August 05, 2012 | Tips from Us >
Haida Gwaii/Queen Charlotte Islands, Hiking
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The new sea walk was installed during the time I was off in university...and I've just been too busy to walk the new route to work!
The other day I managed to spare an extra 10 minutes to take the sea walk to work and now I've fallen in love! It wraps around the Queen Charlotte Community Hall, childrens park, and baseball diamond, and on the opposite side is just a great view of the ocean! Sometimes there will be boats passing by, even some friendly kayakers.
I passed by some mother's pushing strollers, families finished playing in the park, and locals walking their dogs. This new route allows for the quick discovery of the 2012 Haida Gwaii Mural, painted by a graffitti artist, with the assistance of other local artists! Check out the video attached - I did a quick video of it for everyone to see! It's painted on the concrete slabs right outside the public library - they have wifi internet access there if you need it!
Along this route, you'll also find 2 of the signs that are a part of the QC Heritage Walking Tour. One provides information about the old Sawmill equipment you can see on the beach during the walk, and the other provides information on the street that extends further and what it looked like years ago! For more info on the walking tour, you can buy the supplemental book at the Visitor Centre for $3.95 plus tax - I have one, it's super helpful. It shows exactly where each post is located so I don't have to run around looking for them!
So if you're just going on a stroll through town during the day, or evening, the sea walk is a great addition! Much nicer views than walking adjacent to the grocery store, and lots to explore as well!
August 04, 2012 | Tips from Us >
Haida Gwaii/Queen Charlotte Islands, Science, Nature or Animals
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What a gorgeous day here on Haida Gwaii!
Many locals are taking advantag of the sun and are headed to the beach for some swimming. Others, such as my friend Sarah and I, decided to stick close to home. We grabbed an ice cream and headed for Spirit Square, located in downtown Queen Charlotte City.
Spirit Square is newly built, and is a place to hangout on a sunny day for both tourists and locals! It's located right next to the QC Visitor Centre if you need washrooms or questions answered! There are giant concrete slabs that you can lounge on, picnic tables for lunch with your family, and a gazebo where there are performances during special events! Even the water fountain has an area that fills up for water for your pet! Don't forget to stay hydrated in the summer heat!
As we tanned in our shorts on the concrete slabs, lots of people passed by us to walk with their families or pets through the small garden. It's a very central area, with a great view of the ocean. When we finished our ice cream cones, we climbed down the rocks to the beach infront and put our feet in the water. If it wasn't so central, we probably would have swam around! The best beaches for that are located outside of Queen Charlotte City and Skidegate, however, so we saved it for another day!
The beautiful garden and awesome view of the ocean will make for a great spot to head to if you're munching on treats like us, or if you're looking for a lunch venue! I had a caesar salad with prawns from Howler's Bistro today as well and mmmmm! Grab one of those and head to Spirit Square's picnic tables!