Spirit Bear Makes an Appearance

Note to “Chicago”:

The reason the glaciers are blue is because the ice is formed under tremendous pressure, and all the oxygen is forced out of the ice. So it is not at all like the stuff that comes out of the freezer compartment of your Frigidaire. Like getting diamonds from coal, except not. Anyway, the glacier ice absorbs most of the light spectrum, except the blue light, which is reflected, making the ice blue.

Note to Gigi:

Think I’m pulling your leg on the halibut huh? Here is an exact quote, taken from the British Columbia sport fishing guide, “Halibut larvae begin life in an upright position with an eye on each side of the head. When they are an inch long, the left eye moves over the snout to the right side of the head and pigmentation on the left side fades.”

Ain’t nature wonderful!

From Coghlan Anchorage we crossed Wright Sound and entered Princess Royal Channel. This channel is also long and narrow but is beautiful. I posted some waterfall photos from this area earlier. Here are a couple photos of the channel where you can get an idea of the weather and spectacular scenery.

The Canadian Coast guard was conducting some barge, helicopter and ship training exercises in the channel so we had to behave ourselves as we passed by.

Now the best part! I had been feeling bad about not being able to spend the time to explore the west side of Princess Royal Island looking for the elusive Kermode bear, a white phase black bear called the “Spirit Bear”. Motoring down the channel I just happened to be looking in the right place at the right time and saw one on the shoreline! We slipped slowly in towards shore and cut the engine. The bear was grazing on the new grass high on the rocky shoreline and didn’t seem to mind the attention. I do have to apologize for the poor quality photos but I will run them anyway.

The end of the day’s run found us at Klemtu, a little native village that the guide books glamorize far beyond any stretch of the imagination. We made fast to the rapidly failing government dock and awoke to Mr. FOG once again. 65nm today and 1574 nm to date.