Our environment shapes who we are and how we feel. This, more than anything else, is why we are drawn to wild places. Our bodies, minds, and spirits are restored, strengthened, and expanded in Nature’s company. In the years we have spent exploring Gwaii Haanas, its’ wildness has taught us much about who we are and how we want to live upon the earth. The character of our kayak trips reflects our commitment to the ideals of community, environmental responsibility, and education.
1. COMMUNITY: As members of the small community of Haida Gwaii, we realize the importance of working together to attain our goals. While everyone has different areas of expertise, by combining our skills we become a stronger people and more able to withstand adversity.
It is the same when kayaking in a group. The stronger we are as a fleet of kayakers, the more able we are to withstand storms and seize the moments of opportunity that nature provides. By having everyone take an active role in all aspects of the adventure, we inevitably become a close network of friends with everyone supporting each other both on and off the water.
As guides, we come to the trips with skills in reducing risk, interpreting the weather, and navigating safely through the waters of Gwaii Haanas. In addition, every guest brings their own set of interests and knowledge to the group. Without fail, we all end up sharing with, and learning from, each other. Actually, it feels like we have learned more from our guests over the years than the other way around! This give and take is a cornerstone, and a key source of enjoyment, of our adventures.
2. ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY: In a world increasingly altered and scarred by human behaviour, we have somehow been given the privilege to access one of Earth’s last places of raw wilderness. It is an honour to be able to share this opportunity with you. And it is a privilege we want to respect by being mindful of the ways we can help to maintain the environmental well-being of Gwaii Haanas and Haida Gwaii as a whole.
In our lives and business practice, we try to live lightly upon the earth. We consume carefully, reuse possessions, reduce our material needs, recycle and compost everything we can, and practice low-impact camping. We do our best to contribute to the local economy by working with other local companies, harvesting native foods, purchasing vegetables and eggs from local farmers, and hiring local staff. Finally, we hope to give back to our communities by using a percentage of our profits to help fund trips with the youth of Haida Gwaii who might one day lead trips on their own.
3. EDUCATION: While we are not certified biologists, we have spent years living on Haida Gwaii and paddling its’ shorelines. For most of us, this place has been our greatest teacher and it is a joy to share some of what we have learned with you. If you are interested in learning more about kayaking (strokes, rescues, navigation, weather), nature, and/or Haida Gwaii life, we are eager to help.
Though we travel as a group, there is always time for everyone to pursue their own interests, whether that be fishing, developing kayak skills, finding a quiet place to read, taking an afternoon siesta, exploring the intertidal pools, or following a creek up into the forest.
In terms of interpreting the vast cultural and human history of these islands, we are so lucky to have access to the knowledge and expertise of the Haida Watchmen. The Watchmen Program began in 1981 as a means of protecting the natural and cultural heritage of abandoned village sites in Gwaii Haanas. Between May and September, several Haida guardians are posted at each site to ensure minimal visitor impact as well as a welcoming presence at the villages. But more than anything, they bring their ancestral homes back to life and remind us of how, not so long ago, humans were an integral part of the environment we paddle through, and give us hope that we might one day rediscover that connection.