Gwaii Haanas

We are off to Gwaii Haanas this year. We've done our orientation in Vancouver and have our permit in place for a broad period, which should cover any weather/boat issues that might come up. I've talked to a couple of people offline and have a fairly good idea about anchorages, but if anyone has any advice or anchorages they'd like to share, please go ahead.

We though we'd cross to Skidegate Inlet from the NW corner of Banks Island as that is the shortest route, but may cross further south if a good weather window is available.

My first summer job after grade 10 was building trails in Naikoon Park in 1976. My only advice would be to slow down & move slowly so it has time to seep into your consciousness, on both water and ashore. There still be powerful Spirits on Haida Gwaii...

I lived in Masset for awhile and we went for a visit on the ferry in 03.
Never been so of QCC so I don't know about the park. It was'nt a park when I lived there.

You could go throgh the pass and out to the ocean and up the west coast of Graham Is. By Langura Is. and on to Masset. Just before Masset is Whiah Point where the fishermen hide from the weather.
After Masset give Rose Spit a very wide margin. 10' tidal overfalls. I gave it 5 miles and still there were boils.

While you're in QCC rent a car and drive to Masset and east to the North Beach. There is nothing like it anywhere in the world.

Murray I walked some of those trails.

Nomad Willy said:

I lived in Masset for awhile and we went for a visit on the ferry in 03.
Never been so of QCC so I don't know about the park. It was'nt a park when I lived there.

You could go throgh the pass and out to the ocean and up the west coast of Graham Is. By Langura Is. and on to Masset. Just before Masset is Whiah Point where the fishermen hide from the weather.
After Masset give Rose Spit a very wide margin. 10' tidal overfalls. I gave it 5 miles and still there were boils.

While you're in QCC rent a car and drive to Masset and east to the North Beach. There is nothing like it anywhere in the world.

Murray I walked some of those trails.

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Thanks guys. We took the ferry there in 2011 and spent a week on North Beach. Razor Clams! Wonderful! We went to a "pole raising" for a new chief (Sidney Crosby) in Skidegate. So...yes, we will take put time down south. SGang Gwaay has been a place I've wanted to see for many years.

In 1979, I was on a dragger for 2 weeks in Dixon Entrance in January. I have a lot of respect for Rose Spit!

I did this trip in 2016. We crossed from Spicer Island to Skidegate. Hecate Strait is challenging but doable in a good weather window. Heading south: Anna Inlet and Echo Harbour are great anchorages. We waited out a westerly in Hutton, not recommended as the wind funnels through over the mountain. Anthony Island (known as ... Ninstints (SGang Gwaay llnagaay), is not to be missed! Anchor on the north side in calm conditions.

We crossed through Skidegate channel at high tide - lots of current flowing east to west. On the west side there are several sheltered spots - Kano Inlet to Givenchy is very protected. Rennel to Clapp Basin is protected but a long way in. Seal and Nesto behind Hippa Island are also pretty good. There is a fishing lodge in Nesto which is noisy but they let you get e-mail off their WiFi.

Gwaii Haanas is a special place and we will go back.

Ross

Thanks Ross. That Spicer Anchorage is supposed to be nice. I was thinking of leaving from Larson Hbr, at the Top of Banks Island but it is a little more exposed. The downside of Spicer is it adds another hour is so to the trip. Maybe reposition the night before to Griffith or Larson the afternoon before a good weather window.

Thanks for the anchorages. Looking forward to SGang Gwaay. When you were on the west side, were you beating NW? We may spend a week in Englefield Bay as a friend will be guiding there, and we can link up with him on his week off.

We were lucky to have a relatively calm period on the west side. Just the big rollers coming in from the west and very little wind. There are many places to hide if it starts to blow from the NW or SE. You just need lots of time to wait it out. It is not a place to keep to a schedule. The scenery, fishing and crabbing are so spectacular that it is worth the journey.


Ross