In early June the river trip for the Canadian Outdoor Leadership Training students took place. They traversed from Woss Falls down to Nimpkish lake, a journey of 35kms over three days. The trip took place in Tandem canoes, canoes that have room for gear and two people. A raft, a 14ft blue NRS, which took three people and a bit of gear. Then we had 5 kayaks or variety styles and shapes. This made our little flotilla quite fun and gave us some options as we paddled down the river.
It is the longest river on the Island, rising on the west slope of Mount Alston, flowing northwest into Nimpkish Lake and then north into the Broughton Strait at a point 8 km east of Port McNeill, just southwest of the town of Alert Bay on Cormorant Island. The ‘Namgis or Nimpkish people, whose traditional territory coincides largely with the boundaries of the Nimpkish River watershed, are a branch of the Kwakwaka’wakw First Nation. Captain George Vancouver visited their principal village, Xwalkw, located at the mouth of the river in 1792 and called it Cheslakee’s after the paramount chief at that time. In 1880, the ‘Namgis moved to Cormorant Island, where their community adjacent to Alert Bay, is today called ‘Yalis. The traditional name of the Nimpkish River, Gwa’ni, honours a ‘Namgis creation myth, in which Kaniki’lakw, the Transformer, changes his father-in-law, Gwa’nalalis, into a salmon-rich river so that he can provide food for his descendants forever. ‘Namgis has been translated as “those who are one when they come together”. (Source – Scott, Andrew; “The Encyclopedia of Raincoast Place Names”; Harbour Publishing, Madeira Park, 2009.)
It was a brilliant few days with the students as we travelled the water course of the Nimpkish. Working cooking skills over the fire, tarp skills, paddling different craft, rive running, maps, exploring and seeing the landscape from the river.
The trip up north isn’t complete without a stop at the Woss General Store which sells almost everything, from Gas and Diesel to Groceries, cold Beer & Wine, Cigarettes, Lotto, Coffee, Pipes, Bongs and Lucky Logger Clothing. It is also the spot for group photos at the end of the Trip.
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