Norm and Nick
DAY 5
As Chez Monique's was a kilometre
past our site, we would have to pass it again on our way to Nitinat Narrows.
Naturally, we seized the moment and enjoyed a leisurely breakfast sitting
in chairs around a table-something none of us had experienced for five
days. Monique assured us that if we reached Cheewat Creek (6 km to the
north) by 1:00 p.m., we would have plenty of time to make it to our next
available campsite at Tsusiat Falls (another 11 km past Cheewat). The
trail mellowed dramatically after Chez Monique's. We stopped to admire
the view from Carmanah Lighthouse and pressed on.
Just past midday we were forced to rest at Nitinat Narrows, a lake-sized channel guarded from the ocean's hostility by a rock breaker a few hundred metres out. Included in our trail fee was a 2-minute ferry ride to cross the narrows. Our ferryman's name was Dwayne and Dwayne was no where to be seen. He had gone fishing.
The small dock was littered with three other groups of hikers sprawled about waiting for a boat to take them back to their cars. All appeared exhausted. The constant downpour had slowed more than just our group. We enjoyed the break and heard the tales the hikers had to tell. As we had read that the northern portion of the trail was dramatically less vigilant than the half we had completed in the first four days, we puffed out our chests in pride when we heard the stories of hikers having to exit after struggling with the "easy" half of the WCT. Dwayne returned half an hour later and told the four of us to load up. He struck me as a proud man because of his confidence and his matching cap and T-shirt. I asked him immediately about rumoured fresh crab and beer. Well, that was the reason he was fishing, he explained. Need bait for the crab, you see. But he did have beer and pop. With a little prodding, he gave us each a beer, a tour of the ancient Nitinat Narrows and told us of his tribe and its history. The Nitinat tribe boasts some of the oldest tribal land on the continent and according to Dwayne, holds the oldest trails on the continent, carbon dated at over 50 centuries old. He showed us the ancient tribal site and spoke about land that only he could build on and only with the permission of his grandmother, who was the oldest of the elders. As the diversion was breathtaking and Dwayne was so engaging and charming, we hopped off the ferry giddy and grinning at how lucky we were to meet such an interesting man.
The remaining 10 km to Tsusiat Falls took an eternity. Although the trail was significantly less difficult than the first few days of our hike, it was still demanding. By our calculations, we were a bit behind schedule because of doddling at Monique's for breakfast and the tour with Dwayne. We rushed as much as four cool software types could, but we refused to miss out on the awesome seascapes along the way. Our jaws dropped each time the trail emerged from the rainforest and onto a ridge along the coast. Every stop was positively breathtaking. The ocean crashed along the beach and rocks constantly, while the sun amplified the water's movement and provided warmth in long shadows and hazy orange light.
We pulled into Tsusiat Falls campsite just as the sun was completing its magnificent descent. After a 21 km day, we were exhausted. Nick was about to fall over he was so tired. He had tried to convince us to set up camp at one of the ridge's lookout points along the way earlier in the day. The poor guy could barely stand. As we had arrived so late, all safe campsites were long gone. Both exhaustion and experience dominated our decision making, so we went to work. We built up a tiny sand ledge that stood about a metre above tide line. Norm and I pushed, pulled and dragged sand up onto this ledge so the tents would fit on top, while Nick and Gord prepared dinner. The creativity required to make these tents fit onto this foolishly unstable sand ridge was preposterous. We giggled later that less than an inch of rain that night would have easily washed us to sea before we woke.
© Jim Knutsen 2001
Gord and Jim
On the Shelf
Seagulls
The lighthouse at Caramana Point
The ferry dock
Dwayne a great guy
A great view
One of many little coves on the way to Tsusiat Falls
Sunset at Tsusiat Falls