They say getting there is half the problem...

After a few weeks relaxing in the glorious Hawaiian Islands, the stressed and anxious feelings I left Auckland with had diminished. Although I was sad to say goodbye to my lovely hanai family once again, the tears subsided as the excitement built – I was off to Canada for the experience of a lifetime. 

My flight to Vancouver was only 6 hours long, but restless and foodless. Being the armature traveller that I am it didn’t cross my mind to check whether my fare included a meal. Arriving in the wee hours of the morning thoroughly exhausted and hangry (hunger related grumpiness), I was grateful to be issued my one-year work/travel visa without a fuss. Two more hours flying in a very small 20-seat plane was not a welcome thought, but as the plane soared higher it took my spirits with it. The view was to die for as we soared over snow peaked mountains and island spotted ocean.

Finally we arrived in Prince Rupert (PR) - my resting point for 2 nights before the internship. My first impression was one of mixed feelings. Lush green rainforest surrounded the airport, though the sky was a bleak grey and light rain seemed to leak constantly. It was beautiful, but it’s common knowledge that rain and I don’t get along (remind me again why I chose to spend 6 weeks camping in a rainforest?), and bloody hell was it cold! I’m talking hoodie and jacket and hands in pockets kind of cold. Ok, so not that cold… But for a body that had just got used to summer in the tropics, it was cold.

I explored PR the next morning after much needed kai and shut eye. It's a very small town in the middle of nowhere, built around the ocean and crab fishing. Year round it’s grey and rainy with large storms and snow in the winter, and the odd sunny day in summer (though I’m not sure if I would really count it as summer). Ravens perch on rustic buildings and seem to be more numerous then people, their shrill call filling the cold air. Walking around with that sound I felt like I was in a horror movie. Still, there is a relaxing nature to PR and the locals are lovely.

August 2^nd arrived and thankfully so did the recently repaired ferry to Hartley bay. Cassie (a free spirited young Canadian girl who was my roomie in the hostel the previous night and was also off to intern at Cetacea Lab) and I eagerly jumped aboard with our excessive luggage, face-splitting grins, and handful of chatty locals. Three hours later we arrived in Hartley Bay where Janie waited to greet us. Hartley Bay is a place like no other. Home to only about 150 people who’s weathered houses, probably once very colourful, are centered around a small refueling dock and connected by a snaking maze of wooden boardwalks. Truly a strange sight, but beautiful in a Venice-without-the-water-and-a-fraction-of-the-size way.

Janie, one of two founders and full time residents of Cetacea Lab, was an absolute angel from the get go. It took us an hour in her small boat to get to Gil Island - our home away from home - but coming around the last corner and spotting the lab amongst the trees was well worth all the travel.

Our idyllic little lab - Whale Point

A beautiful day in Taylor Bright.