Tales from the Swift - Summer 2019

by Cayla Wolever, Watch Officer

Summer 2019 on the Pacific Swift was full of adventure, rugged wildness, awe-inspiring sea creatures big and small, and countless moments of laughter, learning and joy living in community.

Regardless of weather conditions or our surroundings, what really made our summer memorable was the people. We had trainees and volunteers from all over the world, as far as Ireland and Texas! As our spring cook Chloe moved over to the Grace (not too far away!) we welcomed on our new cook, Trinda McNeill, who spared no time in settling in and creating delicious food to fuel our adventures. As we made our way along the coast, we were able to connect with past trainees, volunteers, and crew, as well as connections like Bob Goff, author of Love Does which we read nearly every week (in Jervis Inlet he zoomed over in his boat, cheerfully greeted us and shot us with an arsenal of saltwater taffy!).

Some connections that particularly stand out were our interactions with Haida Watchmen at each village site. Some Watchmen we have had the privilege of seeing year after year, building friendships and learning new things with each visit. We made new connections as well and were able to invite a few Watchmen on board the Swift for dinner. It is such a gift to be able to learn from these wise storytellers, and to watch trainees experience the magic and the history of these places. We had a number of Haida youth on board during Trip 3, and on Trip 4 we had 14 indigenous youth sailing with us! It was great to hear about their various connections to the land along the coast and the places we were sailing near.


One moment that represents well the energy on board is an encounter we had with hail. Immediately following our exit of warm and calm Desolation Sound, we approached an aggressive weather front. Ahead of us was a solid wall of cloud, and near the shoreline we gazed in disbelief at a waterspout! Some may call it a white squall... we call it the Desolation Departure. We rapidly cleared the deck, donned rain gear, and lowered sail just as the wind came up. Wind turned to wicked rain which turned to HAIL, stones the size of Skittles! We danced on deck, scrubbed the deck just for fun, did push-ups, hooted and hollered, and laughed in the face of the storm. Just as quickly as it arrived, the seas were becalmed, and the sunshine returned to warm our damp (but still smiling!) faces. [This paragraph is an excerpt from Yellowbrick log, Summer Trip 2]

Although each trip brings a different flavour and style, it is always awe-inspiring to watch the community form on board. The close proximity, shared experiences and necessary teamwork are formative elements, but the group dynamic that emerges is so much more than the sum of its parts. It is one of engagement, support and authenticity – where people feel comfortable to grow and learn, to be themselves, to take risks and to lean in. It is thrilling to watch trainees be excited with and for each other, and to stand in awe of the beauty around us.


Photo by Mikaela Holthuis
And what beauty it was – hot days in Desolation Sound; the drastic landscape of Princess Louisa Inlet where stunning turquoise water meets steep granite cliffs, leading up to snow-capped peaks; the rugged rocky beauty of the Central Coast, and scrubby trees that are quintessentially Great Bear Rainforest; the wickedly wild Triangle Island, and the inexplicable beauty and remoteness of Haida Gwaii’s west coast. We stopped at many familiar places along Vancouver Island’s west coast as well and were able to explore a new section of the iconic Brooks Peninsula: from our landing spot on the southern side, we were able to walk along the west coast of the peninsula! It is great fun to return to nostalgic locations that SALTS has been visiting for decades, and still check out new and exciting beaches, anchorages and hikes.

A summer on board the Swift would not be complete without some epic sailing. The majority of the summer we were travelling through unbelievably calm weather- but we still managed to sneak in a number of satisfying sails. As we left Queen Charlotte to head east across Hecate Strait, we were blessed with a consistent SE breeze that carried us through the night across to Banks Island in the moonlight. As we headed south from the Central Coast, we made a last-minute course alteration and sailed southwest to Triangle Island, arriving in darkness and awaking amongst birdsong and sea lion calls. As we made our way south on Trip 5, we had a number of magnificent classic west coast sunset sails, with a warm NW wind at our stern and the sky ablaze with pink and orange hues as we tucked inland. Our grand finale of the summer was a fast and fun sail, running down Juan de Fuca Strait under sunny skies back towards Victoria. We set every sail, including a windward course! With every gybe we had keen trainees sail handling smoothly and efficiently.


Photo by Aly Engelsjord
Another highlight of our adventures was the wildlife – ranging from enormous humpbacks to tiny ochre stars, we witnessed beauty in every shape and size. On Haida Gwaii’s west coast, we ventured off the continental shelf and witnessed hours of whale splendour – tails splashing, full body breaching and lunge feeding. We spotted sharks, mola molas, porpoises, dolphins, sea lions, seals, black bears, bald eagles, many seabirds, deer and much more.

We also rowed through Burnaby Narrows, one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots. Crew members donned wetsuits and carefully pulled up a cornucopia of sea life – crabs, moon snails and their egg collars, urchins, California red sea cucumbers, a myriad of sea stars, and even a tiny squid! The most whimsical creature, however, was a tiny banana slug floating through the rapids on a tiny piece of driftwood. What fanciful nonsense!


Photo by Mikaela Holthuis
As we sailed south to Triangle Island, bow watch reported orcas in the waters ahead. As we crowded the foredeck to catch a glimpse, we started seeing orcas in every direction! Flashes of white and black darted through the whitecaps as dozens of orcas leapt, splashed, spyhopped and dove through the choppy sea. The air was full of exuberant cries of joy as the pod surrounded us and passed us as they headed north.

The moments that made this summer magic are innumerable; these words are just the tip of the iceberg. Ask any trainee who sailed this summer and I’m sure they could talk for hours about their 10 days on board – epic sails, ridiculous talent show acts, brilliant stars on night watch, climbing the shrouds, swimming in freezing water and building inside jokes and friendships that may last a lifetime. It is such a blessing to see this program thrive each year, and to learn endless lessons from all those we sail with.