If you were to look at the
North Cape Inukshuks Waymark, you'll see that we stumbled across the rearing ground of a diminishing colony of ocean going Inukshuks. In Kelowna we have discovered an entirely new species of Inukshuk.
These, like landlocked salmon, are landlocked Inukshuks. Very few residents of the
Okanagan Valley are aware of it, but
Okanagan Lake is home to not only sea monsters, (ie
Ogopogo), but also to a strain of landlocked Inukshuks. Cut off from the ocean by glacial action 10,000 or more years ago, this colony has adapted to living out their entire lives in fresh water environments, such as Okanagan Lake. The lifespan of an Inukshuk is, as yet, unknown. We happened across this forlorn colony of Inukshuks along Dilworth Drive in
Kelowna, about 250 metres south of Springfield Road.
Urban development has apparently stymied these poor guys (girls?) in their attempt to return to their hillside egg laying territory. Probably due to annual flooding of the area surrounding the lake for eons, the Inukshuks have learned to lay their eggs well above the water line, resulting in their having to trek some kilometres from the lake to their ancestral rearing grounds. Unfortunately, these grounds have been slowly surrounded by urban sprawl, culminating in the recent erection of this chain link fence, which now blocks the path of their annual trek. Unable to work out a solution, they wait here, possibly hoping for some sort of divine intervention to allow them to continue on their way.
We have no idea how long they have been stuck, waiting, behind this barricade, but they all seem to be happy, healthy and well fed. It is known that Inukshuks can go for prolonged periods without food or water, but for how long?
If something is not done soon to aid these poor souls, we may find the answer to this question soon enough.
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