Participate in the dune grass pull at Wickaninnish Beach on Sunday, August 22 and you have a chance to find and keep this glass ball.

If you’re like me you’ve always kept an eye open for flotsam and jetsam while hiking the long sandy beaches of the West Coast. Occasionally a glass ball will turn up but today that has become an increasingly rare event except on the more remote and less visited places on the west side of Vancouver Island and the Queen Charlotte Islands. In over 15 years of visiting the coast, I’ve never been lucky enough to find a glass ball.

If you have looked for a glass ball and never found one you now have a very good chance to do so! On Sunday, August 22 from 2pm to 4pm, Parks Canada is hosting a grass-pulling event in the sand dunes at Wickaninnish Beach in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. A glass ball (originally found on Florencia Bay in 1987) will be hidden in the grass and the lucky participant will take it home with them. Help remove the grass and find the glass ball.

Sand Dunes at Wickaninnish Beach in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve.

So why pull the grass in the first place? Well, because this particular grass is an invasive species: European Beachgrass (Ammophila arenaria). It grows all along the top of our beaches and it doesn’t belong there. It stops sand blowing into the dunes and without new sand the forest grows over the dunes. The sand dunes are a distinctive part of Pacific Rim National Park Reserve’s elaborate array of ecosystems. The dunes provide an important home to several unique sensitive species and travel corridors essential to wildlife.

That’s the story: we either get rid of the grass, or we loose the dunes.

Yes that glass ball may be a bit of a bribe, and yes Parks Canada promises only one glass ball, but we also promise more than enough grass for everyone. And gloves. And refreshment. Besides, as you look for that glass ball you might be surprised to discover how oddly satisfying pulling grass can be. It happened at our last pull. One woman, after the two hour pull was finished, decided to stay and pull for another hour.

The grass needs to be pulled. Parks Canada needs your help to do it.

Need to Know:

• Bring gloves if you have them, refreshments will be provided
• Meet at Wickaninnish Beach beach access “E” in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve
• A park use permit is required to visit the park and participate in the event
• FMI: Silva Johansson at 250-726-7165 ext. 232

Rocky headlands at Radar Hill Beach create dramatic vistas.

Pacific Rim National Park Reserve is well known for its long sandy windswept beaches. Every year over 800,000 people visit this spectacular national park. If you truly want to experience the dramatic power of this landscape, the challenge is finding a place without many people.

When visiting Pacific Rim I try to plan my walks for the early morning and choose trails that are a little bit longer in order to avoid the crowds. If you have to walk longer than thirty minutes the number of people that you encounter drops off fairly quickly and you can begin to appreciate the beauty of the less visited places in the park.

Rocky outcrops at Radar Hill Beach provide excellent viewpoints for photography.

I recently explored one of the unofficial trails in the park that leads from the Radar Hill viewpoint to the Radar Hill Beach. This trail is not maintained by Parks Canada staff and those expecting an easy gravel and boardwalk stroll will be challenged immediately. The reward for your effort is an amazing beach and, at low tide, excellent opportunities for tide pool exploration.

Portions of the Radar Hill Beach trail are very steep and challenging to navigate. There are two sections where climbing using roots as hand holds is necessary.

Be forewarned. This trail is a backcountry slog with a rainforest twist. Sections of the trail are very steep and resemble a climbing wall complete with a rope and a convoluted mass of roots to assist you down and up again. Hiking boots with good ankle support are required and there are multiple places to twist an ankle on an exposed root. In many places the trail goes over, under, or around large old fallen trees. In other parts of the trail you have to balance on top of fallen trees in order to cross over streams and gullies. And finally, there is mud and lots of it. There hasn’t been much rain recently but the trail was still very muddy in places. Allow 45 minutes of scrambling and working through mud, roots and downed trees to hike from the parking lot to the beach itself – it may take you more or less time depending on your fitness level and trail conditions.

Radar Hill is visible from Radar Hill Beach.

Radar Hill Beach is worth the effort. The trail leaves the Sitka spruce and emerges into a small dune ecosystem – typical plants here are Yellow Sand-verbena, Beach-carrot, and Seashore Lupine. Use some care in this fragile area and avoid trampling on the sensitive dune plants.

Seashore Lupin (Lupinus littoralis) is one of the plants that can be found in the sand dunes above the beach at Radar Hill Beach.

The beach itself is framed by rocky headlands and looks out toward several smaller islands. At low tide, many of the rocky islets are surround by sand and it is possible to get good looks at a variety of intertidal life including walls of mussels, purple seastars, gooseneck barnacles, giant green surf anemones. Black oystercatchers nest on the rocky islands so make sure to give them plenty of room. Above all, it is the lack of people that makes this location so special. Over the course of four hours I saw a total of four people, and those only briefly. Opportunities to explore a beach to the south exist but beyond that rocky headlands make further travel difficult.

Small rocky islands at Radar Hill Beach are accessible at very low tides. Use caution and always be aware of when the tide is at its lowest point.

The route to Radar Hill Beach is a challenging “backcountry” alternative to regular trails in the park. The stunning views and isolation make it worth considering.

Need to know:

• Lower level gates to the viewpoint at Radar Hill open at 8:00am and close at 11:00pm – a Park Use Permit is required to access the parking area
• Bring food, water, and appropriate clothing and footwear for a backcountry hike
• Be aware that wildlife encounters are possible on the trail and know what to do if you meet a black bear, cougar or wolf
• A fair level of fitness, balance, and agility is required to navigate roots, trees, and muddy areas
• Visitors using this unofficial trail do so at their own risk – you are on your own

About the Contributor:

Dave Ingram is a nature photographer and writer based in the Comox Valley on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. More of his images can be seen on Flickr and on Dave Ingram’s Natural History Blog.

A variety of unique and interesting plants can be found in the Wickaninnish Beach dunes.

This is the time of year to visit the dunes of Pacific Rim National Park Reserve on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. While most visitors walk the endless sandy beaches that the park is famous for, fewer take the time to visit the unique and fragile dune ecosystem. During June and early July, the dunes are filled with the colour of blooming flowers.

Hopping between beach logs at the top of the shore, I followed a trail leading off into a broad expanse of dune. Intrigued, I soon arrived in a strange landscape, where wave-like slopes of sand rose and fell, with troughs between. Initially it seemed like a wasteland, until I happened upon a patch of dazzling yellow sand-verbena flowers.

Yellow Sand-verbena (Abronia latifolia) has a very pleasant fragrance.

Between barren tracts of sand I noticed more flowers, and clumps of grass. Tiny mouse tracks, and larger bird tracks crisscrossed the sand. There was life here, but what sort of life could survive on this barren sand dune?

Walking through a dune is like walking back through time. The journey begins at the high tide line, which is often marked by a line of dried seaweed and sea foam. Strong winds blow this material even higher on the beach, and provide nutrients for the first “pioneer” plants to take up residence.

Conditions on the dune are harsh. Winds shift the sand, and may bury plants, creating an unstable environment. Plants must be able to tolerate the abrasive effects of blowing sand and salt spray. Full exposure to the sun can create searing temperatures. Water drains quickly through the sand, and plants must have a means of preserving moisture.

Grasses are some of the plants able to survive these conditions. Dunegrass (Elymus mollis) is a large greyish green native grass with leaf blades about 1 cm wide. European beachgrass (Ammophila arenaria) was introduced to California in the late 1800’s as a sand stabilizer, and was brought to the west coast of Vancouver Island in the 1940’s. European beachgrass is a denser, more narrow-leaved grass that forms large tussocks. Sand blown in from the beach becomes trapped in the grass, causing the sand to stabilize around the plant. Once stabilized, other vegetation may move in.

European beachgrass, and American beachgrass, a similar introduced species, are changing dune ecology and having a negative effect on many native dune plants. Attempts have been made to remove these invaders, but it is not an easy process. They are anchored into the sand by very deep vertical roots, and long horizontal roots called rhizomes sprout new plants. Parks Canada is currently working to remove the non-native grass species in an attempt to return the dunes to their original condition.

Behind the pioneer plants, and the leading edge of grasses, other plants are able to survive on the more protected leeward slopes and troughs of the dunes. These plants have special adaptations to cope with difficult conditions. The yellow sand-verbena (Abronia latifolia) is a perennial that grows from a deep taproot, in low dense mats. The leaves are thick and fleshy, preventing water loss. Sticky hairs cover the entire plant, which adhere to particles of sand. The bright yellow flowers are very fragrant.

Beach morning-glory (Convolvulus soldanella) is one of many beautiful flowers that can be found in the dunes at Wickaninnish Beach.

Another colourful dune flower is the Beach morning-glory (Convolvulus soldanella). It has magical pink fluted flowers, streaked with white bloom from thick kidney-shaped leaves.

Beach-carrot (Glehnia littoralis) is adapted to a life in the sand.

Beach-carrot (Glehnia littoralis), a hardy perennial, has leaves that are wooly beneath causing water droplets to become trapped in the wooly hairs. Beach-carrot has robust corky seeds. In the fall these, and the seeds of many other dune plants, are strewn over the sand by the wind.

Large-headed Sedge (Carex macrocephala) has long spreading rhizomes that enable it to survive in the dunes.

Many other plants eke out an existence on the dune, including large-headed sedge (Carex macrocephala), black knotweed (Polygonum paronychia), and grey beach peavine (Lathyrus littoralis).

Grey Beach Peavine (Lathyrus littoralis) can be found growing on the edge of the dunes.

Going further back, the dunes become more stabilized, and the vegetation older and more established. Stems of kinnikinnick trail out over the sand. Salal, and stunted salt-tolerate Sitka spruce trees grow here. Finally, the forest encroaches, marking the end of the dune and the beginning of the rainforest, a completely different ecosystem.

Having traversed the dune, I had learned much about this unique and fragile environment. Many people walk through the Long Beach dunes every year, and trampling can have a significant impact. If entering the dune, take care not to step on these special plants.

The dramatic dunes of the surf pounded, wind whipped outer shores of our coast are only found at scattered locations in the province; such as the west coast of Vancouver Island, Cape Scott at the northern tip of Vancouver Island, and the eastern beaches of Graham Island on the Queen Charlotte Islands. Many dune plants are listed as rare in BC by the Conservation Data Center.

Different, flatter dune ecosystems also exist along the eastern coast of Vancouver Island. Due to development along the coast, these dunes have become scarce. Some of the above mentioned plants may be found at these sites.

Walking back along the beach, I thought about what a rich place Vancouver Island is. With the ocean, beaches, dunes, rain forests and mountains, there are a wealth of things to discover.

Need to Know:

• Access the dunes from the parking area at Wickaninnish Beach. A park use permit is required to visit Pacific Rim National Park Reserve.
• Parks Canada interpreters lead regular guided walks and beach grass pulls in the dunes. Check at the park information centers for the schedule.
• The dunes are a sensitive ecosystem – please use care when exploring it.

About the Contributors:

Jocie Ingram is a naturalist and writer based in the Comox Valley, Vancouver Island, British Columbia. More of her nature writing can be found on her blog.

Dave Ingram is a nature photographer based on Vancouver Island. More of Dave his photographs can be viewed on his blog.

The gravel beach and rocky outcrops of South Beach in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve make it a dramatic destination.

I took advantage of the last couple of days of passable weather on the west coast of Vancouver Island to revisit one of my many favourite beaches in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. It’s only a short 800 meter walk from the Wickaninnish Centre to South Beach and there is much for the naturalist to see and experience. 

Bird song in the Sitka Spruce forest along the South Beach Trail includes the Orange-crowned Warbler, Song Sparrow and Fox Sparrow. There is good edge habitat in the flat section of the trail with thickets of Nootka Rose and Thimbleberry providing flowers that attract bees and Rufous Hummingbirds. Further up the hillside, Pacific-slope Flycatchers call and Chestnut-backed Chickadees forage among the high branches of the Sitka Spruce. In the early evening the song of one of my favourite birds, the Swainson’s Thrush begins to spiral upward. 

Nootka Rose (Rosa nutkana) grows along the South Beach Trail.

As a photographer and botanical enthusiast, my attention is drawn to the plants. Nootka Rose (Rosa nutkana) and Thimbleberry (Rubus parviflorus) are in full bloom but one has to be careful to avoid the new growth of Stinging Nettle when trying to get closer to the flowers. I knew that Stinging Nettle can sting but now I know what it feels like! The delicate pink flowers of Nootka Rose have a delightful fragrance that fills the air on a warm day. Also growing along the trail are the large leaves of Cow Parsnip, another plant that must be approached with care.

South Beach Trail in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve ascends through a tunnel of Sitka Spruce.

The South Beach Trail ascends on a wooden ramp through a tunnel of thick, stunted Sitka Spruce before reaching the top of a rise. In the damp dark section of trail at the top of the hill look for Skunk Cabbage, Lung Liverwort (Marchantia polymorpha), and Small-flowered Bulrush (Scirpus microcarpus). From here, a narrow cedar staircase descends down towards sound of the open ocean crashing against the rocks of South Beach. 

Villous Cinquefoil (Potentilla villosa) has beautiful yellow flowers and leathery woolly leaves.

South Beach is a curving pebble beach with dramatic rocky outcrops along its sides. For the botanist, these outcrops are the home of a number of very interesting plants. Villous Cinquefoil (Potentilla villosa) seems to grow out of the rock itself and its strongly scented bright yellow flowers contrast sharply against the dark stone. The leaves of this plant are distinctively white-wooly below and thick and leathery in texture, well suited for the exposure of these rocky bluffs. 

Growing in similar locations nearby is Coastal Strawberry (Fragaria chiloensis). It too has thick, leathery leaves but its flowers are white and seem to be scentless. The individual plants are anchored by thick rootstocks that are connected by runners. Coastal Strawberry is never found far from the sea. 

Delicate Nodding Onion (Allium cernuum) contrasts agains the rough stone.

The delicate Nodding Onion (Allium cernuum) can also be found in crevices on these rocky outcrops. This member of the Lily family has a tall nodding stalk with numerous small pink bell-shaped flowers. The basal leaves are grass-like and have a strong onion smell. 

Yellow Monkey-flower (Mimulus guttatus) can often be found in wet seeps on rocky outcrops.

On one of the larger outcrops enough soil has accumulated to support a thicket of Nootka Rose. However, on the lower exposed seeps great profusions of Yellow Monkey-flower (Mimulus guttatus) make a wonderful display. 

People have arranged rocks in decorative piles at South Beach.

These are just a few of the flowers in bloom on the South Beach Trail – there’s much more in bloom to inspire a second (or third) visit. To learn more about the ecology of Pacific Rim National Park Reserve make sure to stop in at the Wickaninnish Centre and talk with a Parks Canada Heritage Interpreter. Guided walks and informative nature programs begin on June 26. 

About the Contributor:

Dave Ingram is a nature photographer and writer based in the Comox Valley on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. More of his images can be seen on Flickr and on Dave Ingram’s Natural History Blog.

Sitka Spruce (Picea sitchensis) grow to an average 70 meters in height although some are much taller.

Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis) is in the big leagues as far as trees are concerned, along with other west coast giants like Douglas-fir and western red cedar. To me, the very name “spruce” conjures up an Emily Carr-like image of a dark green, dripping forest, full of massive, ancient, awe-inspiring trees.

Sitka spruce is the largest of the spruce species; with strongly out-thrust limbs and a fringe of drooping branches. The spirally arranged needles are stiff and sharp, and prickly to touch. Each needle is attached to a small wooden peg at the base, which remains after the needles fall off. It is common to find spruce twigs on the forest floor that are studded with these little pegs. Needles may be yellow-green or blue-green in colour.

Seed cones of Sitka spruce are light brown or reddish and are thin and papery. Each scale has a wavy margin, unlike the three-pronged scales of Douglas-fir. Pollen cones (male) are small and red. Sitka spruce can also be identified by its thin bark, which is typically grey or rusty brown and has shingle-like scales. The bark of a young tree does not differ much from an old tree.

The cone of Sitka Spruce (Picea sitchensis) has thin, wavy, irregularly toothed scales.

Sitka spruce thrives along the coast from the Aleutian Islands of Alaska down to Northern California. It is found primarily at low elevations (up to 400 metres) and does not stray much beyond 80 km inland from the coast. Unlike many trees, Sitka spruce can tolerate salt spray, and in the words of author John Vaillant forms “the first line of defense between sea and forest” on BC’s wind-whipped outer coast.

The largest and most ancient spruces are found along river floodplains. The tallest spruce in BC is found in Carmanah Walbran Provincial Park, and is 96 metres tall. The spruce tree with the largest circumference (13.94 metres) in BC resides on the Brooks Peninsula. Typically spruces grow 70 metres tall and 2 metres in diameter.
The largest spruces are comparable in size to the largest Douglas-firs. Douglas-fir, however, lives twice as long as spruce. Sitka spruce is the shortest lived of the coastal conifers, rarely exceeding 400 years in age. Most succumb to velvet top fungus before this time.

Spruce seedlings grow best in organic soils, especially rotten logs and stumps. Often, one may see a line of mature trees that all grew up along the same nurse log. This is known as a “forest colonnade”.

First Nations peoples used Sitka spruce for many purposes. The Haida are well known for their watertight spruce root baskets and hats. Roots were also used for fishing line and twine. Spruce pitch was used as a healing salve, and to caulk and waterproof boats. The sharp spruce needles were thought to protect from evil. Inner spruce bark and new shoots were sometimes consumed as a source of vitamin C.
Captain Cook (1728-1779) used the knowledge of the coastal peoples to prevent his crew from getting scurvy. Cook was successful in making a vitamin C-rich spruce beer from spruce buds and molasses.

Sitka spruce has always been prized for its wood, which is light but strong and flexible. During World War II, Sitka spruce was deemed the choicest wood for constructing aircrafts, and was used in the construction of Howard Hughes’s famous flying boat, the “Spruce Goose.” Spruce wood also has excellent acoustic capabilities, and is used for making violins, guitars, and the soundboards of pianos.

Sitka Spruce is one of the most majestic trees of the west coast, and has garnered worldwide attention in recent decades during struggles to protect the last remaining stands of old growth trees in places such as the Carmanah Valley. “Big trees” are always a popular subject, and are an important part of our identity as British Columbians.

Let’s hope that there will be always be places where we can see the trees as Emily Carr did, alive with primeval majesty and mystery.

About the Contributor:

Jocie Ingram is a naturalist and writer based in the Comox Valley, Vancouver Island, British Columbia. More of her nature writing can be found on her blog.

Pacific Rim Whale Festival - March 6th to 14th

Every March, spring splashes into Canada with the Pacific Rim Whale Festival! This year’s festival begins in Ucluelet and Tofino on Saturday, March 6 and runs through to Sunday, March 14th. Join the fun on the shores of Vancouver Island’s wild west coast, as we celebrate the visit of approximately 20,000 Grey Whales on their northbound migration from the Baja Peninsula to Alaska’s Bering Strait.

Come experience the wonders and charm of the 24th Annual Pacific Rim Whale Festival, with a slew of events taking place throughout the coastal towns of Tofino and Ucluelet and the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. It’s all about Grey Whale and marine life education, inspirational talks and interpretive walks, children’s fun for the small and culinary events for the tall, First Nations cultural workshops and more – join our celebration of coastal life!

One of many Gray Whales migrating along the west coast of Vancouver Island.

Here’s a small sampling of some of the events taking place over the course of the 8 day festival. Be sure to visit the 24th Annual Pacific Rim Whale Festival web site to confirm dates and events and to download the complete festival schedule!

Saturday, March 6

1 pm

Whale’s Eye View: Interactive SCUBA Diving Introduction with Ocean Planet Adventures – Limited capacity for gear!
West Coast Motel – in the pool, Ucluelet

2 pm

Sea Change Series hosts Children’s Book Launch & Interactive Presentation with Elin Kelsey, author of Hey! Not Your Typical Book About The Environment
Clayoquot Field Station, Tofino

Sunday, March 7

10 am or 1 pm

Whales & Tales: An Adventure By Boat! with naturalist Peter Shulze of Strawberry
Island Marine Research Society
Ocean Outfitters, Tofino
(12 spaces/boat) $79/To reserve 250-725-2866

2:30-4:30 pm

Whale Watching Station & Interpretive Loop
Amphitrite Point Lighthouse & Wild Pacific Trail, Ucluelet

Monday, March 8

11 am or 2 pm

Meares Island Big Tree Trail: Guided Hikes with naturalist Devorah Reeves
Depart (by boat) from Ocean Outfitters, Tofino
(10 spaces/trip) $49 adults/$20.10 kids/To reserve 250-725-2866

1 pm

Beach Seining Interactive Specimen Collecting with Ucluelet Aquarium interpreters & biologist friends
Meet at Terrace Beach, Ucluelet

Tuesday, March 9

10 am

Button Artist Recognition Celebration artist Roy Henry Vickers
Eagle Aerie Gallery, Tofino

11 am

Storytelling with artist Roy Henry Vickers
Eagle Aerie Gallery, Tofino

1 pm

Sand Dune Safari with Parks Canada staff Sibylla Helms & Carl Sieber
Wickaninnish Beach – Parking lot C,
Pacific Rim National Park Reserve

7 pm

Solitude: Seeking Wisdom In Extremes – Slideshow & Stories on a year alone in the Patagonia wilderness with author Bob Kull
Wild Heather Books, Ucluelet

Wednesday, March 10

10 am-1 pm

Marine Mammal Research Day – Naturalist Tour By Boat!
Depart from Subtidal Adventures, Ucluelet
(12 spaces), $79/To reserve 250-726-7336

3 pm

Killer Whales: Recent Research on a Coastal Icon with Meghan McKillop of the Vancouver Aquarium
Green Point Campground Theatre, Pacific Rim National Park Reserve

7 pm-12 am

Martini Migration: Feathers, Fur & Fins Fundraising Event – featuring Current Swell
Tofino Community Hall, Tofino
Advance tickets only: $45

Thursday, March 11

9 am-12 pm

Feathers & Flukes Boat Tour with guest guide & local birder Artie Ahier
Remote Passages Marine Excursions, Tofino
(12 spaces) $84/person/Reserve 250-725-3330

3-4 pm

The Kerplunks – FREE Live Concert with Award Winning Children’s performers at Ucluelet Maritime Kids Day
Seaplane Base Rec Hall, Ucluelet

7 pm-10:30 pm

Feature Presentation “LIVE” @ Media Lounge: An Interactive Multi-media Gallery
& Coastal Sensory Experience with Matt Maran, Randy Celebrini & Esther Celebrini
The Shore/Ocean Outfitters, Tofino
Admission: $5 at the door

7 pm

Barnacle Blues: David Gogo Live in Concert with local openers Left at the Junction
Auction prizes, live blues….and barnacles!
Black Rock Oceanfront Resort, Ucluelet
Tickets: $40 advance or $45 at the door

Friday, March 12

11 am

Skeletons In Our Closets with author & marine biologist Jim Cosgrove
Green Point Campground Theatre, Pacific Rim National Park Reserve

3 pm

Wet & Wild: Marine Mammal Research In Barkley & Clayoquot Sounds with marine
mammal biologist Wendy Szaniszlo
Green Point Campground Theatre, Pacific Rim National Park Reserve

7 pm

SWARM: Hyper-Kinetic Percussion Theatre Feature musical performance – for all ages!
Seaplane Base Rec Hall, Ucluelet
Tickets at the door: $10 adults/$5 kids 12 & under/Family of 4 pass $25

Saturday, March 13

9:30 am

Wild Pacific Trail: New Section Grand Opening Celebration
Meet at He-Tin-Kis Park – Wild Pacific Trail (opening ceremony site), Ucluelet

10 am-11 am

Recipe for a Rainforest – Family Rainforest Program with the Raincoast Education Society
Meet at He-Tin-Kis Park – Wild Pacific Trail (opening ceremony site), Ucluelet

2 pm

Annual Rubber Fish Race: The tradition of fundraising fun continues!
$3 each or $5 for 2 racing fish
Thornton Creek Hatchery, Port Albion

8 pm

Headwater @ Float Lounge Live Acoustic Music & Whale Appreciation Event!
Black Rock Oceanfront Resort, Admission $10 at the door/Volunteers PRWF shirts get in FREE!

Sunday, March 14

9:30-10:30 am

Surf Rider Foundation Ocean Conservation Beach Clean-Up
Meet at MacKenzie Beach in front of Best Western Tin Wis, Tofino

12 pm-3:30 pm

Chu-yaa-ma-uuk (Gathering of the Whales): Whale Festival Closing Day Celebration
Everyone welcome to a community gathering to share culture through story, dance, song, local art & history and traditionally inspired lunch.
Best Western Tin Wis Resort, Tofino

4 pm

Whale Dip (swim in the sea) – Welcoming Spring to the West Coast!
MacKenzie Beach, Tofino

The distinctive tail of a Gray Whale.

The Pacific Rim Whale Festival is largely volunteer-fueled, and managed by the Pacific Rim Whale Festival Society, a registered non-profit society.

Beach walkers at Schooner Cove.

We have just returned from a wonderful weekend get-a-way at Pacific Rim, on the west coast of Vancouver Island. Winter is our favourite time to visit the west coast. There aren’t too many tourists, and rain or shine we are always dazzled by the area’s natural beauty.

Established in 1970, Pacific Rim National Park Reserve is one of the most popular National Parks in Canada. If you have made a trip to Pacific Rim you aren’t alone, as the park receives upwards of 700, 000 visitors a year.

We began our weekend with a morning walk at Long Beach, near the Wickaninnish Center. A sandy path winds through the rainforest to the beach. Chest-high salal flanks the trail, and spruce trees loom overhead. With the sound of pounding surf, the trail bursts into the open brilliance of a long sandy beach. Comber after comber breaks onto the shore, mesmerizing the viewer. This is the open Pacific, the edge of the continent.

Jointed Tubeworm (Spiocaetopterus costarum) - masses of empty tubes of this worm wash up on the beach at Wickaninnish Beach.

We found heaps of small, transparent worm tubes along the upper beach. These segmented tubes belong to a marine worm called the Jointed Tubeworm. Parts of the fragile tubes, protruding from the worm’s home in the sand, commonly break off with disturbance such as a storm.

On this surf-pounded beach, we were delighted to find some thin, delicate looking shells including the Pacific Razor-clam. This beautiful clam is oblong in shape, and has a shiny caramel coloured shell. The inside of the shell is white and may be tinged with purple. Razor-clams are bivalves, a group of mollusks that have two shells joined by a hinge.

Pacific Razor-clam (Silqua patula) - a fast digging clam found on exposed, sandy beaches.

Razor-clams avoid being pulverized by waves by being extremely fast diggers. They can bury themselves completely in less than seven seconds. To do so they extend a pointed, fleshy “foot” deep into the sand. Under the sand, the tip expands, and acts as an anchor. Muscle contractions pull the clam rapidly downward. Razor-clams only live on the sandy beaches of the open coast.

Further along the beach we found a piece of wood with barnacles attached. These weren’t just any barnacles, but another West Coast specialty, the Pelagic Goose-neck Barnacle. This unusual barnacle has a free-floating life on the high seas. It attaches to any drifting object, including wood, buoys, or bottles.

Pelagic Goose-neck Barancle (Lepas anatifera) is sometimes found attached on driftwood washed up on the shore.

The Pelagic Goose-neck Barnacle has five plates covering the body. The plates are white to bluish-grey, and are outlined with orange, giving this barnacle an elegantly patterned look. A fleshy purplish brown stalk connects the barnacle to its drifting home. To feed, this barnacle extends and retracts hair-like “cirri”. The cirri form a net through which the barnacle filters its food. The downside of the floating life is that Pelagic Goose-neck Barnacles sometimes wash ashore. If exposed for too long, they will perish.

Different marine creatures thrive on different types of beaches, so in the afternoon we decided to explore the rocky shore at low tide. We scrambled over the rugged dark grey volcanic rock of a small islet. Life is crowded on the rocks, as mussels, barnacles, anemones, snails, and a host of creatures vie for space.

California Mussels (Mytilus californianus) - a large mussel that grows up to 25cm long.

One of the most abundant species here are California Mussels. These grow to a most impressive size, and we saw some that were as big as my foot (ladies size eight). California Mussels have a ribbed shell that may be blue, brown, or almost black. The inside of the shell is iridescent blue-grey, and the flesh of the mussel is orange. Mussels attach to rock by tough elastic ligaments called byssus threads. If the ligaments break, the mussel will either be mashed by the waves or become food for another creature.

Like California Mussels, Giant Green Anemones prefer the surf swept living conditions of the west coast. The anemone displays a flower like ring of tentacles, which are a lovely milky-green colour. The disc with tentacles, which may be as wide as 15 cm, is attached to a thick column that may be green or olive-brown. The green colouration is largely a result of green algae that have colonized the anemone. Studies suggest that algae may benefit the anemone by providing it with some nutrition.

Green Surf Anemone (Anthopleura xanthoogrammica), a large sea anemone found on the West Coast of Vancouver Island.

Though they look harmlessly pretty, anemones are active carnivores, feeding on detached mussels, crabs, urchins and other creatures. The sticky tentacles easily trap prey, which is swallowed whole by the anemone. The anemone then spits out what it can’t digest. When touched by human fingers, the tentacles of anemones retract. The tentacles stick to the skin slightly, but it is easy to pull away.

Having done a little exploring, it is easy to understand why Pacific Rim National Park Reserve is so popular. It is a spectacular place, rich with life on land (rainforest) and marine environments.

With ever increasing numbers of visitors to Pacific Rim, we must all be aware of the impact humans can have. Nothing should be removed (including shells and driftwood), or harvested from the forests and beaches of the park, and visitors should tread cautiously while exploring these fragile ecosystems. Let’s keep this paradise intact for ourselves, and all the creatures that live there.

About the Contributor:

Jocie Ingram is a naturalist and writer based in the Comox Valley, Vancouver Island, British Columbia. More of her nature writing can be found on her blog.