Tatchu Peninsula Backpack

Tatchu Peninsula Trip Report.

July 14 -20, 2021

When I think about writing a trip report, I think about language. Which words best describe this experience? To begin with, Tatchu Trail isn’t really a “trail”, hence Tatchu Peninsula. However, the “rugged” in Rugged Point Marine Park, (at the North end of the hike), is a very accurate name for much of the coastline. The rock formations often resemble a dinosaur’s playground, hence “Jurassic Point”, one of our camping spots. And then there is the business of Wade Creek. A handwritten note on our map read “Wade Creek at tides below 3.0m”. We waded across several creeks, if you get my drift. Finally, the “Bear Trail”. I’d like to see a bear negotiate that “trail”. It was close to vertical, intense and dense bush and narrow sections hugging the cliff wall.

The word “wild” comes to my mind constantly. There is no road access, just a wild one and a half hour water taxi ride from Tahsis. Float plane access is also possible, although the price is way wild. For me, wildlife sightings (and staring into tide pools, and watching sandpipers dance on the sand and gazing at magnificent sitka spruce trees and counting the many different kinds of seaweed…) were the highlights of this trip.

I think the lone wolf was watching us for a while before Perry spotted it. The bear running purposefully over the flat intertidal rocks towards the forest definitely saw (smelled?) Margo and I before we saw it.

One scared bear. We were only mildly scared. A mink scurried over the rocky beach and deer hopped delicately over the logs. We were entertained for hours by a playful pair of sea otters.

Rain drizzled on the last morning. We packed and then waited for an hour and a half for the water taxi to pick us up. Nothing to do but watch a gray whale in the distance.

My heartfelt thanks to Margo, Perry and Rick.

Paula