SALEM, OR— Tofino Expeditions, a veteran commercial sea kayaking company since 1988, takes adventure travel enthusiasts on a memorable sea kayaking experience in Canada’s Haida Gwaii— formerly the Queen Charlotte Islands. Last year marked the 20th anniversary of the groundbreaking historical agreement that formed Gwaii Haanas National Park. The park agreement was formed between the Haida aboriginal group and the government of Canada and aimed at jointly managing and preserving an ecologically and culturally unique area.
Haida Gwaii— a series of islands located at the most westerly point of Northern British Columbia— is so remote that travelers cannot access all the beauty that awaits them by road. This summer, join Tofino Expeditions as the tour embarks upon a location made up of ancient temperate rainforests, quaint villages, secluded inlets, and pristine beaches that seem to stretch into infinity. Haida Gwaii— considered a world class destination for the adventurous traveler—offers both natural beauty and historic significance. In December 2009, the BC government officially changed the name from the Queen Charlotte Islands to Haida Gwaii as part of a historic reconciliation agreement between the province and the Haida Nation.
In recent news, after years of planning and debate, the Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline project was approved on June 17th. The Pipeline will be 1,177 kilometers and will run from Northern Alberta to the deep-water port of Kitimat, British Columbia. This project proposal has experienced years of controversy and opposition from countless groups throughout Canada. The project— slated to cost an estimated 7 billion dollars— has many Haida concerned with the building of the pipeline’s impact. For a deeper understanding, take a look inside the documentary film On the Line, the journey of Frank Wolf and Todd McGowan, as they set out to expose harmful results the pipeline could cause.
The fascinating Haida Gwaii trip is offered on Tofino’s 8 day Haida Gwaii Kayaking tours. Often called “Canada’s Galapagos” because of their diverse ecology, the Islands were home to one of North America’s first native civilizations, the Haida. Descendants of the Haida people still live on the island and some serve as caretakers of Skung Gwaii, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is home to many of the Haida’s ancient totems. Paddlers will visit Skung Gwaii on the Tofino tour, and will spend time with the Haida Watchmen, who oversee the land.
Tofino Expeditions was one of the first sea kayaking companies to take travelers to this region and their professional guides have led tours on the Queen Charlotte Islands for 20 years. The 8 day trips depart in July and August, when the weather in Haida Gwaii is best. Price is $1995 per person.
About Tofino Expeditions Founded by veteran adventurer Grant Thompson, Tofino Expeditions has guided commercial sea kayaking tours since 1988, making them one of the most experienced companies in the business. The company was among the very first to provide guided paddling tours of Vancouver Island’s west coast, which is now a destination on the life list of paddlers around the world. The company guides trips along the world’s finest coasts in Baja, British Columbia, Croatia, Brazil, Vietnam, Italy, and the Galapagos Islands. Tofino Expeditions was named one of National Geographic Traveler’s 50 Tours of a Lifetime in 2014.
