The Ripple Rock Trail, which leads to the Seymour Narrows lookout, is located approximately 10 miles north of Campbell River, on highway #19, just south of the Forest Service road to our campground. Until 1958, Seymour Narrow contained one of the most notorious marine hazards in North America. Located in the narrow pass between Vancouver Island and Maud Island, Ripple Rock consisted of two menacing rock pinnacles whose summits lay only 6 ft. and 9 ft. under water at low tide. The pinnacles restricted the flow of water through the passage, which produced water velocities of 15 to 20 knots and caused the formation of large whirlpools. Ripple Rock caused damage to dozens of ships and claimed 114 lives.
In 1958, after tunneling beneath the seabed and up into the twin pinnacles of Ripple Rock (a sort of root canal for the pinnacles), 2,750,000 lbs of explosives were set under the pinnacles. On April 5, 1958, the blast was triggered which created the largest man-made, non nuclear explosion in history. The explosion broke up an estimated 370,000 tons of rock and moved 220,000 tons of water. The clearance now at low tide is approximately 43 ft and 46 ft.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6W9PV_s_zF4
We are now in Rain Forest country.
Moss-covered trees.
Larger-than-life trees.
Hiking through ferns and tall trees.
Man-swallowing ferns.
Last climb to the summit and overview.
Seymour Narrows viewed from end of trail.
Lunch spot.
Lunch view.
After the hike, we drove back into Campbell River. In the parking lot of the Canadian Superstore Mustang Club, River City Stangs, was rallying. Here are the proud owners of these beautiful machines. They are ready to drive off together to Gold River on the other side of Strathcona Provincial Park.
Today's Hike:
Distance - 5.53 miles
Duration - 3 hours, 40 minutes (including lunch)
Elevation gain - 1,140 ft. (120 floors on the Fitbit)
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