EAST: On Adventure Canada’s
ing course through an arch carved by wind and waves, veering us into a kaleidoscopic “forest” of starfish clinging to the rocks. After lunch, I stayed on board for lessons on unleashing and hoisting the sails while, on shore, Carr led an excursion to Turret Island (known as Mukwah) to harvest fresh oysters for dinner.
Flocks of cormorants flew overhead – cackling as if to alert our daily intrusion in their world – as the Zodiac skimmed over choppy waters to Ayapiyis, a rocky, barrierreef island once inhabited by the Tseshaht. On land, a long-orangebilled oystercatcher was obviously distressed. Figuring its nest was nearby, we moved below its tidewater line location where we were regaled by stories and the lore of the region’s canoe battles. In spite of rain and hail, we navigated through estuary channels to Yasiyis, a glassy lagoon on the edge of Vancouver Island’s rainforest, to take a hike and look for bears. Silently hunkering down on wet grass, we watched, breath- less, as a white-tailed deer nibbling grass at the water’s edge swiftly vanished when a black bear lumbered out of the forest. It was an exquisite sense of immersion in nature, somehow made even better with what was to come: en route back to the ship, we took pause to take in the view. Sunshine illuminated the sea floor, exposing brilliantly hued starfish, sea anemones, giant red sea urchins and moon snails.
On our last night, at dinner, the one-with-nature experience culminated with pure joy as my cabin mate slurped an oyster and felt something hard on her tongue: a tiny pearl. Sailing from Newfoundland’s scenic St. John’s Harbour, we came to see three UNESCO World Heritage sites: Red Bay, L’Anse aux Meadows and the remote Torngat Mountains. But it was more than just to see them; we wanted to know them.
Started by their parents in 1988, Adventure Canada was inherited by siblings Alana Swan Faber, Matthew James Swan and Cedar Bradley Swan, with her husband, Jason Edmunds, and embodies the spirit of exploratory expeditions. The staff, too, on board Adventure Canada’s Ocean Endeavour reflected this and included a slate of scientific researchers, cultural experts and notable resource people including “GoogleGuy” John Bailey – who would map the terrain witha 15-camera headgear for 360-degree panoramas – and Gilles Garnier, Canadian Geographic publisher. And the roster of writers participating in the ship’s Floating Book Club included Margaret Atwood and Graeme