Mill Bay - Beach at the Nature Park

It had been quite some time since I'd consulted Theo Dombrowski's excellent Secret Beaches series. I knew there were beaches south of Duncan that were yet to be explored. So, on this weekend, Hanne, Lilo, and I decided to check out the beach at the Nature Park in Mill Bay. As Dombrowski rightly points out, this is not a "lay down a towel, sun yourself, and go for a swim"-type beach. This beach is all about pebbles, rocks, boulders, and seashells. That shouldn't dissuade anyone from visiting the park; the trail through shady forest is well worth a stroll.

Mill Bay Nature Park (2017-06-11)

Ladysmith - Elliot Beach

We don't visit Elliot Beach very often. When we do, I always wonder, why not. It's not too far from home, so perhaps it's because the turnoff from the highway is not one our usual routes. Anyway, we ought to come more often and, more to the point, we ought to launch our kayaks here.

Elliot Beach (2017-06-13)

Sointula - Log-strewn Bere Point Beach

After logging plenty of steps on Sointula docks in the morning and running into an exceedingly high tide during our attempt to visit Malcolm Island's lighthouse, our afternoon took us to Bere Point. Here the high tide prevented us from getting a good look at much of the beach, but thousands of logs gave Hanne lots of crannies and nooks to poke about in.

Beach at Bere Point 2016-02-09

Silva Bay - The Southern Tip of Gaviola Island

On this cloudy late August day, after exploring the bay on Vance Island, our kayak journey took us to the southern tip of Gaviola Island (part of the Flat Top Islands group near Silva Bay) . This tiny beach is a nice mix of sandstone shelf and sand/broken shell pockets. Come here by kayak, and you are most likely to be alone. Although, a little further along the beach, there are a number of private homes.

Kayaking off the southern tip if Gaviola Island  2014-08-30

Tofino: Cox Bay

It really doesn't matter what time of year you visit Long Beach on Vancouver Island's west coast. Our favourite accommodation in Ucluelet (the Cabins at Terrace Beach) had a "Storm Watching" special on and we took advantage, inviting Barb and Sean to join us.

No matter the season, the beaches here - in this case Cox Bay - are always fun to stroll along. This postcard, taken in early February, features low tide and a rocky outcrop near the northern end of the Cox Bay beach.

Cox Bay beach details at low tide 2014-02-02

Departure Bay: Details of a Stroll in October

Around mid-October, with a reasonably low tide (after having been turned back by high water in the past, I have learned to check this out), I thought I'd take a stroll along the Departure Bay beach, from the access point near the end of White Eagle Terrace, to the Kin Hut. About midway between these points, the lower tide afforded me a perspective, looking along this spit of beach, of the oceanographic research facility. MORE PICTURES

Looking along this spit of beach, the oceanographic research facility (2012-10-14) 

Nanaimo: Hidden Sea Star at Neck Point Park

We find that Neck Point Park in Nanaimo is a great place to take visitors, to introduce them to the east coast of Vancouver Island. Exploring the "neck" portion of the park with Marco and Angela, we noticed quite a few partially hidden sea stars at a fairly low tide.

Spot the Sea Star...  (2013-08-17)

Quadra Island; Cape Mudge lighthouse

April of 2010 found us taking a break on Quadra Island. Of course, we explored the island all around our hotel at Heriot Bay, but our second day took us to Cape Mudge on the other side of the island. C'mon! When is a lighthouse not an ideal postcard shot? 

Cape Mudge lighthouse

Nanaimo: Entwhistle Road Secret Beach

When an August day brings us clouds, wind, and the threat of rain, then that's a good day to work our way through Theo Dombrowski's "Secret Beaches …"

On this date in 2011 we decided to have a look at the Secret Beach at the foot of Entwhistle Road. What a great decision. The wind that was keeping us from kayaking was now kicking up whitecaps that made for postcard scenes. 

A windy day at Entwhistle Road 
Secret Beach (2011-08-06) 

Texada Island: Beach by Vananda

While spending a few August days on Texada Island, I took the opportunity to explore the island's beaches. Perhaps the most obvious beach, but overlooked by visitors, is the one just on the edges of Vananda. A beach primarily of gravel and larger rocks, augmented by the quintessential drift logs, this shore looks out over Malaspina Strait, towards Powell River.

Looking out over Malaspina Strait
towards Powell River

Texada Island: Quintessentially Summer at Shelter Point

A child's flip-flop, abandoned on a beach log at Shelter Point Regional Park, says summer about as well as anything. Purely postcard material!

 Summer at Texada Island's 
Shelter Point (2012-08-27)

Nanaimo: Beach Estates Park to Departure Bay

There are at least two ways to visit Departure Bay beach. The most obvious is by car via Departure Bay Road. Less obvious and less known is via a short - 20 minutes - hike through Beach Estates Park. This path opens out to the beach at what was, historically, a coal loading wharf. The finger of rocks, visible at low tide, is just a little of what remains as evidence of these times. 

Beach Estates Park to 
Departure Bay (2013-03-25)