If you were not one of the lucky few to secure a reservation at a Provincial Park Campsite, do not despair, summer is still here and there are still lots of ways to enjoy camping on Vancouver Island.

Take advantage of provincial park campgrounds that have designated First Come First Serve sites

If camping at a provincial park is THE thing you want to do this summer, then there are still options for you. The Discover Camping Reservation Service is operating on a two-month window, so if you are planning for early fall then the opportunity is there, but if like most of us you are aiming for August and September then identifying campgrounds that have designated first come first serve (FCFS) sites may be the way to go. Sites that are designated FCFS are literally that, if it is available when you arrive, then you can occupy it and pay nightly for the site.

We recommend:

• Do your research: Determine which campgrounds have FCFS sites and if possible determine how many sites they have on this basis. This season you also need to check out the latest COVID-19 measures being taken by BC Parks as this may impact whether the campground is offering FCFS.
• Have a back-up plan (or plans): If you have children or if you do not like the thought of not knowing where you may be sleeping that night then bring comfort to yourself / to others in your party by creating a number of back-up options.

Adventure Camping at Ralph River Campground, Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Photo: FarOut Wilderness

Take advantage of Vancouver Island’s Recreation Sites

Vancouver Island has a wealth of rec sites, these provide a great rustic camping experience. The sites are generally located in more remote areas that are accessed by gravel forestry roads. They provide basic facilities but can vary widely. Rec sites generally work on a FCFS system so they are our TOP recommendation for those of you without a reservation this summer!

We recommend:

• Use the Backroads Mapbook to choose an area where you have a few options: Not all rec sites are maintained to the same standard and sometimes access to the site may have been affected so aim to choose two or three options and then check them out.
• Prepare to be self-sustaining: do not expect potable water and take your own grill for the fire pit!

Camping near Carmanah Walbran Park, Vancouver Island. Photo: FarOut Wilderness

Head out into the Backcountry

Use the Backroads Mapbook to locate crown land – this is designated as public land and you are allowed to camp up to 14 consecutive days on crown land. Finding a spot to wild camp is part of the adventure, be prepared to amble along the forest service roads and try out a few turns here and there.

We recommend:

• Taking your time: Finding a spot to camp needs to be one of the activities of the day, don’t leave it until 5pm when everyone is a bit hangry and tired to start looking!
• Being prepared and being safe: Expect to be self-reliant, expect no cell phone signal and make sure you take first aid equipment and a GPS Messenger / SOS Device.

Wherever you find yourself camping this summer, please remember to follow the principles of leave no trace camping.

Disclaimer: The recommendations expressed by the authors were developed using available information at the time of writing and are for informational purposes only.

Buttle Lake, Strathcona Provincial Park, Vancouver Island. Photo: FarOut Wilderness

About Us

FarOut Wilderness is an outdoor adventure travel company specializing in overland vehicle rentals and tailor-made itineraries in British Columbia. We use our local knowledge and experience to transform your ideas into an authentic and unique adventure.

W: www.faroutwilderness.com
E: adventure@faroutwilderness.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/faroutwilderness
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/faroutwilderness
T: 778-887-0396

The old fishing village of Telegraph Cove is tucked away on the northeast coast of Vancouver Island, one of the last boardwalk communities on the east coast of Vancouver Island. The economy of the quaint village is based primarily on tourism due to its prime location on Johnstone Strait and its role as the gateway to Robson Bight.

Up to two hundred Orcas arrive at Robson Bight (Michael Biggs) Ecological Reserve each summer to rub on the barnacle-encrusted rocks at the mouth of the Tsitika River. As the top predator on the inland-water food chain, they are also attracted by the annual salmon runs that funnel through Johnstone Strait beginning in late June.

Humpback Whale

Stubbs Island Whale Watching was the first whale watching company established in British Columbia, helping to put Telegraph Cove on the whale watching world’s radar nearly thirty years ago. The calm and protected waters of Johnstone Strait, Blackfish Sound and Broughton Archipelago are home to the incredible Orcas (Killer Whales), humpback whales, Steller sea lions, dolphins, porpoises, bald eagles, marine birds, and so much more.

Tiny Telegraph Cove is popular during the summer months, when the snug little bay bustles with boaters, anglers, campers, kayakers and whale watchers. With its colourful buildings and peaceful inlet setting, Telegraph Cove is worth a visit even if you’re not planning to do any offshore exploring.

More information on Telegraph Cove, Vancouver Island, BC.

Rich tidal pools, a shoreline full of life, and fantastic geological features attract visitors to Botanical Beach, offering one of the best opportunities to view intertidal marine creatures and plants on Vancouver Island.

Located near Port Renfrew on southern Vancouver Island, Botanical Beach is one of the most amazing places on the entire West Coast of British Columbia, particularly at low tide, when visitors can walk a long way out across flat sandstone and granite outcroppings to view tide pools filled like jewelry boxes with brightly coloured marine animals.

Purple, red and orange starfish and sea urchins, blue mussel shells, white gooseneck barnacles, and green sea anemones and sea cucumbers only begin to hint at the spectrum of intertidal life that thrives here. So significant is this location that a research station was first established here in 1900 by a team from the University of Minnesota.

The organisms that live here must be able to handle a wide range of conditions. When the tide is out, there are significant changes in temperature, predators, food sources and salinity, and each creature has adapted to contend with these variable conditions.

Organisms that cannot cope with drying out will survive in the tide pools or in shaded crevices. There you will find congregations of seastars, chitons and anemones; the seastars often piled together to reduce moisture loss. Barnacles, snails and mussels are able to survive by closing up tightly with a small amount of water inside their shells. Purple sea urchins have established a particular niche in the soft sandstone. Their sharp, hard spines help to wear away the indentations in which they live.

Botanical Beach in Juan de Fuca Provincial Park has 251 hectares of upland habitat, but it is best known for its abundance of intertidal life.

1. More information on Botanical Beach.
2. More information on Juan de Fuca Provincial Park

A Perfect Whale Watching Experience

Cameron Ocean Adventures in Ucluelet offers a unique west coast whale watching experience. Although we focus on seeing whales, we also make every effort to encounter the many other predatory species that reside in the ocean or near the waters edge. Our tour offers exploring, learning and immersion in the untouched nature that our coast of British Columbia has to offer.

During the spring and summer, the abundance of returning herring and salmon present a feast for the sealions, seals, porpoises, black bears, wolves and eagles that make the Ucluelet area their home. At Cameron Ocean Adventures, we know these waters, hidden coves and beaches intimately, and we will take you to the best locations to view wildlife. Book now, then grab your camera and come onboard the largest whale watching vessel in Ucluelet for an adventure to remember.

Our whale watching tours are approximately 3.5 hours in length. The tour includes various points of interest within the protected waters of Barkley Sound, and other wildlife areas we’ll visit on the way. While viewing whales and other marine wildlife, the vessel will be positioned to provide some excellent photo opportunities.

Salmon and Halibut Sport Fishing

Join us for a day on the water for world-class salmon and halibut fishing right here in Ucluelet. Our fishing season runs from March to October (peak season in July/August) and during that time millions of chinook and coho salmon swim right past our front door, migrating to their spawning rivers. It’s not uncommon to even catch your full limit during peak season.

Book a trip with us and experience an incredible day fishing from our 36′ and 43′ motor yachts with experienced, local guides. We can accommodate groups from the single fisher to 20 people, from families with young kids to the professional angler. We supply tackle, fishing gear and inflatable lifejackets for all our guests. We have you covered.

Private Fishing Charters

We offer 4-hour and 8-hour private salmon and halibut fishing charters for up to 6 guests aboard our 36-foot luxury motor yacht, the Avanti and up to 14 guests aboard our 43-foot motor yacht, the Nootka Princess. Our guides have 20 plus years fishing experience and are local to the Ucluelet area. We provide ice to keep your fish cold and fresh while on the water and we clean your fish at the end of the trip. Call Caleb Cameron for todays fishing report!

Join us for an experience you won’t forget.

Contact Information
Cameron Ocean Adventures
Whiskey Landing Dock
Dock 2 – Lower Dock
End of Main Street
Ucluelet, BC V0R 3A0

Website: https://www.cameronoceanadventures.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Cameron-Ocean-Adventures-775414159246935/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cameronoceanadventures/

More Information
More on Whale Watching around Vancouver Island
More on Fishing and Fishing Guides in British Columbia
More on Ucluelet, Vancouver Island, British Columbia

The Vancouver Island University Library has received a grant of $17,015 from the National Heritage Digitization Strategy to digitize historical texts and maps dating from 1732 to 1944 that will unfold Canada’s narratives of exploration through the voices of settlers and Indigenous peoples.

The narratives of Canada’s journey of exploration will be shared with the online world through the digitization of the Special Collections archives of Vancouver Island University (VIU).

VIU is one of 21 successful candidates from 213 applications to receive funding from Libraries and Archives Canada (LAC) and the National Heritage Digitization Strategy (NHDS) to digitize collections for the preservation of Canadian cultural heritage. Thanks to an anonymous million-dollar donation to the NHDS, the organization made a call out to memory institutions to support their digitization initiatives that are both of national importance and unique. VIU was successful in securing a $17,015 grant, with the remainder of the $65,000 project budget being made in-kind by the university.

“This funding will build upon our digitization and open access content production capacity and, more importantly, it offers the potential to deepen our existing relationships with Indigenous communities,” says Ben Hyman, Chief Librarian at VIU.

The VIU Library will digitize 38 historic texts and six maps from its Special Collections – content that has never been digitized before. The collection features naval expeditions along the Northwest Passage, and carves out narratives of the journeys of the land that became Canada. What is missing from these texts is representation of Indigenous perspectives and contexts.

“Indigenous voices are scarce in records of this kind – even when the subject is ‘ethnographies – Indigenous Peoples’, so in an effort to elevate Indigenous voices with respect to these narratives, VIU Library will invite Elders from local communities to be aware of and to reflect on selected works and passages,” says Hyman.

Reconstructing truths through collaboration with Indigenous community members may involve challenging – but necessary – conversations. The VIU Library hopes to engage with local Indigenous communities and reach out to other institutions to collaborate in these conversations. It will seek guidance from community with respect to the manifestation of the narratives that may emerge.

According to the NHDS, “Documentary heritage is a cornerstone of all democratic societies. It supports economic, social, legal understanding and cultural growth, while also fostering innovation to ensure a strong future.” By digitizing these materials, and through collaboration with community, “Our intent is to honour VIU’s values as an open access, special purpose teaching university,” says Hyman.

This is the second grant the VIU Library has received for digitization initiatives in the last six months. The Library also received $40,000 to digitize the Nanaimo Daily Free Press (1874 to 1928) and the Cowichan Leader (1905 to 1928).

Although the digitization of the historical texts and maps will be complete by August 2019, Hyman says the collaboration between the University and Indigenous communities will be a longer commitment. The Library aims to continue finding ways to decolonize historical information and build upon its capacity to provide open access content to students, faculty and the greater VIU community.

Source:
Vancouver Island University
Source Article: VIU Library Receives a Grant to Digitize Canada’s Historical Narratives of Exploration

Photo Credit:
Vancouver Island University, Nanaimo, BC.

Media Contact:
Rae-Anne Guenther, Communications Officer, Vancouver Island University
P: 250.741.6673| C: 250.619.1088 | E: Rae-Anne.Laplante@viu.ca

As you plan and pack for your upcoming adventure on Vancouver Island and the beautiful west coast of British Columbia, allow us to make a few suggestions on what BC books to read if you need a rest from too much excitement on your memorable trip.

Wild Fierce Life

Dangerous Moments on the Outer Coast
Joanna Streetly

Wild Fierce Life is a heart-stopping collection of true stories from the Pacific Coast that build a vivid portrait of life on the continental edge and one woman’s evolving place within it.

Author Joanna Streetly arrived on the west coast of Vancouver Island when she was nineteen, and soon adapted to the challenges of working on boats of all sorts, guiding multi-day wilderness kayak trips along the BC coast, and living in remote situations often without electricity or running water.

From a near-death experience while swimming at night to an enigmatic encounter with a cougar, these stories capture the joys and dangers of living in a wild environment. Streetly’s vivid storytelling evokes a sincere respect for nature, both its fragility and its power.

Full of unflinching self-examination and a fidelity to the landscape of Vancouver Island’s outer coast, these stories reveal the interplay between inner and outer landscapes—the evolution of a woman uncovering the pleasures and dangers of the wild life.

More information on Wild Fierce Life

Refugium

Poems for the Pacific
Edited by Yvonne Blomer

While in the world of politics there are still climate change deniers, the poets watch the warming seas, the dying birds slicked in oil, the whales, the jellies, the sea otters and the octopus. They stand, as close to the shore as possible, watch the slow turning tide. In this collection of poems from the coast of B.C., California, Washington State, to Alaska and as far away as Auckland, New Zealand and as far back as early 19th century Japan these poems explore our connection to the Pacific, what we know and don’t know, how we’ve already changed the shore and the sea and what we fear losing.

Poets in this anthology include John Barton, Brian Brett, Bruce Cockburn, Lorna Crozier, Brenda Hillman, Gary Geddes, Steven Heighton, Patrick Lane, Arleen Paré, Melanie Siebert, Anne Simpson, Rob Taylor, Patricia Young, Jan Zwicky and many more.

In Refugium, editor Yvonne Blomer explores her deep concern with our sixth extinction and how stoic humans are continuing to wreak damage on the planet and her oceans.

More information on Refugium

Whale in the Door

A Community Unites to Protect BC’S Howe Sound
Pauline Le Bel

An exhilarating mix of natural history and personal exploration Whale in the Door is a passionate account of a woman’s transformative experience of her adopted home.

For thousands of years, Howe Sound, an inlet in the Salish Sea provided abundant food, shelter, and stories, for the Squamish Nation. After a century of contamination from pulp mills, a chemical factory, and a copper mine, the Sound, a noisy, stinky, polluted place, contained many biologically dead zones. Marine life was severely diminished. But major efforts by the Squamish Nation, governments, and industry has produced dramatic returns of herring, dolphins, porpoises, orcas, and humpbacks.

Today, Howe Sound, a spectacular fjord in Vancouver’s backyard, is a popular recreation and tourism destination. The recovery, however, is fragile. The Sound is being inundated with proposals for re-industrialization – a controversial liquid natural gas plant, pipelines, super tankers, a gravel mine on a salmon-bearing estuary, and major residential and commercial developments.

Pauline Le Bel, a resident of Howe Sound, embarks on a journey of discovery to find out what is special about the Sound, its wild nature and its people, to witness the cultural and spiritual revivals taking place. Her research, her interviews, her travels on the land, the water, the skies of Howe Sound, compel her to abandon antiquated ideas about wilderness and community, and to arrive at a new appreciation for the genius of her home.

Whale in the Door invites readers into a story of biological resilience as a community struggles to shape a vision for its future.

More information on Whale in the Door

Dancing in Gumboots

Adventure, Love & Resilience: Women of the Comox Valley
Edited by Lou Allison with Jane Wilde

After the extraordinary success of Gumboot Girls comes the sequel anthology, Dancing in Gumboots. Having relocated to Comox, Jane encountered a new group of women who travelled to the Comox Valley in the 1970s. Fascinated by their stories, Lou Allison and Jane Wilde return to their dynamic partnership to bring us an anthology that shines a light on these trailblazing women and their unique stories.

The 1970s was a time of intense cultural shifts for women all over North America. Freedom from traditional gender roles and expectations encouraged widespread relocation of young women seeking adventure and meaning, often migrating from urban to rural locations. The agricultural area of the Comox Valley on Vancouver Island offered a unique opportunity to these young women. Dancing in Gumboots collects the stories of thirty-two women who traveled from around North America to Vancouver Island, eventually settling in and around the Comox Valley. The young women who chose the agricultural Vancouver Island area to make their homes, showcase the personal challenges and struggles arising from such radical change.

More information on Dancing in Gumboots

Source:
Caitlin Press
8100 Alderwood Road
Halfmoon Bay, BC
V0N 1Y1

Almost 80% of Vancouver Island’s productive old-growth forests have been logged, including 90% of the valley bottoms where the largest trees grow and the richest biodiversity resides. Stumps as wide as 16 feet (5 metres) in diameter have been found freshly cut. The oldest stump to be dated in British Columbia was from a tree 1,835 years old! Below are photographs of only some of the big stumps that have been found. How many others are there? How many more will there be before this destruction is stopped?

Some viewers may find this content to be very disturbing. Viewer discretion is advised.

Upper Walbran Stump
Circumference: 44ft
Diameter: 14ft
Species: Redcedar
Valley: Upper Walbran Valley, Vancouver Island
Estimated Date Cut: 2006
Photographer: TJ Watt

Gordon River Stump
Circumference: 38ft
Diameter: 12ft
Species: Redcedar
Valley: Gordon River, Port Renfrew Area, Vancouver Island
Estimated Date Cut: July 2007
Photographer: TJ Watt

Gordon River Stump
Circumference: 40ft
Diameter: 13ft
Species: Redcedar
Valley: Gordon River, Port Renfrew area, Vancouver Island
Estimated Date Cut: March 2010
Photographer: TJ Watt

Gordon River – Hollow Stump
Circumference: 39ft
Diameter: 12.5ft
Species: Redcedar
Valley: Gordon River, Port Renfrew area, Vancouver Island
Estimated Date Cut: March 2010
Photographer: TJ Watt

Bugaboo Creek Stump
Circumference: 45ft
Diameter: 15ft
Species: Redcedar
Valley: Bugaboo Creek, Gordon River Valley, Port Renfrew area, Vancouver Island
Estimated Date Cut: 2008
Photographer: TJ Watt

Gordon River Fresh Stump
Circumference: 44ft
Diameter: 14ft
Species: Redcedar
Valley: Gordon River, Port Renfrew area, Vancouver Island
Estimated Date Cut: March 2010
Photographer: TJ Watt

Gordon River Massive Stump
Circumference: 45ft
Diameter: 15ft
Species: redcedar
Valley: Gordon River, Port Renfrew area, Vancouver Island
Estimated Date Cut: 2010
Photographer: TJ Watt

Bugaboo Creek Stump
Circumference: 47ft
Diameter: 15ft
Species: Redcedar
Valley: Bugaboo Creek, Gordon River Valley, Port Renfrew area, Vancouver Island
Estimated Date Cut: 2008
Photographer: TJ Watt

Upper Walbran Clearcut
Circumference: 34ft
Diameter: 11ft
Species: Redcedar
Valley: Upper Walbran Valley, Vancouver Island
Estimated Date Cut: 2006
Photographer: TJ Watt

Bugaboo Creek Clearcut
Circumference: 35ft
Diameter: 11ft
Species: Redcedar
Valley: Bugaboo Creek, Gordon River Valley, Port Renfrew area, Vancouver Island
Estimated Date Cut: 2007
Photographer: TJ Watt

Massive Redcedar Stump
Circumference: Nearly 40ft
Species: Redcedar
Valley: Gordon River Valley, Port Renfrew area, Vancouver Island
Estimated Date Cut: Early 2010

Ancient Redcedar Stump
Species: Redcedar
Valley: Gordon River Valley, Port Renfrew area, Vancouver Island

Since coming to power, the NDP government has so far continued with the destructive status quo of massive old-growth forest liquidation. Despite their 2017 election-platform promise to manage BC’s old-growth forests based on the “ecosystem-based management” approach of the Great Bear Rainforest (where most of the forests on BC’s Central and North Coast were set aside from logging), they haven’t made any concrete policies to protect ancient forests.

Now is the time to make the transition to sustainable logging in second-growth forests instead, and to protect what little remains of these incredible ecosystems.

Amazing organizations like the Ancient Forest Alliance represent the main hope we have of saving what little remains of these ancient forest ecosystems. Please support them in protecting British Columbia’s precious old-growth forests and forestry jobs.

Photo Credit
Photography by TJ Watt, Ancient Forest Alliance

Ancient Forest Alliance
Street Address: Central Building, #303-620 View Street, Victoria, BC
Mailing Address: Victoria Main PO, PO Box 8459, Victoria, BC V8W 3S1
Phone: 250-896-4007
Email: info@ancientforestalliance.org
Website: www.ancientforestalliance.org

Featured Image
Klanawa Valley Giant Stump: This massive redcedar stump was discovered by the Ancient Forest Alliance, freshly cut in the Klanawa Valley, northwest of Nitinat Lake on Vancouver Island, in June 2011.

Source: Biggest Stumps – Ancient Forest Alliance

Several monumental Western Red Cedars are located in Jurassic Grove

The Ancient Forest Alliance has located an impressive grove of unprotected, monumental old-growth trees growing only a 90-minute drive west of Victoria, between Jordan River and Port Renfrew on southern Vancouver Island.

Spanning a 3-kilometer stretch alongside a portion of the 48-kilometre Juan de Fuca Marine Trail Provincial Park, it lies mainly on Crown lands adjacent to the provincial park and its popular coastal hiking trail not far from Highway 14 in the traditional unceded territory of the Pacheedaht band. The Ancient Forest Alliance’s TJ Watt had explored and identified the area as an old-growth forest of high conservation significance in recent years, but came across a particularly accessible grove of giant trees while bushwhacking a few weeks ago.

“Lowland old-growth groves on southern Vancouver Island with the classic giants like this are about as rare as finding a Sasquatch these days – over 95% of the forests like this have been logged on the South Island. This is one of the most magnificent unprotected groves in the world, and it’s even easier than the Avatar Grove to get to. It will help to bolster the public’s interest to see the BC government enact legislation to protect the remaining old-growth forests on Vancouver Island”, stated Ken Wu, Ancient Forest Alliance executive director. “For now we’ve nicknamed this tract of old-growth forest as the ‘Jurassic Grove’, which could become ‘Jurassic Park’ one day if it is protected. Of course there may be more traditional names for the area, which we’ll be happy to use”.

“This area is like another Avatar Grove – it’s easy to get to, it includes some parts with gentle terrain, and is filled with amazing trees – but it’s even closer to Victoria! When we are able to disclose the exact location when it’s appropriate for wider public access, the Jurassic Grove will undoubtedly become a major source of inspiration and environmental awareness for thousands of people”, stated TJ Watt, Ancient Forest Alliance campaigner and photographer. “It’s hard to fathom that at one time the highway between Victoria to Port Renfrew could’ve been lined with ancient forests like this. Now it remains in just a few patches, like the Jurassic Grove, underscoring the need to protect what’s left of our old-growth forests.”

The Ancient Forest Alliance has requested meetings with the Ministry of Forests, BC Parks, and Pacheedaht council to discuss conservation and access issues regarding the area. Until then, the organization is not yet encouraging the public to try visiting the grove, most of which has no trails, has an extremely dense understory, and which is punctuated with very steep ravines.

While most of Jurassic Grove’s 130 hectares of old-growth is protected within a Marbled Murelet Wildlife Habitat Area that is off-limits to logging, about 40 hectares is on unprotected Crown lands without any type of regulatory or legislated protection.

There are no approved or proposed logging plans on these lands, according to Ministry of Forests data on the BC government’s iMAPBC website.

As it abuts against a popular provincial park for hiking, it would be a natural addition to the park and as a buffer to the Juan de Fuca trail – and ultimately as a star attraction for visitors around the world.

“We should make it clear that we did not ‘discover’ this forest, in the sense of being the first humans to see it, of course. People have lived in the area for thousands of years, and hikers mushroom pickers, hunters, surfers, biologists, and loggers (who logged to the edge of this forest several decades ago … and of course who would’ve surveyed it as well) have all traversed the area. What we’ve done is located and identified the old-growth grove here for its high conservation and recreation value”, stated TJ Watt, AFA campaigner and photographer. “However, the days of identifying such unprotected monumental groves are coming to an end, because in a few short years these forests will either be in protected areas, or gone. This area needs legislated protection”.

Jurassic Grove’s easy-to-access location makes it a potential first rate ancient forest attraction that can help to raise the awareness of all endangered old-growth forests, and bolster the regional eco-tourism industry. Port Renfrew, historically a logging town that now promotes eco-tourism and has been dubbed the “Tall Trees Capital of Canada” in recent years due to its proximity to the Avatar Grove, Central Walbran Valley, Big Lonely Doug (Canada’s second largest Douglas-fir), Eden Grove, Red Creek Fir (the world’s largest Douglas-fir), Harris Creek Spruce (an enormous Sitka spruce), and San Juan Spruce (previously Canada’s largest spruce until the top broke off last year), now has the Jurassic Grove as another first rate addition to its roster of big tree attractions. Thousands of tourists from around the world now come to visit the old-growth trees around Port Renfrew, hugely bolstering the regional economy of southern Vancouver Island.

The Ancient Forest Alliance is encouraging people who visit the area to stay in local accommodations, buy food and groceries in local stores, and camp in the Pacheedaht campground to help boost the local economy with eco-tourism dollars.

To the south, the BC government has just bought up the 7 parcels of second-growth private forest lands, totalling 180 hectares, from a developer and intends to increase the width of the provincial park to buffer the trail along its first several kilometres, while lands outside the buffer will go to the Pacheedaht First Nation band in Port Renfrew as part of the treaty settlement process. To the north, the Crown land old-growth forests of the Jurassic Grove could also be a natural addition to buffer the trail, whether as an extension of the existing park or as a tribal park/conservancy.

More Information on Old-Growth Forests
Over the past year, the voices for old-growth protection have been quickly expanding, including numerous Chambers of Commerce, mayors and city councils, forestry unions, and conservation groups across BC who have have been calling on the provincial government to expand protection for BC’s remaining old-growth forests.

BC’s premier business lobby, the BC Chamber of Commerce, representing 36,000 businesses, passed a resolution last May calling on the province to expand protection for BC’s old-growth forests to support the economy, after a series of similar resolutions passed by the Port Renfrew, Sooke, and Westshore Chambers of Commerce. See: www.ancientforestalliance.org/news-item.php?ID=1010

Both the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM), representing the mayors, city and town councils, and regional districts across BC, and Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities (AVICC), representing Vancouver Island local governments, passed a resolution last year calling on the province to protect the Vancouver Island’s remaining old-growth forests by amending the 1994 land use plan. See: http://www.ancientforestalliance.org/news-item.php?ID=1057

The Private and Public Workers of Canada (PPWC), formerly the Pulp, Paper, and Woodworkers of Canada, representing thousands of sawmill and pulp mill workers across BC, recently passed a resolution calling for an end to old-growth logging on Vancouver Island. See: www.ancientforestalliance.org/news-item.php?ID=1100

The Ahousaht First Nation band north of Tofino in Clayoquot Sound recently announced that 82% of their territory will be off-limits to commercial logging. They now need provincial legislation and funding to help make their vision a reality. See: www.desmog.ca/2017/01/27/first-nation-just-banned-industrial-logging-and-mining-vancouver-island-territory

The Ancient Forest Alliance calling on the BC government to implement a comprehensive science-based plan to protect all of BC’s remaining endangered old-growth forests, and to also ensure a sustainable, value-added second-growth forest industry.

Old-growth forests are vital to sustain unique endangered species, climate stability, tourism, clean water, wild salmon, and the cultures of many First Nations. On BC’s southern coast, satellite photos show that at least 75% of the original, productive old-growth forests have been logged, including well over 90% of the valley bottoms where the largest trees grow. Only about 8% of Vancouver Island’s original, productive old-growth forests are protected in parks and Old-Growth Management Areas. Old-growth forests – with trees that can be 2,000 years old – are a non-renewable resource under BC’s system of forestry, where second-growth forests are re-logged every 50 to 100 years, never to become old-growth again.

See maps and stats on the remaining old-growth forests on BC’s southern coast at: www.ancientforestalliance.org/old-growth-maps.php

In order to placate public fears about the loss of BC’s endangered old-growth forests, the BC government’s PR-spin typically over-inflates the amount of remaining old-growth forests by including hundreds of thousands of hectares of marginal, low productivity forests growing in bogs and at high elevations with smaller, stunted trees, lumped in with the productive old-growth forests, where the large trees grow (and where most logging takes place). See a rebuttal to some of the BC government’s PR-spin and stats about old-growth forests towards the bottom of the webpage: www.ancientforestalliance.org/news-item.php?ID=1052

By the Ancient Forest Alliance
Website: www.ancientforestalliance.org
Source Article, May 6, 2017.

Photo Credit
TJ Watt – Ancient Forest Alliance
One of several monumental western red cedars located in Jurassic Grove, on southern Vancouver Island, British Columbia.

I experienced late-winter cabin fever recently, and having always wanted to visit Malcolm Island and Sointula, off the northern end of Vancouver Island, I packed my camping gear, loaded my bike onto my car rack, and headed northwards.

I live in Courtenay in Vancouver Island’s Comox Valley, so the drive north to catch a BC Ferry in Port McNeil was around 255 kms; over 3 hours of driving on the excellent paved North Island Highway, which becomes two lanes north of Campbell River. I treated myself to a coffee break in Woss, and a few additional stops to take photos, stretch the legs, and soak in some inspiring natural scenery.

The North Island Highway south of Woss Lake in late winter. Some majestic country.

In Port McNeil there’s pay car parking available at just $5 per day beside the ferry terminal, but I’m told it can fill up during the peak season. There were half a dozen daily sailings to Sointula, but be sure to check the BC Ferries schedule for alerts and the latest schedule. The same ferry also provides service to nearby Alert Bay on Cormorant Island. I loaded up my touring bike and started rolling.

Here’s a little history on Malcolm Island: “Sointula means ‘place of harmony’ in Finnish. This charming seaside town on sprawling Malcolm Island was established as a community in the late 19th century when a colony of Finnish settlers arrived with utopian dreams of building the perfect community. While that vision was derailed within a decade, there’s no question these visionaries chose the right place for a fresh air and salt water paradise on earth.” (Source: Vancouverislandnorth.ca)

Many of the Finns stayed on, farming, fishing and logging, and helping give the island a distinctive character that lives on to this day. Malcolm and Cormorant Islands, as well as Port McNeil and parts of North Vancouver Island, are part of the traditional Namgis First Nations territory.

The friendliness started when I was boarding the ferry from Port McNeil. The BC ferries staff and other walk-on passengers all greeted me! I stopped for coffee in Sointula, and asked about camping at Bere Point Campground on the north shores. A small group soon gathered to offer advice and opinions. I finally started my ride, and immediately noticed that almost every car driver – there’s not many – waved. And Sointula certainly offers some roadside character.

A little seaside character in downtown Sointula.

The ride to Bere Point Regional Campground on the north shore was only 7kms; mostly on dirt track passing a few working farms, climbing over a modest 100-metre island spine, and downhill to the campground. Bere Point is gorgeous; definitely one of my favourite campgrounds, and a place to return to in the season. There are twenty four campsites, some situated right along the beach, with others set farther back.

The incredible, smooth pebbled bay, with driftwood along the high tide marker, is famous as a “rubbing beach” for killer whales that come in close to shore to scrub their skins on the smooth stones.

There are hiking and walking trails heading along the north coast. Along with the natural beauties, the campground had a whimsical character, with intricate driftwood tables, benches, staircases and windbreaks dotted about, all lovingly put together by visitors. One gets the sense that visitors like to stay a while, and it’s no wonder they do so. I even had a few dog walkers stop by to chat with me.

Beach and bay in front of Bere Point Campground. If you’re lucky, you might see killer whales giving themselves a rub-down.

It was pretty cold and rainy on my arrival day, but I woke up on day two to a new day of beautiful blue skies and breathtaking views across the Queen Charlotte Strait. The campground takes reservations, and it’s only $20 per night in season (open and free out of season).

I had to make my way back home the next day, but took note of some riding and hiking excursions for a future visit to Malcolm Island. Cycling around 10 kilometres to the west, mostly paralleling the northern shores of the island, takes one out to picturesque Putney Point, or one can ride 20 kilometres eastwards to Mitchell Bay along the spine of the Island.

By Gregg Strong
Backroads Bike Touring, Vancouver, BC

Photographs
Credit: All photos by Gregg Strong
Top Featured Photo: A parting view of Sointula seaside, from the ferry terminal.

Kayak the realm of the Orca and Humpback Whales

Imagine beautiful, big white tents set against the backdrop of towering fir trees and the blues and greens of the ocean lapping at your doorstep. Revel in the sounds of silence, interrupted only by the occasional blow of passing whales or the songs of the birds as they wake with the sun. Enjoy extraordinary kayaking at the edge of the Broughton Archipelago in the heart of BC’s coastal paradise. Exclusive boat access delivers visitors to our private Swanson Island where our glamping basecamp is located. Spirit of the West Adventures is happy to introduce you to the newest and most beautiful kayaking and whale watching experience in British Columbia.

Our pristine eco-camp location we’ve secured is second-to-none in terms of scenery, access to excellent kayaking in the islands of the Broughton Archipelago, and of course, watching Canadian wildlife in some of the most productive waters on earth. Just off your doorstep you might see killer whales, humpback whales, eagles, porpoises, dolphins, and any number of incredible intertidal creatures. This really is the best place to camp and kayak with whales in BC.

We’ve been able to build a camp that truly defines the term “glamping”. The 10×12′ tents are 8′ high at the peak for walking in, and feature real beds handcrafted from local cedar by our team here on Quadra Island. Driftwood accents complete the coastal feel, and the crisp linens and warm duvets ensure comfort.

Another feature of this trip is that we don’t just travel by kayak. To help ensure you get the most wildlife sightings possible, we’re including a boat-based whale watching trip as well. You’ll spend several hours in a covered vessel getting further afield and exploring the waters of Blackfish Sound.

If you’ve ever thought about spending time in the realm of the whales, and pristine wilderness of the Pacific Northwest this comfortable trip might be just the one to get you out there. To learn more about this trip, or to make a reservation, have a look at the Whales and Wilderness Glamping page. If you’d like to get to know us more, check out our About Us page, or just give us a call at the number below. We’re always happy to chat about our area.

Spirit of the West Adventures
P.O. Box 569
Heriot Bay
Quadra Island, BC
V0P 1H0

Phone: 250-285-2121
Toll Free: 1-800-307-3982 (From Canada/USA)
Fax: 1-888-389-5736
Email: info@kayakingtours.com
Website: www.kayakingtours.com