I'm unapolegetically vulgar here -seeing things that normally live under the sea dangling jiggly and flacid in the air is graphic. I awoke to a -0.7' tide, and was able to walk and boulder-hop my way far out on to the point. I was able to walk through a series of magnifcent caverns, and a maze of tunnels; and explore beautiful, life-filled tide-pools; I was amazed by boulders covered inch-by-square-inch with inch sized sea anenomes, crowded so close together they were cubes. Starfish at waist-level, orange and purple gripping and solid, flacid sun-tars sprawled out on the sand, mussels barnacles and goose-necks crowding the line where the sea is thrown up by the incessant pounding. Quite over-whelming and one hell of an inticement to stay 'just a little longer' ...and back to the opening sentence.
Photo credit - Trisha Nettleship
Paddling out from the Point of Arches, I freak out over my discomfort in the clapotis and head North to Tso'ees River instead of South, muttering in disgust "That's it... I'm going home". I'll admit, I'm having a moment of weakness. By the time I reach Portage Head I'm relaxed and feel much more comfortable, the clapotis off here is fairly severe but I've paddled it before and expected it so it doesn't seem such a big deal anymore. I realize - it's just a state of mind and happily surf into the mouth of the Tso'ees all giggles and grins. A nice long paddle up the river with my canoe paddle 'Makah' and I'm feeling unbelievably fresh and cheery. The ride back down-river is serene and a chance to reflect as I drift lazily with the current. I set up camp on the salt-marshes just inside the river mouth. I'm leaning against a giant buttress of a tree that has washed up here, watching the eagles soar lazily in the evening drafts, happy that I'm not listening to the ocean tonight. It's my quiet, contemplative time tonight and I'm not sharing it with jets taking off, that never stop taking off.... Roooooooaaaarrrrrr... Roooooooaaaarrrrrr... Roooooooaaaarrrrrr...
Tomorrow is a new day and damned if I haven't still had 'it' all along... I just forgot where to look.
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