90-minutemassageat theon-site
spasoothesmyachycastingarm.
In thecookhouse thatevening,
tables interminglewithguests
swapping talesofavisit toa
glacierfieldand thehelicopterride
thatcarried them there; another
partyenthusesaboutahorseback
ride followedbyafirstfly-fishing
lessonon theUrsusRiver. I tell the
storyof thehalibut thatgotaway.
There’snohalibuton themenu
thatnight,whichIdon’t think
ismy fault,but there isgrilled
salmon (notmine,which isbeing
shippedbackhome toSeattle),
venisonandsearedmahimahi,
allaccompaniedbyAmerican
andEuropeanvintages, anda
fewexcellentB.C.winesselected
bysommelierTerezaRoux.
Ifarequisiteactivityexists
atClayoquot itwouldhave tobe
horsebackriding.Onmy lastday
hereImountapaintedquarter
horseand joinJohnCaton, two
guestsand twodogs fora leisurely
rideamong thesword ferns,wood
sorrelandmassiveconifers to
theconfluenceof theBedwelland
Ursusrivers.The trail traverses
acreekbedJohnhasworked
diligentlyduring theoffseason
torestoreasasalmonrun.
Wereturn for lunchand
afteragrilledhalibutsaladI
exchangesaddlesandcyclepast
theskeetshooting trail, stables
andarcherystand to thePenny
Falls trailhead. Istep through the
deep forest, accentedwithwild
ginger,whiteandpink trillium,
toclimb themoderatepath that
shadows the two-tiered60-foot
cascade.Fromhere, I lookout
overClayoquotSoundwithout
asingleobstacle insight, save
fora few low-lyingclouds.
Thatevening, as themoon
risesaboveMountWashington, I
follow thekerosene torchesalong
thealderwoodboardwalks tomy
tent.Themoonlightcastsshadows
uponClayoquotSoundand its
tributaries.Myeyesdrawclosed.
Isetoff todreamofriverkayaking
and thehalibut thatgotaway.
Fresh-caught cedar-spit
roasted salmon
cookedby chef RyanOrr
at the resort
An alderwood
boardwalk links
all tents around
theproperty.
Below: kayaking in
Clayoquot Sound
around the resort
PREVIOUSPAGEANDTHISPAGE:WALKERROSS
WRITER,PHOTOGRAPHERANDBROAD-
CASTERCRAIS.BOWERSPENDSASMUCH
TIMEASPOSSIBLE INBRITISHCOLUMBIA.
HECONTRIBUTESTOMORETHAN30
PUBLICATIONSANDDISCUSSESTRAVEL
BIMONTHLYONTHEAMERICANFORCES
NETWORK.HELIVESANDWRITES INSEATTLE.
CELEBRATED LIVING • SPRING 2015
88
