Lake Beautiful, Strathcona Provincial Park Located in Strathcona Provincial Park, Lake Beautiful is an aptly named hiking destination. It takes a bit of effort to get to the lake but it is well worth the long hike and on a hot day the swimming is fantastic. From the trail head at Paradise Meadows the total hiking distance is approximately 18km …
Vancouver Island
Beach Stone Abstracts
Had a bit of time out at Goose Spit in Comox, BC this morning and with a high tide there wasn’t much to photograph. My son was focused on picking up and throwing rocks and I thought to myself that maybe he had the right idea. We didn’t get too far on our walk but I was able to find …
Summer on the Wane in the Sub-alpine
Menzies’ Burnet | Sanquisorba menziesii Subalpine Daisy | Erigeron peregrinus The last two days up at Paradise Meadows (located in Strathcona Provincial Park, BC) have definitely had a hint of the fall in the air. While this makes for good hiking weather (cool but not cold) it’s also a sign that the late summer bloom is nearly done and that …
Exploring Eel-grass
With the excellent low tides this week I was able to poke around in the eel-grass beds at Miracle Beach Provincial Park. Patience and careful walking are required attributes for tide pool exploration. In addition, it is key to have a sharp eye for movement and small creatures. Slow wading serves to reduce the impact on the creatures living in …
Swimming with Bonapartes
The swimming was excellent at Miracle Beach this afternoon. As an added bonus a flock of Bonaparte gulls (Larus philadelphia) was actively feeding on invertbrates in floating bits of seaweed. I normally enjoy birdwatching from the shore but I have to admit that floating quietly on my back and watching the Bonapartes fly over added a whole new dimension to …
Paradise Meadows
Paradise Meadows in Strathcona Provincial Park has a number of hiking loops that are excellent for both photography and botanizing. We headed out to Lake Helen Mackenzie today on a family hike and I attempted to squeeze in some photography along the way. Thankfully, Alden our 2 year old, is a slow walker and likes to check things out as …
Wetland Landscapes
Photography can be challenging at the best of times. Try throwing a 2 year old in a backpack into the mix. “Hold still – Daddy’s trying to take a photo!” You get the picture! Today we took an impromptu walk in Paradise Meadows in Strathcona Provincial Park with both kids in tow (almost 2 year old Alden and 3 month …
Introducing Invasives
An afternoon walk around the Courtenay Estuary revealed almost a dozen of BC’s “least wanted” invasive plant species. These introduced plants are either garden escapees or plants that have been introduced to North America from Eurasia. Over time they spread “naturally” throughout the continent. In bloom were Field Bindweed (Morning Glory)(Convolvulus arvensis), Hedge Bindweed (Calystegia sepium), Japanese Knotweed (Fallopia japonica), …
Thistle Teach You
Some fantastic thistles in bloom this morning while walking the Millard Creek trail in Courtenay, BC. All three are introduced species from Eurasia and grow in disturbed areas like roadside edges, paths and fields. The flowers are quite beautiful in their own right and I’m thinking that planting a “thistle patch” in our flower beds might be a interesting idea! …