Shawna's comments on Haida Gwaii Sunday, August 05, 2007

THE WOMAN HERSELF!

HAPPY FACES ARRIVING BACK IN QUEEN CHARLOTTE!

We have been back for a day now, and I have been in a bit of culture shock all day. The feeling is hard to describe. I’ll start by describing our first full day back in Queen Charlotte City.

We got up late this morning and Leon and I went straight to Queen Bs, a lovely little waterside coffee shop, where Leon got scolded for asking for a Grande – the woman behind the counter was nice about it all but she basically asked him to leave his Starbucks mentality at the door! Anyway, it is nice to have someone make you a cup of coffee in the morning (Leon has finally been given some relief, as he unfailingly brought me a steaming cup of coffee and Justine a cup of tea every morning of the trip!) Then we found Justine who had been trying unsuccessfully to get a flight down to Rose Harbor as she would have loved to get some airiel footage of the south coast of Moresby. From there, we all went to have a wander around in the galleries here in town. We decided to spend the rest of the day at the newly built and impressive Haida Cultural center and Museum in Skidegate. Since we don’t have a car, we have to rely on our thumbs and we hitched a ride from a man visiting from Prince George. The car noises are here intermingled with the sounds of calling eagles and curious ravens everywhere. I went to bed last night thinking this is the first night in about 28 that I could hear a car engine as I started to doze.


The museum was worth the visit, and we got a great tour from Jason who interpreted the 6 totem poles, the Haida War Canoes on display and the walk into history of artefacts and art from long ago. Tommorow night we will return and join in on a special Haida feast, and night of dancing performances!

The strange culture shock feeling started in the morning when I sat up from bed, and put my feet on the wooden floor of the Hostel we are staying in and I wandered down the hall to the indoor bathroom to brush my teeth. When we are not on an expedition, we are inside a lot, and this, after being outside a lot, feels a bit strange and takes some getting used to. I don’t so easily feel the wind, the rain, the sand between my toes, nor the salt on my face.

Having coffee in the shop and wandering around looking at beautiful art and books all tempting us to spend some money was fun, but I was again reminded at how different this day was to the last 30. Out there on the trip, we have nowhere to shop and the exploring we have to do everyday is into the forest or up and down some beautiful stretch of beach. If we find a cool shell or a stone or some scenery – we don’t have to buy them or ask if we can see them.

JUSTINE IN SWELL AND MIST ON THE WEST COAST

YOGA ON THE GORDON ISLANDS
In town, I do not check the weather report on the VHF, nor do I necessarily know what the tides are doing, and I easily loose track of the phase of the moon. I guess I don’t necessarily need this information to live or to travel here in town, so I get lazy again when I am not on a trip. I feel a bit out of touch with the natural world, and this makes me uneasy, and it is the expedition that has reminded me of this.
On the other hand, on a trip, I feel a bit out of touch with what is happening in the rest of the world and I find myself wondering what changes there have been as I guess I have got used to knowing so easily what the greater world is doing.

Today, I felt a bit caught between two worlds that strangely coexhist together. Life on an expedition makes me appreciative of all that we have at home or in town, and being out there makes me appreciate all the more the raging and complex beauty of the natural world.

The very coolest thing is that I feel like I can go between the two and enjoy both. Haida Gwaii has given us that. This place is magnificent, peaceful, and powerful. I will relish in our memories of this trip for the rest of my life.


JUSTINE FILMING LEON ROUNDING THE SOUTHERN TIP OF HAIDA GWAII

UNDERWATER URCHINS

Leon and Justine will write their comments over the next few days and we'll post more photos!