The Bowron Lakes - by Jason

The Bowron Lakes

Listen, listen closely,
Listen to the river roaring,
Hear the endless beating of the rocks,
Focus in on the rare sounds of life.

Screw that.

Open your eyes,
Life is all around us,
Trees shoot up from the nurtured soil,
Plants blossom,
Ducks ferry across the river,
Birds soar the skies,
And the bears keep their distance from the humans.
All this from a river.

Breath in.
Smell the freshness of the air,
Take in the smell of an class A provincial park,
Forget about the city life, forget about school, forget about the rules, forget about politics,
This is what you lived for,
To be surrounded by everything you are allergic to.

Grab on.
Lean against a tree while you give in to the irresistible urge to sneeze,
Feel the texture of the tree,
The complexity of Mother Nature.
Just like when you were a baby, grab and feel everything,
Ponder over how all of this was made,
Think about how life was created,
What is the meaning of life?

Wake up!
You are hungry and that’s all that matters,
Shove food into your mouth as you sit around the stove,
Taste the pigments of dirt in your food,
Drink your river water.

Oh, you’re not full yet?
Well too bad, that’s all you are having today.
Go to sleep with the crave for food,
Dream about your house filled with snacks,
Pass out in your sleeping bag as you wish for your favourite snack.
Good morning.
Canoe down the river with a empty stomach,
You’re weak, you’re bonking, you’re not focused, and you are going down a river.
Welcome to the Bowron Lakes.

For our last trip of the semester our COAST students get the opportunity to share everything they have learned with one hundred students from a local middle school. Each COAST student gets paired up with four middle school students, that they are responsible for leading during a four day camping trip. The camping trip is usually to a place called New Castle Island just outside of Nainaimo. The COAST students meet up with their buddies after they get off the ferry and help transport them and their gear to the island by canoe. Then continue to support them as they set up their tents and cook their meals. 

This culminating trip is one that the COAST students look forward to all semester. They are very proud of the training they have done and are eager to teach others. Throughout the four day trip the students are all engaged in stationed activities that include oreinteering, beachcombing and canoeing skills. The evenings are spent enjoying skits and songs around campfire and sharings stories of COAST adventures from the semester. The applicants to the COAST program often end up being the middle school students who come on this trip, look up to their COAST buddies and admire all their skills. The connection that forms between these students on this trip bridges the gap for the younger ones as they make their transition into their later years. 

"Must we always teach our children with books? Let them look at the mountains and the stars up above. Let them look at the beauty of the waters and the trees and flowers on earth. They will then begin to think, and to think is the beginning of a real education."
- David Polis

One of the more culturally rich aspects of the COAST program is the opportunity to enjoy hiking in the Stein Valley Nlaka’pamux Heritage Park.The name comes from the Nlaka’pamux word “Stagyn”, which means “hidden place”, referring to the fact that the valley and the extent of the watershed is not very noticeable from the Stein River’s mouth on the Fraser River.

The Lytton Ferry provides access to the main Stein trailhead and if we are luky some of the elders from the Lytton First Nations group would meet us there.

In the past they have spent their time sharing their personal stories of how hard they worked to protect this beautiful valley and its cultural significance. As our third trip, it gives a chance for our students to connect with the land and the important history of our province. 

The valley has been extremely important to the Nlaka’pamux people for thousands of years, both spiritually and for sustenance. This is seen by the large number of pictographs still visible today in various parts of the valley, ranging in size from single symbols to one of the largest pictograph sites in Canada. One such site is Asking Rock near Stryen Creek. Here we stop and take a moment to acknowledge the Nlaka’pamux people and ask permission to travel the valley safely.

As we hike into the valley we take time to stop at other culturally educational spots along the way, such as the Birthing Pools and Culturally Modified Trees. Then, we enjoy secluded camping spots on the river where we can access the fresh water to filter and drink. It is a journey that goes back in time. This rare opportunity and enriched learning experience is often a favourite for the students.