58: The Graveyard of the Pacific. Pacific Rim National Park Reserve

Have you ever wondered why some trails are created? In Pacific Rim National Park Reserve on the coast of Vancouver Island, is the West Coast Trail. A beautiful trail that attracts backpackers from all over the world every single year. It is full of lush greenery, beaches, and exciting wildlife. It's the perfect place to escape to for an adventure. 

But this trail wasn't created for backpackers. It was created for a different reason, to rescue survivors of shipwrecks off the coast. Here lives some of the most dangerous waters in the Pacific Ocean. In 1906 one of the most devastating shipwrecks happened. Due to bad weather conditions and mistakes in navigation, it crashed onto a reef, just out of reach of land. Passengers and crew members did everything they could to try to get to safety but the violent waves fought them every step of the way. Onlookers had no way to reach them to help, and stood by helplessly as people died. 

We love our National Parks and we know you do too but when you're out there, remember to enjoy the view but watch your back. Please take a moment to rate and subscribe from wherever you’re listening to NPAD! Become part of our Outsider family on Patreon to gain access to ad-free episode, bonus content and more. Follow our socials Instagram, Facebook , and Twitter. To share a Trail Tale, suggest a story, access merch and browse our book recommendations - head over to our website.  

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Sources: National Geographic, History Link, Medium, MEC