Out here in Ucluelet and Tofino they call it Fogust—the month when the fog seems to roll in overnight and it sticks around for most of the day. Sometimes it burns off by 11 am, sometimes by 4 pm, sometimes it doesn’t burn off at all. Photographing the beaches in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve can be challenging with this …
Vancouver Island
Rainforest Trail Ramble
I try to walk the Rainforest Trail in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve before 9:00 am. At that time of day I usually have the place to myself and can soak in the huge red cedars and western hemlocks, some of which are 1,000 years old. Last week I was trying some forest photography when I heard the sound of …
South Beach Slow
I’m not sure why more people don’t visit South Beach in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve—it might be that I’m usually out there off peak hours, but this summer I’ve rarely seen more than a half-dozen people walking the curve of gravel beach each time. It is a relatively easy 800m (about 15-20 minute) walk from the parking area but …
Wandering Tattler Tale
Halfmoon Bay is one of those spots in Pacific Rim National Park that is often overlooked by visitors with only a short amount of time. Access is via the 1.4 km long Willowbrae Trail—at the 1.3 point, just before it descends into Florencia Bay, the trail splits. The trail that leads off to the right runs through a stretch of …
Coast Boykinia on the the Rainforest Trail in Pacific Rim National Park
While walking the Rainforest Trail in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve the tendency is to look upward—the trees are so large and dramatic and that is what immediately captures one’s attention. However, it’s also a good idea to look down once and a while and see what’s blooming. The understory is amazing in the temperate rainforest of the west coast …
Beach Hopper Party at Wickaninnish Beach!
Sand fleas, beach hoppers, beach fleas – these are a few of the names given to the (usually) small little jumping things leaping about on the sand in a frantic attempt to escape your descending bare feet. At first encounter they can be a bit hard to love, maybe due to the unpredictable trajectory of their jumps and the possibility …
Lorquin’s Admiral
Out for a family walk at Morrison Creek Park yesterday and we came upon a number of butterflies puddling on the wet mud beside one of the creeks. There were several Lorquin’s Admirals (Limentis lorquini ssp. ilgae) busy in the mud and I was able to get relatively close to one with my new Fuji X100S. The upper wings of …
Valley of the Devil’s Club
The huge leaves of Devil’s Club (Oplopanax horridus) are visible from the Millennium Trail in Elk Falls Provincial Park. Maple-like leaves the size of a giant’s plate, clusters of bright red berries, thick twisted spine covered stems. Stumbling through a patch of Devil’s club (Oplopanax horridus) can be a memorable experience. While the common name gives some indication of the nature …
Bear Creek Nature Park
Bear Creek Nature Park is one of the Comox Valley’s less well known regional parks. It’s relatively new (added to the Comox Valley Regional District’s system of parks in 2011) and it is a bit off the beaten track on MacAulay Road in Black Creek. The 161 acre park includes a working fish hatchery run by the Oyster River Enhancement …
Spring Hiking Conditions at Paradise Meadows
This weekend Jocie and I decided to venture into the snow and look for early blooming plants at Paradise Meadows in Strathcona Provincial Park. This section of the park is easily accessible once the snow pack melts and the boardwalk and trail is clear—it’s a great place to see some of the beautiful flowers that make the meadows special. Still …