2020: A Year in the Life of Grandon Creek - "How I survived the Covid-19 pandemic of 2020" - Qualicum Beach ...
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2020: A Year in the Life of Grandon Creek “How I survived the Covid-19 pandemic of 2020”
Grandon Creek in Qualicum Beach British Columbia
David and Susan James introduced us to Grandon Creek on our irst visit to Qualicum Beach
in the summer of 2010. Since then I have often walked its length with the Qualicum Beach
Stream Keepers and on daily strolls. It is a local gem, ofering new discoveries with the
changing of the seasons. This year, after escaping Covid-19 ravaging Spain in mid March, we
stayed close to home as the virus swept across the world. This collection of photos has been
my Covid-escape project since I came out of strict isolation in April. I found solace in this
peaceful sanctuary that has kindled a renewed respect for the awesome forces that shape
our world, and has restored my optimism for the future. I hope it does the same for you.
1
IIn April a delicate Western Trilium blooms in the semi shade along the uphill sides of the trail 2
In June the shade of alders and cedars protect the lush ferns that overrun the trail. A
decaying cedar stump bears witness to a time when giant irst growth trees lived here
3
June: the stream slows to a trickle during the dry summer season 4
Late summer: smoke from wild ires in California obscures the sun
5
he dry creek bed is shrouded in thick smoke in mid September 6
Smoke-illed air creates a beacon of light that penetrates the creek trail
7
8 Autumn brings a surplus of mildew, moss and decay. Water gurgles again in the creek
Glorious fall colors light the upper reaches of the Grandon Creek trail 9
An abundance of autumn leaves blanket the gorge for winter 10
Long shadows spill across the deserted trail in late autumn
11Leaves cloak the trail with orange and yellow 12
Cause for hope: light loods the uphill path despite Covid counts spiking in late autumn
13A peaceful morning as the autumn leaves drit down to the trail and creek bed 14
Shats of light penetrate the gorge on a cool, misty November aternoon
15December: the dampness transforms the creek bed into a tapestry of delightful shapes and
colors; winter runof cascades over rocks and logs, washing autumn leaves downstream
1617
Runof spills over a log to collect in a quiet pool that relects autumn’s gold 18
On a crisp November aternoon the seting sun casts a warm glow across the Creek and its
relecting pools 19his tiny mushroom, no more that 5 cm high, inds a home on a decaying cedar stump 20
Briely, in early December, mushrooms line the rocks and moss along the shore of the creek 21
Ancient rocks sculpted by time glisten in the aternoon sun. Curtains of frigid mountain 22 runof roll and tumble between them in their quest to reach the sea
2020 nears an end. he winter solstice brings heavy rain, followed by snow. In late aternoon
the weak winter sun loods the Creek with an orange glow. he winter runof is in full lood
now and the ice and snow latens the the green, luxuriant ferns
23Water rushes downstram, churning up a turbulent frenzy 24
he Creek cascades over a log at the botom of the Trail near West Crescent Road
25Ferns bow down under the weight of a winter snowfall 26
I hope the road forward for you in 2021 brings renewed hope, health and happiness
27Photo Album by David J. Cotton
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