Today we saw the most dramatic, and the largest, and the most recent rock fall of the whole trip so far. Look at the cedars toppled into the lake, as far as I could tell, right from the top beside where I was standing. 

The photo doesn’t do it justice. I was genuinely afraid as I leaned on a good sized cedar to look down. What was stopping me from joining the fallen below?

All along, we’ve been commenting on how remarkably stable the whole escarpment seems to be. How long has that toppled pillar been leaning away from the cliff side? Those trees growing out of the cliff seem remarkably big. Could earthquakes have an effect? And so on. 

But this fall is so recent! The trees are still alive at the bottom. The top seems quite unstable …

Things do let go …

Leaving Hope Bay 

Today’s first 11.5 km out of Hope Bay took us about five hours. Slow rocky ups and downs and arounds, full of irregular rocks and mossy boulders. We go very slowly and deliberately, not the least because in the more open rocky stuff near the edge of the escarpment, poison ivy rules. I’ve seen too many stems of it staring me in the face as I try to carefully place my hiking poles to steady my upward progress. 

Gorgeous views though, such as this breakfast spot. 

Later on, in a flat dry alvar plateau, we feasted on (6!) wild strawberries! So tastey! 

Things that let go …

Today is dedicated to the memory of D&A’s dog, Nike. Nike died today of an unending series of brain seizures, happening out of nowhere. 

I couldn’t sing my favourite lullaby for A today without choking up and sobbing. 

“Sleep my child, let peace attend thee, all through the night. Guardian angels God will send thee, all through the night. Slow the waking hours are creeping, hill and dale in slumber slipping. I my loving vigil keeping, all through the night.”

Tears are falling from the sky as I struggle to write this …

Things that let go …