Juan de Fuca Part 2

Pics along the trail

We arrived at the southend trail head around 10:30 and off we went hiking through the forest full of lovely cedar trees down towards the beach. The trail was well marked with orange markers.




Peacefulness along the trail

Our first stop was Mystic Beach that had a lovely waterfall. After a quick break and adjustment of packs back up the trail we went.




Beautiful Mystic Beach



Some of the bridges and staircases

After four hours of hiking and doing more climbing that we had thought this part would have we arrived at Bear Beach, a lovely beach with three camping sites. We spent another 30 minutes hiking the beach so that we could stay in the farthest one to be close to the trail head come morning. It was a beautiful little spot and we lucked out and were close to the cache and other facilities.
 


Hiking along Bear Beach

We met up with a young couple from the states that we had seen at the trail head and chatted. I also walked down and talked to two young men from Germany who had come from the other direction. They warned me that tomorrow was a lot of up and down and up and down and loads of mud. I felt strong and knew we could do this, although I admit I was a little concerned.




Our first campsite

Amy and our favourite rock

In the morning we found a mouse had chewed through Amy’s pack and chewed our one towel. My water bottle also had a hole in it, the water flooded the bottom of my pack and part of my shoes. It wasn’t a great start to the morning and when I tried to walk on water well things really needed to improve.

Coming down one of the many cut out log staircases

The hike from Bear Beach to Chin beach was indeed many ups and downs. We would hike up one side of the hill or mountain and then go back down the other side to cross the next creek bed.



Up on top before heading back down

 It took us 6.5 hours to hike the 12 kms and we were quite exhausted by the time we reached the beach. This was another nice beach and we arrived before 3pm so had our pick of sites and grabbed one under some lovely trees with a huge fire pit area. We had a nice fire to keep us warm while we tried to dry out our wet shoes and socks and packs in the sunshine. The weather was great although the wind was chilly. The campsite quickly filled up especially once a group of students arrived. Although we didn’t sleep much from the sound of the waves we awoke in the morning to find all of our belongings intact and after yesterdays fiasco, I sent Amy to wash the dishes so that my feet would stay dry ;)

The view from our tent

Laundry drying after a muddy muddy day

Beautiful little creek where we got our water for the next day

In the morning we headed off around 8 am knowing we had 12kms to hike to Little Kutchie Creek campground. It was marked difficult so we expected it to easier than the day before. However, it really was not. Although we didn’t have to go up and down as often there was more mud on this part and more climbing around tree roots.

One of the many suspension bridges, this one the highest and longest

It's a long way down

Once we found ourselves walking along a lovely ridge deep in the forest. It was so quiet and the ground so soft and red from all the cedar trees.



Up on the ridge with the huge cedars



Waterfall before Sombrio Beach

Heading down to Sombrio Beach

We had lunch on Sombrio beach which was very beautiful.
After walking the beach we once again got back on the trail and headed off. At one point we had to climb up this cliff by pulling ourselves up on a rope. I managed quite well, it wasn’t all that difficult but I could not stand there and watch Amy climb up. The thought of watching her fall was more than I could bare. 

Amy climbing up the cliff

After coming down the other side we found ourselves forced out onto the beach once again. This time I was quite nervous about finding the trail head as in no way did I want to have to back track and go down the cliff on the rope. My fear of heights had kicked in. Thankfully Amy was very wise and kept us going and sure enough there was the trail and we were once again on the right path with only 4 kms now to go. It was our longest day and took us over 8 hours to hike the 12 kms. We were very tired and needed some sleep.  This campsite was in the trees and very dark even though it was only late afternoon. The young couple once again showed up along with another couple going the other direction so there were six of us camped for the night. I hardly slept, but thankfully Amy did.

Camping in amongst the dark forest at Little Kutchie Creek

Our last morning on the trail was great. We were up early and on the trail before 8 am. 14 kms to go! This part of the trail was wonderful. It started off with a few patches of mud but thankfully it was mostly level. We walked along trails through the salal, across boardwalks and bridges and down and up many “staircases”. We each took one tumble that day which gave us some “war wounds” to show our friends.  We also saw a few bits of bear scat so we were ringing our bells as we hiked along. We met people on the trail this day more than any other especially as we neared Botanical Beach.

On the "easy" trail heading for home

It was high tide when we arrived so we headed straight up to the parking lot where Matt our trusting driver met us....it was such a good feeling to have completed all 47 kms, over 24 hours of hiking. I must say I felt a little emotional.


YES we did it!

It was a great four day hike. I had said I would never do it again, but maybe someday I will....or find another trail to hike and camp along. There is such a deep sense of peace out in the wilderness and in the silence, a deep connection with God. It was really amazing and I can’t put into words the sense of belonging to, and awe over all of creation. It gave me a sense of wholeness and an immense feeling of gratitude for life.

Juan de fuca hike

Part 1 – Laughs and  Appreciation

What an adventure! My oldest daughter and I just completed hiking the Juan de Fuca trail, 47 kms along a coastal forested path on Vancouver Island. It was an amazing journey that took courage, strength and tested my endurance. Each night as we tucked into our small tent we would laugh and say how tomorrow would be a better easier day and finally on our last day it actually was. Looking back now it doesn’t seem like it was all that hard but while climbing up and down into creek bed after creek bed, finding our footings up and over massive tree roots after tree roots, trying to balance on chunks of wood, boards or branches to avoid falling into the hundred pits of mud it all seemed more than I had anticipated.

The Adventurers

Laughs, oh yes there were many of those and each night we would lay there chatting that even though the hike was brutal we were still laughing and having fun. The first laugh came over my new hiking poles. Within the first few hours they came apart no less than three times. I obviously had not tightened them up enough and really had little knowledge about them or how to use them...I would be walking along and all of a sudden notice a piece was missing, but they were my life saving piece of equipment. I could never have heaved myself up over all those logs, steps and hills without them. By the second day my daughter also found them useful at times and we shared them as we went along, sometimes finding them a hindrance but mostly very helpful.

On the second morning the biggest laugh of all was when I somehow thought I must be like Jesus and able to walk on water. Camped on the beach I volunteered to go down and rinse out our dishes in the ocean. As I was walking across the seaweed it crossed my mind that I was not walking on solid ground and with each step was sinking a little more into the ocean waters. Did I stop and turn around? Of course not I just kept on going until I was ankle deep, then tried to climb up onto a slimy rock, slipping back into the water once again. Yes during this time I was wearing my hiking shoes. I cried out to my more sensible daughter...I’m all wet. Why, I ask myself was I surprised at this fact? Feeling very stupid, almost to the point of tears, but not wanting to quit the hike I spent the day hiking in one very wet shoe and one very damp shoe.


Bear Beach, the place where I attempted to walk on water.

 

Laughs also came when my daughter slipped off the stump and into the mud for the first time...I of course was already muddy up past my ankles from trying to go around the mud and slipping off the bank down into it all while hearing quiet gasps from my daughter behind me as she watched. My daughter though when slipping off the log just gracefully sat down on the log while her foot sunk into the wet soggy mass of mud below.




Navigating one of the many mud holes

I must say though that the biggest laughs came on our last day. The longest in kms but the easiest of days. While climbing up a gentle slope trying to avoid the mud my daughter slipped off a root and landed sideways laying down thankfully on mossy hard packed earth. With the heavy backpack on she laughed saying “I’m like a turtle,  I can’t get back up” and she really couldn’t. There was no where to put her feet so she laid their curled up laughing. Eventually she was able to remove her pack, unlike the poor turtles, and stand up and reload her pack. Later that day, I missed stepping up onto a boardwalk and fell down on my knees, the weight of my pack pulling me over onto my side and I too was like a turtle laying there making sure I was still all in one piece. Thankfully I was able to roll myself back over and get up once again onto my very tired and sore legs, and yes have a small laugh.

Each night was we watched others enter the campgrounds we would check out their shoes and  legs and each time we realized that we were the muddiest of hikers. We have no idea how the others managed to arrive so dry and clean. Our shoes and legs were always covered in mud, although it was usually dry by the time we camped. By the end of the hike I had decided we were just the cutest muddiest turtles on the trail and could be proud of the fact.

The laughing turtle getting back on her feet :)

I learned so much about myself on this four day journey and so much more about my daughter. This year marks the time that I am twice as old as she is. This hike was a great way to celebrate that and there were times when our roles reversed, where she was the caregiver and the encourager as I became teary and fearful. I saw her strength, realized how calm and level headed she is and very wise and mature. Although I have always been so very proud of her my pride in her has now reached a deeper level and understanding. It also gave me a greater sense of appreciation for nature and life. The creations of God while on the trail and the creations of man upon returning home. I have so much in my life to be grateful for, it is overwhelming. Thank you Amy for a wonderful holiday!

p.s. Could this be the man of my dreams...the tall silent type with a smile?

 

The Winner's Dinner

Just a quick note to update the blog about the challenge I won in May. I must say the chef totally came through with an amazing dinner and we had a wonderful evening celebrating the end of our challenge. I think he definetly made a better second place finisher than I would have. I usually like to win and I have to confess that this month I will probably be down in third or fourth place and maybe that will be good for me. I think I can get too overconfident. This month will be a humbling experience and a necessary one...thankfully there is no challenge on this month (nor will there ever be again) so I won't have to prepare a dinner!
Hats off to the chef...who I really only snuck past by a few points...he was true to his word and came through with a meal to die for.

An awesome meal prepared by an awesome guy!