On the Road Again (intermission # 8) Camping on Lake Cowinchin

My grandson and I (along with his parents of course) went camping for a few days on Lake Cowinchin. What a great camp site and what an amazing lake. The sunsets were incredible and for the three evenings we were there, we made it point to be on the beach as the sun set.

(I need to at this time mention the BC definition of beach. When the locals say a "beach" they are not referring to a nice soft sandy beach that feels nice on the soles of your feet - but rather to an area that is strewn with large rocks or in the case of this beach sharp stones designed to cause some not so little pain as you tip-toe from your blanket to the shore and beyond. In fact many folks wear some sort of foot wear even while swimming.) A beach therefore is any stretch of land that allows you access to the water no mater how challenging that access is.)

The actual campground is in the middle of a very old forest . Perhaps 80-90 years much of  the timber had been harvested. One can still see some of the stumps that were left behind. Remembered pictures of 6-7 lumberjacks standing on the stumps flashed through my mind. My son and I both agreed that even with a chain saw, it would be a daunting and dangerous task to take down one of these trees. It is not surprising that logging is still one of the most dangerous occupations.

There were as well a couple of the old ones still standing including a cedar that was hollow in the middle - it was so huge you could climb inside it. The top had been blown off but it still look to be surprisingly healthy. The undergrowth was generally comprised of large ferns giving the area a general feeling of some primordial forest.

It was a grand spot to spend a few days. The first morning my son called to me as I was drinking my cup of tea. He led me to a herd of elk just a few hundred feet from our camp site. There was an adult female and four or five younger ones, including a male whose antlers were just starting to bud. He looked so proud of himself! The Elk could not have been more than 20-30 feet away from us, happily nibbling on the ferns and the low lying leaves. They were clearly aware of us, at least the adult was, but they were in no rush to finish browsing the green treats that were available. I wish I had brought my camera. For an easterner it was a very unique moment although my son says such a sight is fairly common on the island. The Elk herd on the Island are protected and so have not learned to be afraid of very much. Of course their size may have something to do with their lack of fear as well. The mature female was as big as a medium size pony.

There is a total fire ban in the province which meant that no one could have a campfire. Which is a pity, it would have been so nice to sit around a fire, but then if we had done that we could not have seen the meteorite shower. We pent part of the first night on the beach looking for the meteorites as they dashed across the sky. Because of the forest behind us, we only could see half of the sky,but we did see a few rather amazing shooting stars with extra long tails that lit up the sky for a brief moment in time.

I think I prefer camping near the ocean if only because the beaches, while still rough and sometimes hard to walk on, are more interesting. However the ocean campgrounds are less accessible and would make camping with a stroller more challenging. But this campsite with its easy access to the water and a surprising amount of privacy was perfect for our small family. And less than an hour from home!