Waking up in Prideaux Haven was our first drizzly day, but after slow mornings and warm breakfasts we were all ready to take off onto the day’s adventures. Groups embarked on their own journeys, and a few of us got together and explored a trail from Melanie Cove over to a nearby, Tenedos Bay.

Our first stop along the hike was an incredible lookout over a small, calm serene lake, peppered with lily pads and decorated by beautiful hemlock, fir, and cedar trees. After spending a few breaths taking in the high vantage point, we trotted down the hillside to be level with the lake and made some friends with the local fauna.

Leaping along the trail we treaded lightly around the Cascades Frog that call the chain of lakes we were weaving through, home. These amphibians are known to live five to seven years, but with their diet poorly known, researchers are more familiar with their predators being larger animals like raccoon, coyote, and mink all the way to smaller critters like water bugs, snakes, and birds. Leaving our new friend in peace we all wished them our best of luck.

Two thirds of the way into our hike we came to an obstacle of many fallen down trees across our path. In checking in with one other we all agreed to sit down for a rest and ate a snack, checking through our ID books on some of the species we’ve encountered that we were unfamiliar with, learning about them together before we set off on our way again.

One of our most interesting finds on our adventure was the cluster of mushrooms we identified as Bleeding Fairy Helmets or Mycena Haematopus. These mushrooms are most known for their bleeding of a red to purple juice when their flesh is broken or scratched into, found mostly on fallen deadwoods of hardwood trees. We did not stop to run a scratch test, but in hindsight we all kind of wish we had.

At the end of our out and back we stepped into a forest of golden leafed Big Leaf Maples, excited for the feeling of fall all around us. Confirming our route, we checked the posted map and all shared joy over our stunning hike, calculating our trail to have been almost 5-miles one way, excited to turn around and trek the route again, but this time with a different perspective.

Soaking in the pause, we searched the beach in Tenedos Bay, also known as Deep Bay, for treasures within the rocks, skipping the flat ones we couldn’t pass up for a good throw. Soon we agreed that with a setting sun and another hike ahead of us it was time to start back down the trail, keeping our eyes peeled for more intriguing finds.

Today’s lay day in Prideaux Haven was an incredible way to spend a fall day. We all tucked in early, thankful for the extended time to explore such a stunning anchorage. With a golden sunset we said our goodnights, cozying into our floating homes, looking forward to a morning of setting off on another unforgettable expedition.

If I do come back

I would like to come back as

a slug in the woods.

– Reincarnation, by Captain Annie

P.S. Is Desolation Sound on your bucket list? We can take you there! Email us to reserve your spot on our 2023 Desolation Sound Flotilla. charters@nwexplorations.com