Stories behind pictures
WILD COAST TRAIL, BC
We combined a fishing trip with a little hiking on Vancouver Island in Canada's British Columbia. Along the coast near Ucluelet, there is a trail along an unspoiled section that we hiked. The image above was from that section. The Wild Coast Trail system, which is really not extensive, extends further south to a lighthouse, the Amphitrite Point Lighthouse, also called the Ucluelet Lighthouse (the loop bears that name). This lighthouse sits upon a very craggy rock outcrop similar to the outcroppings in the image. Walking back down from the lighthouse, I endured a traumatic experience. While descending the craggy rock, my right foot was extended downward and my left foot was about to follow but it didn't lift high enough. So, with full-on hiking inertia vectored forward and downward, I performed a swan dive, impacted the rock with my hands and face, thereby executing a "three-point landing." The impact was abrupt and the next thing I heard was, "here, apply pressure," and saw blood dripping off my face, and on my shirt and hands. My face was bleeding and my wrists were swelling rapidly. I quickly determined with my tongue that my teeth sunk half way through my upper lip inside, and it had an outside split from the rock. I'll try to make a long story shorter. I did recover. We went back to the lodge to evaluate my situation and resolved it without advanced medical help. For the lip, I cleaned (oh man, ouch##!, stings##!) and disinfected it, holding the lip together where it split, applied surgical tape instead of getting sutures, assuming the risk of tape not holding. I told my fishing buddies, "do NOT make me smile or laugh for the rest of the trip." They're jokes are not that good anyway so I had no problem with that. My wrists swelled up, turned black and blue, but after a few weeks they were more normal. Two years later, I still have a little motion resistance and pain in my right wrist which is likely attributable to this trip. The fishing? We fished eight hours each day four days straight. I caught one large silver salmon on the last hour of the last day and brought home flounder, snapper, and cod as well. (Type II Fun)
