The Migration was a monumental effort for those who walked for a few hours, a few days or the whole trip. It was an experience of a lifetime - an experience that should be documented, remembered and re-told.

We'd like to provide you with an idea of what each day was like for the core Migrators who did the whole trip (summaries courtesy of Luke Rogers and Megan Adams). Please explore our photo galleries, watch our movies and read our blogs about our journey down the Island.

See here for our Itinerary, which will describe what each day was like in terms of the route and events. Other Migrations are also listed here.

Broughton Send-off in Meetup River & Gwa'yasdams Village

In the weeks before the beginning of our journey, Alexandra Morton, Megan Adams and many friends from the North Island journeyed to Gilford Island in the Broughton Archipelago. Alexandra began the Migration paddling a canoe her brother had made, in the Meetup River in Viner Sound. From there, she visited long time neighbour and mentor Billy Proctor, before attending a blessing and a meal shared in Gwa'yasdams Village. We made many new friendships in Gwa'yasdams, seeing most of our new friends further 'downstream' along the Migration. It was the perfect beginning.

The Migration Begins! - The "Get Out for Wild Salmon" Video from Twyla Roscovich on Vimeo.

April 22 - Send-off party in Sointula

As last-minute preparation for the migration drew on into the late afternoon, plans to contribute chowder to the send-off potluck were abandoned. Migrators gathered around designated tables in the Finnish Order Hall, exchanging names and improving on rushed introductions, surrounded by children and old-timers alike. Speeches followed music and belly-dancing, and music followed speeches. Alex was presented with the blue pennant that would follow her every step of the way, and Backbone Road premiered the migration anthem “Walking to Victoria”. After a bounteous dinner, migrators dispersed to sleep in homes, vans, and net lofts and await their first day of walking.

Sointula Kick Off Party from Alexandra Morton on Vimeo.

 

April 23, Day 1 - Sointula to Nimpkish Lake

Migrators boarded the ferry and the Naiad Explorer for the crossing to Port McNeill, the first stop on Vancouver Island, where hundreds of people joined the walk to the Nimpkish Fish Hatchery. The Namgis First Nation welcomed the migration with ceremony, and fed us in the light spring rain that cooled the first 10 km of our walk. Inspiration struck several of our day-companions, who made hasty plans to remain with the migration. Leaving the hatchery and striking out south, the core group emerged for the first time on the road, 20 strong, a determined and optimistic party of “fishermen, artists, researchers…just people” (Alex).

Migration Day 1 – Nimpkish River, 'Namgis Send off Ceremony from Alexandra Morton on Vimeo.

 

April 24, Day 2 - Nimpkish Lake to Woss

Where the walk to Nimpkish Lake was a shake-down (with one seasoned fisherman migrating substantial distances north before being reunited with the group), the walk to Woss saw the beginnings of routine emerge in two critical areas: food preparation and highway safety. Generous contributors (some of whom journeyed with us) provided enough food for communal meals, and two heroes of the walk stepped up to organize food prep on an ongoing basis. Support vehicle drivers honed their skill at providing visibility and advanced warning on the narrow north island highway, and a handful of conscientious walkers began shepherding the migrators who strayed to close to the “fog line” that separated us from the north-bound lane of traffic.

Nimpkish to Sayward, Day2-Day4 of the Wild Migration from Alexandra Morton on Vimeo.

April 25, Day 3 - Woss to Eve River

At Eve River we reached our highest campsite. We had been tested by rain at Nimpkish Lake and Woss, but Eve River offered us clear skies, a drop in temperature, and omni-directional gusting wind. As the sparks flew, wood smoke penetrating into our pores and clothing reached the saturation point, while we ate smoke-cured wild salmon and started to feel as though we belonged outdoors.

April 26, Day 4 - Eve River to Sayward

A long march on the highway, and a late afternoon walk down Sayward Valley saw us weary as we crossed Salmon River, and reflected on it’s abundant past. Led in by local fisherpeople Bill and Marilyn, we learned how their livelihood had been changed by the increasing pressure on wild fish stocks. Camping lakeside in Sayward proper, the weather challenged us again, blowing at least one tent into the water, and teaching us to seek the shelter of trees. Tarps were set up, shelters lashed down, and banners fabricated for our water-taxi voyage through Salmon Narrows.

April 27, Day 5 - Sayward to Quadra via boat

Supplied with fresh banners and bespeckled with sea lice tattoos we set out from Kelsey Bay in two water taxis, bound for the Wild Salmon Narrows on the east and north sides of Quadra Island. As we motored under low misting clouds, Chief Bob Chamberlain composed and revised a song we would later learn at Snaw’Naw’As on Nanoose Bay. Reaching our destination, we witnessed as Michelle Nickerson braved the water to swim past a migration route fish farm, before joining a welcoming flotilla of 29 vessels en route to Quadra Island.

April 28, Day 6 - Quadra to Black Creek

Joined by many Quadra Islanders, we arrived by ferry in Campbell River, where we rallied with 250 people in Spirit Square before walking to the Marine Harvest office. There we returned 24 Atlantic Salmon that had escaped in October and been caught alive with wild salmon fry in their stomachs. After asking Marine Harvest to gracefully leave British Columbia, we resumed our migration.

Campbell River Rally, Protest - Norwegian Fish Farm's "Get out" from Alexandra Morton on Vimeo.

 

April 29, Day 7 - Black Creek to Courtenay

Reaching Courtenay early, we had time to set up our tents before meeting residents of the Comox Valley for a walk near the river to Simms Park. Once there, migrators were led in song by choir director Tina Filippino, before Alex was carried down river in a dugout canoe paddled by members of the Komox First Nation in traditional dress. Arriving at the Komox band Hall, our appetites were sated with salmon burgers, while the Salmon Dance, other traditional dances, and live music were performed.

April 30, Day 8 - Courtenay to Fanny Bay

At Buckley Bay we met Denman Island migrators streaming off the ferry. Escorted into Fanny Bay with a large entourage of local walkers, we gathered at the community hall for words of encouragement, and the release of doves. We were welcomed into our host-organizer’s home for a wonderful potluck—a dry change from our outdoor meals—before piling into vehicles to take us to our first of two nights of camping at Qualicum River.

Day 7-8, Courtenay Crowds to Fanny Bay Doves from Alexandra Morton on Vimeo.

May 1, Day 9 - Fanny Bay to Qualicum River

Returning by vehicle to Fanny Bay in the morning, we walked with local children on the Fanny Bay Dyke while Alex answered their questions about salmon and ocean ecosystems. Back at the highway, we pointed ourselves towards the nearest thing to “home” for us: Qualicum River with camp already set up from the previous night, and plans for a massive barbeque with live entertainment. With incredible seafood, but a low turnout, we were well fed but discouraged… concerned about the island’s willingness to mobilize for wild salmon. Discouraged, that is, until Holly Artzen and Kevin Wright took to the stage and delivered a show fit for an audience of 5000. Buoyed and ears still ringing “up your watershed,” we took to our sleeping bags, ready to walk another day.

May 2, Day 10 - Qualicum River to Nanoose

Roused from our slumber, we prepared to drive the first 8 km towards Qualicum Beach, to leave a reasonable 20 km to walk (our highest daily average distance to that point). But what was this? Emily the alpaca, all decked out in a sockeye-painted blanket, was ready and anxious to walk with us. Alpaca aboard! And into a Westfalia she hopped. We arrived in Qualicum to a large and colourful gathering at the town hall, MLA Scott Fraser included. After throwing 'wishing stones' for the migrating fry into the fountain, we carried on through the pouring rain.

After a flare-up of core-group conflict, we bypassed Rathtrevor Provincial Park in favour of Nanoose Bay, and tarped up to shelter from the rain while we spread out and re-grouped.

Video Bloggers Mark Worthing and Alexis Baker drift through Qualicum Beach for music, alpacas, wishing fountains, and the first interviews from the Tofino Migrators!

 

May 3, Day 11 - Errands Day! in Nanoose

With a day in hand, we set about postering in Nanaimo, refining our itinerary, and healing tired feet and bodies. We learned that our most reliable safety motivator would have to stop walking due to a foot injury, and were discouraged over concern for his health, and for our irreplaceable loss. We gathered at the Nanoose First Nation’s Hall, where we were greeted by hereditary chief Wilson Bob who welcomed us to a dinner bounteous with muscles, oysters, wild salmon, and clams. The care and trust underlying the idea of kinship were affirmed and displayed by our peoples in that generous hall. We ate, danced, and sang heartily as Chief Bob Chamberlain taught us his song for Alex and the migration.

May 4, Day 12 - Nanoose to Nanaimo & Gabriola

With swelling numbers we left Snaw’Naw’As Campground, and marched the 7 km to Costco to inform members and management about the ills of stocking farmed salmon. We picnicked in the parking lot before walking the remaining 10 km to Maffeo Sutton Park on the waterfront, where we were piped in--in fine Scottish fashion—along walkways lined with chalk images and words affirming “Salmon Are Sacred”. We boarded the ferry after a short walk from the park along Nanaimo’s harbourfront, and were welcomed on Gabriola by a beautiful display of island spirit, and a packed house at the Agi Hall.
 
Video Bloggers Mark Worthing and Alexis Baker migrate through Costco protests, packed fire-hall speeches from Alex Morton and Rod Marining, and by flotilla to Ladysmith to meet MLA Doug Routley.



See here for an article from the Nanaimo rally about Chief Doug White III's talk - http://klahowya.nautsamawt.org/Environment/Resources/

Photos:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=214361&id=711270890&l=49ed48ccf9

May 5, Day 13 - Gabriola to Ladysmith

After a morning gathering with Gabriola elementary students, walkers were given a sea-going boost on the beautiful traditional schooner Grail Dancer. We cleared Silva Bay in the early afternoon, and put in to Ladysmith for an evening presentation hosted by MLA Doug Routley and concert by Holly Artzen and Kevin Wright at the Ladysmith Legion. 

May 6, Day 14 - Ladysmith to Duncan

Having scouted Hwy 1 south of Ladysmith, we let caution be the better part of valour and spend the better part of the day on the scenic winding Chemainus Road. Our reception in Duncan was magical. We were led into the middle of the waiting Duncan walkers and First Nations, flanked on either side by reverberating drums and countless resonant voices, and surrounded by a thicket of salmon held high on sturdy staves. Our march to City Square was a somber procession, pulsing with the deep roll of drumbeats and the footfalls of determined feet.
 

May 7, Day 15 - Duncan to Sidney

On the North Island we had had our shake-downs and shake-ups next to the winding two-lane highway, and our final approach into Duncan from the Forest Discovery Centre had given us a taste of faster, busier roads. It was the route out of Duncan, however, with more migrators, bigger trucks and lower visibility that was the serious test of our roadside discipline… and we rose to the challenge. Single file, with our eyes on the traffic and our attention on safety, we made an impressive sight on the side of the road. Our descent into Mill Bay was gentler, and we had a warm sunny welcome from the Malahat first nation before crossing into Tsartlip territory. We met the Fraser River paddlers fresh out of the water in Sidney, and enjoyed snatches of music and presentations at the Mary Winspear Centre, while finalizing plans for the big walk into Victoria.

May 8, Day 16 - Sidney to Victoria

Sidney to Victoria… the big challenge and the big finale. After averaging 20 km on foot per day, how would we stand up to 28km of walking? Who would come out of the woodwork to walk with us on this most important leg of our journey? The answers blew us away. Led by horse-drawn carriage, and shielded from traffic by a dozen support vehicles including a Wilson tour bus, 450 migrators kept pace with our fastest rate. After a brief rest and refreshments at MLA Lana Popham’s office, we swelled into Centennial Square, and flooded Government Street to the Legislature, 5000 strong.

Video Bloggers Mark Worthing and Alexis Baker walk the final leg of the Island migration from Sidney to Victoria.

http://www.salmonaresacred.org/checkpoint-sidney-victoria
http://www.salmonaresacred.org/event/rendezvous-quadra-st
http://www.salmonaresacred.org/event/rendezvous-centennial-square
http://www.salmonaresacred.org/event/victoria-rally

May 9, Day 17 - Mother's Day Blessing in Victoria

After two and a half weeks of meeting new and colourful people, being swept up in the energy of community gatherings, and finding rest in tents and around open fires by night, we broke camp one final time. After revealing tidal lows of conflict and dissapointment, overwhelming tidal highs of support and collaboration, and incredible currents of walking in between, it was a luxury to root ourselves on dry land and look back at the water, to reflect on our journey. The blessing saw us at the ocean’s edge on Clover Point. Together, after so much intent and focus on undoing the damage of fish farms, we placed our hands on the water and let our dreams for a vibrant ocean future spread through our palms into the sea.

 

The Migration in Summary

Alexandra Morton

The Get Out Migration was an idea borne of years trying to prevent the destruction of wild salmon by increasing large and foreign corporate marine feedlots. I have written letters, done the science, won in court, gone to Norway to talk with the head CEOs and nothing has worked. Then couple of friends, Anissa Reed (Ocean Aura) and I decided to take a page from Gandhi’s book and go for a long walk to let people know that if they wanted to be represented on this issue, they were going to represent themselves. And it worked. Thousands of people showed up for the fish we all love!

We named it the Get Out Migration because after all the effort so many of us have spent trying to get this Norwegian industry to simply move over off the wild salmon migration routes, we realized they can’t. Salmon farms are corporate and their CEOs said they have to continually expand to meet shareholder demand. This means they will grow relentlessly until they kill the system they are in, which is the BC coast. So they had best just go, gracefully bow out and leave.

We built the website salmonaresacred.org, so people could connect and organize, but we are not an organization. We spent countless hours getting ready, but did not know what would happen until we left. As we got off the first ferry from Sointula, hundreds walked the first 10 km. We were blessed and fed by First Nations and then when we walked into the mountains there were about 20 strong. Fishermen, artists, researchers…just people.

In each town our ranks swelled to hundreds, then ebbed in the long stretches between towns. Everywhere we went we told people to show up on the final day from Sidney to Victoria.

Walking through the communities of Vancouver Island on the Get Out Migration was a powerfully emotional experience. We walked to tell there is no reason we have to lose our wild salmon. But as we walked into towns with our flags flying, brilliant salmon signs, singing “we are walking to Victoria to save our fish,” an entirely unexpected thing happened. People are came up to me in tears. They were speaking about schools without children, independent livelihoods lost, communities dying. This is about much more than fish. This is about an independent way of life that built these communities going extinct.

I saw a land of beautiful clear streams, fertile soil, air sweet with flowers, but towns so burdened by global corporate markets that they can’t survive in this rich land. There is something very wrong here, it is painful to witness and people are sad. The Get Out Migration was blessed, gifted and honored by the First Nations and they say this event linked them together like never before. People in every community organized beautiful, amazing events with music, doves, dancing, speeches. Every step of the way was accompanied by folk art banners, flags and signs, it was Woodstock walking!

On the afternoon of May 8, 2010 thousands of British Columbians from all walks of life, from the far reaches of Kingcome Inlet, Hope Town and Gwayasdums, from Port McNeill, from across the Strait of Georgia, from the bays and watersheds of Vancouver Island and the people of Victoria filled the streets and walked up to the Parliament Buildings. There were speeches and we laid a salmon jaw from a northern river on the steps. This is a test…do we live in a democracy or not?

Someday we are going to learn how government sold us on a corporate “salmon,” from the Atlantic, fed Chilean fish, raised in cages we cannot touch, using fuel every step of the way - when the Constitution states no one has the right to privatize ocean spaces or own a fish in the sovereign waters of Canada. Farm salmon enable dams on the Fraser River, oil wells, clear-cuts, open pit mines and I think this is why the bureaucracy has blindly pushed it no matter which government is in power or what scientists, lawyers, First Nations and everyone else has to say. I think Ministry of Agriculture and Land’s handling of salmon farms needs thorough scrutiny. We need to help the 2,100 people who have jobs in the industry, but not be held ransom for them.

There is something very wrong with this situation and it is only a matter of time before we figure it out. Lets move forward. Given their track record in Chile these Norwegian companies are not sustainable anyway. The state of the planet is a very serious concern and it is immoral to further degrade public resources to rear a salmon when we have one that comes home to us for free. Wild salmon are food security, we will need them in the coming decades and to pretend they are anything less is deceptive. In a world depleted of easy oil no one is going to be transporting fish from the south Pacific just to make less fish in the North Pacific, but we will most definitely be thankful to have millions of wild salmon returning to us for free!

It was extremely powerful to see people stand up for themselves. If we cannot have our wild salmon this is not a democracy. The action continues at www.salmonaresacred.org.