Hecate Strait Glass

Anthony just released this edit from the last paddling day of our Standfilm Expedition.

I awoke that morning just outside of Burnaby Narrows after a long day of paddling and filming with the team. The ocean was flat calm, a mirror, and you would be hard pressed to tell the difference between the reflections on the water and reality. I wanted to take advantage of these conditions to push quickly south before the typical day time winds would pick up, or so I thought. I was amazed that hour after hour the ocean remained calm as I headed into Hecate Strait and around some potentially challenging points and headlands. I continued to paddle hard thinking at some point the conditions would change. The weather is so volatile and quick in Haida Gwaii that I never rested when conditions were good. Nic and Anthony took advantage of the weather gift to follow me in a zodiac and to explore some of the remote islands and inlets. They were like kids in a candy store as they zoomed around shooting video and stills.

Later into the afternoon of that day we would receive a weather report forecasting 50 knot winds and 8m seas for the following day. It was hard to believe since we were in flat, calm conditions with no wind but I have been on the coast long enough to understand the seriousness of that forecast. This system would be moving quickly. We were to overnight in Rose Harbour and then head to Sgang Gwaay the follow day but based on the forecast I would push on to complete the expedition that evening, sneaking in before the storm came and giving Anthony and Nic an opportunity to film the totem poles and Watchman site under a setting sun. Late that evening we left the Watchman site with the boat and traveled back to Rose Harbour under a starry night to anchor up before the storm. We awoke the next day to winds gusting over 50knots. I shuddered thinking about what the conditions were like in the areas I had just paddled and had to smile thinking we had made a good call to push on with a 50km day to finish the trip.

We would hang out in Rose Harbour for the day while the winds blasted the area and torrential, sideways rain drenched everything and swelled the local rivers. We would sail the following day from Rose Harbour to Port Hardy in a SW gale and 20 foot seas. It was a 30 hour push, knarly and uncomfortable.