My third year as a guest with Northern Lights Expeditions. I can’t believe it. Just three years ago I had never been on the ocean, let alone in a kayak. Growing up I canoed on lakes, but never kayaked. I never could have imagined how much I would enjoy it. There is a connection you make with nature when you are paddling a kayak, and the Johnstone Strait region on Northern Vancouver Island is so beautiful that I just had to keep coming back. Last year I went by myself and met so many interesting people, but this year is special because my mom and brother are going with me again, along with two friends we made on our first trip with Northern Lights. Already living in the Pacific Northwest gives us an advantage over most of our kayaking companions. Sound Flight is only a hour from home and our flight leaves at 4:00pm on August 5th. I am happy about this because it gives me some time to sleep. I was up too late last night doing last minute packing and cleaning. We arrive in Renton at Sound Flight and have our bags weighed. Nearly everyone is overweight, no pun intended. I try to figure out what I have in my bag that I could have left at home and the only thing that I come up with are my whale identification books, and some photography equipment. I don’t want to leave either behind so I pay for the extra baggage and head across the street to get coffee before we leave. When my family and I get back with our coffee the plane is loaded, in the water, and ready to go, so we pile in the van and head towards the water. This is the first time any of us has been in a plane this small. Another new experience. In the past I have always driven to Port McNeil, since we are only about 10 – 14 hours away driving, but taking a plane seemed so much faster and stress free. The van approaches the dock and I see our plane, and it looks so small! I am told by other passengers, also going on Northern Lights trips but not our trip, that sea planes have very smooth take offs and landings, but I am trying to figure out how all of us are going to fit with all our luggage and still manage to get off the water and land on the water and not IN the water. We load into the plane, and go through the safety drill, exits, flotation devices, seat belts, and paddles? This one is new to me, but made sense. The plane taxis out onto the lake watching for boats, and other watercraft, and makes its way to take off. At this point the plane isn’t too noisy, but as soon as the pilot starts to accelerate I reach for my headphones. During the flight the only conversation to be heard is that of the flight towers. We land in Naniamo for customs, fuel, and to stretch our legs. The landing is surprisingly smooth, better than some of the jetliners I have been on, and the view of the water with our shadow is such a beautiful site. It’s a quick stop but I know we are more than half way there. When we hit Johnstone Strait we head into a bank of clouds, so the pilot circles to bring us under the cloud cover and closer to the water so we can see the wildlife, especially the big blackfish, which are spotted below us shortly after we get under the clouds. We haven’t even got in the kayaks yet and we already spot Orcas! This is definitely a good sign. As we land in Pt. Mcneill it is just as I left it. The marina, the inns, nothing appears to have changed. Such is the way with small communities I suppose. The luggage in the plane is unloaded and everyone begins to make their way to the HaidaWay Inn. My brother and I end up leading the crew as we know where it is. After checking in, we decide it is time to eat, besides the coffee we had on the flight up here, we haven’t eaten all day and it is almost 8:00pm. We decide on pizza and we walk down to Pizza Express & Subs by the marina. I hadn’t eaten here the past two years, but it sounds good. We order two pizzas because the sign says a large pizza is 14" and we think that sounds pretty small. We make our way back to our hotel room, and by the time we find something on the TV, the pizzas are delivered, and they weigh a ton. I have never had a pizza weigh so much, they are probably a good 5lbs a piece. I opened the box and my mouth nearly hit the floor, not only did they weigh a lot, they had a ton of toppings and smelled divine! My mom, brother and I dig in, but for a family who can usually demolish two large pizzas from the regular pizza joint, I could just barely eat two pieces, but I had to try a piece from each kind! After stuffing ourselves with pizza, we decide that it has been a long day and it is time for bed, tomorrow we plan on going to Alert Bay to do the tourist thing, as we are after all, tourists. Alert Bay August 6, 2000 I sleep in after our day of travel which is nice, because that is what I normally do on the weekend. We all finally get up and start moving and trying to find out when and where we are going. We end up taking the 1:45 ferry to Alert Bay. On our way we see a momma bear with two bear cubs, but they are too far away to take pictures of, so in two days, I have already seen orcas and bear. If it weren’t for the kayaking I could go home! The ferry lands and we decide to walk to the walk to the U’mista Cultural Center, we could see it when the ferry came in, so it wasn’t too far. The center is very well done, the informational video and photos are moving, but it is the Potlatch Collection of masks and other artifacts that are chilling. You can feel the energy, pain and loss through the empty eyes of the masks. There is so much to learn here, and it is so tempting not to reach out and touch the masks. After our time at the center we stop in and talk to one of the local carvers, he is very interested and when my mom makes the comment of, "I don’t think I have the patience or talent to do anything like that." He responds with saying, "Neither did I until I tried." What great advice. We leave the center and walk to the Worlds Largest Totem and the Big House that sits just behind it. The totem was finished and erected in 1972, while the Big House is actually a replacement, the original burned in a fire in 1997, and the new one just opened last year in May of 1999. While both are impressive I didn’t find them to carry as much power and history as the items in the cultural center. The walk back down the hill doesn’t seem as long as the walk up the hill, and we stroll back towards the ferry dock along the waterfront. There is a group of men that are carving out a cedar canoe. It is a very powerful sight, a cedar log being hollowed out with an axe with native music being sung in the background, and just beyond is the view of the bay. I walked to the burial ground that is past ferry dock, but I don’t have much time because we have to get the next ferry in 30 minutes so we can make it to our trip meeting on time, and we still have to eat dinner. The walk to the burial ground is shorter than the map made it appear. I get there with plenty of time to view these amazing totems. I am not allowed to enter, but stand on the sidewalk viewing the totems on the hill as they face the the ocean that is just on the other side of the road. The wind is blowing in off the water, and I get goose bumps, but I am uncertain whether it is from the wind or the totems. We take the ferry back and relax. It has been a long day, and we still have the trip meeting, and have to pack everything into our dry sacks, PLUS get up early, early tomorrow morning to leave. The hotel room is actually inviting, and it feels good to lay down, but it was no more than 5 minutes and Jen and Mel our friends from our first trip knock on our door. You would think we were 5 years old. Screaming and shouting, just shy of jumping up and down, we greet each other with hugs. It has been too long. We meet their little sister Melissa. They brought her along this year to be ‘inducted into the kayak cult’ as Jen so eloquently puts it. I think it is great to see families get together to do adventuresome travel like this. Well we are off to grab a quick bite to eat, and then to the meeting, so we say our goodbyes for an hour, after all we are going to see them ALL week long. The lobby is eerily quiet for having so many people in it. I meet our first guide, Steve. I met a couple other people who are trickling in, but was mainly talking to Jen. The group is still missing four members, but we head down to the meeting room anyhow. There it is. The infamous circle of chairs. This group doesn’t seem too shy and we have no trouble finding seats and sitting next to these strangers who would soon become close friends. Our head guide Alice introduces herself, and then the group goes around and tells where they are from. The group thus far is…Ann (mom), Cory (bro), Casey (me), from WA; Jen, Mel, Melissa from MN; Amy and Joel (the newlyweds, they got married yesterday) from CO; Lori, Mike from NJ; and our guides, Alice and Steve. Our third guide we will meet in the morning, and the other four members of our group, are still missing in action, but I am sure they will be there tomorrow as well. Steve goes over the ritual stuffing of the sleeping bag. Remember, you aren’t doing it right unless you break a sweat and cry, "AIR IS THE ENEMY" at least once. Next is the life jackets, remember, it shouldn’t float higher than you do, and the whistle is for emergencies only. Following that is the ever so stylish rain gear and rubber boots. This being my third trip, I wonder if I will wear them more than once this year, probably not, I have a feeling we will have good weather, but you never know. So after Steve’s fashion show and demonstration time (complete with mismatched socks), there is a mad scramble to gather a set of dry sacks, boots, rain gear, fishing licenses, and everyone disappears to go pack. We have to meet in the lobby at 7:00am tomorrow, so it will be a bright and early morning. With the three of us sharing a room and all trying to shower, finalize packing, get our gear that is staying at the hotel to storage, it is going to be early. My packing goes by in no time, most of my stuff was already in zip-locks, sorted, rolled and ready to be stuffed into a sack. Plus I don’t have to stuff my sleeping bag into the garbage sack because my stuff sack is also a dry sack and a compression sack. Very handy when kayaking! Well with everything ready to go in the morning, there isn’t much to do, but I have so much energy it is hard to sleep. I keep thinking of how fabulous the trip is going to be. Day 1 August 7, 2000 Early mornings are hard for me, usually. This morning, I am a little groggy and craving a white chocolate mocha, but otherwise I am in good sprits. I am on vacation! I don’t have to think about email, phones ringing, board meetings, deadlines, waking up at 6:00am to get to work by 8:30 and driving 100 miles round trip to get there, all I have to worry about is getting everything to the lobby by 7:00am, and my guides will take care of the rest. That is one of the most relaxing things. I don”t have to worry about time, in fact I am leaving my watch at the hotel. I am on a different clock now, mother nature’s! The clock says 6:45, but everyone is there in the lobby. No one seems too nervous, as there is a good number of us who have traveled with Northern Lights before. I get to meet the missing four. The are Jack and Carol from AZ; and Lee and Dan from WA. It is the first time that I have been on a trip with someone else from WA. Usually the majority of the folks tend to be from the eastern half of the U.S. After loading the NL van we head to the dock to load everything into the water taxi, which will take us to our new home for the next couple of days. The loading of the water taxies went surprisingly fast compared to years past, but I am not sure of why. The morning is clear and we can see the scenery go by, this too is a first, the past two years it has been foggy pea-soup the first morning. It looks like the weather is turning for the better and I see bright blue sky as we make our way towards White Beach. I stayed here last year too, but every year is different because the people always change, so I don’t mind. The beach hasn’t changed much, of course the trees have grown, some are gone because of the winter, but overall, it hasn’t changed much. The shore is steep and covered in midden, thousands upon thousands of broken shells. This was once a summer home for first nation’s people and they would discard everything on the beach. Alice tells us that every foot of midden represents a thousand years. As I walk through the forest I can see midden underneath the soft layer of decomposing forest. We get the camp tour provided to us by Jesse, guide number 3. Campsites, the honey moon suite, the BIFF (bathroom in fabulous forest), our back yard beach (no wind), the kitchen, etc. Everyone’s two biggest questions when I get back are 1. Aren’t you afraid of being tipped over and eaten by an orca? and 2. What about the bathroom? Well to answer the first question, orcas are not violent as they have been made out to be, and resident orcas, the ones that are regularly seen in this area, don’t eat mammals, the main staple in their diet is salmon. As long as you try to make yourself an easy target to miss, in other words, when you are in their path, stay still so they can see you, they will go right pass without a second notice. To answer the second question. Northern Lights has a policy of minimal impact on the environment that they travel in. There are BIFFs set up in each camp, which are a platform with a real toilet on top, (but no plumbing). No there are no walls surrounding it, but there are privacy screens (blue tarps), and other measures to let people know that there is someone up there, so it isn’t a big deal. Well after the camp tour, everyone again shuffles gear to tents, relocates tents to other areas, and finds gear that is "missing". It all turns up, you would be amazed how many sleeping bags look alike. During this we have a wonderful breakfast of muffins, fruit salad, and yogurt. Once the shuffling has minimized, we meet on the beach for our first paddle. The guides take us through basic paddling strokes, rescue techniques, not that we will need them, and some other basic information about the kayaks, cockpits, hatches, bow, stern, steering, foot pegs, etc. Finally, it is time to get out on the water. It is so refreshing to be back out here. The wind, sound of the waves against the shore, the wildlife around you, and the smooth sound a kayak makes as it glides through the water. The group is full of confident, strong paddles, which makes it easier to explore the other islands around Compton Island where White Beach is. Our first trip out we visit Mound Island for lunch of Smoked Salmon and bagels, and on our way back we stop at the now deserted fish farm. Last year it was still in operation, but now all that is left are the pens surrounded by yellow buoys and the green shed that once housed the feed for the thousands of Atlantic Salmon who were raised here in the Pacific Ocean. We paddle back toward camp and to rest. We are all sleepy from our travels, waking up so early this morning, and now paddling. What a completely contented feeling. Dinner is early and is Lasagna, and Greek Cosmopolitan Salad. Yummy! Even if there is no meat. Everyone is on the beach trying to capture the last rays of sunlight, but the wind is picking up and is making everyone a little chilly. We head to the back yard beach, where there is no wind and have dessert of baked wontons, I am not sure what is inside, but it’s good. We play a game called Mad Gab which is not what you see but what you hear. The card might say, "Priest Heard," but what your team is trying to guess is ”Pre-stirred”. It’s hilarious, and the group seems to come together a little as we learn a little bit about each other. The day concluded with a rousing game of, ”can you hit that rock out there”, that turned into a barrage of flying pebbles. I guess we are all a little tired. At days end we had our first paddle, seen several bald eagles, Dall’s porpoise, and a seal. What an incredible first day. Day 2 August 8, 2000 We wake early again today, but it’s ok, we are going to Village Island to visit Memquimlis, an abandoned native village. I have seen the village on my last two trips, but it is one of my favorite parts of the trip. It’s the history behind the dilapidated Victorian houses near the shore, the decomposing totems that rest on the ground, only shadows of their original grandeur, the way that the last standing big house frame frames the little islands out in front of the village, the extensive midden beach that contains a vast number of shells, portions of old china, trading beads. There is just so much history and culture here, so much to learn. So after our breakfast of Red River Cereal we set off. We paddle to the village via a route that I haven’t gone before. Along the way we see more Dall’s Porpoise and a mink playing on the rocks of a nearby island. As we go we weave our way between islands trying to avoid the current and wind as much as possible. Rounding the corner into the bay of the village I can tell much has changed since last year. The brush has overgrown some of the structures, one of the Victorian houses has given away and toppled to the ground. But still it holds a great powerful feeling of the generations who lived here, worked here, died here, and left here. After exploring, seeing the totems, (one of which was standing the last time Jack and Carol were here), picking huckleberries from a bush growing out of one of the cedar posts of the big-house frame, we all relax on the grass, looking out over the water, absorbing the sun. Lunch at the island is open-faced Italian Veggie sandwiches, while Steve gives a short map lesson. We leave and head back to camp. The paddle back is a little harder as the wind has picked up a bit, but everyone is still feeling pretty good, and we make excellent time back to camp. Several of us take the first swim of the week. The sun is shining, but the water isn’t warm. It is FAR from warm, but it’s refreshing. Our dinner of the evening is Mexican Burritos with Jalapeno Cornbread. It is delicious. There is always so much food, and it is so very very good. The first year I read the brochure and it said, ”Gourmet Meals”, but it is still camping and I really expected chili out of a can, hotdogs, and the like. I have never eaten so well camping. If you are looking for a trip to take for weight loss this is not the trip for you. Enough can not be said about the food and food preparation. As we are on our beach, with no other sounds of civilization we watch the sun set, turning the sky a rosy shade of pink as it sinks behind the point with the Dr. Suess tree, Jen spots Orcas off in the distance, their spouts showing as they surface. After dinner we head to the back beach again for a fire, again a first on one of my trips, the past two years there has been a burning ban. Even though the fire is small, the light alone makes you warm, and it casts a golden glow on my new friends faces as they toast marshmallows for ”Smooshies” (S’mores). Alice has the camp guitar out and is strumming songs quietly as we all gaze at the fire…again content. As people one by one slip away from the fire, it is for a restful slumber in anticipation of a more relaxed day tomorrow. Day 3 August 9, 2000 We woke later today, but after the long paddle yesterday it is still a little hard to get going. Today is going to be a more relaxed day with a short paddle in the morning, and maybe a hike to the other side of the island in the afternoon. Our breakfast this morning is Tasmanian Toast, my favorite breakfast. It is French Toast with cream cheese in the middle, with real Canadian maple syrup on top. So yummy, of course when I make it at home it doesn”t taste as good, it is much better when someone else makes it. We set off on our trip west around Compton Island towards Flower Island. The wind is blowing pretty good so it is pretty slow moving, the wind always seems to be blowing against us, never with us, I am sure it is a nature conspiracy. We stop on Flower Island for a pit-stop and Steve and I hear over the radio that Orcas are heading east towards Hanson Island. They are heading right towards us! Everyone scrambles back into their kayaks and we head around the south side of Flower Island and as we rounded the corner not only do we encounter the strong head winds and whitecaps from the riptide, there were ORCAS!! The are headed away from us, crossing Blackfish Sound towards Hanson Island, but fairly close. They are the A30’s. I have to remember to mark them in my identification book. The electricity that everyone has is amazing. It is so hard not to squeal with delight. They are such amazing beings. After the sighting we head back along the back side of Compton Island and through some other smaller island to ignore the wind, and the water was calm and glassy. I am paddling with Steve and we spot an Eagle in a tree nearby, and then I lose my sunglasses. Thank goodness I have a spare pair back at camp. As we paddle around the islands Steve and I collect rock kelp on our spray skirts. The poor unsuspecting kayak with my brother and Mel in it are attacked shortly after. Too bad my aim isn’t what it should be, luckily neither is my brothers. We get back to camp and everyone pretty much hangs out on the beach in the sun. Again there are us brave souls who go for a dip, and that is exactly what it is, a short dip. But after getting out of the water and sitting in the sun it feels wonderful. The tan on my feet from my sandals is pretty funny though. Oh well. Eventually people start moving and we set off on our hike to a lookout point on the island and to North Beach, another NL camp. The hike to the lookout is not too steep, but steep enough to let me know that typing and kayaking are not cardiovascular activities. The view from the lookout, (the highest point on the island) is so pretty, you can see Flower Island where we saw the Orcas earlier and there is a cruise ship going past on it’s way to Seattle most likely. The first year I paddled with NL we stayed at North Beach, so Jen and I reminisce about where our tents were, and the fire pit where the mice came to get our crumbs and how used to people they were. Out on the point past the beach and below a big eagle’s nest are sedimentary rock with fossils in them. I don”t find any small enough to carry home, but they are very interesting to study. I find one huge rock with several fossil imprints in it. I try to break some of them off with another rock, but the smaller rock isn’t hard enough and just crumbles. We hike back to camp where Jesse and Steve are busy starting dinner. Later I hear laughter and as I pass the kitchen I catch our guides enjoying their kitchen duties with Boboli Hats on their heads. Just a reflection of their fun-loving attitudes! We have build your own pizzas and Caesar salad for dinner. Another yummy meal. That night on the back beach we have warm applesauce with gingersnap cookies for dessert and just enjoy the moment. It is a short evening as people go back to their tents in anticipation of crossing to our other camp, Shaker Cove on Hanson Island. Day 4 August 10, 2000 Well, today is crossing day. What does that mean? That means waking up early. We have to pack up the whole camp into our kayaks, tents, tarps, food, stoves, propane, personal gear, all of it. We have a quick breakfast of cereal and pack everything into the kayaks, remember you aren’t working hard enough unless you start to sweat and cry, "air is the enemy" at least once. Well with everything packed we head out across Blackfish Sound to Hanson Island. We stop at OrcaLab on Hanson Island and take a quick hike up to visit Grandmother Cedar. Such a beautiful old, and huge tree. Right now there is a ribbon tied around her that says, "Culturally Modified Tree" There is a proposal to log parts of Hanson Island. There are several cedar trees in the forest that had planks taken off of them by tribes of the area, and are defined as "culturally modified" and hopefully then, protected. Since this is OrcaLab’s home we don’t stay for lunch, but are going to paddle just down the island to a little bay for lunch. We pile into the kayaks and a barge appears around the corner, so we wait in the bay for the wake, bows pointed into the swells traveling towards us. This is going to be fun! My mom and I paddle up the wave, the bow of the kayak reaching the top, then splash! I come down the other side, with the bow disappearing under the water. The group’’s cheers and hollering lets me know everyone else thought it was just as fun. The wake doesn’t last very long though, and then it is on towards lunch. The bay we stop in for lunch is really windy, and everyone is crowding in a little sunny patch on the far end of the beach. Someone suggests a game of Forest Bocce Ball and we find that the forest is nice and calm, well that is until we invade sending bocce balls flying and disappearing down various holes in the decaying ground layer. After our lunch of Mexican Salad, we continue around Hanson Island and see Johnstone Strait. We hear a report of strong winds, but I am not expecting winds quite THIS strong. I think for every 5 strokes I took we move backwards a foot. The current was going with us, but the wind was much stronger, so not only do we have the wind we have riptide. Slow moving. We duck into a little cove along the way to rest out of the wind, and then slowly make our way to our new home, Shaker Cove. The beach here is small so only a few kayaks can go in at a time. It is a stone beach, and surrounded by trees and large rocks that form a little cliff jutting out into the water. The rocks are warm and there is no wind. It is blocked by another bay just past us, so unless you are out on the point washing dishes it is calm and warm. Again we have a camp tour, BIFF, kitchen, tent sites, beach, and…sauna. It isn’t functioning, but it is there, and I bet if someone is motivated enough it could become functional. After unloading the kayaks and setting up camp everyone lounges out on the rocks, they are the best heat conductors, and soon everyone becomes a rock lizard. Again, a dip is in order, and it feels that much better when you have such a warm spot waiting for you when you get out. Just lounging watching the clouds move across the sky, the moon rising over Mount Derby, and smelling our ever working guides cooking dinner in the kitchen. After our Potato Bar dinner, and peach cobbler dessert, everyone pretty much heads to bed early, especially since there is a chance of a night paddle to see the bioluminescence, but we have to wait until the moon goes down so it won’t be until midnight or later. Alice and Steve say they will wake everyone who wishes to go, and boy do I. It is an experience that is hard to describe. So off to bed I go. I hear the gentle rapping on my tent (just about where my head is), and wake up for the night paddle. While we are getting ready I hear that there were whales spotted off our point earlier in the night, but I didn’t hear the whale call, supposedly it wasn’t quiet, but I was just really asleep. It is completely dark, the moon is either behind the island or the clouds, it is hard to tell. The bioluminescence is bright and as the paddles glide through the water they make a rainbow of green sparkles. The ”lumies” put on a great show, I can even see them as the bow of a neighbor kayak passes by. The paddle is brief as we are all still groggy from the day and waking up in the middle of the night. We head back to the beach and to bed, in anticipation of seeing whales in the light tomorrow. Day 5 August 11, 2000 Our last full day at camp. It is sad to think that we will have to leave this place tomorrow. Everyone sleeps in a little today, especially after the late night we had last night. I finally wake to the grumbling of my stomach, and decide it is time for coffee and breakfast of Bear Mush (very similar to Cream of Wheat). It is perfect. Several people decide to stay in camp today and not kayak, but there is no way they are keeping me from the water. I only have today and half a day tomorrow to be on the water and I don’t want to waste it. Everyone going out is assembling on the beach, when Mel hears on the radio that there are whales headed our way…then, she spots them. We move so fast I think we set records. Just as we assemble in the bay, the whales are upon us. They are the most amazing creatures. They don’t pay any attention to us, they are too busy following the salmon. They are so close, and as they pass under us we can see the white eye and saddle patches. Incredible. The group is so full of excitement, I think the kayaks are almost floating above the water. I try to take a few photos, but I want the experience as well, and not necessarily through my camera lens. The folks who stayed in camp are all the way out on the point, and they are slowly being trapped there by the rising tide, but I don’t think they care, the wade back to shore will be worth it. As the orcas finally pass us, we all regroup and think about what an awesome experience that was. They were so close, right under us! Everyone is grinning from ear to ear. We continue on. Everyone is still talking about the experience. It really is beyond words. We hear that they were the A4 pod. Complete with the two little ones who were playing along our shore. We stop for lunch and while we are on the beach, our experience is still the topic of conversation. The five minute experience will be forever etched in our minds. Lunch is served by Jesse and Alice and is sushi. One of my favorite lunches, and who can resist wasabi? Bring it on! After our rest we head further down the coastline of Hanson Island, enjoying the beautiful scenery and the wonderful day. After a quick pit-stop initiated by me, (what can I say, the two bottles of water, and bottle of ice tea hit, and hit quick), we head back towards camp. On our way we are serenaded by two first nations men on a boat towing an odd boat that looks like a combination of a cedar war canoe and a junk. Jesse and Alice are talking about the fishing boats in the area. There must be salmon running because there are several of them close by. It’s too bad we don’t have any fishers in our group. The only people who have fishing licenses this week are the honeymooners and they are back in camp. Alice decides to call upon one of the fishing boats to see if we can make a trade for a salmon or two. We end up exchanging FIVE freshly caught salmon for our afternoon cookies and a dance provided by two members of our group who are standing on shore in their bikinis. A well made trade for all parties involved. Just as Alice and Jen are paddling away from the fishing boat, more Orcas were spotted! Within minutes they are surrounding us. They are porpoising, catching salmon, torpedoing Steve who has dashed across the rocks to get in the water, spy-hopping, tail slapping, playing in the kelp beds, and it doesn’t matter where we turn, there is a whale. We saw so many it was hard to tell if it was the same whale or yet another one. After 15 minutes or so they start to travel away and we head into the beach. I have never been so close to so many whales, it was incredible. Being on shore is no comparison to being in a kayak on the water with them. We hear that the A30’s are in the area, but we aren’t sure if this was them or not, those are the same whales we saw off of Flower Island earlier in the week. The evening is filled with energy from our encounters, but it is bittersweet because we all know we have to go home tomorrow. For dinner we are having pasta bar, and with all the trimmings, plus two of our salmon carefully seasoned and wrapped in kelp. We gave the other three to David (owner of NL) and the guests on the Spirit Bear. I just can’t believe how much I have eaten this week! After dinner Amy and Joel are presented with a honeymoon chocolate cake with chocolate fudge frosting, and it is still warm from the oven. Heavenly. The sun was setting, the shooting stars were out, the moon was almost full, and the day again…perfect. The three sisters decide to sleep out on the rocks to watch the shooting stars, but I know that if I did I wouldn’t sleep, and I don’t want to be a grump on our last day, or when we get back into town. As I say goodnight, I look out at the strait, seeing the lights of a cruise ship against the black outline of Vancouver Island with the moon casting a white reflection on the water, and I know that it will be at least two years before I see this scene again. Day 6 August 12, 2000 Well I wake up knowing I must leave this place, and regretting it, just as I have the past two years. I try not to wake up, if I don’t maybe they won’t make me go home, but the guides are busy cooking in the kitchen and need my order for my Huevos. Of course, I disappoint them, just cook them till they are DONE, with salt, pepper, and cheese. Sorry no Jalapenos this early in the morning. There are still clouds, but they are burning off quick. There isn’t much talk, people are busy taking down camp and packing up. We have an early pick up today, so we only have a chance for a short paddle, but a paddle none the less. All our gear is on the beach and we head out for our last paddle of the week. We don’t go very far, and are heading into the wind, but the paddle back was leisurely with the wind at our back. By the time we get back Steve is already gone, I feel bad for not saying good bye before he left, but I didn’t think he would be gone so soon. His birthday is Sunday, so I make plans to send a birthday card and small gift out to him with Jesse as they are guiding a trip together next week. The water taxi comes and gear is loaded, but he can’t take everyone, so he takes half the group and the rest of us sit on the sun-warmed rocks and are already reminiscing, and wishing it wouldn’t end. Riding the taxi back into town is silent. I think the only people excited to leave are the guides because they get to see civilization again, but for the rest of us it is the end of our vacation. We get back to the Haida Way and find our luggage we left in the hotel, and our gear from our trip. It’s shower time!! Hot fresh water, shampoo, and conditioner. It is amazing how long it takes to get the salt taste out of your mouth. After everyone is showered and refreshed we meet for our post-trip dinner. It’s funny to see everyone after you have just spent a week with them camping. We are all in our street clothes, the men are all shaved, the women all have makeup (well those who wear makeup), and everyone is all smiles. We say our good-byes and try not to cry. A few of us head for the bar in the hotel, and it is a blast. Exactly what I need. I don’t want the trip to end. I know I won’t see Jen, Mel and Melissa for a while, hopefully not too long, maybe next summer or winter in Whistler, but not here, we aren’t planning that until 2002. We sing karaoke, make complete fools of ourselves dancing, and have a FABULOUS time. Eventually, it ends, and we head to bed, but not before promising to say goodbye in the morning before we leave. Going Home August 13, 2000 I awake to the smell of cigarette smoke in my hair and the dreadful stench of our luggage in the room. It is amazing that you don’t notice how much your clothes stink until you get back into town. After showering and packing the last of my belongings into my suitcase, we head next door to say good bye to the sisters. We all try not to cry, with promises to keep in touch, making plans to get together, and wishing each other safe flights home. After a short taxi ride to the airport we see our plane. Now we thought our float plane was small, this is TINY. We have to seriously wonder with all of us and our gear if we are really going to get off the ground. Well after some strategic packing of the plane, we head off and up. The first part of the trip was a little bumpy as we gained altitude, but after that it was smooth sailing, and I slept, all the way back to Seattle. Well with my trip over this year, I have decided that one week a summer every year or every other year just isn’t enough. I am going to pursue some guiding opportunities, so stay tuned and maybe next year you can take a trip with me!! I would love to have you.