Beach at Mill Bay Nature Park

As far as beaches go, this one is pretty small. A look through Theo Dombrowski's excellent Secret Beaches series took us to Mill Bay Nature Park (2017-06-11). Let's begin by saying, the park is well worth a stroll; especially cool and pleasant in the shade of the dense forest. Now, as far as beaches are concerned, this is not one for the kids or those who like to laze about on towels taking in the sun. If, however, the kids like turning over rocks, discovering tiny crabs or other squiggly maritime creatures, then this beach is ideal. Let's sum up this beach with "rocks"; with clams, oysters, and all sorts of shore birds.

A low tide at the beach at Mill Bay Nature Park...

One way to sum up this beach at Mill Bay is: ROCKS...

The beach is rich in shellfish...

Wickaninnish Beach in November

If ever there was a "go-to" place for Hanne and me, it surely would be Long Beach on the west coast of Vancouver Island. We love beaches, and this area is not short of these. We'd be hard-pressed to name a favourite, as they all have features that recommend them. I love Florencia Bay, but I'd have to add; the north end not the south. The walk (perhaps it almost qualifies as a hike) to Schooner Cove, never mind the beach, is pretty awesome.

Wickaninnish Beach is perhaps the longest and most uninterrupted of the Long Beach strands. That is surely a positive feature. It's also the "closest" beach for those travelling from outside this region. When there's time for only one beach, proximity might make this the one.

In November of 2015 we checked into the Water's Edge Hotel in Ucluelet and began our exploration of Long Beach. On November 21, we arrived at Wickaninnish beach bright and early. The sun was out, and a little frost glistened on the low tide sands.

The November tides had left the strand a tad messy.
Exactly what Hanne like for her beachcombing (2015-11-21)

Contrast (2015-11-21)

As usual, Long Beach features plenty of driftlogs (2015-11-21)

 Flotsam and jetsam (2015-11-21)

As usual, tangles of bullkelp (2015-11-21)

Vast stretches of sand (2015-11-21)

Sandstone Beach along Jack Point

In Theo Dombrowski's excellent, must-have, book on "secret beaches", the Biggs and Jack Point Park beach is listed as #62 on page 165 (Secret Beaches of Southern Vancouver Island). To cite Dombrowski, "there are plenty of options for curling up in a sandstone basin, perching atop a sandstone couch or peering into tidal pools."

In a word, this beach is all about sandstone. Although there are plenty of examples of sandstone beaches on southern Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands, this one at Jack Point has perhaps the biggest concretions I've seen in the area. Of course, there are plenty of examples of the tripe-like erosions here as well.

 Large concretions on a sandstone beach (2012-10-17)

Trip-like sandstone erosions (2012-10-17)

 A continuation of the sandstone formations on the other side of the little bay (2012-10-17)

Sandstone beach details  (2012-10-17)

Beach at Blueback Road (Nanaimo)

Theo Dombrowski uses the title "Secret Beaches" for his collection of books about beaches on Vancouver Island and on the Gulf Islands in the Salish Sea.

Skim-boarding on the beach at the foot of Blueback Road

The beach at the foot of Blueback Road in Nanaimo ought not to be a secret; it is, after all, at the northern end of a fairly large city on Vancouver Island. Nonetheless, ask most residents of Nanaimo if they're aware of the beach at Blueback Road and you're likely to get puzzled looks. Fitness buffs may have been there for the "Stairmaster" workout they get from the approximately 300 steps down to the beach. Having watched them, I actually think the thrill they get is from the 300 steps UP. And then down again. And then again. And again. Who needs a gym membership? In summer, at low tide, it's clear that skim-boarding kids know about this well-kept secret.

Summer on the beach at the foot of Blueback Road

For the average Nanaimo resident, however, it is an unknown. And that's too bad, because, sandy beaches are a rarity around Nanaimo and the beach at Blueback Road is an awesome sandy beach! With one caveat; at low tide.

Photos taken: 2012-08-14

Looking out over the Winchelsea Islands
 from the beach at the foot of Blueback Road

Florencia Bay: First Post

Florencia Bay

Florencia Bay (Long Beach) - 13-07-12

 ===