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Beachcombing |
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Area Data:
The Queen Charlotte Islands are located in
north-western British Columbia, about 130
kilometres from the mainland. Commonly referred
to as Canada’s Galapagos, the Queen Charlottes
consist of two large main islands, Graham Island
to the North, and Moresby Island to the South
and over 1500 surrounding smaller islands.
The total land area of the
Queen Charlotte Islands
is approximately 3,840 square miles; 156 miles
(250 km) from north to south. |
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Climate is mild for most of the year,
due to the Pacific Ocean’s currents. The
average annual temperature is about 8
degrees Celsius (46 F), and,
surprisingly, winter temperatures are
actually higher than that of inland
B.C. Before bringing your shorts in
February, though, keep in mind that cool
misty weather can occur without much
notice, and you should be prepared for
that. |
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This is a rainforest, so expect some
rain- but not as much as you might think. The
Queen Charlotte Islands gets the same annual
rainfall as Vancouver. |
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Access:
Most access these islands by BC Ferries, which
depart from Prince Rupert and land at Skidegate.
This trip lasts approximately six hours or is an
overnight trip. Air service is also available
with daily flights on Air
Canada
to Sandspit (on Moresby Island) from Vancouver.
There is also air service from
Vancouver
to Masset with
Pacific
Coastal Airlines.
North Pacific
Seaplanes
offers air service from
Prince Rupert
to Masset. |
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Once on the island, rental cars are available in
the major centers, although keep in mind that
the paved highway runs from Sandspit on Moresby
Island to Masset and Old Masset at the northern
end of Graham, running through the major centers.
Moresby Island only has 35 minutes of paved
road. There are quite a few gravel roads, which
are just as good as pavement. However, many are
still active logging roads, so check with the
local visitors’ center to make sure the roads
are not being used. |
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Major Cities:
With a population of only 6,000, the Queen
Charlotte Islands remain in its unspoiled,
natural state. This is reflective in the
resource-based economy of the Islands, with
logging, commercial fishing, mining, and
tourism forming its backbone.
Major centers on the Islands include: |
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B.C. Ferry Service |
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Masset:
The northernmost community. You will find
the Delkatla Wildlife Sanctuary, and the
Dixon Entrance Maritime Museum. Also located
here is the largest log barge in the world,
Haida Monarch, which can transport 15,000
tons of logs , the equivalent of 400
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logging
trucks! This is the entrance to Naikoon
Provincial Park, home to provincial camping
sites, Rose Spit’s Ecological Reserve, and Niho
Land & Cattle Company’s Dixon Estates.
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The Village of
Queen Charlotte:
The first registered town site on the Islands,
and the newest incorporated city in British
Columbia.
Queen Charlotte is the administrative
centre, and you will find all services located
here, including provincial and federal
government offices, the RCMP station, hospital,
banking, groceries, and fishing and hunting
licenses. You can also make arrangements to
visit Gwaii Haanas Federal Park at the Visitor
Information Center here. View the heritage
buildings lining the main street, and shop in
the speciality stores. |
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Sandspit:
The only formal settlement on Moresby Island,
and is the entranceway to Gwaii Haanas Federal
Park. The original airport to the Queen
Charlottes is located here, and a 18 hole golf
course, Willow Camp. |
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Port Clements:
The first incorporated town on the Queen
Charlotte Islands and the supply center for the
Sitka Spruce logging for military aircraft
during World War I. Visit Port Clements’s Museum
for a look at pioneer life, and historical
buildings allow visitors to temporarily step
back in time. Also located here was the famous
Golden Spruce, until an insane vandal cut the
tree down in 1997. |
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Tlell:
The home to the island arts community. The Tlell
River is famous for its salmon fishing and sandy
beaches. Nearby is St. Mary’s Spring. Island
legend says that if you drink from the spring,
you will return to the islands in the future. |
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Festivals:
The Queen Charlotte Islands also play host to
several major festivals in the area. These
include:
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Harbour Days in Masset (May long weekend)
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Logger Days in Sandspit in late June and July
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Canada Day in Port Clements is spread out over
several days, including a ball tournament
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Skidegate Days in late July
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The Edge of the World Music Festival,
celebrating its 11th anniversary
this year, has become one of the most sought
after performance stages for performers on the
international scene. This is always held in
the second week of July in Tlell
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Tlell Fall Fair on B.C. Day weekend in August,
traditionally British Columbia’s earliest fall
fair.
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The Coho Salmon Derby is held in late
September around Sandspit, to coincide with
the return of the Coho salmon to the area.
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Deer in the Wild |
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Recreation:
On
the Queen Charlottes, you can find world
class salmon, halibut, and steelhead
fishing in the numerous freshwater
streams and abundant Pacific Ocean.
Salmon fishing is plentiful in the
spring and summer months, as millions of
fish pass through the area’s waters to
feed and to journey back to the spawning
streams. The fall season has the focus
shift to the famous fly-fishing on the
Tlell, Copper, and Takoun Rivers for
Coho salmon. In winter, steelhead
fishing challenges the avid fisherman
with their agility and ability to slip
past the nets and lines.
The numerous parks provide hiking
opportunities throughout the islands,
along the rocky coast and though the
untouched countryside.
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Four
trails run through Naikoon Provincial Park,
ranging from a couple of hours to several days.
You can hike up the steep Sleeping Beauty trail
up Mount Genevieve to look over Queen Charlotte
City and admire the
Newcombe's Daisy, a flower only found on the
Islands.
On Moresby, there are trails for the more
experienced hikers, with day hikes to Sandy
Cove, or the multi-day hike to the abandoned
village of Cumshewa. |
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For ocean kayakers, the opportunities range from
those suited to the beginner in the protected
waters of Skidgate, Masset, or Juskatla inlet by
Port Clements. The Islands are also famous for
its more advanced waters, challenging even the
most experienced paddler. The most popular trips
begin in Sandspit and travel into the Federal
Gwaii Haanas Park (please note- reservations
must be made in advance to enter Gwaii Haanas.
Check with the Federal Office in Sandspit). |
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Wilderness adventure opportunities abound, with
camping in both maintained camps and former
Forest Service campsites available on both
Graham Island and Moresby Island. Naikoon
Provincial Park offers two campsites, Agate
Beach campground at the north, and Misty Meadows
at the south. Moresby Island offers several
former Forest Services campsites as well as Gray
Bay Campground near Sandspit. |
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The Queen Charlotte Islands is a diving
paradise. Shore dives are possible from anywhere
along the coastal road, and a small boat will
give divers access to many great dive sites in
relatively sheltered west coast conditions. Ask
for information in Queen Charlotte about
the best dive sites in Rennell Sound. |
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Crabbing along North Beach is available for
most of the year. One of the best places to
take your family crabbing is the Tow Hill
region. Some of the best dinners in the
world can be found just meters from your
campground, so make sure you take along a
strong net and a bucket to put your crabs
in! |
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Boating at Masset |
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Beachcombing is excellent, with stories
about the wonderful and sometimes wacky
things found multiplying every year. While
the most common find tends to be the glass
floats used on Japanese fishing nets,
recently passing freighters have caused
things like hockey pads and Nike shoes to be
washed up on shore. Along North Beach,
treasures like sperm whale teeth, agate
gemstones, sand dollars, and scallop and
razor clam shells are taken home as
souvenirs of a wonderful visit. |
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Biking is becoming extremely popular on the
Islands, as more and more visitors are finding
that the communities are located far enough for
a good workout, but not so far to be completely
exhausting. The traffic is extremely light,
there aren’t too many hills, and biking provides
you with the opportunity to immerse yourself in
the breathtaking scenery at a slower pace.
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Environment:
Having escaped the Ice Age, the Queen Charlottes
offer a unique and diverse landscape, unlike
anywhere else in North America. Some of the
largest trees in the world are located in the
lush temperate coastal rainforests, including
Sitka
spruce, western hemlock, giant red cedar and
yellow cypress. |
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North Beach |
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Wildlife viewing is perfect throughout
the island.
The
Islands also play
host to hundreds of species, many of
them endangered and not found outside
the area, such as the world’s largest
black bear.
Deer abound
in these islands and on an evening drive
seeing 30 deer is a common occurrence.
The
Islands are a bird watchers paradise-
one quarter of Canada’s Pacific Coast
population breed on these islands.
Species to be found here include storm
petrels, auklets, tuffed puffins,
ancient murrelets, and peregrine
falcons. In addition, Steller sea lions,
grey whales, orcas, and seals cruise the
coast during the late spring and summer.
Pristine
sandy beaches stretch as far as the eye
can see, and snow capped mountains soar
in the distance. |
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Provincial and Federal Parks: |
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Much of the Queen Charlottes are protected with
parkland. |
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The Gwaii Haanas is a large Federal Park located
in the South Moresby region. There are no roads
in this park and access is by boat and chartered
floatplane only. Visitors must make reservations
with the Gwaii Haanas park office, and undergo a
mandatory orientation session. The Gwaii Haanas
is full of wildlife and plant life not found
anywhere else- including the rest of the Queen
Charlottes. In addition, Anthony Island, a
UNESCO world cultural heritage site, is located
within this park. This park was recently named
the best National Park in North America by
National Geographic Magazine.
Panelists were impressed with Gwaii Haanas'
"high cultural integrity" and called it "A great
model for other regions." To read the article,
click here. |
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Naikoon Provincial Park is located in the
North Graham Island region. This is more
accessible than Gwaii Haanas, with two
provincial campgrounds that are open during
the camping season. Naikoon offers multiple
hiking trails that range from the easy hour
trail to the multi-day, wilderness camping
trails, crabbing opportunities, and the
breathtaking ocean views on beautiful
beaches that seem to go on forever.
Rose Spit and the
Tlell beach, in particular, is an excellent
spot for observing migrating birds traveling
south on the Pacific Flyway.
Niho Land &
Cattle Company Ltd. purchased several very
rare private acreages located inside the
pristine
Naikoon Park over 20 years ago and is now
developing some of this select parkland
property into large residential oceanfront
lots. |
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Golf Course at Masset |
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The Queen
Charlotte Islands truly fit the description of Gwaii
Haanas, the "islands of beauty" or
"islands of wonder". |
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Bibliography
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Guide to the
Queen Charlotte Islands Haida Gwaii- Observer
Publishing, 2004
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http://www.bcadventure.com/adventure/explore/north/points_of_interest/norpoi8.htm
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http://www.qcinfo.ca/
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http://www.britishcolumbia.com/regions/towns/?townID=3661 |
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