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It’s no secret that I’m a true Island girl – born and raised – but few know that I was actually born on the north Island. Many communities north of Campbell River are heavily populated with proud First Nations bands who have been able to maintain a grasp on their heritage through a deep sense of community. The Village of Alert Bay on Cormorant Island is no exception.

Photo: Loutron Glouton on Flickr

Located just an hour southeast of my hometown, Port Hardy, access to Cormorant Island is available through a scenic 45-minute ferry ride from Port McNeill.

Map: Air Adventure Tours

It’s impossible to decide on the most beautiful aspect of Alert Bay. While the incredible cultural history of the area is something to be revered, the infinite wildlife around every corner is simply mind-blowing. It’s not unusual to see anything short of bald eagles, sea otters, humpback whales, grizzly bears, orca whales and the occasional sea lion.

Photo: ACCESS

Photo: Bluewater Adventures

Photo: Seasmoke Whale Watching

For longer than I can remember, I’ve felt a strong and unwavering connection to the people and history of the First Nations bands of British Columbia. Alert Bay is home to ‘Namgis First Nation, a sub-group of the Kwakwaka’wakw. 1999 proved to be an historical and harmonious year for the tiny island village as the band signed a document with the Village of Alert Bay, both agreeing to support civic and cultural matters impacting the community.

Photo: iGrrl on Flickr

Photo: oinegue on Flickr

Photo: Loutron Glouton on Flickr

Naturally, Alert Bay is also home to many phenomenal First Nations artists, including John Lancaster. A few summers ago, I purchased one of his orca whale rings for myself on the First Nation reserve in the Comox Valley.

Many First Nations tribes have powerful beliefs about what the orca whale represents, but it is particularly of importance to me because it symbolizes both family and strength.

Those who wish to visit Alert Bay will be treated to a truly unique experience in that, while it offers the modern-day eco-tourism staples of kayaking, hiking and mountain biking, it is also a place that remains unchanged after so many years. A delicate balance between history and cultural diversity is undoubtedly the key contributing factor to the sense of community in Alert Bay.

It hardly needs to be said that Alert Bay is a picture-perfect example of natural beauty.

Photo: iGrrl on Flickr

Photo: Chris Corrigan on Flickr

Because the Robson Bight Ecological Reserve is located only 22 kilometres south of Cormorant Island, some areas surrounding the Village of Alert Bay are part of a protected nature area that can be explored by boardwalk.

Photo: Loutron Glouton on Flickr

Photo: magnopere on Flickr

Photo: iGrrl on Flickr

Alert Bay is a vibrant community and a wonderful place to visit on your “staycation” within British Columbia this summer. As I stated, access to Cormorant Island is by way of BC Ferries with a number of accomodations available for hosting. This is in addition to various restaurants, museums and cultural destinations. For more information about Alert Bay, please visit the village’s website. To learn more about the First Nation culture of Alert Bay, please visit the ‘Ngamis First Nation online.

British Columbians are fortunate to live in a part of the world that is so deeply steeped in natural beauty around every tree, under ever rock and in every ocean current. This could not be more true, however, than for the residents of Vancouver Island. The abundance of wildlife that call the Island and its surrounding waters home is astounding.

Photo: MagicLens on Flickr

Etched into the eastern shores of northern Vancouver Island is the Robson Bight (Michael Bigg) Ecological Reserve. Named after a man famously known for identifying and photographing the countless pods of killer whales that call the area home, Robson Bight has been a Provincially-sanctioned reserve to protect the local killer whale population since 1982. The name Robson comes from Lieutenant Commander Charles Rufus Robson who died in Victoria, BC in 1861.

Photo: BC Parks

Stretching over 1200 hectares of shoreline, all boats are forbidden from entering the reserve and the park area around it is restricted to non-destructive recreational activities such as hiking and photography. Fishing, camping and hiking are strictly forbidden. These regulations are key in creating a safe refuge for these gentle giants.

Photo: Traveler’s Voice

While it is unclear exactly how many killer whales and their pods travel up and down British Columbia’s shores, what is known is how drastically they’re being affected by the fishing industry, toxic waste, boating and sonar interference (as whales rely on this method of communication with each other).

Photo: Ralph Lee Hopkins/Nature’s Best Photography

Robson Bight Ecological Reserve is perhaps best known in recent media as being the site of a tragic and preventable man-made disaster on August 20, 2007 when a barge illegally traveling through the sound lost its load, dumping 11 vehicles and pieces of forestry equipment into the water. The vehicles – and over 10,000 litres of diesel fuel – laid 350 metres below the surface for almost two years until it was recovered in May of this year.

Photo: Stubbs Island Sightings

Thankfully, the damage to the whales’ sanctuary was minimal. Crown prosecutors laid charges against Chemainus-based logging contractor Ted LeRoy Trucking, Campbell River’s Gowlland Towing and the skipper of the tugboat Kathy L in July, 2008.

Photo: Northern Lights Expeditions

While recreation in the area is extremely limited, the nearby community of Telegraph Cove is a hot spot for eco-tourism and nature-spotting with a focus on sea kayaking. Though it’s my personal belief that the killer whales should be left alone to bask in their natural environment free of interference, many of these sea kayaking ventures are careful to respect the area and give the killer whales a wide, safe berth. Keep in mind that even ecotourism is prohibited in Robson Bight, so all whale watching is done from a safe distance outside of the designated area.

Photo: Wildheart Adventures

Anyone lucky enough to have explored this area knows how precious the landscape is. Nothing lasts forever, and if we don’t take active steps to protect the land we call home, perhaps even this generation will see the day when what was will no longer be. The trees, the ocean, the air, the rocks and even the whales are gifts to us all and we must always be sure to view them as such – not to be taken for granted.

Photo: Our BC

To learn more about Robson Bight (Michael Bigg) Ecological Reserve, please visit BC Parks’ website. A guideline for viewing or encountering killer whales in the wild can be viewed here in PDF format. If you’re interested in adopting a killer whale and contributing to the conservation of the local population, please visit the British Columbia Wild Killer Whale Adoption Program.

In August, I made mention of a fast-growing oil slick in the Robson Bight Ecological Reserve off the northeast coast of Vancouver Island. The protected waterway, which is banned even to kayakers and other recreational activities, was home to a toxic spill that spanned more than 14 kilometres after an overturned barge dumped a gross amount of diesel fuel.

The damage caused by the spill was, undoubtedly, devastating, but just as tragic was the lack of action taken by the Provincial Government to have the spill immediately cleaned up.

Photo courtesy of makeupanid on Flickr

Only now, nearly four months after the spill, is a submersible being lowered into the waters of Robson Bight to evaluate the scope of the destruction. Victoria-based A-Channel news reported on current activities in the Bight:

A manned submersible aboard the Aurora Explorer freight vessel is lowered into the water above five targets that have been identified as possible wreckage. Pilot Jeff Heaton will descend 370 metres and document what’s left of the logging equipment with a high-definition camera…and hopefully provide answers.

Jim Borrowman, a volunteer Warden of the reserve believes the best possible scenario is the fuel truck at the bottom of the ocean is empty now, with no diesel left in it to do any more damage. On the other hand, points out Dorthea Hangaard of the Living Oceans Society, if there is still a substantial amount of fuel involved, it could also be sucked out without lifting the equipment to the surface.

Hopefully this will initiate a more thorough and formal investigation into what actually happened in the killer whale sanctuary. I will keep you updated if and when more information becomes available.

A-Channel News Story

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Looking for a way to get into the Christmas spirit and do something charitable?

Play Santa for the animals!

Photo courtesy of ChromaticRat on Flickr

“Shelter animals are prone to depression from loneliness and boredom. Toys very much help stimulate the mind and provide moments of joy and comfort,” said Rhonda Sherwood, volunteer co-ordinator for the Vancouver shelter.

Sherwood acknowledges that while toys may seem like a luxury for shelter animals, they offer necessary enrichment, without which behavioural problems could develop.”

The wish list is a full one, with a need for balls, squeaky toys, Frisbees, blankets, towels, food, treats and whatever else may encourage healthy growth in needy animals.

If you’d like to help out and donate, please visit the Vancouver shelter this Sunday, December 16, 2007 between noon and 4:00 p.m. The shelter is located at 1205 East 7th Avenue. [Map]

Please be reminded that shelters around British Columbia house and care for injured, neglected, lost or abandoned animals 365 days a year, so feel free to help out whenever you can.

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And on a light end-note, my hunt for a new and fantastic mascara has come to an end. I’ve long been a user of Maybelline’s Full N’ Soft mascara, but it has of late been M.I.A. from the shelves at my local Shopper’s Drug Mart.

Last night I bit the bullet and shelled out for a pricier mascara, and after using it for the first time this morning, I’ve got to say that Smashbox’s Focal Point mascara is well worth the dough. Formulated with a special blend of waxes and polymers, it coats each lash individually, not as clumps. Yay!

Last week I reported that an overturned barge had dumped thousands of litres of diesel fuel into the protected waters of the Robson Bight Ecological Reserve near the north end of Vancouver Island. Movement to get clean-up underway got off to a slow start, and local First Nation residents are expressing upset at how the spill was handled.

“We have a lot of knowledge of the area,” Chief Bill Cranmer said. “We’d also like to know what’s happening and what could be improved.”

The Robson Bight Ecological Reserve, located on the northeast coast of Vancouver Island just south of Telegraph Cove, is a sanctuary dedicated to protecting, monitoring and studying the local killer whale habitat. It’s an area that’s completely closed to the public, including all non-destructive recreationalists.

Approximately 24 hours ago, a pod of 14 killer whales was spotted within the reserve swimming through an oil slick at an area estimated to be about two kilometres long at the time. Since then, the threat to the area has grown to an estimated 14 kilometres and is still growing. It’s thought that the cause of the toxic spill is that of an overturned barge which was carrying vehicular cargo near the area. It’s not yet been determined how the accident happened, but speculation has already begun that the barge itself was traveling through protected waters.

To hear stories like this enrages me to no end. I am so thankful that I’ve been blessed enough with the ability to appreciate the land, habitat and oceans that we as British Columbians have been endowed with. I can’t for the life of me understand why something like this can even happen, and it’s heartbreaking to think that anyone could possibly have such disregard for a precious commodity. If anything, instances such as this one should only serve the purpose of teaching us that we are the only ones responsible for protecting what we have. And that, I believe, begins with education. To learn more about this story, the Robson Bight Ecological Reserve or how you can help preserve British Columbia’s killer whale population, please follow the links below.

“Whales Spotted Swimming Through Oil Slick Off Vancouver Island“ – CBC News
Robson Bight Ecological Reserve
British Columbia Wild Killer Whale Adoption Program

Photo courtesy of makeupanid on Flickr.

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My friend Kyle and I met many, many years ago through his older brother Ryan. Kyle has long been fascinated with art, painting and drawing and his talent has never been lost on anyone. Recently Kyle lost a good friend of his in a tragic 4×4 quad accident. As a fitting tribute to his friend and the community they were all involved in, Kyle and a friend created the video below to honour and remember Keith Dickenson. If you have a minute, check it out. It’s a beautiful acknowledgment and, as always, Kyle’s skill blows me away. He’s the one in the plaid shirt and jaunty little cap.

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This weekend my “baby” brother turns 23. Exciting, isn’t it? I managed to order his custom, one-of-a-kind birthday present today. He’d better like it too or I’ll have to kick him in the shins. It means I’ll be making the trek home yet again this Friday, the third time this month. Truth be told, I don’t mind one bit.

Speaking of truths, I’ve been feeling terribly anti-social lately. Nothing excites me more than my TV and pajamas. Except maybe sleep. Sleep is really exciting!

P.S. Mom, don’t you think that adopting a killer whale would make a great birthday present for someone special other than Trevor? I do.