Wednesday, June 15, 2016

June 15 – Short Walks at Pacific Rim

We are down to our second tier of things to do here. We could spend a bunch of money and take one of the whale watching trips but we have been on several of these in other places. Also when we go on our tour into Haidi Gwaii it will be by zodiac so we should get our fill of small boats.

We just did some of the shorter hikes in the park for completeness. I circled the places we went on the park map.

Long Beach Unit Map

First up were the two Rainforest Trail loops, one on each side of the highway. Each is just over a kilometer. They weren’t really that different but we did both of them. Just to add to the ambiance of the rain forest, as soon as we parked it started to rain. Not very heavy but enough to put on raincoats.

Someone in the parking lot really likes stickers. It will probably need a repaint to ever be sold.

IMG_1029949

Both trails are entirely boardwalk, made somewhat slippery by the rain. There were not a lot of flat sections.

What goes down (and down, and down),

 IMG_1029928

Must eventually come up.

IMG_1029941

Lots of big western cedars and hemlock.

IMG_1029924

IMG_1029932

IMG_1029937

I could see lots of faces in this stump.

IMG_1029948

Jennie didn’t mind this bridge. The floor was a giant tree that had fallen so it was really stable.

IMG_1029917

Over on the other loop, the first section was flat so we thought that we might catch a break.

IMG_1029951

Nope. This side had even more stairs.

IMG_1029964

Jennie just fit under this tree. She said she could feel it with her hair.

IMG_1029955

IMG_1029958

She was really moving it here. Just a blur of blue off in the distance.

IMG_1029957

IMG_1029962

I guess the skunk cabbage will be in bloom soon.

IMG_1029966 IMG_1029967

Next up was the 0.8 km Shorepine Bog Trail. It was a really easy flat boardwalk. We were also back in the sunshine.

It was kind of strange to see this small bog area with all the stunted old trees surrounded by all the giants.

IMG_1029981

The rain was coming our way though.

p1

We were right on the edge.

IMG_1029992

p2

Jennie liked the size of the trees here.

IMG_1029986

IMG_1029998

Checking out the plants.

IMG_1029987

IMG_1030003

The signboard said that there should be some carnivorous plants here. I think this might be a pitcher plant without the pitcher.

IMG_1029988

IMG_1029982

It started to get darker but no rain.

IMG_1030007

And out.

IMG_1030009

We finally made it to the beach at Florencia Bay but we cheated and drove.

IMG_1030011

Carefully negotiating the logs to get out.

IMG_1030015

Time for some lunch. That line of dark clouds is advancing our way.

IMG_1030018

Watching the ever present surfers waiting for the right wave.

IMG_1030023

She took the easy way in.

IMG_1030045

While we were sitting there a helicopter swooped and landed far down the beach. It only stayed a few minutes before taking off again.

IMG_1030024

Jennie thought that this cloud looked like a shark.

IMG_1030026

We started to wander down the beach.

IMG_1030037

We saw something that we have never seen before. Every time a wave would come in, the sand would erupt with little bumps that floated out with the wave. Once the water was gone the bumps would sink back into the sand and it would be smooth again.

IMG_1030049

It was really hard to get a picture because they would disappear so quickly.

IMG_1030056

From this horribly blown up shot I would guess from the legs that they are tiny crabs.

IMG_1030061

It was quite mesmerizing to watch.

IMG_1030034

IMG_1030064

Little fishies.

IMG_1030066

Farther down, the sand was covered in these crazy scribbles.

IMG_1030072

IMG_1030067

There was whatever this thing is at the head of each one.

IMG_1030088

Jennie turned over a rock and we wondered if these were baby sand worms from the Dune planet Arrakis. Probably not. It is too wet here.

IMG_1030095

Darker and darker.

IMG_1030074

And then …

IMG_1030082

We got two separate showers. They were not really hard but enough to get us to dash to the cover of the tree line for a few minutes until they passed.

Heading back in the sunshine.

IMG_1030093

And back up the long set of stairs.

IMG_1030100

IMG_1030104

One last look.

IMG_1030103

1 comment:

  1. Nothing like the west coast old growth forests and those log-strewn beaches. Need to get back there one day!!

    ReplyDelete