Earlier this June, I was more than fortunate to be able to go with my father and a family friend on an extended fishing/birding trip to the west coast of Vancouver Island. I tallied 18 lifers on the trip, including a Black-throated Sparrow near Vanguard, Washington (the first lifer of the trip even if the wind threatened to blow me down the Columbia River Gorge).
The first couple days of the journey were simply getting to the fishing lodge, which was an adventure in and of itself. We left Plains, Montana at 3 in the morning and drove non-stop to Campbell River, British Columbia. On Day 2, we drove from Campbell River across the island to Gold River, then some 50 miles of logging roads to Tahsis. The first group images are from the ferry ride to Campbell River from Vancouver. The real highlight of the 2 hour ferry ride was watching an Orca actively hunting a Dall’s Porpoise. The porpoise would leap out of the water, only to be quickly followed by the killer whale. My first Orca and it was an exciting scene that was done only too quickly.
The next morning I went for a walk around the marinas and coast near Campbell River. Our hotel was near the Campbell River Indian Band of the Wei Wai Kum First Nation. I have always been mesmerized by totems and the art of the Pacific Northwest tribes. The morning light was striking the totem in a near magical way.
After gazing at the totem, I wandered down to the water, where a Harbor Seal and Common Loon idled in the placid waters.
After getting ready, we headed across the island to Gold River and then along the rough roads to beautiful metropolitan Tahsis.
After leaving Gold River, the scenery is beyond spectacular. Waterfalls cascade down the steep mountains that are covered with an impenetrable mat of cedar, hemlock, and big-leaf maple. The last stop before Tahsis was at the President’s Tree, a 300-foot tall Douglas-fir directly next to the road. Imagine a football field straight up in the air.
Arriving at Tahsis, the sense of decay is overwhelming. This little town is literally the end of the road, and ever since the lumber mill pulled out, the town has been slowly being reclaimed by nature. The concrete pad of the former mill is now home to many emergent trees. As the light faded and after I drank a couple of dark lagers in the Tahsis Lounge, I watched a Northern River Otter swim back and forth in the Tahsis River. Tomorrow promised to be another adventure as we caught a boat for the 45 mile ride to the Rodger’s Fishing Lodge.
Location Map
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