Celebrated south of the border as a day of independence, today was one of the most free-spirited and invigorating days of my Shad experience so far. Lectures, projects and committees have all been set aside this weekend as we bask in the natural beauty of Vancouver Island while camping. This second day of our trip has been nothing but action-packed; from canoeing in the morning, to rappelling in the afternoon to caving at night, there was no time to rest.
Caving was indubitably my favorite, for not only were we immersed in geology as it dictates, but Biology and Chemistry as well. Our superb guide Nick talked about everything from minerals, to troglobites, to carbonic acid formation and how it breaks limestone down. He also explained how limestone is primarily composed of billions of shells of prehistoric sea-creatures.
We were also given the honor of entering a cave that was gated from the public, which was very exciting for all of us. One of the most interesting things we did while caving was absolute darkness. It’s exactly how it sounds; we turned off our headlamps and there was no light whatsoever, which is a humbling experience to say the least. I encourage readers to look up proprioception, which became very blatant in that experience.
We then had a campfire and after singing a few songs, everyone returned to their tents; all save one. This one camper decided to fervently write his blog while this all was fresh in his mind. With that being said, I can finally succumb to these aching bones and drooping eyelids. As I lay my pen down, I have but one thought in my mind: even though it’s still the beginning, I already know I don’t want Shad to ever end.
Jared Valdron, Shad Valley University of British Columbia 2010
Hometown: Riverview, New Brunswick
