Enos Lake - my type of hike

Last Friday, my hiking partner and I chose a hike that we had not done since September 2020 - Enos Lake in Nanoose Bay.  This would be our third hike there.  Last summer and fall, the trails were closed due to the fire hazard, and then atmospheric rivers of rain made late fall and early winter hikes there ill advised.  It had been far too long since we'd been there. 

As hikes go, it is an enjoyable length for us, with just the right amount of challenge - offering some cardio on the moderate elevation gains and descents, forest trails, ponds, meadows, bluffs, views, and lakeside spots for lunch. There are loops and cross trails and lots of options allowing for longer or shorter distances, but we covered 4 miles and took about three and a half hours including stops for lunch, photography, and just inhaling the beauty around us. 

We began from the parking lot on Fairwinds Dr.  Wandering down a trail (which somehow becomes twice as steep on the return trip!), we crossed a little bridge and turned right at the t-intersection, heading into a route sometimes referred to as The Enchanted Forest Trail.

The trail of soft dirt with some roots, crosses Fairy Creek a couple of times, rustic bridges or boards and logs making the crossing easy.  There was only one mucky section this day, in an area swampy enough to sprout Skunk Cabbage, also known as swamp tulips, bear's salad bar, and several other names.  Whatever you call it, it's bright yellow popping up in early spring is always a welcome sight. 

Both times we'd visited before had been in the fall, when the creek was quite dry, so we had never seen the lovely little waterfall alongside the trail.  We caught our first glimpse of it through the trees, and then followed some little side trails to get a closer look.

It tumbled quite a ways down, levelled out, and then tumbled again.  One could almost imagine little woodland fairies sliding down the last section of falls into the clear little pool below, giggling and chattering as they play.

Continuing on, we spotted the first blossoms of the red currant bushes (edited: actually, I think these are probably salmonberry blossoms. Both are in bloom right now, and they look very similar), native to the island. We soon saw the first glimpses of Lake Enos and chose a lower trail that skirted the bottom of a hilly section before climbing up to join the upper trail across the mossy bluffs. 

From the bluffs, we passed a pond, rounded the end of the lake, and headed along a trail down the other side.  Eventually, as we knew we would, we ran out of trail at a lovely little spot where a fallen log offers the perfect lunch spot by the water's edge, a canopy of evergreens overhead, and perfect solitude in which to listen to the many birds, the frogs, the splashing of ducks.  

Our beautiful, very solitary lunch spot on the lake.

The lake is home to an evolutionary phenomena where two species of fish have devolved into one.  An article in the Times Colonist in 2016  tells how the three-spined stickleback (a little fish common to coastal BC) has two distinct populations, with different sizes and habits. One type Benthic) lives closer to the shore, feeding on aquatic plants and insect larva. The other, smaller species (Limnetic) live in deeper water and fed on plankton.  But back in the 1990s, someone introduced the signal crayfish to Enos Lake, who then disturbed the deep water species, eating the eggs and preventing others from hatching.  So what did the deepwater stickleback do? They started interbreeding with the inshore sticklebacks, lived closer to shore, and changed their diet until finally the inshore and deepwater subspecies merged into one single hybrid species, sometimes referred to as the Enos Lake Stickleback. The implications are far reaching as it has since affected both plankton life and insect life in the region. 

We didn't see any little fish, though we did see lots of little insects. And out in the water on a small island covered with sedges and reeds, we could hear birds enjoying the spring weather.  Zooming in, I spotted two little brown singers, wrens I think, picking away at seeds on the sedge. 

To our knowledge, there is no trail that circumnavigates the whole lake, so we headed back the way we came.  Back to the end of the lake, we stopped once more to admire the view:

We then continued back up to the pond, but took the trail to the opposite side where we followed it alongside the pond, stopping frequently to watch the many ducks - mallards and hooded merganser and even some ring-necked ducks. 

View of the pond - and two of the very few people we saw all day.

Ring-necked ducks (no ring around their necks, but they do have rings around
their very funny looking beaks). Mallard in background. 

Hooded merganser - more often seen in ocean bays.

Hummingbirds were zipping around though none let me get a photo of their brilliant colours - just one silhouette against the sky. 

We took a different trail back, to come out to the left of the first Fairy Creek bridge where we had previously turned right.  Wandering back up the trail to the car, we spotted several little wooden creatures perched in trees. Wooden owls have shown up on trails all over the island, and most were likely from the same carver, but this little guy that I posted the other day was different from the typical owls and ended our delightful day with yet another smile as we headed home. 

Compared to our previous week's hike to Ammonite Falls, with its many stairs and dozens of people, there's no doubt in my mind that this is the better choice.  The falls may be much smaller, but the journey so much better! 

(Note:  Nearly every review and summary of the Enos Lake hike mentions something we also found:  the trails are very confusing and the maps are not very accurate as they omit a  lot of the cross-trails. The trails themselves have no markers, and maps are infrequent.   We also discovered at least one of the maps has the 'you are here' pin at the wrong trail intersection!  Our first hike here was the only time in years of hiking together that we have had to use our compasses to find our way back to the car.  Fortunately, there are several trails that lead out to residential areas so, while you may not end up back where you parked your car, you are unlikely to have to spend the night in the wilderness.) 

Autumn days at Swallowfield

I'm no longer going to apologize for lengthy gaps between posts.  I do post regularly on facebook, which is quicker and easier, and most of my blog readers are there.  But I do appreciate my small, but often silent, faithful following on the blog, so for the three or four of you reading this who are not on facebook, I promise to throw you a bone now and then.

Not one of MY bones, I hope!

Autumn is the best season for vacations and hikes - not too hot, not too wet, not to cold, just perfect.  In September I went to the Sunshine Coast with my sister-in-law  for a week, where we enjoyed amazing sunsets, gorgeous ocean views, great parks, and wonderful food.  I haven't finished editing those photos yet, but it does explain a small part of my absence.

Other than that, I really have no excuse.  Oh, well, I do hike Mondays and Fridays, swim 3-4 days a week, walk Maggie twice a day, take way too many photos, and find ways to fritter away the hours without blogging. But enough of the excuses.....Let's talk about those hikes.  Last Friday's hike in particularly.  My friend Pat (she's the one with the two black-and-white poms, you may recall) and I headed out to Swallowfield with the dogs.

The fall colours are not at their peak yet, though some trees are more dressed for the part than others:

The bullrushes have formed their brown furry heads, and the autumn crocuses poke up through the fallen leaves:

Along the way, the dogs stop to sniff and rest and pose for photos:

We reach the little hump on the trail, from which we can see out over the estuary to the ocean.  Lexi and Cosmo stop to admire the view:

Then down the hill to the Chemainus River, where the water colour is always gorgeous and the reflections plentiful:

After a brief rest to take photos and enjoy the tranquility, we find the overgrown path through tall grasses to wend our way across the estuary.  A slight detour to avoid wading through deep water, and we are out on the gravel beds where the river and the smaller streams all fan out on their way to the ocean.  The shallow waters allow water-baby Cosmo to go for a swim despite the chill - he gets the zoomies and races back and forth as far as his long leash will let him:

Maggie thinks water is evil, but Lexi shows a little spirit by wading right in - and right back out again:

Blech! No one warned me it was salty! 

I spot something in the tall grass - a snake in the grass?  No, a tail in the grass!  A dog tail, wagging happily!

Two friendly big dogs and their equally-friendly owner come join us on the estuary, and I have fun watching the big dogs race through the water to little islands then bounce their way back again:

Soon it was time to head back.  Ms. Maggie was very tired, but she is becoming a great hiking buddy.  While still scared of strangers (and particularly people who come to the house or yard, or children, or groups of more than four), she has come a looooong way from the terrified girl she used to be, and loves meeting other dogs.  On the walk back, we ran into a group with six large dogs, all of whom came up to meet Mags, and she didn't bat an eye.  She also took treats from Pat and went to her when Pat called, and approached the owner of the two dogs above in order to sniff his hand - huge steps forward for Ms. Maggie.  She was calm and relaxed on the hike, and this photo of her taken out on the estuary with the stranger sitting nearby and four dogs and her 'Auntie Pat' in the area, reflects her comfort level. Her head is turned because she's watching the other dogs in the water, no doubt thinking "Are they crazy?  Get wet voluntarily? Not Me!"   It was my very favourite photo of the day:

First hike of year

Monday was the first hike of the year, and it was a beautiful day for it. We did the easy side of the Holland Creek Trail until it became too icy, and then we went to the Hermit trails in Chemainus, where the paths were free of snow and ice.
Unfotunately, I managed to fall on the only ice we saw, and have injured my right upper arm.  And yes, I'm right handed, and the arm is currently useless. So I'm typing this with one finger of my left hand to let you know I won't be able to blog for a while. Or email, or do facebook. Could be a couple of weeks, could be a couple of months - extent and exact nature of damage still not determined.
So this one photo will have to last you for a while - from along the trail shortly before I fell.

Valentine's gifts from Mother Nature

I knew it was going to be a good day yesterday when the first thing I saw as I let the dogs out in the morning was an eagle greeting the morning sunrise:

Hey! Get up!  It's Valentine's Day!

I took Shiloh for her walk on the beach, then Mitzi.  And shortly thereafter, Bonnie and I took Eddie and Keaghan to Grace Road Park.  On the way, we had to stop while a large family of peahens crossed our path, likely from this same family that I saw a year or two ago:

Pea hens enroute to Grace Road Park

One large peahen had difficulty deciding whether to cross or wait, bringing a smile to my face.

A few minutes later a large, beautiful rainbow appeared to the north - our destination was  near the rainbow's end.  And while we didn't find a pot of gold, we certainly found scenes worth just as much.  Though we've had very little snow or rain, there must have been a lot more up high in the mountains for suddenly there wasn't just one waterfall in Grace Road Park, but several  cascading down the cliffs of Copper Canyon.

A new waterfall at Grace Road Park
It appears to come straight out of the cliff.
A new culvert under a logging  road, perhaps?

Water cascades down the cliffs

An outcrop of copper-coloured rock diverts the fall

Banon Falls is a torrent this time

And a golden prism of colour cut across
this sheet of water.

The dogs didn't seem perturbed by the higher-and-faster-than-usual river or falling water, though we took care to call them away from it.  Still, they were more interested in pee-mail and other interesting smells.

Gazehound Keaghan might have fancied he saw something in the distance, or maybe he was just enjoying the beautiful view.

I liked the shadow of a tall skinny tree against the sandy-surfaced canyon wall,

particularly near the top where the curve of the tree's shadow followed the curve of the rock:

On the hike back up to the cars, repeated gunshots across the canyon  unnerved us, and especially Anxious Eddie, but we made it safely to our cars and back towards home, accompanied by yet another large and colourful rainbow.

While Eddie and I were out, the other critters apparently amused themselves by making Valentine's cards for you:

Then Mother Nature gave us all one last Valentine's gift as we looked out the back door just as dusk fell - a rosy-red sunset reflected in puffy clouds above the ocean, islands and North Shore mountains.

Reflections of sunset
From my back yard

You don't have to be part of a couple to have a good Valentine's Day.  Sometimes loving life is the best kind of love of all.  Especially when that life is shared with a family of critters and Mother Nature.