“A lot of people live their lives detached from nature. Living here you become part of it.” Kevin Heneghan, owner, Drifters Cove
Looking for the ultimate in west coast experiences? Visit Drifter’s Cove on Denny Island in the heart of Canada’s Great Bear Rainforest and the traditional territory of the Heiltsuk Nation.
The Great Bear Rainforest is a 400 km long temperate rainforest on the central/north coast of British Columbia. Characterized by its proximity to both ocean and mountains the region is one of the world’s last pristine wilderness environments. At 6.4 million hectares it is the largest intact temperate rainforest on the plant. The forest features 1,000-year-old western red cedar and 90-metre Sitka spruce.
The animals that inhabit the Great Bear Rainforest are both incredible and unique. There is an abundance of life in the air, on land, and in the sea – all playing a critical role in maintaining this rich diverse ecosystem.
Look to the Great Bear Skies and here you will see bald eagles, woodpeckers, owls, snow geese, common murres and rhinoceros auklets. In this pristine wilderness close to six million birds from 15 or so seabird species rely on the abundant waters off the Great Bear Sea for feeding. The Sitka spruce, an ancient tree in the Great Bear Rainforest, provides habitat for several species of birds including brown creepers, pileated woodpeckers. The region is well known re-fueling stop for millions of migratory birds, including sandhill cranes and sandpipers, traveling along the Pacific Flyway.
On land you may see coastal gray wolves. When night falls, the calls of these wolves can be heard throughout the valleys. It is the call of the wild and there are only a handful of places on Earth where you can still hear this sound.
Other land-based animals include cougars, grizzly bears, black bears and wolverine. Hoofed mammals, such as the black-tailed Sitka deer, can be found in the mountains.
Many of the large carnivores are symbols of a vast wilderness. This is the only place on earth where you will see a Kermode (“spirit”) bear, a unique subspecies of the black bear, in which one in ten cubs displays a recessive white coloured coat.
Turn to the sea and you will bear witness to a rich marine environment where pods of orcas feed on salmon, sea otter feed on sea urchin and minuscule krill feed humpbacks, salmon, herring and birds. Paddle the waterway and you may come across whales, sea otters, dolphins, sea lions and more.
Join us in the cove and in the heart of the Great Bear Rainforest for your gateway to wilderness adventures in kayaking, scuba diving and adventure swimming. We also offer fishing, and a wilderness sauna.