Tlell and Port Clements, Haida Gwaii

July 19, 2008 Saturday Tlell, Haida Gwaii

We left Hidden Island resort to find a campsite at Misty Meadows near Tlell. We walked to the beach a couple of hundred meters from our campsite then drove into Port Clements to buy fresh fish from a local for dinner. Oddly, it is difficult to find fresh fish from a fisherman here…even though this island has numerous fishing vessels. At Port Clements we visited the local museum after a walk to the Golden Spruce (see below). The museum displays old belongings from the non-native culture over the last 100 years: logging, fishing and mining industry.

A sad tale recorded was told of a German man who in the late 1920s left his family to work in BC and ended up in the QCI. He became a well-trained blacksmith. After several years he went back to Germany (~1936) to retrieve his wife and children but with the upcoming war he was disallowed to go back to QCI. Hence, he spent the remainder of his days in Germany - through the war - against his wishes

Another sad story involves a tree: The Golden Spruce. This was a biological mishap that produced a spruce tree with brownish-golden needles (there are only 2 known here). It was discoverd in the early 1920s by a forester. This later became a tourist attraction and a trail leading across the river to see it was developed and trees around the Golden Spruce were cleared for better viewing. In 1997 "a disgruntled former forester who claimed he had been denied work in the industry after speaking out for preservation" cut this rare tree down. It now lies with it's top end in the Yakoun River.

Sadly, reading the tree murder’s statements, this guy appeared to be mentally ill. Before punishment was given he planned to kayak in the Gwaii Haanas area alone and was never seen again. His kayak and personal belongings were found but no body.

We went to a bookstore in Tlell, however, missed the turn off. This town is so tiny there are no signs directing you there easily. You have to go west on Wiggins Road to find the stores which are more like artisan homes....very few of them.

It was chilly and wet at Misty Meadows so we cooked in the van, read and went to bed.