Dick Island, a pleasant hiking destination on Texada Island, British Columbia.

With a warm, sunny weekend weather forecast, my mother and I decided to go camping on Texada Island. Boarding the ferry from Comox at Little River, we crossed Georgia Strait to Powell River, then re-entered the terminal for the shorter passage to Texada.

The largest of the Gulf Islands, Texada is 50 km long, and as wide as 10 km. It is one of the few islands with an industry-based economy, including three major limestone quarries, which export up to 6 million tones of limestone a year, and several logging operations. Approaching the ferry dock at Blubber Bay, there is full view of a large quarrying site with heavy machinery and plumes of lime dust rising in the wind.

Driving off the ferry and away from the quarry, one soon feels the tranquility of this large, forested island. The two main communities of Van Anda and Gillies Bay have a charming, almost old-fashioned feel. Most of the island’s 1200 residents live on the northern half of the island. Surprisingly, the southern half is unpaved, and has network of gravel logging roads.

Despite the island’s industry, it is great place for nature, with over 200 species of birds, several unusual plants, and rare species of stickleback. At the southern end, accessible by boat or logging road, is a 900-acre provincial park. More accessible is Shelter Point Regional Park, a 40-acre treasure that is located south of Gillies Bay.

Shelter Point has a large campground, including showers and a seasonal concession. At the time of our arrival, there were no other campers, so we had our pick of beach-side sites with fine views. The park’s nature trail winds through an impressive grove of old-growth Douglas-firs, with thick, furrowed bark and limbs as big as trunks.

Giant Chain Fern (Woodwardia fimbriata)

One of the most exciting things about Texada is the Giant Chain Fern (Woodwardia fimbriata). In Canada, this rare fern exists at a site near Victoria, but is otherwise restricted to Texada and Lasquiti Islands. It is more commonly found in the redwood forests south of the border. This spectacular fern has huge, tropical looking fronds that can grow close to 3 metres high. The evergreen leaves persist year round, and new fiddleheads emerge in the spring. On the underside of the fronds, one can study the lozenge-shaped sori (spore-bearing sacs), which resemble links of a chain. The giant chain fern favours damp sites, but grows in quite a range of habitats on the island. Local naturalist John Dove has been interested in the fern for a long time, and has been recording sites on the island where it grows for the last several decades. We contacted Dove, who told us of several roadside locations where the fern grows.

Giant Chain Fern (Woodwardia fimbriata) sori

Having found the fern, we turned our attention to birds. Along the shore we could hear the screaming calls of Black Oystercatchers. An Osprey patrolled the beach, and hovered in the sky, trying to spot a fish. Herons stood stalk-still at the edge of the water, and crows pestered ever-present Bald Eagles. In the woods and shrubbery warblers were singing, and finches and sparrows hopped into view.

Birds and plants aside, there are other things to draw a curious naturalist to Texada. In Texada’s lakes, there are rare species of freshwater stickleback (Gasterosteus sp.), small fish that are endemic to Texada, and found no-where else on the globe. These are descended from ocean-dwelling species, and are believed to have evolved since the last ice age about 13 000 years ago. In the evolutionary scheme of things they are a very new species. This relatively rapid evolution is of much interest to scientists, challenging old notions that evolution is a very long and slow process.

Texada sticklebacks are red-listed (very rare) and limited to four of the island’s lakes. Predators, human activity, and non-native species are a significant threat to their survival. Similarly rare sticklebacks have been found on Lasqueti Island, but these have since gone extinct.   

After the sleepy pace of Texada, it was a bit of a shock to return to the hustle and bustle of the Comox Valley. Having gotten a feel for Texada’s nature, I will definitely be back to experience its unique beauty and do more exploring.

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.

Groves of twisted Arbutus (Arbutus menziesii) can be found at Helliwell Provincial Park on Hornby Island, British Columbia.

A painting called “The Sunbathers” (by Daphne Stevens) hanging on my kitchen wall depicts a group of smooth, orange-barked arbutus trees basking in the sun on a hot, rocky hillside from BC’s southern Gulf Islands. There is something mesmerizing about this tree, with its sinuous limbs and distinctive orangey-cinnamon peeling bark. Leaning out over bluffs and beaches with a crown of glossy dark-green leaves, the exotic Arbutus is reminiscent of warmer, more Mediterranean climes.

According to writer Andrew Scott “… the arbutus seems to exert some weird power over the creative mind.” Droves of artists and poets have sought to capture the dramatic presence of this striking tree, which figures in the works of some of Canada’s great artists, such as E.J. Hughes’ “An Arbutus Tree at Crofton Beach” (1973), W.P. Weston’s “Arbutus Shedding Bark” (1947), and Emily Carr’s “Arbutus Tree”  (1922).

Arbutus (Arbutus menziesii) is Latin for “strawberry tree”, in reference to the tree’s bright red berries and its resemblance to the related strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo) from Europe. The species name, menziesii, is named after Archibald Menzies, a Scottish botanist who described the tree in 1792 during Captain Vancouver’s expedition to the Pacific coast. In the United States arbutus is also known as Madrone, which comes from the Spanish word Madroño, meaning strawberry tree. 

Bright Arbutus (Arbutus menziesii) berries somewhat resemble small oranges.

Arbutus reaches the northern tip of its range around Campbell River, and extends south along the coast to southern California. In BC, it is restricted to dry, rocky, sunny slopes with coarse mineral soil that drains rapidly. It is usually found within eight kilometres of the ocean, but in our area arbutus is also found along the dry bluffs of lake edges, such as Comox Lake and the Buttle Lake corridor in Strathcona Park. South of the border, Arbutus is more common and occupies a wider range of habitats, and may grow at elevations of 1200 metres or more.

Fussy about where it grows, arbutus is generally unsuitable for the garden. It is difficult to transplant, and if conditions are not right (too shady or moist), it is susceptible to root rot and a host of other pathogens.

Often gnarled and irregular in its growth form, the trunk of arbutus divides into many twisting branches. It can reach heights of 30 metres, but is usually much shorter and can be shrub-like. Arbutus is often found growing along side Douglas-fir and Garry oak trees, and is associated with shrubs like oceanspray, Oregon grape and baldhip rose. 

The older papery orange-brown bark is shed yearly, peeling off in strips, revealing the newer lime-green or chartreuse bark beneath. The dark green leathery leaves are shiny above, and whitish beneath, and readily shed rainwater. Arbutus retains its leaves year-round, and is the only broad-leaved evergreen tree native to Canada.

Arbutus (Arbutus menziesii) flowers are creamy white and very fragrant.

In late April to May, arbutus is covered in clusters of frothy creamy-white blooms that smell like honey, and are very attractive to bees and other insects. Like other members of the heath family, the individual flowers of arbutus are small and bell-shaped, similar to that of heather, blueberries, huckleberries and salal. In late summer and fall, mealy orange to red berries are produced that are inedible to humans, but loved by birds such as American Robins and Cedar Waxwings. Deer and mice also favour the berries. Roughly the size of a marble, each berry has a bumpy surface texture, like an orange rind.

Arbutus wood is cherry coloured when aged, and is very heavy and dense, weighing as much as 44 lbs per square foot. Though it can be used for woodworking, arbutus is brittle, and tends to crack and warp easily when it is dried. 

First Nations peoples used arbutus as a remedy for colds, stomach troubles and tuberculosis. The reddish bark was boiled up and used as a food dye.

In our area, arbutus is most common along the shores of the northern Gulf Islands including Denman, Hornby and Quadra Islands. Lovely arbutus trees can also be viewed along the highway in the vicinity of Parksville and Nanaimo.

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.

Tree Island from Longbeak Point on Denman Island

When is an island not an island? When you can walk to it – at low tide! You won’t find the name Tree Island on many maps – but ask someone from the Comox Valley, and they will refer you to Sandy Island – the Marine Provincial Park so close to the northern tip of Denman Island that you can walk over at low tide.

Sandy Island Marine Provincial Park actually includes other small islands called the Seal Islets, all surrounded by white sand beaches and shell middens. Sandy Island itself is about 33 ha. The entire park is about 118 ha – the size varies with the tide levels!

About 8000 or 9000 years ago, this sandy archipelago was connected to Willemar Bluffs on the Comox Peninsula with a bank of dunes, forming a ‘super-estuary’ between Denman and Vancouver Island. The waters are now known as Comox Bay & Baynes Sound, and the submerged sandbar that remains, the Comox Bar, is still tricky to navigate at low tide.

At the centre of sandy Tree Island, a stand of Douglas fir hosts an active bald eagle nest, as well as forest birds such as nuthatches, chickadee, towhee, and Pacific slope flycatchers, orange-crowned warbler, and yellow-rumped warbler in spring.

Red-flowering Currant (Ribes sanguineum)

The meadows’ colours of pink, purple, yellow, and white are presented by different flowers as spring progress. In April, those blossom colours are red-flowering currant, blue-eyed Mary, goldstar and woodland star. Near the northern end of Tree Island, a prominent red-flowering currant is actually visible from Union Bay across Baynes Sound.

Seablush (Plectritis congesta)

Field Chickweed (Cerastium arvense)

By May, the meadows are seablush accompanied by larkspur, Indian consumption plant and chickweed. The southern meadows of the island are predominantly pink with sea-blush, while the northern meadows are mostly purple with larkspur. The white flowers of miner’s lettuce alternate as accents with the yellow flowers of Oregon grape and field mustard. A scattering of chocolate lilies, with their own yellow highlights, grow in the woods.

Chocolate Lily (Fritillaria lanceolata)

A field of Menzies' Larkspur (Dlephinium menziesii).

Notable for birders are the multitude of seabirds that congregate here, during migration but also year-round: Brant geese, scoters, herons, loons, harlequin, shorebirds of all kinds. In May, the call of killdeer is constant in the meadows. Their oval eggs on the ground would be virtually invisible if not for the occasional broken shell revealing the blue interior. A smaller plover among the killdeer in the mudflats is a semi-palmated sandpiper. Among the numerous gulls, migrating Caspian terns stand out visibly and audibly, with their large orange bills and raucous calls.

Killdeer egg - a sign of nesting birds on Tree Island.

Meadow birds include golden-crowned & savannah sparrows. White-crowned sparrows sing repeatedly from every bush – interestingly, in a slightly different ‘dialect’ than those in the Comox Valley! A few black-tailed deer browse the perimeter of the meadows – the lower branches of shrubs have been cleared to a noticeable demarcation height. More elusive animals such as otter leave only footprints in the sand.

Deman and Hornby Island from Tree Island

While not always an island, Tree Island is always both treed and sandy – a sensitive ecosystem of rare and fragile plants and animals.

Need to Know:

• Tree Island is accessible by foot at tides lower than 2.5 m. Public access is from the end of Gladstone Way on Denman. Hike 2.8 km along the shore north to Longbeak Point, then another 1 km across the sand flats to Tree Island. The nearest boat launch is from Union Bay 4.5 km to the south-west.
• There is no fresh water on the island, and fires are prohibited.
• Because of its proximity to CFB Comox, you may find smoke canisters from military exercises – these should not be disturbed but reported to 250-339-8211.

About the Contributor:

Krista Kaptein is an intermittent hiker, naturalist, writer, & photographer based in the Comox Valley, Vancouver Island, British Columbia. More of her interests can be found on her blog.

A juvenile Sea Lion swims by me at Norris Rock near Hornby Island, BC.

My partner and I are the only divers in the water this afternoon and we are outnumbered 30-2. We hover in 20’ of water anxiously watching an undulating cloud of sand, silt, fur and bubbles head our way. A welcoming committee of curious juvenile California Sea Lions (Zalophus californianus) is on its way to check us out. Like marauding teenagers out on the town, this gang is only a small part of the Norris Rock Sea Lion population. There are a couple hundred more on the rock above who are more content to lie around and watch from their comfy rock lounges.

My entire body and camera are covered by bubbles that the Sea Lions have blown over me in play. Normally, bubble blowing is considered an aggressive act but I think they are just doing it to me because my scuba bubbles are doing it to them.

In anticipation of some Sea Lion action shots I have brought my Nikon D200, housed in its trustworthy Ikelite box and with dual strobes it looks like a small propulsion unit without a propeller. The last time we dove here was with a group of divers so the curious behemoths had lots of bodies to sample but today, we are ‘it’! They swarm over us and nibble at us in such numbers that I am unable to get enough distance from them to snap off a photo. A pair working on either side of me has delicately captured the short strings that hold the diffusers to my strobes in their teeth and are tugging in opposite directions. Another is chewing on a strobe arm, I can feel them tugging on my fins and pushing on my tank and then after an eternal couple minutes, they all suddenly disappear in a flourish as if something has called them away.

These Sea Lions come to Norris Rock near Hornby Island, BC for the winter. Typically the new mothers with babes stay in the south while groups like this one migrate north from as far away as Mexico. Thankfully their breeding season is June-July or we would be watching from the boat because they can become quite aggressive while ‘dating’. I wouldn’t want to be mistaken for a sexy female of the pinniped persuasion.

Not quite so graceful on land, these Sea Lions spend their winters here at Norris Rock near Hornby Island, BC.

With the name “Sea Lion” one might conjure up an image of a seal with a mane. They don’t have that but the mature males have a large cranium that gives them a majestic profile. These are the cute circus ‘seals’ with little ears that are trained to do tricks and are so smart in fact, that the navy has been known to recruit them and train them for underwater maneuvers. Boasting the label of “fastest pinniped” they can travel at speeds of up to 20 km/hr and dive to 1000 feet. We divers are envious of them!

A North Pacific Giant Octopus (Enteroctopus dofleini) hides under a rock.

A few fin kicks away in a space under a rock quivers a large octopus. Highly sought after on the Sea Lion menu, this octopus must have mistaken this hole for a safe abode. I wonder how long he has been here, and how long it will be before he becomes lunch. I am careful not to draw too much attention to him lest he be discovered. Along with octopus, Sea Lions eat fish and shellfish so except for hundreds of sea urchins the underwater landscape around Norris Rock is quite devoid of life.

Young Sea Lions swim by to check us out while diving at Norris Rock, Hornby Island, BC

Our welcoming committee is passing by and pauses to give us a ‘second’ over. They never seem to tire of this game… eyes rolling inquisitively at me as if to watch my reaction while they swallow my strobe, or fins, or hand. Some even like to be stroked and roll over on a side to offer up the best place to scratch. They remind me of a giant dog and I giggle into my regulator at their antics.

It is experiences like this that I live for. At any time these wild mammals could shred me, and yet they don’t. Don’t get me wrong… my heart pounds with adrenalin and fear just like the next person AND I wasn’t the first one to say “Hey, let’s try diving with those blubber monsters over there”… I have the ultimate respect for them and in return, they are gentle and curious with me.

Need to Know:

• Access is by boat
• Sea Lions are typically here from November to April
• Technically this is an easy dive; ability to stay calm is an asset!

Options for Diving:

• Hornby Island Diving – Stay and Dive
• U.B. Diving – Day trips

About the Contributor:

Lisa Graham of Seadance Photography is a freelance photographer who specializes in the underwater realm. Based in the Comox Valley you can visit her website at www.seadance.ca for her full portfolio.

The road to the Mount Maxwell viewpoint winds through tall Douglas-fir trees.

Over the March Break we took a family trip to Salt Spring Island and explored some of the provincial parks on the island. One of the highlights was Mount Maxwell Provincial Park, and the viewpoint from the bluffs at Mount Maxwell (also called Mount Baynes). Given the weather (cloudy and wet) we weren’t expecting much of a view but we were delightfully surprised.

From Ganges we followed Cranberry Road (which turns into the Mount Maxwell Road) until it turned to gravel. The next section was where the adventure truly began.

The gravel road to the top of Mount Maxwell is steep, narrow and muddy. In places, deep ruts can cause vehicles with low clearance to bottom out.

Signage on the road indicated that the road was not recommended for large RVs and the BC Parks web site describes the road as “steep, narrow and bumpy.” We were driving a Toyota Corolla and did need to be very creative about straddling the low points and avoiding bumpy sections. In two places on the way up we bottomed out briefly and ended up pulling over on a wider section of the road a short distance from the main viewpoint. The road did not appear to have been recently graded in March 2010.

Mount Maxwell provides an excellent viewpoint of Sansum Narrows.

As we walked along the road through a stand of old second-growth Douglas-fir the sky began to clear and the rain stopped. At 602m (1975 ft.) this is one of the higher points on Salt Spring Island and the sheer drop provides a wonderful viewpoint. From the lookout we had magnificent views of Sansum Narrows to the west and Burgoyne Bay directly below. Looking to the southeast, we could see farms in the valley and Fulford Harbour beyond.

Looking southeast from the Mount Maxwell viewpoint, one has a beautiful view of valley farmland and Fulford Harbour beyond.

From a naturalist’s perspective Mount Maxwell Provincial Park was interesting as well. A large conglomerate rock formation at the top provided an opportunity to find a variety of different lichens. The nearby Mount Maxwell Ecological Reserve protects one of Canada’s largest Garry Oak meadows and a significant number of rare associated plants and animals. Note that a permit is required to enter this Ecological Reserve.

A conglomerate outcropping is an interesting place to look for plants and lichens.

One of the many species of lichen found growing on conglomerate rock at the top of Mount Maxwell.

After a brief respite from the rain the clouds began to move in again. We returned to the car and made our way back down the gravel road to Ganges. With a little luck we didn’t bottom out on the way down. Mount Maxwell was definitely worth the effort and merits a return trip and a little more time to explore.

Need to Know:

• Be aware that the gravel portion of the Mount Maxwell Road is very rough in places. With some care and strategic driving you can avoid most of the deep potholes and ruts. RVs are definitely not recommended – the road is steep and narrow making it very difficult (if not impossible) to turn around a large vehicle.
• The bluffs are very steep and the chain link fence at the edge is there for a reason. Do not go beyond it.
• Those thinking of climbing Mount Maxwell from Burgoyne Bay might be interested in reading about a 1922 climb by Colonel Richard Greer and Captain Horace Westmorland recorded in Victoria’s Daily Colonist.

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.

Sandstone Pattern No. 1 - A delicate pattern in sandstone on the Southern Gulf Islands, British Columbia.

From a geological and photographic point of view, the western sides of Gabriola, DeCourcy, Link and Valdez Islands have plenty to offer. The geology is interesting and image making opportunities abound.

Way back in history great beds of sandstone were laid down and compressed. In a subsequent upheaval, the sandstone beds were tilted so that the western sides of the islands have near vertical cliffs of varying height and the eastern sides slope gradually to the ocean. Now, wind, rain, frosts and tides are working away at the sandstone and revealing an extraordinary and varied range of shapes and patterns. Erosion of the sandstone is a continuing process and the patterns displayed are constantly but slowly changing. I have yet to find anyone who can explain to me just how these patterns were formed as the sandstone beds were laid down many years ago. If you know the answer, please let me know!

Sandstone Pattern No. 2 - A beautiful example of sandstone patterns on the Southern Gulf Islands, British Columbia.

These formations can only be photographed from a boat, kayak or canoe. In some places it is possible to scramble ashore and photograph from the ledges to obtain close up views. Wider angled shots have to be taken from the water.

In summer months the most even light is before noon while the cliffs and patterns are shaded. Later the shadows are more pronounced. As there is plenty of light being reflected from the water’s surface, morning photography works well for the inner details of caves and galleries.

A sandstone cliff and Arbutus tree viewed from the water.

Arbutus trees are found on all the Islands. There are some great specimens within the boundary of the Pirates Cove Marine Park on DeCourcy Island. Historians may wish to check up on the Brother XII and The Aquarian Foundation for interesting background stories of the area.

Getting There

You cannot drive or hike to these formations. Even if you are on an Island it is difficult to reach the interesting areas. What a blessing! The vandals have not discovered them yet!

There is a large gallery on Gabriola Island that can be reached by walking but it is not the most interesting and lacks the fine details that can be seen on Link, DeCourcy and Valdez Islands.

A typical sandstone formation viewed from water level in a kayak.

The best way to see these natural wonders is from a small boat, canoe or kayak. There is a small boat ramp at Cedar on Vancouver Island, just south of Nanaimo. The short crossing to Link and De Courcy Islands is in sheltered waters suitable for experienced kayakers or canoers. The water at the ramp is shallow at very low tides. Paddlers must be aware of the strong tidal flows that rush through Dodd Narrows and keep well away.

On Gabriola Island, there are many B & B’s to choose from. A short drive from any of them will bring you to kayak launching sites at False Narrows. It is a short paddle across False Narrows to Link Island. At low tide the crossing is shallow and it is necessary to portage across a narrow neck of land between Link and Mudge Islands to reach the western sides of Link and De Courcy. Very easy.

A sandstone cliff showing the interesting shapes of the rock.

At the south end of De Courcy Island is a Provincial Marine Park, Pirates Cove, with mooring and camping facilities. Beware of the crows. I have watched crows rummaging in the cockpit of kayaks and discovering and eating the paddlers’ lunches while they went ashore to find a campsite or the loo. Very cheeky. At night, raccoons will check you out at the campsite. There are great views from the beach and campsite area. A short walking trail leads to the Marine Park Anchorage from the campsite.

Most of my close up images were taken by scrambling ashore from a small boat and photographing from the ledges just above the sea. Low tide is best for this. From May to September, the weather is generally dry and the paddling routes sheltered.

About the Contributor:

Chris Carter is a photographer based in the Comox Valley, British Columbia. His current work can be viewed in galleries on Vancouver Island and on his web site.