wet and wonderful at quinsam river

While driving through the lashing rain, running a bit late, on our way to the Quinsam River trail last Sunday, I couldn't help wondering if anyone would be waiting there for us. Sure enough, there were some hardy souls decked out in their rain gear standing patiently in the parking lot. It made my heart sing! What a committed group of people to come out in what was inarguably a miserable day.

Luckily, the Quinsam River trail did not disappoint. Not long in to the walk we wandered down to the river bank, and sure enough saw lots of evidence of salmon. There were still plenty of carcasses of pink salmon in various stages of decomposition. But, we also saw dead chinook and our patience was rewarded with some fluttering action in the water.

The real highlight for me was when we got to the end of the trail by the Quinsam hatchery. There we saw a few fishermen and, despite the rain, stood around to watch and see if anyone got lucky. Again our patience was rewarded when one of them caught a huge coho and slowly brought it up to shore for us to see before releasing it again. Wow, what a sight. Fish are not often thought of as beautiful, but there was no denying the beauty of this amazing creature all shimmering pink, vibrating with energy and purpose. There were numerous other coho, pinkish orbs, visible just below the surface.

What a great experience for children to get up close with the realities of nature. The annual migration of the salmon illustrates in a contracted way the cycle of all living things - life, reproduction and finally death, and even in death the interconnectedness of all living things. There was plenty of evidence of other animals taking sustenance from the salmon. Seagulls were up and down the river feeding. We even saw numerous large chinook carcasses dragged up on to the trail some of their bodies torn open, probably by bears, left there to rot and eventually nourish the forest itself.

It's fascinating how the curiosity of children overcomes their squeamishness. None of the young ones were uncomfortable with all the death and rot around them. My own son loves nothing more than poking the dead and sometimes stinky bodies with sticks and his rubber-booted feet. I have to suspend my adult sensibilities, so as to let him experience this oddly intimate encounter with nature in his own three-year-old way.

We would have missed out on all of this had we let a little, okay a lot of rain keep us inside. Even though the weather was wet, I'm so glad we ventured out on that forest trail. I'm so glad, too, that some of you decided to join us! I hope to see you next time.

swimming upstream at quinsam river

We are so lucky in Campbell River to be able to witness the salmon run up close in our own backyard. That's why we have chosen the Quinsam River Trail for the location of Into the Wild's next gathering. This is a beautiful trail at any time of year, but when the big leaf maples are changing colour and there's a chance of witnessing salmon on their annual rite it's tough to match. We will meet at the trailhead on Quinsam Road (just past the bridge) on Sunday, October 25th at 2 pm, and hike up toward the hatchery.

Our family was exploring the Quinsam River trail last weekend and were treated to the spectacle of hundreds of pinks making their way up stream. There was plenty of action with the males jostling for dominance. The pinks we saw will be long gone by the end of October, but if we're lucky we'll see some chinook or coho at work. Check out the video below.

We were so excited by this amazing scene that we didn't want the salmon celebration to end. When we got home we snuggled up to read Salmon Forest by David Suzuki and Sarah Ellis. This beautiful book does a wonderful job of describing not just the life cycle of the salmon, but their intricate interdependence with the forest and it's inhabitants. If you aren't already familiar with this story, you should really check it out.

the wilderness of childhood

Michael Chabon, the Pulitzer-Prize winning author of The Amazing Adventures of Cavalier and Clay and The Yiddish Policeman's Union, is one of my favourite writers.  He could write a phonebook and I would probably be riveted.  So imagine my delight when I stumbled across this moving article of his, The Wilderness of Childhood, about one of my favourite subjects - children and nature.  It's worth checking out.

into the wild gets into gear

We couldn't have hoped for nicer weather for Into the Wild's first outing of the season.  The company was pretty nice, too.  We were treated to blue skies, a warm sunny glow, and a show of colour thanks to the big leaf maples.

The kids had a great time exploring, climbing logs and throwing rocks in the water.  While the adults got a chance to visit and soak up some sun.  It was easy to forget that October is almost upon us.

Thanks everyone for coming out.  We're already looking forward to the next gathering.  See you on the trails!  

starting the season

On Saturday, September 26th Into the Wild will kick off the fall season. We thought it would be a great time to revisit one of our favourite walks.  

Oyster River Nature Park is a kid-friendly trail that has a little bit of everything - lush forests, a sparkling river, and a beautiful beach with great views of the Georgia Strait. We will meet at the trailhead (next to the Fisherman's Pub in Oyster River) at 11 am. We will then walk to the beach for a picnic where the kids can enjoy some free play.  

We hope to see you there!

fall means fresh starts

It's hard to believe the end of summer is upon us, and with it the usual mix of emotions - melancholy, longing, and anticipation. My husband and I are both teachers, so the emotions stirred up by September's imminent approach are especially powerful - anxiety about getting back to the busyness and stress of work, gratitude for all the amazing family memories we created, and, yes, even excitement about the new school year.

But the waning days of summer also make possible the new beginnings of fall. And so it is with Into the Wild Family Nature Club. After a hiatus this summer I am excited about starting fresh and with a new approach to the Nature Club this September.

In recognition that families are busy and that not everyone is prepared to make a big commitment Into the Wild Family Nature Club will be getting more - let's just say laidback this fall. To begin with events will happen less frequently, about once a month. I say "about" because there will not be regular days or times for meeting. Hopefully this will provide opportunities for families who might otherwise have scheduling conflicts to come check us out when they are able. It will also let us plan events to coincide with other happenings in the community.

We'll also be getting the word out in a whole new way - an email newsletter. We will let people on the email list know about upcoming events about a month in advance and then send out a reminder closer to the meeting date. If you are anything like me, a jogging of the memory and a little encouragement can go a long way. To sign up for the newsletter just drop me a note at bakota@telus.net and I'll add you to the list.

For those of you who like to plan ahead, the next meeting of Into the Wild Family Nature Club will take place at Oyster River Nature Park on Saturday, September 26th. There will be more details to follow.

We hope the new approach encourages more families to come out and join us as we continue to explore this beautiful region. Summer may be almost over, but the opportunities for family fun outside are just beginning.

We hope to see you on the trails!

next meeting - canyon view trail

With the spring weekend walking series, in partnership with Our Big Earth, we've been out making the most of the beautiful spring we've been having on the island.  If you haven't been out to join us yet, here is your chance.

The next meeting of Into the Wild Family Nature Club is happening Saturday, June 13th at 1 pm.  We'll be meeting at the parking lot of the Canyon View trail, just north of Campbell River on highway 28.  The parking lot is located right by the Duncan Main Road bridge and is across from the Quinsam campground. 

This trail is a favourite for people of the area.  It's supposed to be warm, so heading into the forest along the lovely Campbell River will make for a cool and refreshing way to spend the afternoon.  We hope to see you there.

This will also be the final walk for our spring series.  It's been great meeting other families and enjoying the beauty of this amazing place with them.  We continue to explore new ways to promote our goals of encouraging family fun outside in nature.  Stay posted through the blog to learn about upcoming events.

See you on the trails!