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Thursday July 10th, 2014
Logging Camp and Rennell Sound
Another great day on Haida Gwaii. We started today by visiting the logging processing area in Queen Charlotte City. There we met up with our Guide’s son in-law James who works for the logging company. We then had opportunity to watch the process of unloading and transferring the logs when the trucks come down from the mountain where the trees are cut down. The trees are then unloaded and transferred to barges and towed to the various saw mills. The mills are determined by the type of wood. We then had to wait to follow the logging truck back up the mountain. This is required as any traffic must follow the logging trucks as they are single pass roads and it would be dangerous to meet up with a logging trucking on the roads. By the way these are all dirt roads and are very dusty. Ryan had a great opportunity to join James in his logging truck for the ride back up the mountain.
We then spent time in the mounts exploring and photographing the various regions then finally descending on Rennell Sound around lunch time. We enjoyed a picnic lunch with on the west coast beach, then spent the afternoon photographing Rennell sound and at the old logging camp.
Tomorrow we will be heading in the opposite direction to Old Masset and spend time visiting the old town and photographing the ancient totem poles.
Enjoy a nice collection of images, some are the balance from yesterday and the balance are the logging camp and Rennell Sound. Good night from Haida Gwaii.
The islands is home to thousands of bald eagles and they make their presence known.
A mature eagle looking for fish.
Two juvenile bald eagles.
Breakfast.
Close-up - “Are you taking my photo sir?”
A native mask carving.
How many bald eagles to you see?
A marsh area near Masset.
Moon Bakery near the Tlell, great lemon squares, thanks Bill.
Nancy Ryan, Ron and Gerry looking for Agate on Agate Beach.
Another shot along the shore of Agate Beach.
Bill thinks he found a large Agate, see how nice Dick our guide is saying no.
This is an Agate, thanks Ryan.
An interesting fungus as we walked through the woods.
More of the beautiful woods in Tlell.
We visited the home of a beachcomber, this is a boat from Japan that washed ashore.
They find thousands of floats every year.
The beachcombers do a great service of finding lost crab nets and returning them to the rightful owners, of course for a fee.
Dusk in Queen Charlotte.
This is Sweetie and she lives on a boat at the pier. I know you will enjoy this shot Gail S.
Moon rising at the pier.
These boys returning from salmon fishing.
Nice catch Alexanderique.
A bald eagle taking off, image captured by Ryan.
At the logging station this morning, this releases the logs into the water below.
James arriving with a load.
Off loading.
Once empty the back of the logging trailer piggy backs on the truck back to the forest.
Leaving for the drive up to the forest.
Ryan returning to our bus after riding up with James the logging driver this morning.
Another logging truck heading into down.
Then a few km’s away high in the hills we come across this beautiful marsh.
A panoramic of the marsh.
Nancy creating a pano shot, notice how squishy the marsh is as her feet sink in.
A mountain stream.
Danny walking back from the stream.
Deer running to get away from us as we approached.
Tall trees, but a very steep drop.
More of the mossy forest, notice the colour of the stream. This is tannins, (tanic acid) which is from decomposing wood leaching into the water system.
Bill posing by the stump of a large tree. It sure gives you an idea of the tree size.
Lunch in Rennell Sound, a special thanks to our guide Dick, as his grand daughter made the best salmon pate we had tasted. We later enjoyed more of it with some wine on our hotel deck this evening.
This was our view as we ate lunch. Ron, Nancy, Bill and Danny in the foreground.
Dick showing us how to make a fishing line and hood form sea weed.
Another view from Rennell sound, next stop Japan.
Looking back to the old logging camp, Bill shooting in foreground.
A B&W of the coastline.
Bill shooting one of the feeder streams.
The beautiful tall treed road way to the old logging camp.
This tug is used to sort the logs.
Old logging camp, you can see floating logs in the foreground.
Such a beautiful location to wrap up todays photos.
That’s a wrap for tonight. More images from Haida Gwaii in tomorrow. We are heading out to catch low tide at 6:00 a.m. to photograph star fish. Good Night from the islands.