QUINSAM RIVER in the PINK

 This morning we decided to go down to the Quinsam River and see the thousands upon thousands of pink salmon that had returned. It is being said that there are over 160,000 salmon and more to come over the next three weeks. They were not exaggerating.

 It was amazing. Pink  upon Pink  sloshed together, flopping, writhing, scrunching together in the river. So many, that you could just "walk across their backs", as the saying goes. It was hard to resist the urge to just reach in just to touch them. And no, you couldn't just get a net and scoop them up.....

 30 years ago the salmon run all but disappeared. And now it's back. Anglers  flocking to fish in the stream, swarming with fins.

  When we were there today, people were leaning over the water to see the salmon, some to fish, others to just sit on the banks and watch the Pinks smack against the water.

  The smell of fish and the smell of animal.....large animal....was incredibly strong. Bears have been here , stuffing themselves silly.Carcasses of salmon were strewn all over. Bear scat on the river banks.

                  Trails lead from one river point to the next, and  all swarming with salmon.

 Quinsam River is a tributary leading to the actual Campbell River. Standing on the edge of the gate, is probably one of the best viewing areas to see the Pinks. The Hatchery gates are open at 7:30 every day and locked at 4:30pm. Lots of parking. Lots of trails. Lots of Pinks.

 Some of the species that are managed here are the Pink,Coho,Chinook, Steelhead and Trout.

      The Hatchery is 5 km west of downtown Campbell River, a really easy drive if you live in the area. Today was a very noisy day on the trails.....birds , a jungle of them, making a cacophony of sound. Probably all talking about the Pinks. The eagles were positively shrieking.

                                       

 Pinks have been known to travel thousands of kilometres.And there were thousands of them today. They looked a little frantic to me, but I would be frantic too, if I was stuck in a stream with a thousand others.Knowing that this was probably the end....eventually.

                And at the same time,I noticed  the first signs of fall were showing.....the maples starting to turn golden. Six more weeks of summer.......give or take. But meanwhile, there a Pinks to watch.