Sunday, September 12, 2021

 

A walk along the Koksilah River

When walking or hiking, the camera always helps with exploration. It helps get me deeper into what I am looking at. The adventures that come with aging have affected my blogging somewhat, due to circumstantial and physical changes and the ensuing inspiration or lack of it. Nevertheless, there is nothing like blogging for thinking more about the experience and then sharing it.

A few days ago, that morning, after a little rain the day before, after seventy-plus days of no rain I went for a walk on the old, abandoned railroad track by the Koksilah River. Getting off the tracks down to the river things actually were wet. I had not seen anything as beautiful as that for months.

This particular part of the river starts with a trestle.


Here the Koksilah is close to meeting up with the cowichan River and the humongous delta that runs into the Cowichan Bay. The next photo, however, goes up river.

The dry spell does not do much for size but at least the river is still there.

A few more Koksilah River vistas:




Of course, it doesn't matter where you are, whether it is Holland, Germany, England, or here on Vancouver Island, or anywhere else, rivers, lakes, etc. provide essential beauty. In my location here the Cowichan River is a river of healing and beauty but the Koksilah River is definitely among the most scenic rivers.

I know some wildflowers by name but not these flowers that are flowering so late in summer.




At this water tower it was time to turn back towards Miller road.



 And then I came across Ocean Spray, a shrub that has long finished flowering anywhere else around here.


Along this tract are many more phenomena such as cairns, fens, Bright Angel Park, and more. Some of these may show up in a future entry but meanwhile we are back at the trestle.

Many years ago, I lurked in the same spot this photo was taken, waiting to photograph the final train on this track. Alas, after quite some time I realized I'd missed the last train. 😂