The spectacle of life intrigues me. The Earth has life, land and water. All three are infinitely interdependent. Currently the life of salmon are flinging themselves wildly out of the water. They are not trying to land themselves in my cooking pot or my neighbour's net. They are simply waiting for the rain.
This is the second week of supposed rain. The fish are jumping in protest. They saw the forecast, and it said rain. "I thought Claire Martin said rain all week" snorkeled the Chinook. "She did" said the Chum. "We should swim to Vancouver and give her the fin-ger!" The Sooke River is bone dry.
The fish jump between 7 meters away and a half a nautical mile out in Sooke Harbour. A 30 pound Chinook roaring out of the water 7 m away is almost frightening. The seals with their large shiny domes and stealth hunting maneuvers are part of the commotion on the ocean. Everyone's lining up at the trough.
The fish density must be growing. They leap they fly they slam they body flop and tail walk. They are throwing up great swirls and sprays of water. There are so many today and yesterday. But everything is waiting. The fish wait for the rain and everything else waits for the fish. Vieing for space.
I wonder about the leaping fish size. I've seen pictures of sixty pound Chinook up Sooke river. Hah, I couldn't even pull in the anchovy rig let alone 15 pounds of sockeye or 20 pounds of white Chinook. I've rarely seen a 60 pound salmon. 40 seems the largest in recent years. But the big ones have to spawn too.
Salmon are funny. They return to the rivers they are born in. It would be like me going back to Halifax to have kids. That's a problem because my husband would have a hankering to go to southern Alberta.
Of the five types of Pacific salmon three run up the Sooke River right past my tent vestibule. Chum, Chinook and Coho. The Coho veer off into Charter's Creek while Chinook and Chum rule the Potholes with DeMamiel Creek providing support. Sturgeon also run in this river.
To see a salmon river in BC, I have always wondered, "How can big salmon run up small creeks that are always dry?" But they are dry in summer only, when I would visit on holidays. Now, after residing near a salmon river for 5 years, I know what has to happen in fall and winter in the rain forest. It has to rain.
And not a prairie rain or even a heavy rainstorm, but days and weeks of wet. Continuous, often pouring water from the sky. First the salmon run up, then the forest takes a drink and everything gets refreshed.
The current tragedy is this rain forest river valley is in drought. We are two autumns with no strong rain for the salmon and two winters with some snow, but little rain. The backlog in the Harbour provides me with a unique opportunity to view salmon. The fish that come in from the Juan de Fuca, into the Harbour and the Basin, make their way up at least 4 streams.
The route is like this: East from the Juan de Fuca, through Sooke Bay, around Whiffen Spit and into the Harbour. Up Sooke River with exits at DeMamiel and Charter's Creek. If you are a salmon heading to Ayum Creek, keep going East in the Harbour, swim the gauntlet of fishers on Billing Spit and enter Ayum from Sooke Basin.
Currently as we wait for rain, the fish bunch up in the pooling spots as the tide comes in and goes out. Some years there are lots of jumps and rises in coves and deep water channels. Other years you have to go further upstream to see them spawn. It's amazing to be that close and you have got to wonder at the spectacle of watching fish have sex. And is that steaming bear poo?
The Web of Salmon
After 2 -7 years salmon, starting in freshwater and going to salt water to grow, return back to fresh water to lay eggs, fertilize, and die. I have watched an American dipper float, swim and dive at least a meter into the pool where the females dig a redd and fill this hole with thousands of eggs. Good hunting grounds.
The break down of eggs, sperm and dead and dieing fish begins to percolate the river floor and feed all decomposers living in the river - salamanders, frogs, snails, shrimp, and larvae of a myriad of creatures. The great salmon spawns create nutrient replenishing for all. The protein goes on.
The fish die, within a few days of spawning. Even on the upstream battle, they must contend with all manner of assaults. This year, there are many many fishers: snaggers, fly specialists, canoes, kayaks, pedal kayaks, and electric motors are popular this year. Gas motors and even one 3o ft boat that did not belong with the others. People's dogs chase the salmon and kids hit them with sticks. What's a fish got to do, get a room?
Bears are a great feaster on the spent and wasted salmon. Brains are very high in fat. Bears and other forest animals pull the salmon away to feed. The salmon is dragged and shredded and pooped all over the forest floor. It's in everything. The trees of the Pacific rain forest have a unique and strong nitrogen component that only comes up through the marine environment.
Eagles have numbered 25 on a given morning in previous years during the boon. Last year, we saw just the locals and the odd transient. This year, few so far beyond the dominant mature pair. Their nest was huge and heavy and fell after 12 years of use. The eagles wait for the fish; the fish wait for the water.
This year I'm afraid the salmon are having to exert themselves early and there might be early egging and sperming. At least greater risk of being hooked (barbless only), assaulted by gulls or a heron, eagle, or seal and cormorant. It's a tough world. But it would be much tougher without Pacific salmon.
The Earth has many cycles and many things affect them. Any drought has profound implications for a rain forest. Such a diverse world as this is bound to the water. Humans need it, trees need it, salmon need it.
Last night the sky was strangely dry with light fog. The rain started and softly fell for 12 hours. Not enough yet. The salmon of all shapes and colours and stages vie for that first one through the gate when the rain comes. It is coming isn't it?
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