Beyond the Gates Capstone Expedition

The group — accompanied by at least two staff members throughout the trek — made stops at several islands in the Broken Group before moving on to Bamfield, where they stayed briefly before embarking along the West Coast Trail.

 

The kayaking portion taught the students how to read nautical charts and plan routes. They also visited Benson Island, an important cultural site for the Tseshaht First Nation, ate raw sea urchin (reviews were mixed), and learned about the history of whaling on the BC coast.

 

Before hiking the West Coast Trail, they stayed in Bamfield, and took a tour of Kiixin, the only known traditional First Nations village remaining on the west coast of southern BC The group hiked from Pachena Bay to Nitinat Narrows, covering 32 km in less than two and a half days. The unexpected speed at which they covered the trail gave them an extra day to relax and take in their surroundings, which included a swim at Tsusiat Falls.

 

One of the highlights, according to Pemba L., was learning firsthand about Indigenous history and territory.

 

“You learn about it many times in class,” she said. “But it’s nice to get to experience it.”

 

The students were also excited to have seen animals they had never seen before, from bears to whales to moon snails. They all agreed that it was “so worth it,” and they would do it again.

 

Mr. Nigel Mayes, Assistant Head – Co-Curricular and one of the staff members who accompanied the students on the expedition, said that they start encouraging Grade 9s to sign up for the trip in September, but many of them are hesitant, thinking it is beyond their capabilities. By the end of Grade 9, they are more than ready for the trek.

 

“They don’t realize how much they grow,” he said.