Bluewater Adventures has been working with Indigenous bear guide, Marven Robinson for over 20 years. A resident of the tiny Gitga’at First Nation community of Hartley Bay, Marven has played a major role in raising the profile of the all-white Spirit Bear around the world.
At first, Indigenous people protected the existence of Spirit bears considering them a sacred animal. They called them Moksgm’ol, which translates to “white bear”. After bear researchers conducted studies on islands nearby, Marven decided to start bear guiding, after seeking permission of Gitga’at leadership. Raised on boats, fishing and food collecting, he knew the area well, and its wildlife better.
I still remember the first time we hired Marven to guide us, in probably 2003. He wanted to protect the location of where he took people, so we met him at a remote anchorage and he picked up our guests in his boat. Off they went to stand in the rain beside a stream for 4 hours. While that first excursion was not successful, spending a day with Marven and his fellow Gitga’at guides has become a mainstay experience for all our Great Bear Rainforest trips.
In 2010, Marven guided National Geographic photographer, Paul Nicklen for a special feature on the Spirit Bear (published August/2011). And then Marven was a central figure in the 2019 IMAX film “Great Bear Rainforest – Land of the Spirit Bear”, narrated by Ryan Reynolds and seen in theatres around the world.
The islands near Hartley Bay are considered the most consistent places to see Spirit Bears. The animals are elusive and only a few hundred exist, so sightings are never guaranteed. However, the experience of actually seeing one of these “spirit” animals does convey the peace and harmony local Indigenous people have long felt – and the reason they are protected.
Bluewater Adventures still works to protect the locations that Marven uses to guide us. But now we often spend 8 hours waiting beside a salmon stream… Spirits just don’t come out to be seen all the time.
Photo: Tim Irvin
