, it is evident that Matt is a leader in the field of outdoor and wildlife photography. He is not only incredibly knowledgeable about wildlife and their habits, which does indeed enhance photo ops, he is clearly well versed regarding equipment and technique. I observed him patiently working with clients in ways that supported and improved their photo making, as well as benefiting us with his deep knowledge of the land and its wild inhabitants. On top of all this, he is an all round groovy young man and so very nice–caring, funny, attentive, and warm. We are so pleased that we chose him as our photo guide for our first group trip/workshop.
Accompanied by 6 photographers including John, we all bonded over our love of nature, our reverence for Mother Earth and her many gifts, and the excitement of witnessing the antics and habits of grizzly bears. Admittedly, we did not see as many bears as we had hoped, and as well, we did not see any whales (Mother Nature has her own rhythm), which brought a wee bit of disappointment, yet the social aspect of meeting and getting to know strangers who then become friends is precious beyond description. I would say that we were a group of many flavors–different politics, different countries, yet we are bound together by our appreciation of natural wonders. Sharing stories of past outdoor experiences along with varied plans for the future, resources for guides and upcoming workshops, sweating in the wood-burning sauna then plunging into the Pacific Ocean, savoring delectable freshly made meals, and partaking in Cultural Enrichment — all of it created a sense of camaraderie. We have exchanged contact information complete with invitations to visit in various parts of the world.
We were awakened by rain very early on Monday morning, which continued on and off throughout much of the day. British Columbia is very dry right now, making this a welcomed rain event. Our first day of looking for bears was somewhat impacted in that the river into which salmon run to spawn and eventually die was muddied instead of its typical glacial green-blue, which affected the number of bears we saw catching and eating the salmon. That same rain however made numerous magnificent waterfalls which we were able to get close to on the boat as we made our way back to the lodge in the afternoon. Once back at the lodge, the wood-burning sauna was a divine treat after the damp day!
When I learned that nearly all of these magnificent forested mountains on the islands have been logged of old growth trees only to have been replanted, I was duly impressed given the vast forests all around us. The Klahoose Nation obtained rights from the Canadian government to manage the forestry on their traditional lands, giving them not only autonomy in their financial security but also validating their commitment to sustainability.
We surely had hoped to see a humpback or orca whale as we traveled the ocean waters to where the bears forage for salmon. Alas, that just was not meant to be. We did see two grizzlies on Monday, followed by a close encounter with one of those two — named Squawks — on Tuesday. When a grizzly catches a salmon, they typically eat the head first, as the brain has a lot of protein and fat, then they eat the roe if there is any present, finishing with a peeling of the skin for the additional fat. They end up leaving a large portion of the fish behind, either lying on the rocky beach or strewn over a log. There we were safely inside the observation tower, watching Squawks eat a salmon with his back to us, when our two Elder guides suggested that we leave the tower to quietly take a few steps on the dirt road to get a better look. Gotta please those photographers, right?!
Well we did step out, quietly moving about 100 feet away from the tower. Squawks caught wind of us, which is when it got exciting! He stopped eating and began to sniff the wind…
It became apparent that we had his attention, as he stood to get a better look at us, went back to sniffing the wind, then stood again, which is when our guides indicated we should move back to the tower. He made a bear noise — not the chuffing you read about as a grizzly is about to attack but sort of a “what the heck?” growl, which was both thrilling and terrifying, and then…we were back in the safety of the tower. Just look at this handsome fellow!
Wednesday, our last day out, yielded not a bear or much of any wildlife at all. You just never know what you are going to get from Mother Nature. For me, as an observer, I loved being on the ocean then the river, in the forest, among friends and my sweetheart. The photographers were indeed disappointed yet of course they understood that nothing could have been done differently. We saw what we were meant to see over 3 days…
Back at the lodge, after another rejuvenating sweat in the sauna, followed by yet another fabulous meal, we were guided in a cedar smudging ceremony and Klahoose Nation song, as a farewell to our group. I love rituals, and this one felt special and intimate as well as being so different. It was all touching and lovely.
This morning we appreciated the sunrise, shared our last meal of an exquisite build-your-own eggs benedict, then packed up the boat for the last time. I felt melancholy and a bit teary that this enriching, unique, and delightful trip was over. It has been pleasant to write out this blog to capture my memories. We are truly blessed.
Goodbye Kellie & Craig, Pat, Corinna & Teari, and Matt. Thank you for the memories. xo
