Unparalleled BeachCombing on Haida Gwaii, QC Islands, BC

Flotsam and Jetsam - British Columbia Beachcomber’s Paradise

The Kuroshio, California, and North Pacific Equatorial Currents form a linked circuit across the North Pacific Ocean to convey and deposit all manner of flotsam and jetsam onto our nearby beaches, turning them into a veritable beachcomber’s paradise.

These treasures include the much sought-after Japanese glass balls and sake bottles, agates, shells, whalebones. The East Coast drifts are the prime beachcombing area for such finds, although North Beach itself is a wishing well of exquisitely weathered beach drift, heavy web-net, corks, floats, bottles and wash-ups of sundry specimens of inter-tidal life forms. You may even receive a special gift of an eagle feather - a real find.

Vehicles are handy to transport beachcombing treasures, but please remember that they are allowed on the intertidal portion of the beaches, but NOT on the dunes, due to their sensitive and fragile ecology. Travelers to Rose Spit and the East coast require either a 4 x 4, ATV, dune buggy, or off-road motorcycle, and must be thoroughly prepared and versed in tidal changes, and exercise utmost caution.

Motorized vehicles - are allowed on the inter tidal  portion of the beaches, but not on the dunes, due to its sensitive and fragile ecology.

Travelers to Rose Spit and the East coast require either a 4 x 4, ATV, dune-buggy, or off-road motorcycle, and must be thoroughly prepared and versed in tidal changes, and exercise utmost caution. Hitch a ride with a friendly local - ask at office.

Rockhounding- Beach Style

Star of the gravel drifts is the banded agate, surpassed only by the diamond for its hardness. Ranging in colour from the more common clear-to-yellow-through-amber hues to the rarer white, blue and black, the agate is most easily spotted when wet from surf or rain and gleaming in the refracted or low ray of the sun.

Also of interest is the red jasper, milky white and amber quartz, all readily found on the surrounding beaches, river mouths and nearby Agate beach rock drifts. Quartz crystals and opal also occur inland. Jade was used by the Haida in early days in the making of axes, but no known deposits occur on the Islands.

Argelite, a black slate unique to the Queen Charlottes and accessible only to the Haida, was used in pioneer times for scrimshaw carving of miniaturized totem poles for trade. Whilst not considered a gemstone, it is widely used today by Haida carvers in a variety of applications.

Rockhounder’s Lament

I THINK THAT THERE SHALL NEVER BE
AN IGNORAMUS SUCH AS ME
WHO ROAMS THE BEACH THROUGHOUT THE DAY
TO PICK UP ROCKS THAT DO NOT PAY

FOR THERE’S ONE THING THAT I’VE BEEN TOLD
I PICK THE ROCKS AND LEAVE THE GOLD.
OVER DESERTS WILD OR MOUNTAINS BLUE
I SEARCH FOR ROCKS OF VARIED HUE.

A HUNDRED POUNDS OR MORE I PACK,
WITH BLISTERED FEET AND ACHING BACK
AND AFTER THIS IS SAID AND DONE
I CANNOT NAME A SINGLE ONE.

I PICK UP ROCKS WHERE’RE I GO
THE REASON WHY I DO NOT KNOW
FOR ROCKS ARE FOUND BY FOOLS LIKE ME
WHERE GOD INTENDS FOR THEM TO BE.