Sunday, May 20, 2007

Watching 10,000 Years Go By

By Morag

Community: Thompson

I visited Adams River with two girlfriends in September 2006 to see the fabled salmon run. The weather was gentle and golden, a weekend out of August, and we found a quiet place to stay on the shores of Shuswap Lake.

Adams River Sockeye salmon breeding pair at the end of 10,000 years of evolution.

Sockeye salmon breeding pair in the calm waters of the Adams River.

On Saturday morning we were one of the first cars to pull into the parking lot.  It was chilly in the shade but the sun was just starting to slant down through the waters, illuminating the red and green bodies just below the surface.  We watched transfixed as they flowed past us, struggling against the current and against the press of each other’s bodies, tumbling beneath the bubbling skin of the water.

Later, as we walked down along the banks, we came to a quiet pool where the salmon floated lightly, catching their breath for the final dance to lay their eggs. The three of us perched on rocks in the sun, watching the flicker of life happening just feet away, not speaking as we watched a ten-thousand-year-old ritual enacted again.


Posted by Morag on 5/20/07

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At 4:52 pm on 6/15/07, James Sherrett said:

Hi Morag,

This is a beautiful story. I especially love the photo you added. We spent some time at the Adams River in Oct. 2006 and the Sockeye were incredible to see.

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