Day 49 - Thursday July 6/17

A day for touring and relaxing, based at Paarens Beach Provincial Park on Stuart Lake BC.

We had a wonderful moment after waking up at 4:49am, and were able to see the beginnings of dawn (but not sunrise yet) out the trailer door. We spent a few minutes enjoying the pink lightening sky, before snuggling back down in bed with an extra comforter and sleeping through until 10 to 8. We then put CBC on the iPhone, and enjoyed the 8am news with coffee (brewed last night, and piping hot out of the thermos - our usual evening/morning coffee routine). 

Breakfast was French toast, maple syrup and sausage, with more coffee, and then we did a large load of dishes accumulated over the last couple of days.

We headed off to Fort St James National Historic Site, about 10km away. The historic Fort, and the town of Fort St James, are alongside the modern village of the Nak’azdli nation (Carrier indigenous peoples).

The original Stuart Lake Outpost (which became Fort St James in 1821 when the Northwest Company was absorbed by the Hudson Bay Company) was built by Simon Fraser and John Stuart in this Nak’adzli territory in 1806, an important part of the Northwest Company’s expansion west of the Rockies. Once the Fort was established, it became an important location for the trading of European goods that the Carrier peoples desired. They were already well-established trading partners with other indigenous groups. Fort St James was alive and active as a trading place until 1952.

Fort St James is a well-organized National Historic Site, with costumed historic interpreters on site to help explain the history and operations of the Fort. We were fortunate to visit on a day with few visitors so we got private explanations as we moved from building to building (photos)

Michael and a sturgeon. These fish found in Stuart Lake can grow to 3 metres

Our visit to Fort St James National Historic Site provided another "Red Chairs" photo op! 

One fun aspect of the daily operation is the daily “Chicken Races”. We certainly enjoyed ourselves with the other visitors and staff, betting on the three ‘heats’ of five racers each! (photos)

Michael and the chickens

After touring the Fort, we enjoyed our picnic lunch of chopped ham sandwiches, did a little grocery shopping in the town, and then came home for a nap.

After napping, we sat on the beach in the afternoon sun reading, and then we BOTH went for a swim! (photo)

Supper was a wonderful meal of spaghetti with ground pork tomato sauce. We then did up some more dishes, put out the garbage, did some other chores, and again enjoyed the sunset.

In the morning we head off to the ‘Ksan Cultural Site and Campground at New Hazelton at the junction of Hwy’s 16 & 37.