September 05, 2009 | Tips from Us >
Telegraph Cove, Whale Watching
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The area off Northern Vancouver Island is well-known for it's whale population, and recently I visited the area for the first time to find out for myself.
Telegraph Cove is a picturesque village south of Port McNeill and this was our base for activities. In the morning we were meant to go kayaking, but with choppy waters we decided to forgo the paddle trip: instead, we soaked up the sun on the wooden boardwalk at Telegraph Cove waiting for our afternoon whalewatching tour with
Stubbs Island Whale Watching. Midmorning, our reverie was broken with the call of 'WHALE!' from the opposite deck. And just like that, three orca swam right past the opening of the tiny cove, as we stood watching from land. Later that afternoon onboard the boat, we spotted four more fin whales, second in size only to the blue whale.
I'd say that's a successful day of whale spotting.
September 02, 2009 | Tips from Travellers >
Alert Bay, Historic & Heritage Sites
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British Columbia's coastline is dotted with many remarkable communities, many accessibly only by boat or seaplane. These communities, in turn, are home to remarkable people and stories. One such place is Alert Bay, home to the 'Namg is First Nation.
In the mid-1980s, the 'Namg is built the Umista Cultural Centre to house dozens of ceremonial potlatch masks that were repatriated to the tribe after being confiscated in the 1920s. The cultural centre is provides visitors with an understanding of the masks, their artwork, and their place in coastal first-nations society, as well as an overview of the often painful story of BC's First Nations over the past two centuries. Today, the surrounding village of Alert Bay is a contemporary First Nations community, and it's picturesque location on Cormorant Island is an easy ferry-ride from Port McNeill. Alert Bay should certainly be included in the travel plans for anyone visiting Northern Vancouver Island, and the Umista Cultural centre is a gem of the Pacific Northwest.