December 12, 2008 | Field Reports >
Qualicum Beach, Outdoor Activity Tours
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Moving
north on the east side of Vancouver Island, we come across the rain as
we enter the Horne Lake Caves. Continuing on to Tiger Lilly Farm for
some horseback riding, we then finish with a rain forest walk
around Cathedral Grove in McMillan Park.
December 12, 2008 | Field Reports >
Duncan, Outdoor Activity Tours
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Just
off the Malahat highway, we hook up with local tour guide/owner Kurt
from Legend Excursions. He takes us on an adventure experiencing local
Vancouver Island glass blowing at GBS, Venturi-Schulze Vineyards &
Farm Winery and the Pacific Northwest Raptures flying demo.
December 12, 2008 | Field Reports >
Duncan, Accommodation
Carrying
on from the small town of Sooke, we hit some waterfalls and did some
cliff jumping, before arriving at the spectacular Aerie Resort off the
Malahat highway. Come share the experience of fine dining, massage and
one of the best views on Vancouver Island.
December 12, 2008 | Field Reports >
Sooke, Accommodation
After leaving Victoria we head west to the coast of Vancouver
Island arriving at a small town by the name of Sooke. An open-arm
welcome awaits us at the Sooke Harbour House which includes fine
dining, art, in-suite massage and an over all unforgettable experience.
December 12, 2008 | Field Reports >
Victoria, Whale Watching
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Just off the coast of Victoria British Columbia, come see the Orca whales in their natural habitat.
As well, we come across a local rugby game as Victoria locals recommend some new and exciting adventures to come...
December 09, 2008 | Tips from Travellers >
Delta, Bird Watching
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View a larger image on flickr.com
Every November, I get a fantastic birthday present that arrives from Russia. Actually, I get tens of thousands of birthday presents – and every single one of them is hungry and honking.
Sound like a birthday disaster? Not for bird nerds like me. I look forward to this time each year, when tens of thousands of snow geese arrive at
Delta’s Reifel Bird Sanctuary. It’s the perfect gift (just don’t try wrapping it).
In total, up to 80,000 Lesser Snow Geese make the 4,000-km trek from their arctic breeding grounds on Russia’s Wrangel Island to their wintering grounds on the Fraser River estuary.
Once the geese reach their wintering grounds, they hang out in dense flocks of about 20,000 birds and chow down on tasty grasses, weeds and marsh plants. When they take flight, it’s a feathery explosion: thousands of wings and beaks make a lot of noise.
My favourite place to view the snow geese is when they land in a field near the road (as seen in the above photo). However, they could be anywhere. During my visit this year, they munching and socializing near the river, so goose-watching involved Reifel’s viewing tower and a pair of binoculars.
If you're interested in checking out the snow geese, here are a few tips:
> The sanctuary says that the best times to view them are mid-Oct. to mid-Dec. and mid-March to mid-April.
> Check with the admission booth at the sanctuary for details on where to best spot the snow geese when you visit. Depending on where the geese are located, you may not need to enter the sanctuary, but I recommend it. It’s a beautiful place to go for a walk.
> There is a very small admission fee to enter the bird sanctuary (adults: $4, kids and senior: $2).
> Bring binoculars and keep an eye out for all the other great wildlife in around the sanctuary. On my last visit, I saw a barred owl, a black-crowned night heron and sandhill cranes.
December 08, 2008 | Tips from Travellers >
Tofino, Camping
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I have a soft spot for
Tofino. Sure, it’s foggy (most mornings), it rains (more than 10 feet a year) and it’s not exactly a hot weather beach destination (always pack a toque, even in summer), but there’s something special about this ocean-hugged town.
On past Tofino camping trips, I’ve battled tarps blowing off tents, prepared burritos in sideways rain, and peeked into tidepools while desperately clutching a wind-blown umbrella.
So when the sun finally does shine, I feel like I’ve earned it.
This past summer, a group of friends and I were lucky enough to experience one of those spectacularly sunny days. We surfed, cooked burgers on the beach, watched bald eagles and looked for sea stars and anemones – all under a bright blue sky. It was almost enough to make me forget about the sideways-rain-burrito-incident (almost).
The photo above is from the tail end of that blue-sky day, as we tried to find a way to hold on to those final moments of Tofino sunshine.
If you’re planning a summer trip to Tofino and the weather forecast is looking rather un-summer-like, here are some wet-weather tips:
> Exploring the beach can still be fun on a rainy day, as long as you have good wet weather gear. Umbrellas are tricky to handle when it’s windy, so opt for rain jackets, hats and rubber or waterproof boots.
> You can still
surf if it’s raining. A wetsuit will keep you warm in the water, regardless of whether the water is in ocean or rain format. If you do surf in wet weather, keep your warm clothes/towels in a plastic storage bin on the beach or in your vehicle. There’s nothing worse than “drying off” with a cold, wet towel.
> The
Wickaninnish Interpretive Centre is a favourite place of mine to visit on a rainy day. Enjoy a hot chocolate from the
neighbouring café and watch the waves.
> If you’re camping, bring a couple of tarps. You (or your friends who forgot a tarp) will be thankful you packed them.
> It’s foggy most mornings, but don’t despair. The fog often burns off mid-afternoon.