After a good’s night sleep at Cape Croker I broke down the tent and headed to Sydney Bay Bluff, a trail not too far away from the campground. Actually, the hike would take me to to entrance to the campground – meeting up with the trail I did yesterday. And it has some epic views from the Sydney Bay Bluffs.
Sydney Bay Bluffs looking north
View of Sydney Bay Bluffs looking east
Isn’t it just gorgeous? Well I can tell you it was well worth the hike but little did I expect what happened to me before I got to this lookout. I was humming away and hiking to my music (I had the speaker going to scare off any large animals) when I got to the top of a crest time immediately went into slow motion. In a valley below me was a mama bear and her two cubs. The cubs proceeded to climb quickly up the nearest trees while mama watched from below. She immediately took off (in the direction I was planning on going) once the cubs were high in the trees. I just stood there not really sure what to do at this point. Do I continue on going past the cubs and quite possibly putting myself in-between the cubs and the mama bear OR do I just back off slowly and call the hike?
I decided to back off and go back along the trail. I was completely freaked out. Now, this is not my first bear encounter, nor will it be my last one, but a mama with cubs I was not going to mess around with. Luckily I came across a foursome of hikers and told them about the bears. They were willing to go past the bears (which were still in the trees) and continue on past. I decided to tag along – strength in numbers! Luckily the only bears we saw the rest of the hike was the little ones up in the trees.
Can you spot the bear?
At the end of the hike I said goodbye to my new hiking friends. Thank goodness I was able to come across them so I could finish the trail and have a little company on my usually solitary hike.
Schoolhouse ruins near the end of the hike
Getting back to the car was a little bit of a relief as I had to hike down a side trail to get back to it. I knew I wouldn’t see another bear but man it can wreak a little havoc on your nerves when you come across something like that. Some people might say – what’s the big deal? – but never ever underestimate a wild animal. You can never know what it is thinking or predict its behaviour and when you think you can that’s when trouble can happen. Always be aware.
Okay so that’s my little spiel on wild animals, now back to it. I made one last pit stop before heading home. Beautiful Wiarton – home of Wiarton Willy, the predictor of spring. I always like stopping in here. The town is situated on the water and in summer you can usually hear some tunes being played at a local restaurant by the waterfront. And there is always people out on the boardwalk or on the water in their kayaks.
Kayaks
*Sigh* wishing I didn’t have to get home but the city calls and work must be done.
