Eighth Wonder of the World

Trees Down

Mon Jan 23rd

One of the Douglas Firs that had crashed down across the trails.

The Holy Grail of wildlife sightings in BC is to see Humpback Whales breaching.  Black Bears are great, but not a rarity; Coyotes are quite common (Jack startled a youngster in Cliff Gilker during the week), Cougars fortunately not so common - and we have not yet seen one - no rush.  

During the Summer we enjoyed numerous views of Grey and Humpback Whale tails, fins and  waterspouts, but the sight of a whale fully breaching has evaded us, till Sunday.  I didn't have my camera.  I kept the video running on my iPhone, and every time I stopped filming, they breached, but you get to to see their water spouts!

On the final leg of our Sunday sailing race back to Gibsons Marina, a race that had been shortened due to very light, and at times non-existent, winds our skipper thought he heard a distant explosion; a crack and thunderous roar like a loud firework (his words).  Looking out past the narrow gap where the Salish Sea runs into West Howe Sound between Keats Island and the rocky outcrop that sits besides Lower Gibsons called the Bluff, two possibly three Humpback Whales put on a breaching display a little over 1km away.

It is the most awesome sight I have ever seen.  It sits alongside the 'big five' on our African flying safari back in 2007, but the natural setting of the Salish Sea gives it the edge.  It was amazing!

A couple of small boats out fishing had ring side seats, once or twice I wondered if they were in the ring! The whales were close enough for us to hear and see the beautiful creatures launch themselves out of the water, before crashing back down.  Thirty to forty tons of whale makes quite a splash.  

We were about 500m from the finish line and as soon as we crossed the line, we turned around and sailed back out to the narrows to get a better look.  The show was coming to an end as the whales moved away further into the Salish Sea, but we saw about four more breaches.   It was spectacular, a mesmerising sight.  The Eighth Wonder.

At the other extreme of the natural world, I took Jack up to the Sprockids trails for his afternoon walk on Saturday.  I have not been up there for quite a few months.  We planned our usual hike, dropping down to Langdale Creek to see the water levels and back up to do a 4k circuit, through the forest.

Sprockids is an area of mountain bike and hiking trails that ultimately lead to the  top of Mt Elphinstone, though the bikers generally stick to the lower levels.

Usually as you head in to the forest, the thick canopy cuts out the light. It was already a grey day and though an hour till sunset, it felt much later.  A hundred yards in and unusually it lightened up.  I was stunned, no understatement, to see that the lower part of the trails were littered with branches and fonds from the Douglas Firs that cover the lower slopes.  As we walked down to the Creek dozens of trees had been blown over and fallen across many of the trails.  The trails had been re-opened after somebody had been through with a chainsaw, though it all felt fairly recent.

The destruction was limited to little more than a square kilometre. Higher up the slopes to Mt. Elphinstone the trees were untouched.  What caused such a small area of damage remains a mystery.  The last strong winds were about a month ago and there haven't been any reports of what caused the trees to be 'knocked over'.  They are all facing in the same direction so it suggests a 'microburst' may have been the cause.  This was the observation of one of my fellow sailors on Sunday when I shared what I'd seen.  

As I headed further up the trails, though still on the lower slopes of Mt Elphinstone the canopy closed in and it felt as though sunset was a few minutes away.  I doubted if my plan to head across the slope to the power line trail was the right one and if indeed I'd have enough light to finish the walk without a torch, which I'd not brought.

Half way along and as I was nearing the end of the myriad of trails at the centre of the park I came across a father, his two young children and two dogs.  "Can you tell me where the trail is back to the car park" he asked.  In Sprockids it's a bit like trying to guide somebody back through a spiders web of trails.  

Some of the Sprockids trails I've walked

Even though I've walked the trails dozens of times, I was still using my iPhone trail App to make sure I took the right turns.  It really is a complex network of trails that double back on themselves and it's very easy to get lost.   With half an hour to sunset, I suggested he retrace his steps rather than head deeper into the forest without a trail map.  He clearly didn't know where he was even when I showed him my map.  

I didn't want to get home and read that a family had gone missing and the local Search and Rescue were out looking for them.  Who the hell goes out for a dog walk (both dogs out of control), half an hour before sunset on a crap weather day without knowing the terrain or a having a map!  Perhaps they are not local.

I was pleased to see that they drove out of the top car park, just ahead of me in the lower car park, having retraced their route.  No acknowledgement as he roared out in his BMW.  The sun had just set.

Cliff Gilker Park has been one of my regular walks since the last blog.  The creeks which cut across the trails are always interesting to see with their varying water levels.  They are flowing well at the moment.

  

Jack, whose nose is always working overtime on a walk, managed to pick up the scent of a coyote.  They are known to inhabit Cliff Gilker. We came across it a few hundred metres further on.  A lone animal and not a pack, it scurried off in to the undergrowth.  That was the last we saw of it.

In other news.....  

It's interesting to see that Canada is getting more coverage in the UK press compared to a couple of years ago.  As a result you may have seen that Canada now recommends a maximum of two units of alcohol a week, per person. Yes, 2 units per person per week!  TWO!!  

It's enough to make one think of returning to the UK who we note still recommends 14 units.    Two units per week.  That must mean week starting Monday, week starting Tuesday, week starting Wednesday ..........  no need to rush back after all.  It equals 14 as well!

We're now in self-isolation mode ahead of our trip to Calgary, wanting to avoid Fred catching anything ahead of her op.  So no more Knitting Under the Influence get-togethers for Fred for a few weeks or other indoor gatherings.  I'm doing the same.   At least that means she will be able to crack on with the sweater she is knitting me for sailing.  

Speaking of tennis, although she is not going out to play tennis or out much at the moment I'm seeing less of her.  That will remain the case until the Australian Open has finished. As the Brits get knocked out she is switching her allegiance to the Canadians, until they get knocked out.