A beautiful summary of a true wilderness adventure on SUP. Nine full days of paddling from Bella Coola Harbour in torrential rain, wind and silence. A true test of perserverence, endurance and reflection.
Hakai Crossing: A 240-Kilometre Paddleboard Mission from Snow to Surf on the BC Coast
From Bella Coola Harbour we paddle for 9 days, slipping in and out of the timeless flow of the wilderness and adventure. Numerous times we gather around a fire in the torrential rain. Random bouts of spontaneous laughter shatter the silence after 17 hours of paddling. At times, the winds howl so hard against the fortress-like walls of the fjord that we are forced to paddle through the night. Under the glare of the moon, we watch phosphorescent algae twirl away from each paddle stroke, keeping our minds occupied, happy even, as we push onward in search of shelter. Photo: Chris Christie :: Opening Photo: Jim Martinello
Inspired by the West Coast’s unique proximity to massive peaks and scenic ocean fjords, we arrived in Bella Coola with skis and stand up paddleboards ready to encompass all of the elements into one adventure. The plan was to hike into some big mountain ski lines then return to the river to paddle through ancient Nuxalk First Nations territory along the Atnarko River before hitting the pacific and venturing into the Dean Channel, an isolated, 100+km fjord of steep shorelines dotted with natural hot springs. Finally, we would cross Hakai Pass to Calvert Island, where the open pacific winds and swell would hopefully bring good surf and a chance to savour both the wilderness and our successful journey amongst it.
Mountain Life SUP to Hakai Pass from Mountain Life Media on Vimeo.
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