Always vibrant, this wonderfully scenic North Coast course is admired for its natural beauty, high level of conditioning and strategic challenge.

Mother Nature was very kind to the golfers of the Northwest, bestowing on them her beauty, evident on our course and the surrounding area. It would be uncommon to experience a round of golf in Prince Rupert without a wildlife sighting.  Deer are common companions around the course, while Marmots and Squirrels peek out from their burrows and trees.  Situated at the base of Mount Hays, which is home to hundreds of Bald Eagles, Prince Rupert’s course is spectacular and challenging. The fine conditioning of it just enhances this natural experience.

The challenge is abundant in a variety of ways.  Though the course is not long by modern standards, the original 1967 design has stood the test of time.  Each hole enjoys a terrain of its own, separated from the rest of the course by trees and bush. The smaller greens are heavily contoured and slick in nature.  They demand strategic placement of approach shots.  These well manicured greens have gained the reputation for being the best in the Northwest.

The tree and creek lined fairways require similar respect from the tee box. Creeks crossing fairways and fronting greens on six holes require decisions regarding strategic lay up vs. heroic carry-overs of these natural hazards.

Being situated in the North we enjoy long hours of daylight in the summer months which enables golfers to book tee times late into the day. Visitors are always welcome and made to feel at home by our long time CPGA Professional Moe Hays. You will find at the Centennial Golf Course the same friendly people that our City of Rainbows is famous for.

For more on the Prince Rupert Centennial Golf Course, visit www.thenorthernview.com and click on the link on the left hand side to view the 2007 Guide.

The festivities will kick off with a $10,000 Bingo at six p.m. on Thursday night and tours of the new heritage centre, which is comprised of five contemporary monumental timber longhouses, and five replica longhouses that host a variety of exhibits and educational areas, will be available all day Friday and Saturday. At six p.m. there will be a community dinner with Haida dancers performing and an outdoor volleyball tournament. Six p.m. will also mark the start of a teen dance, with buses traveling the highway to pick up youth from Port Clements and Massett who wish to attend.

Skidegate Days will get underway early on Sunday morning with the Totem-to-Totem marathon race at 7:30 a.m. followed by a pancake breakfast at the community hall from nine a.m. to 11 a.m. At 11 a.m. the dunk tank will get underway and booths with a variety of games, food and crafts will open on the waterfront, and from one to 2:30 p.m. visitors will have the chance to do some golf ball chipping in front of the homemaker building. Perhaps one of the most unique events will get underway at one p.m. with a series of races aimed at the 0-10 year old crowd, including a baby crawl for kids under one, a toddler race for kids between two and three, and races and a scavenger hunt for the “older” kids. At two p.m. there will be a fish splitting contest, including finning and back splitting, and at three p.m. will be a community game of Doxini (like Red Rover but you have to make the person laugh.

Skidegate Days will wrap up with canoe races and a barbeque salmon dinner at four p.m., a tug-of-war at five p.m. and a dance with Big Night Out at nine p.m.

For more information on Skidegate Days, contact the band council at (250) 559.4496 or e-mail haida@skidegate.ca.;

Last year’s event saw 70 adults and 30 children take to the roads in Port Edward, including approximately 30 people from outside the Prince Rupert area, making it the best attended road race west of Prince George. According to organizer Steve Merrick, it’s not just the number of people but the type of participants that make the race special.

“It is not people who look forward to the running that come, it’s the people who look forward to coming out and spending a day with their family.We don’t get the gazelles of the running world coming out to race we get the families, which is the way we want it.”

“It has really turned into a family fun day,” he said, noting that last year’s participants ranged in age from eight years old to 77 years old.

To help get the ball rolling, the District of Port Edward voted at their June 26 meeting to not only provide the usual $500 to cover prizes and costs associated with the Children’s Fun Run, but to provide an additional $125 to cover the cost of posters and advertising to promote the event.

“It is a lot of fun, it is good for the kids and I really enjoy it,” said councillor Ed Wampler.

The two-day festival gets underway at noon at Saturday out at Rainbow Lake Lodge, approximately 20 miles east of Prince Rupert, with a full slate of music and an evening barbeque planned for the day. On Sunday the festival will continue with a pancake breakfast at nine a.m., followed by a community service at 10:30 and another full day of music carrying on until approximately four p.m.

“There is a group of us who stared Rainbow Promises Ministry and we found that there is Crabfest and other music things going on, but there was nothing for the Christian community to attend so we decided to hold this. Many of us on the committee are musically inclined and there wasn’t anything else happening on those two days so we planned the festival,” said Sharon Bright, noting that people from across the Northwest have already called to enquire about the festival and it is hoped that the festival will become an annual event on the North Coast.

While there is a small fee to partake in the barbeque and the pancake breakfast, there is no fee to attend the festival itself.

For more information on the festival, contact the Rainbow Promise Ministries at 627-1185 or e-mail rainbowpromiseministries@hotmail.com.

Welcome to Fish the North: An all encompassing look at making the most of your fishing journey through Northwestern British

Columbia, brought to you by the Smithers

Interior News, Terrace Standard, the Northern Sentinel in Kitimat and The Northern View in Prince Rupert.

Northwestern B.C. is truly a fishing paradise, regardless of what your preferred method or target catch is.

For those who like the serenity of trout fishing, there are plenty of easily accessible lakes in the region to try your luck at.

For those who enjoy the thrill and the fight associated with going after the big one, the Skeena, Nass, Morice, Bulkley and Kitimat rivers provide ample opportunities to go after a variety of Pacific Salmon that make their way through the system en-route to their home waters each year.

And for those who want to hit the open waters of the Pacific in search of salmon, halibut, lingcod, prawns or crabs, Haida Gwaii, Prince Rupert and Kitimat all offer some exciting ocean fishing opportunities and plenty of professional guides to help ensure your trip to the coast is a

success.

And along with the exceptional fishing opportunities is exceptional scenery as you make your way west and through the coastal temperate rainforest that is nestled in the majestic Coast Mountains. With Bald Eagles, Grizzly Bears, Deer, Gray Whales, and the rare Kermode Bear among the wildlife that calls the Northwest home, the

opportunities to take in a unique wilderness

experience is always presents.

We hope you enjoy Fish the North and we know that it will provide some excellent insight into recreational fishing in the waters of British Columbia’s

Northwest region.

Happy fishing to all of our resident and visiting anglers, and best of luck!;

With access to the Pacific and boat launches just a quick drive away, the city provides a unique chance to hit the waters and go after the giant Pacific Salmon,

Halibut and other ground fish that frequent the area. For those without their own means of getting out on the ocean, Prince Rupert supports a strong and vibrant community of professional charter guides that know where the fish can be found and can help ensure you leave with a cooler full of fish and memories that will last a life time.

For those who aren’t the sea-faring type the Skeena River, with its world famous salmon run, stretches along Highway 16 from Terrace through to Prince Rupert with easy access at several

campgrounds and at various points along the highway. With Coho, Chinook, Sockeye, and Pinks making their way up the river each and every year, fishermen along the Skeena can expect to land some big ones, but not without a bit of a fight, of course.

For those that like the more secluded, serene end of fishing, there are several smaller lakes that can be easily accessed from the highway or can be accessed by seaplane or private charter.

Regardless of whether you’re on the ocean, on the river or in the lakes, you’ll find the locals and business owners friendly and knowledgeable about what gear can help breed success when you cast out your line.

And if you’re not the fishing type, there is still plenty to do in Prince Rupert and the North Coast while friends or family go after their prize catch. With beautiful scenery, hiking and walking trails throughout the city, a strong downtown core and Cow Bay shopping area and cultural and historic sites like the North Pacific Cannery, there is never a concern about running out of things to do on your trip to the coast.;

Haida Gwaii is located approximately 120 kilometres west of the North Coast and, although it measures approximately 300 kilometres in length, only some 5,000 people call this area home. To get to the islands visitors can either load up their vehicles and take a cruise aboard B.C. Ferries’ Queen of Prince Rupert or the new MV

Northern Adventure, depending on the current situation, or take a brief seaplane trip over to any one of a number of destinations on the

Islands.

Once on the islands, fishing enthusiasts are offered the ideal conditions to get out on the ocean and try to land their trophy fish. Whether fishing in the

Hecate Strait between Haida Gwaii and the mainland or in the open ocean at the North end or along the west coast of the islands, the

opportunity to catch Halibut, wild Pacific Salmon, Lingcod and Flounders, or to drop your traps in search of crabs or prawns is unparalleled.

And, much like Prince Rupert, there is a thriving community of professional guides from Sandspit through to Masset that will help you get the most out of your island experience.

As well as the different communities on the island, almost all of which have waterfront access in town, Haida Gwaii is home to a number of campsites both along the main road and on the back roads of the islands. For those who don’t want to leave the comfort of dry land, fishermen can look to catch Cutthroat, Rainbow Trout, or Dolly Varden inland on the numerous lakes and streams of Haida Gwaii.

The Queen Charlotte Islands/Haida Gwaii

provides a laid back atmosphere for those who need break from the hustle and bustle of life along with some top notch fishing, making it well worth the trip.;

After Canada Day, festivals in July kick off early with a two-day gospel music festival on July 7 and 8 at Rainbow Lake Lodge, located just outside of Prince Rupert. This is the first year this event is being held, but already it is attracting attention from across the Northwest and beyond. On July 20 and 21, Skidegate Days returns to Haida Gwaii with this year’s event once again featuring a variety of races and activities for the whole family, including canoe races in front of the village to kick off the event. The following weekend all of the attention will be just south of Skidegate for Sandspit Logger’s Day on July 28. This full day event features such favourites as the axe throw, sawing, the choker set and several other logger sports events.

On August 5th the Tlell Fall Fair (the earliest fall fair in the province) will take place in Tlell on Haida Gwaii. With music and awards in categories that range from livestock to baking to art, there is something for everyone to enjoy at the fall fair. For more information visit www.tlellfallfair.com. Just five days later local and out of town musicians will put their talent on display for the three-day Edge of the World Music Festival from August 10-12, also being held in Tlell. This year’s event already boasts a strong line-up of on-island musicians and festival headliners, and more information can be found at www.edgefestival.com.

This is just a sampling of some of the major annual events offered by the North Coast. When coupled with the natural and cultural experiences offered by the region, there is little doubt that the North Coast of B.C. is an ideal vacation spot and has something to suit everyone’s tastes.

This year’s Seafest theme will be “Rainbows and Sunshine,” something Joy Sundin with Prince Rupert Special Events says was chosen to reflect just some of the things that people love about the city.

“Somebody said sunsets, somebody said rainbows and the discussion was on. In the end they decided to meet in the middle and said ‘let’s put them together.’”

“It is a process that the organizers go through and it takes about four months to decide on the theme and get the logo ready,” she added.

While the directors have been meeting since last fall, organizers are now hosting volunteer meetings to bring everything together, with the next meeting scheduled for May 1 at seven p.m. at the Special Events Office. As with years gone by, volunteers are needed for different events throughout the weekend, and Sundin said Thursday’s “Family Night” event could be in peril if people don’t step forward to help out.

The organizers are already working with a number of people and groups in the community to put together events for the weekend, and Sundin says that they are currently seeking parade entries and event sponsors, and are working on finalizing the details of the events and securing the venues. Already confirmed for this year is an Abba tribute show on June 6, the community Fun Night on June 7, and the Blockstock youth concert and Nisga’a Dancing on June 8. Just some of the events confirmed for June 9 are the parade, the show and shine, 3-on-3 basketball, Seafest Indy, back ally beach volleyball, and the dunk tank. Among events confirmed for June 10 are the Quick and the Daring race, the sail past and fly past, a children’s bullhead derby and a sunset memorial service.

For more information on Seafest contact Prince Rupert Special Events at 624-9118 or by e-mail at prspecialevents@citytel.net.

The event gets underway at noon on June 16 and runs until 5:30 p.m. and co-organizer Jan Yoma says this year’s event promises to be another great show. Along with 30 or 40 paintings, there is scheduled to be homemade quilts from the quilting guild, homemade jewelry, wood and willow furniture and postcard size prints of the art on display.

“It is open to all ages and enjoyable for all ages because there is a band playing to. Last year we had the Undecideds and the community band play and this year we have the community band playing again. It’s a nice time of year for a family outing so people can come and enjoy the music, enjoy the show, enjoy some of the snacks that we have available, go for a walk and maybe do some berry picking. It’s just a real nice outing, and it is free except for the ferry ride,” he said.

Ferry service to Dodge Cove leaves Atlin Dock at noon and again at three p.m., with return trips leaving Dodge Cove at 12:15, 3:15 and 5:30 p.m. For more information on the show phone Jan or Cheryl at 624-8144.;