Disappear To Another World When You Experience Adventures At A Haida Gwaii Lodge

By Ericka Marsh


When the pressures of work and daily life grind you down, you simply want to disappear to someplace magical. When your spirit craves an adventure, and you want to have a wonderful place to stay while you learn to feel alive again, there is a place waiting for you. A remote, yet accessible archipelago sits just west of British Columbia. It is surrounded by Pacific Ocean on the west and Hecate Strait toward the east. It is a rugged place, but its shorelines have lured the best fishermen, artists and explorers for hundreds of years.

The continental shelf supports this archipelago of Canada. Travelers arrive to the major ports by taking ferries or flying from Prince Rupert of Vancouver. It can include several hours to get there, but it is well worth the time. Anyone who owns a private vessel is also welcome to dock at the marinas available. Because a haida gwaii lodge often provides everything the adventurer needs for the time spent, it is easy to see why many come again and again.

As a prime location for sports fishermen and their activities, area lodges specialize in fly in adventures. Once reservations for any group are confirmed, the next step for sportsmen is to simply arrive and check in to their accommodations. All of the clothing, equipment, fishing boats, meals and entertainment are completely set to go. Days are spent reeling in salmon and local fish, while evenings are filled with great, locally sourced food, often caught that day, and good company.

To explore the Haida culture, many visitors spend time with local artists. They travel there to study the ancient carvings and paintings iconic to The People. Part of the artistry is intertwined with stories passed down the centuries with oral tradition. Animals and birds native to the area play a part in what the Haida tell their children and grandchildren about their origins.

Naturalists wishing to explore the flora and fauna fed by the volcanic waters and ever changing land surfaces tend to hike through the forests and along the beaches. It is said that the archipelago was one place where the warmth of the volcanoes helped to preserve the diverse wildlife and sea creatures over the Ice Age. This is one theory about why it is that the islands there are filled with species from the neighboring mainland as well as those unique to the island chain.

Historians visit to understand the ties between the British rule of the formerly named Queen Charlotte's Islands until the emergence of the ancient name for the Islands of the People. The island architecture in the larger towns still reflect the era when Great Britain was sovereign here. There are two distinct flavors that coexist, including the colonial past and the ancient traditions of the original Haida communities. These two cultures welcome guests to linger in local lodges and embrace what is available from both.

The photo opportunities here rival any on earth. From up close views of tiny organisms floating in the water to broad vistas above it, there is a scene to capture the imagination of every photographer.

Come to the Haida people, lodge on the distant archipelago, calm your spirit and fill yourself with new experiences. Make you reservations to disappear into its mystical and historic spaces. Before you realize it, you will be renewed.




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