Sirens and Temptations : Chemainus to Duncan

Temptations on the Trail

On every adventure there are always moments of self-doubt when we question ourselves, our motivations, and the path we have chosen.  Often these moments occur when the way forward is intensely challenging, unappealing, or we feel like we're too mentally or physically exhausted to continue pushing forward.    Almost invariably these moments open the door to temptation - whether it is to give up, take a shortcut, accept a ride, or make some other concession to lessen the burdens that lie ahead.  

For the Ancient Greeks, such temptations took the form of Sirens - mythical creatures whose alluring voices rose in an irresistible chorus of promises that symbolized temptation, desire, and of course risk.   Over the course of this trek across Canada on the Trans Canada Trail, temptation has visited us in the form of GO trains that could have whisked us across the Greater Toronto Area in a matter of hours, short-cuts that would have saved us walking hundreds of kilometres down dusty gravel roads in the unrelenting heat of the prairies, and rides from well-intentioned strangers offering to ferry us through rough, purportedly crime-ridden industrial areas at the outskirts of major cities.  With 21 km of road walking ahead of us, today's temptation came in the form of an abandoned railway line, which would have provided a safer, more direct, and much less hilly route to Duncan.  Did we succumb to temptation?  What do you think?

Onward...

The decision had to be made almost immediately after we set out from Chemainus into another cool, crisp, sunny morning.  A very short section of trail took us passed the smooth, velvety, lush green grounds of the Mount Benton Golf Course.  A row of huge, tall firs towered over our heads, their trunks clearly delineating the edge of the course. Even though a layer of frost sparkled softly on the green, a few intrepid players were already out enjoying their first game.  A man out walking his dog stopped to chat with us, and ended up wishing us well on the remainder of our journey.

At the end of the golf course a large yellow sign – with a Trans Canada Trail marker below - pointed us down the 'Roadside Trail Route,' while the railway tracks stretched out in front of us.  The call of the Siren was loud.  The Island Railway Corridor, which was formerly known as the Esquimalt & Nanaimo (E & N) Railway Corridor, is approximately 225 km long, running between Courtney and Victoria, with an additional branch line running from Parksville to Port Alberni.  The route is now owned by the Island Corridor Foundation, a partnership consisting of Cowichan Tribes and local governments along the rail line. A lot of infrastructure has been developed to facilitate movement of freight by rail across the island, and until 2011 a passenger service was also running.  However, operations were suspended indefinitely due to safety concerns regarding the condition of the tracks, and so far these issues haven't been resolved.  Although service is expected to resume, as the tracks become increasingly overgrown more and more people are starting to use them for hiking, biking, and ATVing

As you probably guessed, when faced with the choice between following the rail line and taking the official route, we turned down the road and continued along the TCT as we have since the Atlantic Ocean.   Chemainus Rd, or Highway 1A, was a winding, two lane, paved road lined with tall trees, homes, and small farmsteads.  As we trudged along the call of a rooster reached us across the frosty fields. The bleating of sheep and the complaints of a disgruntled goat joined it in the still, cold air.  Quite a few of the driveways had wooden stands and stalls which were standing empty, but had handmade signs advertising honey, fresh eggs, root vegetables, or lavender sprigs.  Outside a few homes the smell of baking bread and pies filled the air.  Overall, the walk was making us quite hungry, but sadly there wasn't actually anywhere to stop.

Suddenly we heard the high keening of a Bald Eagle, and spotted the striking black and white plumage of two adults sitting in the bare branches of a tree across a field. Soon we came to a very busy bridge over the Chemainus River, and spotted six more eagles perched along its banks and on the rocky shoals. The shallow, clear waters below us were filled with spawning salmon, many of them already spent, but others still valiantly swimming against the current.  A flock of Glaucous-winged Gulls on the rocky shoal was noisily arguing over the abundant feast, while a small group of Common Mergansers were napping nearby, seemingly oblivious to the racket.  The bridge wasn't a good place to stop, because there was a lot of traffic and it was on a curve, but we took a moment to enjoy all the birding activity.

After crossing the river we found ourselves walking through the Halalt 2 Reserve, which is occupied by the Halalt First Nation.  The traditional territory of the Halalt People is the lower Chemainus River Valley and Willy Island.  It looked like a community that was full of life, with fresh flowers in the cemetery, people doing renovations outside some of the homes, and beautiful artwork decorating the bus shelter outside the bustling community centre and band office.  One thing we did notice as we headed back out into the countryside was that many of the homes were still surrounded by tall banks of sandbags.  It was difficult to imagine the small creek we were walking beside flooding to the extent that would require such drastic measures, but it was yet another reminder of how much a place can change depending on when you visit it.

The afternoon walk along the undulating, winding, paved road was largely uneventful.  Just after venturing through Westholme, which was little more than a crossroads, we passed the entrance to Eves Provincial Park.  We were ready for a break, but all we saw was a drive climbing up into the trees, with no indication if there was a day use or rest area nearby.  Apparently, this 18 ha park does have a day use area, a network of hiking trails, and the John Lawson Nature Centre.  Visitors can explore forests, ponds, bluffs, and historic sites associated with the railway.  Since we didn't know that at the time, we continued past without stopping to explore.

Frost covered fields of golden and red grasses covered the landscape, framed by a band of treed mountains in the distance. Every so often we would pass the gate to a small home or farm, but the cold, clear air around us was mostly still and quiet under the bright blue sky.  We continued through this landscape for most of the afternoon, mostly enjoying it apart from the fast-paced traffic at the blind corners, and the lack of places to stop for a break as we continually climbed and descended.

As we approached the outskirts of Duncan, traffic began to pick up, homes became more frequent, and construction indicated we were entering an expanding community.  We crossed the Trans Canada Highway at a traffic light (thankfully), and stopped at Tim Hortons for a coffee and the first break we'd taken in the last 22 km.

Just across the road was the BC Forest Discovery Centre.  This 100 acre outdoor museum features a locomotive collection that represents the ingenuity that went into connecting communities and accessing the province's natural resources.  They feature locomotives powered by steam, gas, diesel, and electricity which demonstrate the development of technology during the 20th century.  Visitors can ride one of these historic trains over the Somenos Lake trestle bridge, or explore some of the many trails to learn about the various locomotives at the museum and how they were used to support forestry operations across the province.  Sadly, the museum was closed when we walked through.

After our break, instead of continuing to walk the road into Duncan along the official TCT route, we followed the Friendship Trail, a lovely local rail trail that ran parallel to the highway.  The trail was bordered by bramble bushes that were full of Golden-crowned Sparrows foraging for the last of the autumn berries.   On the other side of the busy highway we could see Somenos Lake and a large cattail marsh, both of which are great birding spots.  Over 150 species of birds have been reported on eBird in the Somenos Marsh, which is accessible by a hiking trail and a wooden boardwalk.  We would have loved to explore the marsh, but it would have required us to cross back over the Trans Canada Highway, which wasn't possible on foot at that point.

Duncan was incorporated in 1912 and now has a population of just over 5,000 people.  It claims the title of Canada's smallest city by area, and is known as the City of Totems.  The community is named after William Chalmers Duncan, who was born in Sarnia, Ontario, but came to the Cowichan Bay area in 1862 in a group of 78 settlers led by Governor Douglas.   Duncan's farm was named Alderlea, which was the original name given to the settlement.  Legend has it that when the first train on the E & N Railway arrived in 1886, which was carrying Sir John A Macdonald and Robert Dunsmuir, it wasn't scheduled to stop in Alderlea.  However, a crowd of 2,000 people assembled along the tracks to welcome it, and it made an unscheduled stop.  A station was later built at that spot, and the city of Duncan grew up around it.  In the 1900's, Duncan's Chinatown was a social centre for the Cowichan Valley's Chinese population.  At its height it included six Chinese families and 30 merchants who supplied goods and services to the loggers, mill workers, cannery, and mine workers in the area.  Nothing remains of the original Chinatown today.

Duncan is now known as being home to one of the largest outdoor collections of publicly displayed totem poles in the world, officially earning it the nickname "City of Totems" in 1985.  Originally the city's collection included 44 totem poles, but three have been lost or given as gifts over the years. In the summer months, the Cowichan Historical Society and Museum provides free totem tours.  House posts and totem poles were carved by the Indigenous Peoples of the Northwest Coast to tell their family's story.

Totems were a way to pass down information to future generations, and they often included family crests and traditional symbols in Coast Salish and Kwakwaka'wakw culture.  In the early 20th century, totem poles began to appear in non-native communities across BC to welcome visitors.  In 1985, Duncan's mayor, Douglas Barker, started a project intended to cultivate cross-cultural appreciation and cooperation between city and the Quw'utsun' People.  The design of the poles included in the collection reflected people's lives, businesses, and families, and were intended to represent the two cultures coming together. They have all been carved by Salish Coast artists, and the story of each one can be read in the museum.

After dropping our things off at a motel on the edge of town, which proved to a dodgier establishment than we had hoped, we headed into town to explore.  We were able to visit the central park near the restored train station downtown to see a group of the colourful totem poles.  However, the downtown itself was almost completely closed off for the filming of a Hallmark movie.  The downtown streets and shops looked quite charming, and we had been hoping to see some of the famous Cowichan sweaters that this area is known for, but it was not to be.  Scaffolding and holiday sets covered most of the streets and shop fronts, pedestrians were discouraged, and photography was prohibited.  Purportedly they are filming one of the Hallmark Christmas movies here – “Holidazed” – using Duncan as the town of Oak Bay Oregon.   So, we cut our explorations short, found a coffee shop and spent the next few hours writing and editing photos before calling it a day.  This was the only full day of road walking we will have on Vancouver Island, and we successfully avoided the Sirens of temptation, calling us to take an easier and more pleasant route.  Only a few more days of walking left to reach Victoria, and the end of our westward journey on the Trans Canada Trail!

See you on the trail!

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