North Coast Trail 

July 3-8, 2020

David R

with Wayne P and Andrew Mc

flotsam souvenir

Friday, July 3 Drove to Port Hardy

People were dropping out of the trip and two days before go time it was just Wayne, Andrew and I trying to salvage this trip.  Will take two cars for the Cape Scott shuttle as well as use the water taxi.  Rain in town and heavy rain driving to the Horseshoe Bay ferry.  With COVID the boat and roads are barren of people and cars.  I met Andrew on boat, he seems very experienced with backpacking.  Weather forecast says no rain so I'm light on tarps and rain gear.  We got to Port Hardy in good time just past noon.  Found hostel, grabbed a sandwich and then Wayne and I went out to the trail head to drop off truck.  Parking lot was unbelievably  crowded.  We had to wait over half and hour for a parking spot to open. Easy, dusty drive back to town.  Port Hardy is apparently just beginning to open up as part of Stage III Coronavirus.  Restaurants were full or still closed yet people follow the protocols very loosely.  Andrew and I talked to a Newfie who lives on the water front in town.

My new tent

Saturday, July 4 Up, eat and away to the water taxi.  Super low tide and super calm conditions.  Only the three of us on the taxi and our skipper.  We stopped to watch killer whales, porpoises, salmon and baitfish.  I'm thinking next time I'll kayak this area.  We saw three hikers coming our way to the Skinner Beach camp area.  Also saw a group of young guys heading out (their day 8) and two at Nahwitti.  A few more where we camped at Cape Sutil near the water source and ranger yurt.  Today had lots of mud and some very steep up and downs.  Mostly in forest but some beaches and some up and downs to pocket beaches just east of Cape Sutil.  This site has no forest camp sites so we are hoping the high high tide at 1 am stays below our tents.  Wayne and I tired today, Andrew chatting with a fellow ultra lighter hiker.

Sunday, July 5 Last night while biting a finger nail my front tooth broke off!!  No pain, no blood, I just look like a hillbilly now.  The other campers; ultra lighter woman, three woman and young boy, all left around 7 am.  Wayne woke up just after that, Andrew and I wasting time while Wayne prepares himself for today's hike.  We got going at 9:00 am and caught up to one woman and her ~6 year old son.  They asked if we had seen the other two women in their group.  The rangers/ park operators were also looking for them!!  We caught up to the two women much further along.  They had kept to the inland route while the rest of us took the beaches as much as we could.  The three of us are worried they will never make it out if they got separated in the first 30 minutes.  Another long slog for us today, over 10 hours to Laura Creek campsite.  I have taken a tent pad in the bushes but Wayne and Andrew, 4 different women, and a group of 3 are camping at the mouth of the creek.  Today's section of coast hiking has little sand, lots of rocks, driftwood and kelp.  Fabulous sunset tonight, funny I thought West Coast Trail had west facing beaches and North Coast Trail had north facing beaches.  I was wrong.  My tooth is getting smaller as more pieces fall of (while I eat I guess).  Luckily still no pain or blood.

Sunset at Laura Creek

Monday, July 6; I was camped in trees and Wayne and Andrew camped on beach/ Laura Creek bank.  Plan was to leave at 8 am and at 8 Wayne and Andrew came to my site, piked up their food from the locker and went to the beach to make breakfast.  We got going around 8:45 and Andrew said he was going to take pictures and video of the tidal pools.  Wayne and I went to Nissen Bight where there was about 5 tents.  Wayne and I said see you later at the major intersection.  He went to Nils Bight, Andrew to catch up to him and explore the Cape Scott area tomorrow.  I went south to go to San Josef River/Bay area.  I stopped about 4 pm at Eric Lake, it is now 8:15 and I am the only one here.  Saw quite a few people coming in, including some large groups of young (20's I guess) people dangling pots and pans, listening to music, carrying TP on a hiking stick, Jiffy Pop, smoking weed...  I saw a couple of Germans (who didn't leave when COVID came).  I directed them to the tall tombstone (it's one of the oldest things in BC but not nearly as old as German churches and castles.)  Lots of mosquitoes at this campsite so I spent most of my time on Eric Lake beach eating, drinking, filtering water and making loon calls.  One loon seemed confused when he heard me so he went underwater and I don't know where it came back up.  Tomorrow I hope to set up camp at San Josef beach, hike Mt St. Patrick and return to camp.  Maybe hike further west if there is time.

San Josef Bay at low tide

Tuesday, July 7; Got up and noticed their had been a little rain.  Some made it on the boardwalk and tent pad but some rain got caught in the trees and didn't make it to the ground.  No one showed up at Eric Lake campground so I had it to myself.  Got going just after 8 am.  Stopped at Eric Lake wharf (nothing left really) and continued to San Josef beach for low tide (0.1m 9:16 am).  Wow, great place.  About 6 tents and a couple motor boats.  Two groups left as I hiked in.  No one!! at San Josef second beach.  I took a dirt site in the bush because I was unsure of how high the tide would be in the night.  After setting things up I hiked to Mt St. Patrick. Light rain falling, brush very wet, I very wet and boot sloshing.  At summit no views, windy, wet and cold.  Suddenly in the fog a couple heading home from Lowrie Bay showed up.  I started down to Sea Otter Cove and changed my mind.  Back up to the summit and down to camp.  Two brothers camped nearby and then six from Lowrie Bay.  Weather better as the evening went on.  A few other groups out for day hikes but afternoon high tide meant they had to use difficult inland route or choose another day.  I didn't see as much as I wanted but if I come back it will be by kayak instead.

Impassable at high tide portion on San Josef Bay