Seashore lupine (Lupinus littoralis) Seashore lupine (Lupinus littoralis) grows in sandy beaches and dunes along the coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia. One place where it is found is Radar Hill Beach in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. More than ten years ago, I noticed this lovely lupine when I first hiked down to the beaches. It was good to …
Radar Hill Beach
Beetles in the Dunes
Harsh environments like shorelines and dunes are good places to look for beetles. While on a hike at Radar Hill Beach in late May, I noticed an isolated log in the dunes above the beach. In a hot environment like sand dunes, wood and plants provide shade for small insects. I wasn’t really expecting anything, but thought that it would …
Radar Hill Beach
Remote Radar Hill Beach is a challenging destination in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. It’s definitely off the beaten track in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve and takes a little effort to get to but the Radar Hill Beaches are spectacular. The trail down to the beach is not maintained by Parks Canada and the going is fairly rough—there are …
Stranded 2 – Red Eye Medusa
Red Eye Medusa (Polyorchis penicillatus) washed up on the shore at Radar Hill Beach in Pacific Rim National Park. I love walking the beach at low tide. At this time, the ocean delivers its twice daily deposit of flotsam and jetsam when it begins to rise. The line of seaweed, shells, driftwood and detritus often provides a window into what …
Purple Olive Snails at Radar Hill Beach
The sandy expanse of Radar Hill Beach is good habitat for Purple Olive Snails (Olivella biplicata). With the good low tides this week my objective on my days off was to explore some beaches that I hadn’t visited before. One such destination was Radar Hill Beach in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. Access to this remote beach is by an …
Roots on the Rough Route to Radar Hill Beach
Rocky headlands at Radar Hill Beach create dramatic vistas. Pacific Rim National Park Reserve is well known for its long, sandy, and 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. Radar Hill beach is one …