At the beginning of our ferry passage with the Queen of Chilliwack, we had heavy weather. It was rather cold and did not really invite for a sunbath.

During the route we were directly facing the pacific with no islands to protect us. Huge waves were bashing against the ship...

...but once we had reached the islands again, the weather cleared up and the remaining trip was fantastic. As you are very close to the shoreline, you will see similar wonderful views.

The captain spotted some Humpback Whales ( Megaptera novaeangliae ) and stopped the engines for us, so we could take some photographs! It is estimated that there are just 10,000 Humpback Whales worldwide. They may weigh 40 tons and grow to more than 12 m in length.

The photos were as good as the photos from our Zodiak tour in Ucluelet! Their tail or dorsal fin can be 5 m tall. That's how they received their latin name: megaptera means giant wing.

View back.

Once the sun starts to hide behind the hills, it gets quite chilly outside.

Right before the night set in, the landscape was dipped into light pink.

The last light fades away, and our 12 hour trip comes to an end.

This is the Nusatsm House, our B&B for the night. Reinhard and Regula were very friendly, and we sat together late that night.

A rock painting from the Thorsen Creek Petroglyphs, approx. 8 km east of Bella Coola. Next to the Creek, there are several historic rock paintings from the First Nation People. Be aware that there are NO signs leading to the site, NO trails and NO explanation plates. Therefore we strongly recommend to ask for the "Eagle Taxi" in Bella Coola. The driver will not only lead you to the site, but also explain the meaning of the paintings and their origins.

View across the Bella Coola Valley with the Bella Coola River shining through the trees.