The Nuu-chah-nulth (pronounced noo-cha-nolth) are First Nations people who’ve lived along the coast of Vancouver Island for ages. They have a story about the stones seen on Florencia beach.
Thunderbird and Skate were playing a game. With total disregard for safety, they took turns throwing spears at each other. Thunderbird had the first throw which Skate narrowly avoided by turning sideways at the last minute. Then it was Skate’s turn. Thunderbird in a fit of trickery and bad gamesmanship, called down lightening and hail called kaacumin (pronounced cots-oo-min) to obscure Skate’s sight. Un-remarkably, neither deity was hit but the hail turned into stones which remained in the bay.
The stones are reminders of the fickle nature of the coast. People are taught to never remove pebbles from the beach. Doing so might invite Thunderbird’s wrath and cause lightening and hail to fall.
Today was sunny and beautiful. Having no wish to change it, I looked but didn’t take anything but these pictures of the beach.
Florencia Bay, Ucluelet. March 2019
The Sandy Chronicles 