While Mehmet the 2nd's giant cannons pounded the thick walls of Constantinople, inside the city walls was Emmanouíl Phokás, brooding about what to do. After the Eastern Roman Empire disappeared into the dust of history, he decided to pack his bags and settle in Kefalonia. His children grew up here, his family expanded and he had a grandson, Ioánnis.Back then, the Mediterranean was not big enough for this grandson who learned all the virtues of seafaring at an early age. In order to explore distant seas, he became a protégé in Spain, one of the two greatest maritime powers of the time. He took the name Juan de Fuca and quickly established his own fleet. Atlas and India were not far enough, he went all the way to the Pacific Ocean. One day, he landed on an island. Centuries later, those islands became known as the Vancouver Islands, and the land he set foot in and embarked on a long exploration with his crew became known as Juan de Fuca Trail.As I was preparing our bags for the Juan de Fuca Trail, which Onur and Renata had been insisting we hike since the day we met in Canada, this story was on my mind. I think about the idea of a Greek sailor, whose roots go centuries back to Istanbul, walking in the places he once visited under Spanish patronage. On the other hand, we are in a hurry to figure out how to pack the tens of pieces we have lined up on the floor of the house.<img src="https://images.aposto.com/2022/7/3/1659527170228.jpeg" style="display: block; float: none; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; width: 100%; max-width: 550px; border-style: none; position: relative; cursor: pointer; padding: 0px 1px; box-sizing: border-box;" ratio="1.34" width="550" fr-original-style="display: block; float: none; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; width: 100%; max-width: 550px;" fr-original-class="fr-draggable">The 47-kilometer-long Juan de Fuca trail is a road that mainly passes through the forest and connects to the coast. Although some parts are closed during the day due to the tide, there is no risk of landslides since we are hiking in the spring. But there is another risk that spring brings. Black bears have awakened from their winter-long beauty sleep and there might be mountain lions, or pumas, although it's very rare. For this reason, we carry a bear spray with all our camping equipment. Although if a bear comes, we will either wet ourselves or die of a heart attack, but we still take precautions. "The remedy for the bear is spray, for the puma it’s fighting," Onur warns us as we get ready.One of the most important parts of preparation is food shopping. Since it would be too heavy to carry canned or packaged foods, we prefer dry foods that are specifically prepared for such hikes and can be cooked with only a little bit of hot water. The best thing about going on this type of hike in Canada is the abundance of water resources. It is possible to get clean water from all sources with a small water filter.In the morning, we fill our bags, get in the car, and head towards China Beach, the starting point of Juan de Fuca. On the way, when we stop to buy nuts from a giant supermarket, I can't resist the sausages filled with cheddar and convince Renata and Onur that I will carry them. After 2 hours, we park the car at China Beach. We have a 9-kilometer trail of medium difficulty ahead of us on the first day until we reach Bear Beach. We dive into the forest and start hiking. There is no exit from the trail until 29 kilometers in.<img src="https://images.aposto.com/2022/7/3/1659528223784.jpeg" style="display: block; float: none; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; width: 100%; max-width: 550px; border-style: none; position: relative; cursor: pointer; padding: 0px 1px; box-sizing: border-box;" ratio="1.50" width="550" fr-original-style="display: block; float: none; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; width: 100%; max-width: 550px;" fr-original-class="fr-draggable">First, we reach Mystic Beach, which marks the end of the first two kilometers. We speed up to reach Bear Beach before it gets dark. Even though Onur and I want to stop to take photos of every ray of light or every view we see, Renata takes on the role of troop leader and keeps us on the road. For kilometers, we go up and down on the slightly muddy ground, occasionally slipping. During our breaks, we get strength from the energy gels we have with us. Before sunset, Bear Beach appears at the end of the slope. Although Onur has walked Juan de Fuca before, he is as excited as we are. We finish the first day without any injuries, falls, or bear encounters.When we get to the beach, the first thing we do is figure out where to set up our tents. We calculate the tide. Then we separate our food for that evening and hang the other food on a high branch of a tree in the distance. Normally, there are lockers for food in Canadian National Parks that bears cannot open, but we are too lazy to look for them, so we do it the natural way.Now it's time to make a fire. While Onur takes care of that, I go out to collect firewood. It's a gorgeous sunset. We start watching the sunset when we light the fire and stack the wood. At that moment, the fatigue, the difficult slopes, the stumbles, staggering tree roots, and the fallen logs we had to jump over turn into beautiful memories.<img src="https://images.aposto.com/2022/7/3/1659527613730.jpeg" style="display: block; float: none; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; width: 100%; max-width: 550px; border-style: none; position: relative; cursor: pointer; padding: 0px 1px; box-sizing: border-box;" ratio="0.67" width="550" fr-original-style="display: block; float: none; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; width: 100%; max-width: 550px;" fr-original-class="fr-draggable">When the sun goes down, we start preparing dinner. The sausages we put on sticks start to roast on the fire and we make pasta with them. The playlist that Onur and I spent 3.5 hours preparing before we set off is playing in the background. We translate our favorite Turkish songs for Renata. It's times like these that make me understand the magic of fire and why hunter-gatherer societies worship fire. I almost can't take my eyes off it. We go to bed early because we are tired from the first day and because we will walk the hardest part of the trail the next morning.We wake up early in the morning. After a breakfast of oatmeal and dried sausage, Onur surprises us and takes out a coffee pot and Turkish coffee from his bag. We say, "If today is the hardest, then we shouldn't start walking on this deserted coast of the Pacific without drinking Turkish coffee," and put the coffee pot on the fire. Then we pack the tents, replenish our water stocks and set off.On the second day, our goal is to reach China Beach, 13 km away. There is a climbing and descending trail ahead of us. We plan to complete it in 9 hours. The first part, which is relatively easy in the cool morning, gets harder as the midday heat sets in. The slopes get steeper and the bags get heavier. Moreover, the track becomes increasingly muddy. From time to time we get ankle-deep in mud. As the sun is high in the sky, we find a spot under the shade and take a lunch break.The carbohydrates and energy gummies get the team back on our feet. We continue walking on muddy roads. While Onur and Renata rest for a short while, I start walking alone. The forest takes me in. I get lost in a magnificent symphony. The birds chirping, the sublimity of the forest, and the sunlight seeping through leaves and branches start to carry me. Suddenly the bag on my back, the kilometers I have walked since morning, and the sweat on my body lose their significance. It is as if I am not walking but floating.After a while, Onur and Renata catch me with a smile on my face. We continue on the road together. The last kilometers are quite difficult for all of us. That's why we resort to music. Finally, the sunny China Beach appears as Pink Floyd plays in the background. When we reach the beach, a crispy grin settles on our faces with the completion of the day that we felt would never end. We realize that there is no endless road. They all have an end as long as you stay on the path. We leave the bags and wander around the beach pointlessly.<img src="https://images.aposto.com/2022/7/3/1659528262009.jpeg" style="display: block; float: none; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; width: 100%; max-width: 550px; border-style: none; position: relative; cursor: pointer; padding: 0px 1px; box-sizing: border-box;" ratio="1.50" width="550" fr-original-style="display: block; float: none; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; width: 100%; max-width: 550px;" fr-original-class="fr-draggable">Then we find a campsite and pitch our tents. We arrive at the beach earlier than expected, in about 8 hours, so there is still time for the sun to set. So, we set up the tents without hurrying and collect wood for the fire. This time we put the food on top of a big rock in the distance. After soaking our feet in the icy Pacific waters, we light the fire. The sun is setting fast. We prepare dinner.As a luxury service of the hike, we drink Turkish coffee after dinner and feed the fire. Because that evening is Hıdrellez, the old Turkish tradition of celebrating the spring. We tell Renata about Hıdrellez and the effects of shaman culture in our daily lives. On the other hand, I take out the small flask that I had saved for this evening from the bag. We raise a toast to our loved ones we left thousands of kilometers away, who have become stars and are watching us from above, and offer our wishes to Hızır. We look at the dome of the sky above us and remember our smallness in the universe. We jump over the fire as it’s done for Hıdrellez before going to bed and putting out the fire. Before entering the tent, I look at the stars for one last time.

Ruta

A long hike in Vancouver Islands

Bonfire on the Juan de Fuca Trail

🚢 Victoria: As the name suggests, it is a city founded by the British. The harbor is very pleasant.🏄 Tofino:&nbsp;The surfing paradise of the Vancouver Islands is like a corner of paradise with its long beach and houses ideal for seclusion.

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