West Coast Trail – Day 2 The Rain Cover

Wonderful sceneries, bird shit and a carcass – let’s continue the WCT story!


Mystique mist along the West Coast Trail (WCT) near Monique's famous restaurant which was closed
Mystique mist along the West Coast Trail (WCT) near Monique’s famous restaurant which was closed

Here’s the previous part of the West Coast Trail serie!

“These are quotes from the original journal from the trail.”

West Coast Trail Field Diary

Preparation for the West Coast Trail
Day 1 The Map (Nitinaht to Cribs Creek
Day 3 The Step counter (Walbran Bay to Campers Bay)
Day 4 The Necessaire (Campers Bay to Trasher’s Cove)
Day 5 Fed-up

Day 2 The Rain Cover (Cribs Creek to Walbran Bay)

I woke up even before the alarm clock rang at 5.52 am. We had slept for 11 hours straight.

Packing our stuff quietly in the dry area, we were glad about the tarp. It is such a useful item.

Before leaving camp at 8.30, we had some breakfast: oatmeal with (Swiss) chocolate.

West Coast Trail
Sleeping setup during West Coast Trail hike on Vancouver Island

Lighthouse

The trail followed the coast. Along the shoreline, we saw many beautiful tidal pools filled with many species of fish, coral and crabs. They were like small aquariums.

Tidal pools like small aquariums along the West Coast Trail
Tidal pools like small aquariums along the West Coast Trail

Then, we came to some ladders that brought us to the lighthouse. There is a couple living there year-round, who looks after it. They receive food and fuel twice a year and collect all their garbage. There is also a heliport for emergencies. Furthermore, there are many whale bones put in place and arranged like a living animal.

Light house and the whale bones rearranged in front of it while hiking the WCT
Light house and the whale bones rearranged in front of it while hiking the WCT

From here, the trail continued in the forest for a short while, before we were down by the coast again. As we left the cover of the forest, we realized it was raining. Hence, we made a stop to put on our rain gear.

Where’s …?

It was at that point that Phil realized he had left the rain cover for his backpack at the last camp at Cribs Creek drying at a tree. It was too far to go back. So, we improvised a rain cover with the tarp (you see it on the first picture on the left hand side).

Did I mention that it is such a useful item?

Phil hiking along the treachurous coast along the West Coast Trail (WCT) in inclement weather conditions.
Phil hiking along the treachurous coast along the West Coast Trail (WCT) in inclement weather conditions.

We continued along the beach and came across the desolate hut of Monique. This hut had served many hikers with much needed motivation. The hut is situated at about the middle point of the full trek. It was sad to see that the hut was closed and as we later found out it was because their boat sunk and there was a fatality of a close relative.

Fog waves rolling through and revealing the wonderful scenery along the WCT
Fog waves rolling through and revealing the wonderful scenery along the WCT

“Few k’s later, we saw some blue skies in the distance but before we reached it, we hiked another 20 min through dense mist, which made the scenery even more enchanted than it was. The sun was great. The sand is hard to hike on.”

Too many birds

Too many birds along the WCT on Vancouver Island BC
Too many birds along the WCT on Vancouver Island BC

Along the shoreline, we oftentimes came across huge flocks of birds. In particular seagulls were numerous, but also other birds such as swallows were there. At first it was fun to chase the flocks away and taking slow motion videos, but eventually we did not appreciate them anymore. For example, when they were constantly pooping in the only freshwater source available at Walbran Bay. I was joking that all birds of the entire WCT clean their ass in this pond and we had to drink it – after filtering.

Jon - a member of the Group of Seven - and some more birds
Jon – a member of the Group of Seven – and some more birds

I am not a very sensitive person in regard to dirt and living off the grid outdoors, but birds seem to resound with me in a particular way. Hence, after seeing hundreds of birds shitting and cleaning in the lake that we had to drink from and having no way of reaching running water, I was shocked to see how Phil washed our filter in this cesspit. This led to an unresolved argument about what amount of water it needs to transfer sicknesses.

“At camp Walbran there are all birds of the entire WCT cleaning their asses.

We drank it.”

Our argument was disrupted by two participants of the group of seven jumping into the sewage lake and swimming across. They had chosen the inland route, which used a cable car to get to the Camp at Walbran bay. However, the cable car was stuck on our side. So, the two of the group of seven swam across to fix it. However, they needed help to get the steel cable back on the wheel and with joined forces, we made it.

After fixing the cable, the youngest member of the group of seven named Eli, asked whether we missed a rain cover.* This was a huge relief for Philippe, because it is one of the more crucial items on the Wet Coast Trail.

* you see the rain cover in the first image on the left hand side hanging from the tree.

Moments of joy

Apart from the sewage lake, Walbran Bay was one of my favorite camps. It was nested between lush green rainforest with gnarly roots, sandy places to put up the tent and a beach with small pebbles. Furthermore, there was heaps of huge pieces of driftwood that were arranged for a luxurious camping experience. When arriving from the north along the coast line (which is only possible if the Walbran river is not in flood!), you will come around a quite impressive cliff, and gaze all of a sudden at this wonderful place.

Wonderful sceneries along the West Coast Trail WCT
Wonderful sceneries along the West Coast Trail WCT

This evening, we cooked 500g gnocchi for dinner, but it was not enough, so we ate more snacks (Muesli/chocolate, bars, nuts, tuna, sausages, crispbread, chocolate, sweets, bruschetta, Blueberry’s etc.). We had put up the tarp and had a wonderful camping spot. There was a fire pit next to our place that we prepared to light up as soon as it got chilly. Furthermore, we just enjoyed the sun and were lying around.

This was a moment of simplicity and happiness that I miss a lot nowadays.

Moments of simplicity and happiness along the West Coast Trail
Moments of simplicity and happiness along the West Coast Trail

Let the evening unfold

At sunset, we walked around the corner of the cliff where we had come from earlier and met two girls from Winnipeg, who did the entire trail – kudos!

From now on, we would frequently meet them on the trail.

The two girls from Winnipeg enjoying the sunset along the WCT too
The two girls from Winnipeg enjoying the sunset along the WCT too

The sunset on this evening was spectacular to say the least. Apart from the fact that there was a dead seal carcass lying around – everything was perfect.

Seal Carcass
Seal Carcass
Spectacular sunset along the West Coast Trail - right next to the seal carcass
Spectacular sunset along the West Coast Trail – right next to the seal carcass

It became chilly quite quickly, so we hurried back to the fire pit and let the evening unfold.

Relaxed evenings around the fire pit
Relaxed evenings around the fire pit

Shortly after – taking a leak to be truthful– I gazed upwards and saw it was an amazingly starry night.

I could see the milky way like never before.

Million Stars Hotel - Milky Way and the amazing night sky along the West Coast Trail on Vancouver Island
Million Stars Hotel – Milky Way and the amazing night sky along the West Coast Trail on Vancouver Island


Read more!

Preparation for the West Coast Trail
Day 1 The Map (Nitinaht to Cribs Creek
Day 3 The Step counter (Walbran Bay to Campers Bay)
Day 4 The Necessaire (Campers Bay to Trasher’s Cove)
Day 5 Fed-up

2 Responses

  1. West Coast Trail Summary - ExpediTom

    […] for the West Coast Trail1 The Map (Nitinaht to Cribs Creek2 The Rain Cover (Cribs Creek to Walbran Bay) 3 The Step counter (Walbran Bay to Campers Bay)4 The Necessaire (Campers Bay to Trasher’s […]

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