Day with Jocelyne

I wrote this Friday night...

This morning the weather was grey and drizzly, but we met at 9am as planned to head into the national park. The plan was to drive around, stopping at various view points and walks alomg the way.

The first few stops were along the coast. The waves were pounding against the rocks, making for quite a dramatic sight. The rocks here are pink, with lines of white through them. I was treated to a short geology lesson but I don't have the right brain for those sorts of facts so I'm afraid I can't tell you much. However, I do remember seeing wild roses and cranberries and I ate a cranberry.

Our first walk was along a track that hadn't been cleared all winter, so we put snow shoes on and headed into the forest. It was totally gorgeous, a winter wonderland! The trees were covered in ice, each branch and twig encased in its own made to measure icicle. The forest was melting as we walked, showers of icicles coming down from the trees into the snow. 

We headed off the track into an area of scrub and small trees called the Huckleberry Barrens and were wandering through the magical landscape in awe. Every tiny detail was so beautiful, and the tiny details were everywhere! I could have wandered around there all day.

Luckily, we headed off to see another wonder. We parked next to a lovely building in an awesome setting - forest, river, mountain. This is where Jocelyne lived with her family when the kids were little, the lucky devils! We set off down another snowed in track, sinking into the rotten snow and falling over occasionally, a tangle of snow shoes and giggles.

Back in the forest, but very different from the last one. Instead of endless evergreens, we saw white birch, yellow birch, red oak, beech, maple and moose wood. Lots of the living trees were home to lichen, the dead ones food for fungi. Jocelyne showed me evidence of moose browsing and we saw where an unlucky partridge met its demise, leaving feathers scattered in the snow.

At the end of the track was a waterfall, cascading over bare rock to the small plunge pool. We stopped for a few snaps, then headed back.

It was quite a tiring day! Although we only covered around 6km, it was hard going in the old snow. I'm so pleased to have had a day with a local naturalist! I learned a lot about the park and I think I'm starting to overcome my fears of the Canadian wilderness as much as is sensible. Thanks Jocelyne!

I'm camping tonight - woohoo! No internet, but an unlocked toilet block, hoorah.

[Photos to come when there's better wifi]