words :: JFPlouffe
The earth is 71per centwater, humanbeings are about 60per centwater, and
our brains andhearts are 73per centwater.Here in theCoastMountains,
thosenumbersmeanmore than just biological fact. Some of us aremountain
people in lovewithoceans and rivers. Some of us arewater people in lovewith
mountains. Butwater – rain, snow, clouds, rivers, ice andoceans – is part of
whowe are.
Inspiredby theWestCoast’s unique proximity tomassive peaks and scenic
ocean fjords, we arrived inBellaCoolawith skis and standuppaddleboards
ready to encompass all of the elements intoone adventure.The planwas
tohike into some bigmountain ski lines then return to the river topaddle
through ancientNuxalkFirstNations territory along theAtnarkoRiver before
hitting the pacific and venturing into theDeanChannel, an isolated, 100+km
fjordof steep shorelines dottedwithnatural hot springs. Finally, wewould cross
Hakai Pass toCalvert Island, where the openpacificwinds and swell would
hopefullybring good surf and a chance to savour both thewilderness andour
successful journey amongst it.
But nothing fires upMotherNature’s sense of humour like awell-detailedplan.
We arrived inBellaCoola todiscover gustingwinds, a ridge of highpressure
andunseasonablywarm temperatures. Local ski guides relayed stories of
dropping cornices andwet slab avalanches andour planhad to change before it
evenhad a chance to get going. BellaCoola has some of the best skiing in the
worldbut for us itwas not tobe.We inflated the boards andhit thewater.
Therewas amoment on this trip–not long afterwe paddled away from the
mouthof theAtnarko andonto thePacific –when a biological transition
occurredwithinour bodies. Apointwhere thewater from the creeks and rivers
of our landscape had totally replacedour bodies’ stored reservoirs of tapwater
fromhome. Right down to the cellular level, wewerenow truly a part of the
wildernesswe’d come to explore.Of course, itwas impossible for anyof us to
know exactlywhen thismoment occurred, butwe could all feel that it had.
“Only thosewho riskgoing too far canpossibly findouthow far they cango.”
—T.S. Eliot
Atnarko
River
BellaCoola
Namu
CalvertIsland
WINTER/SPRING2017
MLCM
49
