WINTER/SPRING 2022 DREAMSCAPES
27
M
y heart races as I wade waist-deep
through the glacier-fed waters of
Bedwell River. I'm waiting for my
guide's queue to cross, and when my turn
comes, a small leap into the frothy ice-cold
chasm has me in a full breast stroke. My
helmet-clad head bobs on the surface as I
swim my way to the other side of the rocky
precipice. I'm thankful for the full-body wet-
suit keeping my core warm as I try to keep
my cool—my hesitation hidden behind a
nervous smile. We swim across the channel
single file, and then climb up a jagged rock
cliff to a flat clearing. I pull myself up, and
squint as a misty waterfall sparkles into
view. It feels as though I've climbed my way
into a painting. Below me, a school of
salmon swims through crystal-clear water.
Paradise is found
I'm on a canyoning excursion deep in the
heart of Clayoquot Sound, which is a name
derived from "Tla-o-qui-aht," the largest
community of the Nuu-chah-nulth
Indigenous peoples living here since time
immemorial. Today, it's a UNESCO-
designated Biosphere Reserve located on the
west coast of Vancouver Island. The
untouched temperate coastal rainforest
(composed primarily of ancient western
hemlock), and the ocean and rocky shores
provide home to a significant number of
endemic species. This makes Clayoquot
Sound a choice spot for wildlife viewing and
outdoor adventures—the ideal backdrop for
an off-grid luxury escape.
