Thursday, August 21, 2008

7/22 -7/25 羅斯柯峽灣 Roscoe Inlet






明知這是一條回頭路,明知這條路有風的機率很小,我們還是毫無怨尤的進入。


羅斯柯峽灣,是加拿大北方數以千計的峽灣之一。因冰河切蝕作用,在貝拉貝拉之後,海岸有無數彎延伸入內陸的峽灣。羅斯柯是其中較短的一條,說短也有百里之遠。峽灣內由於兩岸皆是高山,風幾乎無法進入,但是早晚因溫差劇烈而產生強大氣流。
「我們是帆船航行者。」Rob宣稱,所以我們一直對於要不無風,要不巨風的峽灣敬謝不敏,直到我們已經到達此行預計的最北方時,我們決定忍受引擎航行,一探峽灣究竟。

而這是我們最值得的引擎航行經驗。蜿蜒的水道每轉一個彎便進入另一種令人摒息的美景:白雪覆蓋的高山、大片陡峻的峭壁岩石、墨綠如鏡的海水、冰河水融化傾洩而下的瀑布、漫天飛翔的老鷹、懶洋洋躺在礁石上的海豹家族。時間在此似乎停止下來。由於水道平靜,我們替船裝上自動導航,兩人靜靜的坐在船頭,暢飲眼前美景,無法言語。

北方天氣通常陰情不定,我們卻幸運的有三個大晴天可以一覽峽灣風光。這裡另一著名的是熊的國度。一路上我都密切觀察是否有熊出沒而不斷失望,直到回程時猛一瞥見一隻熊在岸邊出沒,我驚喜的趕緊大叫Rob:「有熊!!!」。Rob還在我大聲呼喚的驚嚇之中,這隻熊早已因聽見人聲而逃之夭夭。就這樣結束我和熊唯一的相遇(可憐的Rob連個機會都沒有)。

峽灣之後,就是一路回頭的時候了。

[translation]
We knew it was a dead end route. We knew the chances of wind would be small. But we still went in without hesitation.

Roscoe Inlet is one of thousands of fjords in northern Canada. Because of glacial action, after Bella Bella Canada's coast is penetrated by an uncountable number of fords. Roscoe Inlet is one of the shorter Fjords. But even this short Fjord is 21 miles long. Because this Fjord is sided by high mountains, wind has almost no chance to get in. But due to diurnal temperature variations, at times a very strong inflow or outflow can pour down the length of the fjord.

“We are traveling by sail,” Rob declared. So, we avoided these windless fjords with their punctuated moments of violent wind until we had reached the northernmost part of our journey. At this point we decided to start our motor and finally see what one of the fjords was all about.

It turned out to be the most satisfying use of our motor yet. Each time this winding inlet made another turn we were greeted with another scene of breathe-taking beauty: White, snow covered mountains, granite cliff faces, dark green, mirror-like water, snow-melt waterfalls, eagles soaring across the blue sky, a lazy seal family hanging out together on a rock. It was if time had stopped. Since the water was so still, we put on our tiller pilot, and the two of us sat on the bow of the boat silently drinking in the unfolding scenery.

The weather in the north is wet and unstable. But we got lucky and got three sunny days in a row. The north is also know for bears. We had been hoping to see bears for the whole trip but hadn't seen any yet. But on the way back down the inlet, I saw a bear appear on the shore. Overcome with excitement and joy, I yelled to Rob, “Bear!!!” Still startled by my sudden shout, by the time Rob knew which direction to look, the bear had already disappeared, fleeing from the sound of a human voice. Thus ended my only encounter with a bear (poor Rob didn't even have this brief opportunity).

After this Fjord, it's time to turn around and head back.