Little Kuitshe Creek- Port Renfrew-16km (14km walked)
I woke up at 5.30am and was ready to leave Little Kuitshe in anticipation of the longest KM day yet- 14km plus 2.5km into Port Renfrew at the end. This might not sound too crazy- but considering how slow the KM’s were on this trail it was of cause for concern. A beer and a burger were waiting in Port Renfrew so I desired to be there ASAP. My inevitable blisters that i’d managed to stave off had now arrived too so i was keen to get going. It wasn’t even light when I started packing up using the light from my headtorch and I was out of there at 7.30am.
The conditions were easier than the previous days for sure, but tiredness and aching body made them seem harder than they should have been. Still plenty of roots etc to climb over and under. After a while there was a gloriously flat area to Parkinsons Creek. I also readjusted my bag so it finally stopped hurting my shoulders and was in heaven for a bit until the straps loosened again. I followed a couple of chaps from Parks BC who were carrying km marker posts to put in. It was about km 36 and i saw they were carrying 41 so I told them they could just set it down right here for me.
I arrived at Payzant Creek 7km into the day and sat for a snack. At this point the heavens opened and did not stop for the rest of the day. I still felt extremely lucky to have avoided the rain for the previous few days and to not have to camp in it. For the first few minutes the water was refreshing. Soon after i was absolutely soaked and the trail had become even more dangerous underfoot with some long tree trunks to walk along that were really slippery. I also couldn’t see a thing through my glasses which wasn’t ideal!
Some impressively huge waves crashing onto the rocks today and i stopped occasionally even in the downpour to watch them. After some particularly hairy moments climbing over driftwood the trail became decidedly easier near Botanical beach before turning into a flat gravelly path. The last km uphill to the car park tested me as i continued to get even more drenched now i wasn’t under tree cover. Worrying about getting hypothermia, i asked a German couple who were by their rental van if i could change into a dry top before the final walk into Renfrew. They instead offered to drive me as they were heading back there- great relief! I felt very dirty and smelly perched in the back of their pristine van but they didn’t seem to mind.
Wild Renfrew pub was absolutely perfect. Big and cosy and decorated with nice art, it already had a good mix of locals and hikers hiding from the rain. As Port Renfrew is as the end of the southern terminus of the West Coast Trail and the northern terminus of the Juan de Fuca they probably make a killing from hungry hikers.
I changed into dry cosy clothes and had a coffee and a delicious burger- heaven! I then had a couple of pints and welcomed the Israeli lad and the older ladies who’d set off after me. I sat with the ladies for the remainder of the afternoon before we all got on the trail bus back to Victoria and drank whisky with some also jubilant West Coast trail completers from Portland. I was happy and exhausted- and as i write this two days later in Vancouver on a wet night i am missing the camaraderie and spectacular nature of the trail.
#34 sad it’s over! And happy to have ticked this off my bucket list, especially as my last experience in Canada/Vancouver island before i jet off. I feel so lucky and grateful for my time in Canada and will surely be back to visit the wild west coast. Beautiful Juan de Fuca (:
(this trail, however difficult, was a warm up for whats about to come….hopefully a Himalayan adventure! Stay tuned…)
1Year/52Hikes 2019 