Last days on Quadra Island

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August 8, 2013

Five years ago I celebrated my 40^th birthday on Salt Spring Island, BC and now here I am celebrating my 45^th on Quadra.

We save the highest mountain for my birthday, partly because hiking up a mountain seems like a good way to celebrate a birthday and partly because it’s – as far as the boys are concerned – yet another mountain - but because it’s my birthday they know better than to complain about it.

So, after Chocolate Brownie cake (made by the boys) and lots of lovely little presents (jewelry really is a girl’s best friend as it takes up so little room in ones suitcase don’t you agree?) we head to Mount Seymour in the north of the island. At 620 meters it’s not massive but considering this is a relatively small island that’s not bad. It’s another lovely climb through the forest with the unmistakable smell of pine enveloping you. Here on the island it’s predominantly second growth Douglas Fir and hemlock, with some cedar, pine and scattered old growth fir. Beautiful and mossy, we follow an old, narrow logging road deep into the forest, climbing slowly as we go.

Our first view point and we look down over the beautiful still, dark waters of Nugedzi Lakes. Our second and we are looking out onto Discovery Passage (wondering just how the big cruise ships make it through and up to Alaska) and beyond to the snow capped mountains of Vancouver Island.

We make the same mistake again and think we are at the top. To our credit there are still many trees around so it’s difficult to tell whether there is any land that is actually higher than we are. We briefly wonder why no one has ever bothered with a “You’ve made it” type sign; the closest we’ve ever seen is “This is the end of the maintained trail” but as we come to go down we see yet another piece of the telltale yellow tape wrapped around a trunk and realize we haven’t quite made it. We are pretty much at the top though, for these last few steps simply take us just a tad higher but more significantly to the other side of the summit to where we are met with the equally splendid view of the east side of the island and over to more snow capped mountains, but this time those of the Coastal Mountain range on the mainland. And here, to mark the summit of the highest peak on the island is......a big pile of rocks. Ok so they're officially known as cairns and have been vital at pointing out our trail as we climb up. This one is just the same again but with an extra couple of rocks piled on top. You'll see what I mean when you look at the picture.

There are a few cougar, bears and wolves on the island apparently but sightings are few and far between. Still, it’s a rather nice feeling knowing we could be hiking through the same forests as they inhabit.

We treat ourselves to more chocolate brownie cake on our return, safe in the knowledge that we’ve earned it!

August 9, 2013

Our last day on the island and although we are only just at the beginning of our adventure out here we are still sad to be leaving this wonderful little island.

We take a trip to the lighthouse at the south end of the island where a majestic bald eagle swoops down low over us as we eat lunch on the beach and later we take out the kayaks again for a last paddle around the tiny island but we also use the day to relax on the deck, gorge ourselves on the fabulous view and of course the inevitable re-packing of our suitcases. Once again, very grateful we kept to just the three!

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Photos

Mt Seymour
Looking west towards Vancouver Island

Mt Seymour - the summit
Climbing to the very highest point on Quadra Island!

Discovery Passage
One of the cruise liners heading back from Alaska. (Taken from the deck of our house).

Summit of Mt Seymour
Extra large cairn marks the spot!