There are lots of reasons to take a zero. Most usually involve a need of rest or resupply or injury healing time. On this trip it was to avoid bad weather.
A storm has been building off the coast of Vancouver Island for most of the week leading up to this hike. We have watched each day, wishing it would go away or that the weather services were wrong. Friday was gorgeous, as forecast. Saturday rained all morning as forecast, but gave us an unexpected dry afternoon. Sunday was supposed to be rain free until late in the afternoon, and it was. Monday and Tuesday were to be nasty with a strong storm surge and heavy rains. And they were. So we spent both days and the three nights bookending those days at Nitinat. We had a cabin with no electricity, four queen sized bunk beds, a propane heater and a couple chairs and tables. We were comfortable and dry. But it seemed noisy here. The roar of the ocean was loud and unremitting. The storm had worked the ocean to a frenzy. We sat in our cabin or out on the deck or down at the Crab Shack and watched water flow into the “lake” from the ocean all day long, regardless which way the tide was supposed to be going, due to the storm surge. The water level in the estuary was full, the water was right up to the branches of the shoreline trees that hang over the water surface, close to the water line. Foam and debris were carried into the “lake” as they called it, from the ocean all day.
Both days were exceedingly relaxed days. Up about 8:00am. Breakfast of cereal on my bunk. Down to the Crab Shack to sit around the wood stove and chat with people. I watched 6 episodes of “Stranger Things” during the two days. Played cribbage with Malcolm.
We spent a lot of time hanging in our room just talking. Super nice. Got to know Bones better, as well as catch up with Malcolm. Super fun people to be around.
On Tuesday there was a break in the rain. We hiked south on the trail about a mile, retracing our steps, and then left the mail trail to follow a connecting route to the ocean shore. Here we found the surf pounding, 12 foot or better waves smashing into the rocks and up surge channels. We hung out for over an hour just marveling at the waves and making phone calls home. In Nitinath we didn’t have any cell service. Here we had nearly four bars. It gave Malcolm a chance to catch up with Michelle on the John Muir Trail and to find where she had been the past few days and what her plans were going forward. I connected with Andy, he was at Disneyland, and with Sally.
Back at the Crab Shack Malcolm and I started a Crib game while waiting for crab dinner. We had to suspend play when the crab was served but finished once we had the table wiped down. A Canadian hiker named Delaney wanted to play the winner. Malcolm scored 23 on his first hand against Delaney and never looked back, double skunking him. His friend, Kenny wanted in on the action so we played a game of four handed, Malcolm and I against Delaney and Kenny, Yanks versus the Canucks. There was much playful banter about cheating as Malcolm and I pulled ahead. Kenny was spouting political complaints about our two left leaning leaders, Trudeau and Biden while we countered. At times it felt slightly hostile. It didn’t help that at the end of the game, when boxing up the cards I accidentally dropped a card on my lap that I didn’t notice until I scooted back. Of course it was an ace. More semi friendly jiving about cheating occurred, especially now that they had the “evidence”.
During these two days the sound of the pounding surge of surf out on the ocean filled the air. It wasn’t until after the storm had passed Wednesday morning that we noticed how quiet it had become that we realized how big and unusual the storm surge had been.
We had the chance to interact with Sam and his wife Hazel, both 1st nation natives of Canada while we were in the Crab Shack. Sam's brother, Carl started the Crab Shack 23 years ago. On Monday Carl and his wife Shelly took over the duties of cooking and tallying food orders to tabs. Both women were a little standoffish unless they were talking about themselves or their families. Carl and Sam were both jovial men, good story tellers and liked to sit around the wood stove and bs. It was fun to get to know them a bit. The only non-native worker was Hippie Doug. We aren't quite sure how he got into this self proclaimed nepotism group enterprise, but he was well liked and an industrious worker. The first night at the Crab Shack he had a few beers and loosened up a bit.
The group of 7 that had rode across the Gordon RIver at the start of the trail had arrived Tuesday morning at the Crab Shack with tales of horror. The night before they had been camping on the beach. The storm surge had created waves and tide so high that at least one washed under their tents and lifted their sleeping pads off the ground. Pouring down rain, windy and now a wave threatening to wash them out to sea in the dark. They had had enough and were taking the boat up the Nitinat Lake to the other end and bailing out of the rest of the hike. It made our decision to hike quick and hole up in Nitinat seem all the more appropriate.
It seemed like we should pack up and get ready to go Tuesday night for an early start on Wednesday, but the first boat ride across the narrows doesn't go until 9:30am and the tides won't allow us on the beaches until after 2:00pm. We just went to bed and planned to pack up in the morning.
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