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Kayaking around Moresby Island |
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Overview:
Moresby Camp is located on the northern
end of Moresby Island on the Queen Charlotte
Islands in north-western British Columbia, about
130 kilometres from Prince Rupert. An abandoned
logging camp, this is the closest road access to
Gwaii Haanas National Park.,
The Queen Charlotte
Islands, commonly referred to as Canada’s
Galapagos, consist of two large main islands,
Graham Island to the North, 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 currents of the Pacific Ocean. 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.
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Population:
NA |
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Access:
Most access the Queen Charlotte Islands by BC
Ferries, which depart from Prince Rupert and
land at Skidegate on Graham Island. This trip
lasts approximately six hours or is an overnight
trip. Once on Graham Island, you will need to
take a second ferry to Alliford Bay, landing on
Moresby Island. This trip lasts about 25
minutes, and it is a further 15 minutes to
Sandspit from Alliford Bay.
Once on the island, rental cars are available in
Sandspit, and at Sandspit airport. However, note
that the paved road ends in Sandspit. Most of
the roads on Moresby Island are gravel, and
there are no roads into Gwaii Haanas National
Park- it’s only accessible by air or by boat.
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Air service is also available
with daily flights on Air Canada from Vancouver
to Sandspit. |
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Major Industries:
Tourism |
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B.C. Ferry Service |
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History:
Moresby Camp was named after Sir
Fairfax Moresby, Commander in Chief of the
Pacific Fleet from 1850-1853. A logging camp
on Moresby Island, this camp was deactivated
in 1969 when the Alaska Pine Company moved
the base of its forestry operations to
Sewell Inlet. Since then the remnants of
the town have reverted back to the forest.
In 1987, under pressure from native and
environmental groups, the federal and
provincial governments created the Gwaii
Haanas National Park Reserve/Haida
Heritage Site, which removed about one half
of Moresby Island from the industrial land
base.. |
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Festivals:
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Children’s Trout Derby is held in late May
at Mosquito Lake.
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Nearby Attractions:
Fishing on Moresby Island is excellent, with
productive lakes and rivers nearby. Try fishing
for Pink and Coho salmon in Deena River and
South Bay, a short drive from Sandspit. Copper
River offers excellent dolly varden, cutthroat,
and coho fishing runs. The best lake fishing is
found at Mosquito Lake and Skidegate Lake,
southwest from the village.
Visitors are welcome at the Pallant Creek
Hatchery, operated by the federal government.
This is located between Moresby Camp and
Mosquito Lake. The eggs are collected in late
August through mid-October, and produces
steelhead, chum, pink, and coho salmon. |
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Moresby Camp has a seven vehicle campsite and,
just west of Moresby Camp, a vehicle recreation
site can be found at Mosquito Lake. If you drive
back towards Sandspit, two other campsites can
be found on the eastern coast of Moresby Island:
Grey Bay and Shelden Bay. |
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Ninstints, accessible from
Moresby Camp |
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Moresby Camp is a popular site for
launching kayaks to explore the Gwaii
Haanas region. You must make
reservations and check in with the Gwaii
Haanas park office before leaving. The
launch point at Moresby Camp allows you
to kayak in the more protected waters of
Carmichael Passage and Dana Passage. It
takes about two days in good weather to
kayak to the northern boundaries of
Gwaii Haanas.
Moresby Camp is also the closest
launching point to Burnaby Narrows on
the east coast of Moresby Island. This
1 km stretch is quite shallow at low
tide, but is a great place to view ocean
life like starfish, sea urchins, moon
snails, clams, needlefish, sea
cucumbers, sea blubbers, red crab, and
can be viewed by kayak or by snorkeling
off your boat. |
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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. Haida Watchmen,
guardians of the park, are found at the
following five locations: |
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K'uuna llnagaay (Skedans)- The most
northernly of the Watchmen camps, and one of
the most popular. K'uuna llnagaay is
one of the few remaining village sites with
standing totem poles as well as remnants of
large longhouses.
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T'aanuu llnagaay (Tanu)- Facing onto two
beaches, there are longhouse remains; house
pits and collapsed moss-grown house posts
mark the sites where two rows of longhouses
face the shoreline
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Hlk'yah llnagaay (Windy Bay)- The site of
the protests in 1985 which led to the
creation of Gwaii Haanas, the old growth
forest contains trees over 1000 years old
and some as tall as 70 meters. Trails
provide access to a forest of first growth
Sitka spruce and western red cedar, hung
with thick lichens and carpeted with heavy
mosses.
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Gandl
K'in Gwaayaay (Hot Spring Island)- Called
Hot-Water-Island by the Haida , Gandl
K'in Gwaayaay was well known for the healing
and spiritual qualities of its natural
thermal pools which have made this a sacred
place for the Haida people. There was also a
village located on the east side of the
island but there is little archeological
evidence visible today. Visitors are
allowed to soak in the Hot Springs, but are
requested to rinse off in the bathhouses
provided before doing so.
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SGang Gwaay (Anthony Island,
Ninstints)- SGang Gwaay was the main
village of the Kunghit Haida, the most
southerly of the Haida, who lived along the
shores of this island until smallpox wiped
out 90% of the more than 300 inhabitants.
The village is considered to provide the
most magnificent display of standing Haida
Mortuary poles in the world and in 1981 was
declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
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For More Information:
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http://www.britishcolumbia.com/regions/towns/?townID=4042
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Gwaii
Haanas National Park Reserve & Heritage Site:
http://www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/bc/gwaiihaanas/index_e.asp |
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