Nimmo on the Water
Who They Are
Nimmo Bay Resort is a high-end, helicopter fly-fishing and helicopter-adventure destination at the foot of Mt. Stephens along the Great Bear Rainforest coastline in British Columbia – the largest intact, coastal temperate rainforest in the world. It offers luxury wilderness adventure tours that include heli-fishing, whale watching, wildlife viewing, rafting, beachcombing, heli-hiking, kayaking, glacier trekking, and First Nations adventure tours.
The Top of the World
Cedar and Pine
All this takes place across 50,000 square miles of wilderness, going from sea level to 13,000 feet – and the helicopters stay with you all day. The wild salmon and Steelhead that guests fly- and spin-fish for have been here a long time, and the catch-and-release system hopes to guarantee they will be here for a long time to come.
Coastal Kaleidoscope
Six intertidal chalets and three streamside ones (each with two bedrooms, bathroom, and a lounge area) are set in a wilderness panorama. The floating main lodge – where meals and drinks are served – is done in pine and cedar, custom walnut dining tables, leather couches, and artwork featuring al artists that is for sale. Attached to the lodge is a fully operational floating bakery.
What They Are Doing
The Murray family has been operating Nimmo for 30 years, all but one of which have been while using a small hydropowered electric system. The drinking water comes from the snow fields and natural springs of Mt. Stephens, and the use of plastic bottles has been eliminated by providing guests with stainless steel bottles to refill each day on their tours. The resort uses fresh, local foods and hires from the local communities.
Adventure on the Glacier
Nimmo is especially proud of its relationship with the local First Nations, and has a program where guests can visit the local communities to learn about their lifestyle, art, culture, and beliefs. The 2004 tourism accord with the First Nations, called the Wi’la’mola Accord , focuses on tourism as an economic generator, with the environment as its cornerstone. The resort tries to marry the adventure of wildlife with the adventure of the indigenous culture.
A Local
In addition, Nimmo has been working on ways to preserve and save the wild salmon from the fate of nearby salmon farms, where sea lice and chemical spillages cause havoc. Although this is a common problem wherever there are fish farms, the First Nations’ Alexandra Morton and Nimmo’s Craig Murray have been collaborating on this project for many years, battling governments and foreign corporations averse to doing anything to help protect this unique environment.
In Their Own Words
“We adhere to the truism that we don’t own the land – the land owns us. Our economy is a wholly owned subsidiary of our environment. We are meant to be here to act as stewards of this miraculous setting that we live and work in – the Great Bear Rainforest. We take our stewardship responsibilities seriously.”
