Wildlife
Eleven native land mammals including the Haida Gwaii black bear; about 1.5 million nesting seabirds of 12 species; 23 marine mammal species, including the largest Steller sea lion colony on Canada's west coast. Stay 300 m from whales and keep under 7 knots within 400 m.
Season by season
| Season | Window | Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Spring | April – June | Watchmen sites come on station from spring. Cold water and unsettled weather; grey and humpback whales pass on their northward migration. |
| Summer | July – August | The main season. Parks Canada notes that "summer fog is common on the west coast and in Houston Stewart Channel" — take a compass bearing on your destination and avoid paddling in fog. |
| Autumn | September – October | Watchmen sites wind down through the fall and Pacific storm systems become more frequent. Shorter weather windows and longer waits on the beach. |
| Winter | November – March | Storm season on an exposed North Pacific coast, with no staffed Watchmen sites. Parks Canada's guidance to be ready for cold and wet conditions and treat hypothermia as "a real threat" applies year round. |