Next Hike

The next hike will be on Saturday, 1st September. 

We meet at the Ballpark in Gillies Bay at 10:00am.

Last week we were faced with a day when some low cloud was covering the high ground and it seemed likely to hang around for most of the day.  There was not much point in heading uphill to a view point on a mountain top so we opted for a hike though some forest and down to where we could look for marine mammals along the shore.  We were hoping to see Orcas or perhaps humpback whales as both species have been reported in our area recently.  As it happened we did get to see some of our smallest marine mammal as we were enjoying lunch at the top of a low cliff just south of Mouat Point.  We saw them some distance away at first as they seemed to have found a concentration of small fish that they could eat without needing to return to the beach and it seemed to be a family of five or six staying close together for quite some time.  We knew we were close to where they spend time onshore and sure enough they headed back towards us and passed close by before landing just beyond a headland.  I think it was probably a mother, on the left in the photo, with her young family. After lunch we headed south, but were careful to avoid disturbing the large group of harbour seals that were basking on the shore not too far away.

JD.

 

A family of otters came very close to where we were eating lunch on a grassy bluff at the shoreline.

Next Hike

The next hike will be on Saturday, 25th August.

We meet at the Ballpark in Gillies Bay at 10:00am.

Last week we had the usual dry warm weather we expect in August, but for quite some time we had been suffering from a thick atmosphere of forest fire smoke blown out onto the coast from some of the large number of fires in the interior.  It was not as bad as it had been and when we reached the start of our hike on the high ground south of Angel Lake we found we had relatively clean air, perhaps because the solution was more concentrated at sea level.  Half a dozen of the hikers were tourists from Vancouver Island just visiting for a few days and it was fun being able to talk to them and explain some of the unique features of Texada.  They seemed to be finding it hard to believe we had no bears, no cougars or wolves.  I think all six were visiting Texada for the first time ever - having finally decided it was time to visit the big island they could see not so very far away on the other side of the Salish Sea. 

Thanks Terry for the group photo of all twenty-two hikers obviously having a very good time.

JD.

A larger than usual hike group at Five-way Junction on a mid August hike during a time when there were extensive forest fires in many parts of the province.  

Next Hike

The next hike will be on Saturday, 18th August.

We meet in the Ballpark at Gillies Bay at 10:00am.

Last week was the very popular Texada Sandcastle weekend and no resident hikers managed to fit the usual Saturday hike into their schedules.  With no visiting hikers showing up either I decided to check out the trail situation in the area to the north of the Blubber Bay Road by myself.   From Van Anda I drove towards Blubber Bay and parked at the yellow gate on the road into the natural gas pipeline booster pumping station. I made slow progress and found it easier to walk on the rocky beach rather than in the forest.  I found several interesting things to photograph including the new species of tent caterpillar that has arrived in the last couple of years, some rock formations of scientific interest and some interesting specimens of the Seaside Juniper, Juniperus maritima.  This fairly large native tree manages to survive very well all along this stretch of coastline where it often grows on the most inhospitable outcrops of fractured limestone.  In my photo you can see one of these trees on the right, over thirty feet tall and yet perched on a rock ledge at the top of a low cliff. 

JD.

 

This view of Limekiln Bay looking south shows the coast line from near Glass Beach and Kiddie Point, almost to the southern limit at Marshall Point. 

Next Hike from Van Anda.

The next hike will be on Saturday, 11 August.

We meet at the parking area of the Canadian Legion in Van Anda at 10:00am.

 

Last week the weather was again hot and dry and we were glad to be able to hike along a route to Black Mountain that had lots of cool forest cover.  Most often when we hike to the top of Black Mountain we park on the roadside gravel pit at the Macyk Farm turnoff, but this time we parked on the Hydro East Road and hiked north and east to the Blownup Trailer Lake before taking the logging road that goes past the start of the Black Mountain Trail.  The viewpoint near the summit is one of my favourites although it does make me a bit nervous to stand on the rocky outcrop close to that steep drop off. The strait was really quite busy with pleasure craft in the water plus a tug and barge heading south and some float planes flying past below us.   Thanks for the photo Candi — a great shot!   

JD.

At the Black Mountain viewpoint looking over Malaspina Strait towards Nelson Island.

Next Hike - meeting place changed - Sat. 4th August.

I forgot about the Blues & Roots at the Ballpark this weekend.

We will meet instead at the Community Hall in Gillies Bay at 10:00am.

JD.

Next Hike

The next hike will be on Saturday, 4th of August.

We meet at the Ballpark in Gillies Bay at 10:00am.

Last week we drove south past Davie Bay to the Shingle Beach campground where we parked at the start of our coastal trail running north to Secret Beach.   For lunch we picked a small rocky beach where the sea water proved to be very comfortable for swimming.  At Bamboo Beach we decided to make use of the short side trail up to the road and headed back to the vehicles.  On the way home we made a diversion to show our visitors the limestone caves and sink holes in the Stromberg Falls area. No water at the falls of course and Grow Op Creek was bone dry, but the green moss and the dainty ferns were a rare sight that we don't see in quite the same way in the rainy season. 

During this month there may be a chance to swim in the sea or a lake so if you are interested be prepared.

JD.

 On a very hot day in August the graceful leaves of Maidenhair Fern cling to the mossy rock face in this cool green refuge at the base of the dry Stromberg Falls.