West Coast Trail Trip 2008 - Day 3

• Up at 7 and on the trail by 8
• Trail between KM29 and nitnat is ok but muddy in spots
• Get to nitnat narrows at 9:30 but have to wait under 10 until ferry operator sees me
• Have a pop at the other side and then carry on
• Nice board walk that quickly disappears into a swamp
• Follow trail around and then more boardwalk
• After about and hour or so meet a party or teenages led by a guy who like the guy who led my youth group 25 years ago
• So much trail today it is all kind of a blur
• See first bear tracks on trail just before Cheewhat and then a couple sets of them and some droppings under the Cheewhat bridge
• Stop for lunch at Cheewhat beach. Nice place. Would be great for hammock but is closed for camping due to bear.
• Meet another solo hiker at Dare beach. Water is starting to get low and ask him how far to lighthouse. He says the mud is insane around km54. Another set of hikers confirm this later on
• Getting good at mud pit hopping. Just call me dances over mud pits
• Stop at Cribs and get water and have a wash.
• First nations rangers are doing a lot of work on the trail here
• Continue on trail until Carmanagh lighthouse.
• Have to wait just after leaving beach for another group of 18 teenagers.
• Have a look around the lighthouse grounds and then move on
• Get to Chez Monique's at 4. Have a burger and a pop. No one else there except workers. Say they spend the whole season there.
• Boogie along the beach until the cable car. River is going to fast to wade so have to haul myself across. Takes whatever energy I got from the burger and pop
• Beach is gravelly and hard going. Finally get to Bonilla at 5:30
• Have another cold wash and do some laundry.
• Get a fire going and figure I will try and cut a day off tomorrow and see if I can get to Camper. This next day is supposed to be very tough.
• Hope I can get some better sleep tonight but I doubt it. Tide is coming in and the surf is loud. Fog has rolled in as well
• Strange beach. Keep thinking I hear voices but it is only the surf or the trees.