Sacred Land of the Kitlope

For years we have been trying to sail into the Kitlope. This year on our way north we did.

Next to Haida Gwaii, protection of the Kitlope has been the most important good news story for First Nations people and environmentalists. It is the setting for Monkey Beach, a wonderful novel by Enid Robinson, native of Kitamaat. And we have heard so many stories of its awesome beauty and remoteness.

We picked up friend Doug from the ferry at Bella Bella and continued up the coast into Gardiner Channel. We saw one other sailboat in the first half of the trip into the Kitlope, and no other boats after the Europa Hot Springs.

Doug soaks in warmth and beauty

Hot pools over the ocean

Although the Europa hot springs are probably the most famous on the north coast, very few actually visit them. This whole area is quite out of the way. Remote.

Mountains to sea

Sailboat dwarfed

Hanging blue glacier

sunset on mountaintops

Here the snow came right down to the beach in late May

So we dinghy-ed over to get some snow

for delicious snow cones aboard.

This trip was a delight for us. We remarked often of our sense of peace and connection to nature, beauty and wholeness. We enjoyed each others' company in work, play and solitude.

One of the reasons for our blissful experience was the absence of logging scars. The Kitlope Valley is the world's largest undisturbed coastal temperate rainforest. In 1994, 317,000 hectares were set aside to protect the area. The Haisla people were responsible for the research, planning and lobbying that brought about this decision. The work goes on, to continue protection of this priceless treasure.

We enjoyed wonderful wildlife and the local food.

Grizzly in Owyacumish Bay

Well-fed black bear eating sedges in Chief Matthews Bay.

Barn swallows have a rest on La Sonrisa

seagull pair

The nest with egg they are watching

Beaver’s work - Kitlope River estuary

Lucky for us, crab and prawns are Dougs favourite foods!

This almost 9" crab has Doug's name on it.

Crab lunch stop

Spot prawns above, coon stripe shrimp below

Shrimp sandwich

Kemano Bay

This is the site of the shore facilities for the Kemano Power Station, a major engineering feat, but environmentally questionable. The Nechako River and major lakes were dammed and tunneled through the Coast Range mountains to drive pelton wheel power generators deep inside the mountain.

Here is the site in it's setting in Kemano Bay.

In the early 1990's, when word got out about planned expansion of this project, public opposition mounted until the provincial government withheld approval and work was stopped.

Here is what you first see as you approach Kemano Bay.

The beauty and peace of the area includes a very light human presence. The First Nations sites show the respectful presence of the Haisla people on their land.

First Nations watch cabin in the green waters by Europa hot springs

Owyacumish Bay cabin. A large grizzly was at home here.

First Nations summer salmon camp on peninsula in Kemano Bay

Abalone eyes - pole guarding First Nations site at head of the sacred Kitlope waters

Kawesas lodge - Kitlope River estuary

After we left the Kitlope we discovered that there had been a major feast on May 29. The Solidarity Gathering of Nations was hosted by the Haisla and Gitga'at Nations in Kitamaat Village. A friend who attended found it to be "the most generous, gracious feast I ever attended." Wonderful traditional foods, music and drumming. All coastal nations were present and re-affirmed the commitment to stop the Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline.

Here are links to find out more:

http://s2sca.blogspot.com/2010/05/feast-hosted-by-haisla-gitgaat-at.html

http://wcel.org/resources/environmental-law-alert/gathering-nations-kitamaat-against-pipelines-and-oil-tankers

http://dogwoodinitiative.org/blog/coastal-first-nations-declare-ban-on-tankers

Orcas greet us as we leave Douglas Channel

The People of the Salmon

Gabriola Island welcomes Walk for Wild Salmon

Our experience of the Salmon are Sacred walk has been heartening and fun. We’ve had time on the water, and on land, with others who share our longing for harmonious relations with all creation. We are so thankful to Alexandra Morton for bringing us all together.

Alex, dog Ahta and walkers arrive on Gabriola ferry

Here is a letter from Alex we would like to share:

Message from Alexandra Morton - May 3, 2010
Walking through the communities of Vancouver Island on the Get Out Migration has been a powerfully emotional experience. We are walking to tell people that if they simply stand up and make themselves visible to government, there is no reason we have to lose our wild salmon. But as we walk into towns with our flags flying, brilliant salmon signs, singing “we are walking to Victoria to save our fish,” an entirely unexpected thing is happening. People are coming up to me and holding me - crying. They are speaking about schools without children, independent livelihoods lost, communities dying. This is about much more than fish.

This is about the independent way of life that built these communities going extinct. As we walk I see a land of beautiful clear streams, fertile soil green with life, air sweet with flowers and then I enter towns so burdened by global corporate markets that they can no longer thrive on the richness of this land. There is something very wrong here, it is painful to witness and people are sad.

Somehow we have become blind to our public resource - millions of salmon flowing annually to our doorstep, feeding people and our economy province wide. We have somehow been convinced that Atlantic salmon, dyed pink, vaccinated, fed Chilean fish, in pens where we cannot catch them, infesting our fish with lice - are better. We believe there are jobs even as the Norwegian companies are mechanizing as fast as they can to reduce the number of jobs. When people see us they know we have been duped and they don’t know how to turn this around. The Get Out Migration has been protected, blessed, gifted and honored by the First Nations who know best what has been lost. Everyday more people are joining our trek - weathering storms in tents, waving at thousand honking motorists on the road to Victoria. Our ranks swell as we enter the towns, white doves have been released, First Nation canoes parallel us, songs have been written, feasts laid out, flotillas surround us, people are awakening.

Do we still live in a democracy? Our essential rights and freedoms are being lost as foreign shareholders decide our fate, what happens on our land, dividing our communities, in an equation where they get more as we get less. As our salmon go so we go, they are a lifeline to the powerful natural world that gave birth to us. We must lead our governments back to where we can survive. Walk with us. Be there for our salmon, our towns, our children for yourself. If you want to be represented you must represent yourself.

Alexandra Morton

Alexandra Morton at Agi Hall, Gabriola Island

For Elizabeth, joining the Gabriola welcome to Alex was an experience of community. A chance to face honestly the environmental challenge of our times, not alone, but with our brothers and sisters.

making signs for the walk for wild salmon

Silva Bay sendoff

Skipper Mark joins the flotilla


Alex and Ahta on Grail Dancer
Grail Dancer took walkers from Gabriola to Ladysmith.

Grail Dancer hoists its sails


Megan and daughter walked from Tofino to Victoria

Here is a letter from Megan:
Gabriola to Ladysmith - Warmth and Support, May 5, 2010 by Megan Adams

After a day spent with school children in Gabriola, on the water in beautiful old wooden boats and an inspiring evening presentation in Ladysmith, we are now all huddled around a fire in Duncan (we decided to camp down here, but will drive back to our starting point in Ladysmith tomorrow am).

Today, the most inspiring thing was watching how the Migration encourages independent thought and stewardship in communities - not just for salmon, but for each community's land and resources. Children in Gabriola were shouting 'Save our Salmon! Save our Streams! Save Our Trees!' as they followed a brass band. In Ladysmith, MLA Doug Routley gave a powerful welcoming to Alexandra, who both encouraged the crowd to remember our accountability to the land and the fact that we can protect it through our democratic processes.

Salmon are so beloved by communities all across this Island, across this Province. All we have to do is stand up and be counted for what we believe in - our wild fish coming first.

See you in Victoria,
Megan

La Sonrisa is sailing north, so, though we weren't able to be there, we were thrilled to hear from friends who were in Victoria with the many thousands of people who filled the lawn in front of Parliament on May 8. First Nations people gathered from all over the province, powerful drummers, people of all ages - lots of young people, a magnificent, uplifting time! It brings us hope to be in touch with our spirit community.

You can see video blogs of the Get Out Migration at www.salmonaresacred.org

We continue to sail with our "Salmon are Sacred" stays'l. The journey for wild salmon continues!

White shell beach at Matilpi

Matilpi: perhaps our favourite among the Broughton First Nation village sites. The spirit of the old ones is still here. Raven still guards the cockle beds (though she will share if you will), and black bear still has first pick of the salmon berries.

Cedar and maple stand together. Were they standing so
when the people were still eating clams and drying salmon?

La Sonrisa docked with Billy Proctor's Ocean Dawn

We sailed to Echo Bay and as always, visited Billy Proctor. Billy had just gotten back from Victoria, and was very enthusiastic. "That was the most people I've seen in my whole life!"He was happy about addressing the crowds gathered on Parliament lawn, encouraged to see so many young people and such commitment to wild salmon. Billy has fished all his life and knows every stream, and the salmon returning there, and all the local wildlife. He has taught so many of us about life on this coast.

Here is a link to a video made before the "Get Out" Migration began. Alex visits Billy, her friend and mentor.
http://vimeo.com/11129261

From Billy's dock you can see the salmon research station where much has been discovered about the damaging effects of sea lice from salmon farms .

Daughter Tamaya is delighted with treasures and history at Billy's museum.

This winter Billy built a replica hand-loggers shack out of one large log, using traditional tools and skills. Life on this coast can continue to be rich and abundant if we honour the elders, and all our sisters and brothers - the wild creatures.

Here is the latest update - a good news video from Alex: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vf1M-WGvfCg