British Columbia: Paradise on the Pacific
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It seems unbelievable that the combination of high moisture
and mild temperatures could produce a treble-layered forest
at latitude of 60°-40° north. Only a bright green
light filters through the first layers of giant conifers
and the middle layers of broad-leafed trees to the bushes
and ferns that blanket the floor. Although the forest teems
with life – deer, squirrels, birds, bears, etc.
– catching the animals is practically impossible due
to the extreme density of the vegetation. Visibility is
limited to a few feet. The rain forest also contains a
"false floor" composed of dead and rotting trees. This
floor is often 10 feet above the real ground and it's
possible to fall through the layer of downed trees and
become trapped below.
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There are few roads to interrupt the splendor of these
coastal mountain forests: Most of the traffic is handled by
boats running along the coast. Isolated fishing villages
and lumber camps dot the sheltered coves and exotic fjords
along the rugged coast.
The coast itself is structured of fantastic wave-sculptured
cliffs and sandy, rocky coves. These cliffs were "recently"
carved by the receding glaciers and their faces are
constantly being reshaped by the erosive and powerful
Pacific surf. In spite of the tremendous pounding surf
along the base of the cliff, the rocks swarm with a
brilliant profusion of starfish, and the hardy abalone
– a large, edible sea-snail.
Offshore you can see the rugged islands that were at one
time mountain peaks. The thousand-mile waterway that runs
around these hundreds of rocky fortresses was called "The
Road that Walks" by the Indians. The entire area was
literally carved out by the actions of the last great
glacial period; mountains sunk and rivers submerged and now
it is possible to sail among the peaks of these once mighty
mountains.
In the sandy coves you can dig for steamer clams, search
out Dungeness crab from their hiding places around rocks
and pick up Pacific oysters in shallow water during low
tide.
This is famous salmon and sturgeon country as well. Even
though the numbers of these huge fish (sturgeons average
200 lbs.) have been greatly diminished by commercial
fisheries, the shortage is hardly noticeable to individual
fishermen. The Indians prepare fresh salmon by cleaning and
splitting the fish and lacing each side (skin down) against
a driftwood plank. The salmon is then smoked slowly over a
low fire. The row, or eggs of the female sturgeon (and
salmon) are used for making caviar.
