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magazine / apr10
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April 2010 issue |
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Feature: Haida Gwaii
Haida rising
A new marine reserve on Haida Gwaii reflects the vital bonds between land and
sea and renews hopes for an ecologically and economically sustainable future
By Leslie Anthony
The tent door rustled in an unfamiliar way. Unfamiliar because after several days on this remote Pacific beach, I
was pretty sure that the inevitable morning breeze wasn’t interested in poking its head through the unzipped mesh door — or snorting its arrival.
With barely time to suck in my breath, I prepared to
scream bloody murder at what was almost certainly an
intruder with a squat furry face. But before I could release
that tremulous yell, a sleek auburn muzzle appeared,
followed by chestnut eyes and twitching ears. Improbably,
like some hand-puppet theatre, another slipped in beside it.
A pair of curious deer found themselves staring at a naked
and cowering man.
Satisfied this wasn’t anything edible, let alone threatening,
the deer withdrew and contented themselves with nibbling
grass that sprang from the sand around a massive weathered
log to which the tent was anchored. They paid little heed as
I donned shorts and slipped out to photograph
them against a backdrop of driftwood-crossed
beaches sloping below dark forest palisades. In
front of us, gentle breakers foamed over a glistening
mud flat while Alaskan peaks deliquesced on the
northern horizon. I could have shooed away the deer to assert
that this was my spot. Instead, having these animals treat me
as part of their environment stirred some deep-rooted comfort
and connection, and I responded by sitting on the log
to prepare breakfast while my visitors finished theirs.
top For the rest of this story, visit your local newsstand or go to our store to buy this issue.
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