Larch Haven: Spray Paint on a Piece of Cardboard

Photo Credit: Bonnie Johnson

I am on my tiptoes, as though that would bring
me closer to the salmon and the water.

Bonnie called me from Malakwa to say that she had seen the words “salmon are running in Yard Creek” spray painted on a piece of cardboard, and an arrow pointing to the bridge.

She had gone to take a look and wondered if I wanted to see them.

I have no problem dropping what I was doing and driving out there.

Although I have lived here for many years I have never gone into Yard Creek Provincial Park.

We didn’t take the right hand turn on the highway, but went left and then continued going east until we came to a small bridge.

Photo Credit: Bonnie Johnson

A couple of other cars were parked on the side of the road and a family with a child who could hardly walk was walking beside the iron rails of the side of the bridge.

The flash of that red colour of the salmon was overwhelming.

Bonnie and I were calling to each other. “Look here.” “Look there.”

Photo Credit: Bonnie Johnson

“Look – I think that salmon is dead and the bottom 1/3 of its body is missing.”

“Four of them are in one single eddy over here.”

“Look at that one thrash.”

“One is skimming along the tops of the rocks and the top half of its body is exposed.”

“One has turned around, gone back, and now is retracing its path against the current, trying to find a way through the creek.”

We couldn’t stop pointing out to one another what was going on in the water.

The walk down to the river looked too steep for me.

Photo Credit: Bonnie Johnson

I did see other people with 2 black dogs, down by the river’s edge.

Photo Credit: Bonnie Johnson

People below are crossing the stream.

And in fact, one man walked across the stream without getting wet, just by jumping from rock to rock, or sandbar to rocks and then back to sandbars.

Bonnie and I left and went back to the Yard Creek junction, to go south this time, to the park.

The walk was easier but fewer fish had made it that far.

The small waterfalls and the huge bolders in the stream seem to make it impossible for them to complete their journey.

But they do make it back to where they began.

At least those who can make it there.