The north of Vancouver Island was in my plans for very long period of time and finally the initiated visit happened in the middle of this April. About Ronning’s Garden I already told and now about my old dream – Cape Scott Provincial Park. The Park covers all north part of Island, that is a big enough territory, but we had only one day, so we decided to visit west part of the park (only place, where you can come by car, the rest is available only from boat) and to walk along the seaside as far as we can. The potential aim was Sea Otter Cove.
Early morning we leaved Port Hardy, drove about hour and half on unpaved road, and finally we are on the trail to the ocean.
Half of hour via the rain forest….
And you are on the huge sand beach.
Moss from the rain forest grow even on the beach.
Floated devices of the algae.
Rocks
It is easy to notice that it was deep low tide, during the high tide all beach is under the water.
Grotto
Sea flea
Springs that run into ocean
Sand started slowly replaced by the pebbles.
Some rocks pretended to serve as frames.
And other as a doors.
Sand was completely left behind.
Pond with wildlife survived the low tide.
Hermit crabs
Next cove
with rock, of course.
Dead ancient corrals.
Ocean hay – dried and packed by high tide algae.
At some point we were stacked by rocks and realized that we cannon come to Otter Cave by sea shore. Foggy remembrance of map remind us about possible trail, and we went back looking for trail-head.
Fanny, but trail-head was found. \Near the waterfall.
Following this trail we tediously hiked up vertical swamp to the Sr Patric mountain (don’t even ask that St Patric did in this place). Just image typical rain forest with all theses little springs, muddy pools, huge trees and plaited roots, but on the mountain. 400 meters elevation gain. But a lot of Witch’s butter mushrooms.
Near the summit because of often strong wind trees become smaller and smaller. But there is a swamp even on the top of mountain. It is a little weird to walk knee deep in the water on the top of highest mountain.
Many nude skeleton-like pines.
Those pines that still alive are small and crooked.
The wind on the top was very strong, bur view is beautiful.
Below us, actually, the Sea Otter Cove, which we wanted to visit. Of course, there is no trail down to the sea, and without a trail it is not a fan root.
So we spent some time of the top and went back by vertical swamp to the sea.
If everything will be fine, the North Coast trail would be my summer plan.
