Coddiewomple the Coast
The goal is Kitkatla on Dolphin Island. Many years ago, KL2GT, Joe told us he had been ship wrecked there and that the people not only saved him but rescued his boat, too. "Very nice people. You should go see them sometime." Many years later we got there only to have feasting and fun for a week. We tried our first seal meat. Now I see those cute little seals and I start drooling. YUMMY! While in Kitkatla we were given a flag of their village. I was presented with a hand made button vest. I still am so humbled. Apparently I had complimented Doug several times on the beauty of his vest. "If you complement someone on something three times it must be given to that person admiring it." Just then a cheeky lady from Australia came up to me and said, "I love it, I love it, I love that vest." I said, "Nothing doing. It ain't our tradition!" On the way to Kitkatla we stopped by our favorite hot spring, Eucott, then up to Bella Coola for a month! We thought we'd just get provisions and head back out. We rented a car for a week and drove "The Hill" as well as other amazing outback places. They had Aboriginal Day where we judged the bannock [AKA fry bread, scones]. Then they had the rodeo the first week of July! There were special groves of huge cedars and bears everywhere. We stopped by the usual places, Bella Bella and Cavin Cove where we saw the Snadhill Cranes. Then on up to Laredo Inlet and Quigley Creek we saw our first wolves of the season. At Cameron Cove, Princess Royal Island we saw a whole wolf family day after day but no Spirit Bear. Ah, another year perhaps. We heard the Spirit Bear had been chased away by a grizzly bear but that she's back. Maybe we'll see her in 2019!
