Qualicum Beach - miscellaneous beaches to the south...

Some time this June I was perusing Google Maps. I noticed numerous roads that came to an end at the Salish Sea Shore. The following days (2020-06-12) I decided to explore these roads.

Salish Sea Beach near Seacrest Place near Qualicum Beach (2020-06-12)

Cowichan Valley - Cherry Point Beach

We hadn't consulted Theo Dombrowski's excellent Secret Beaches series for a few months and I knew that we were "missing" a few beaches south of Crofton. This day (2017-06-04), his advice took us to Cherry Point Beach. I suspect that this awesome sandy beach is anything but secret; at least to the locals. We were surprised by how sandy vast stretches of the beach were. Closer to the little creek that flows out at the one end of Cherry Point Beach, the beach was a bit pebbly.

Sandy stretches at Cherry Point Beach...

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)

Gabriola Island: Sandstone at Drumbeg Park

Norbi and I headed out in early June to visit some beaches on Gabriola Island, have a beer at Silva Bay, and generally just tour about the island. The day started off looking cloudy and threatening to rain. Thankfully, in the end, the sun graced us with her presence. Around noonish, just before we'd promised ourselves lunch at the pub in Silva Bay, we explored the sandstone shelves that make up the bulk of the beach at Drumbeg Provincial Park. In Theo Dombrowski's excellent book, "Secret Beaches of the Salish Sea: The Northern Gulf Islands", this is Secret Beach number 19 (page 67).

 Sandstone at Drumbeg Park on
Gabriola Island (2013-06-01)

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) 

Nanaimo: Mom and Toddler on a Secret Beach

A mom and her toddler define summer at one of Nanaimo's Secret Beaches (Blueback Road).

Secret Beach at 
Blueback Road (2012-08-14)