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)

Sandwell Provincial Park on Gabriola Island

Norbi's fate, had he stayed home, was shopping. And, likely, more shopping! Fortunatlely I came to his rescue.

My alternative to shopping was a day checking out as many beaches - with lunch and beer in between - as possible on Gabriola Island. After stops at Brickyard Beach, Degnen Bay, Drumbeg Park, and the pub at Silva Bay, we made our way to Sandwell Provincial Park. The rains of the previous evening had created a bit of a slick path to the beach (it should be mentioned, that this path is 650 meters long and quite steep) but we were down at sea level in no time at all.

Dombrowski: "...more than a kilometre long... mostly composed 
of a band of beach logs and fine pebbles leading, at low tide, 
to a wide stretch of fine, firm sand and tidal pools."(2013-06-01)

The beach, #15 (page 57) in Theo Drombowski's "Secret Beaches of the Salish Sea" is, to quote Dombrowski, "...more than a kilometre long... mostly composed of a band of beach logs and fine pebbles leading, at low tide, to a wide stretch of fine, firm sand and tidal pools."

 The south end of Sandwell Beach is rocky (2013-06-01)

This beach truly is a gem. But for the rather long and steep path leading to and from it, Sandwell Park beach is close to perfect!

South end of Sandwell Beach (2013-06-01)

Amidst the large boulders at the south end of the 
beach at Sandwell Park; fine sand (2013-06-01)

Looking south along the beach at Sandwell Park (2013-06-01)

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)

Roberts Memorial Provincial Park

Roberts Memorial Provincial Park is located 15 km south of Nanaimo. From Highway 1, take the Cedar Road exit, then turn on to Yellowpoint Road.

Roberts Memorial Provincial Park  2009-06-13

Follow Yellowpoint Road until you see the familiar wooden Provincial Park sign.

Roberts Memorial Park: unique sandstone ledges 2009-06-13

Right behind the sign is a decent-sized parking lot with a notice board that includes a map of the park and other useful bits of information.

The trail to the beach starts right behind the notice board. This 1-kilometer trail takes visitors through a traditional southern Vancouver Island (east coast) forest, before arriving at the beach overlooking scenic Stewart Channel.

Roberts Memorial Park: Cascadia and her domain 2009-06-13 

The beach at Roberts Memorial Park is unique. Rather than the more common rock or pebble beach, or the idealized sandy beach, this beach features a series of sandstone ledges. Thus, walking this beach is as easy as walking a city sidewalk.

Roberts Memorial Park: unique sandstone ledges  2009-06-13

And, for sunbathers, there are plenty of clean, smooth surfaces to put a towel upon. Clearly that's what attracts the Steller’s and California sea lions, who haul out to bask in the sun on these unique sandstone ledges during the summer months.

In Theo Dombrowski's excellent guide, "Secret Beaches of Southern Vancouver Island ", the beach at Roberts Memorial Park is listed as #68, on page 180.

Location: 49°3'44"N   123°46'28"W

Historical note: the park was donated by May Vaughan Roberts in memory of her husband and daughter and established as a park in 1980.

Opa enjoys a driftlog at
Roberts Memoral Park 2009-07-07

Oma on a sandstone ledge at
Roberts Memoral Park  2009-07-07

A shell midden on the beach suggests it was once a site used by First Nations for the harvesting of intertidal life.

Little Bay at East End of Jesse Island

When taking visitors on a kayaking tour of Departure Bay, in Nanaimo, I like to circumnavigate Jesse Island.

Salish Sea and BC Coastal Montains:
seen from Jesse Island beach

There are a couple of small, but nice, beaches on Jesse Island. Unfortunately, they're not always accessible. And when I say, "not accessible", I don't mean because a boat of some sort would be required to get to them. No, in the case of Jesse Island, the problem is a loud, vicious looking dog. Jesse Island is a private island, and the owners are entitled to "guard" it any way they see fit. Unless.... Unless, as per my reading of provincial documents (I'm no lawyer):

Aquatic lands are the foreshore and beds of streams, rivers, lakes and coastal waters, such as Georgia Strait, the Strait of Juan de Fuca and inlets. In British Columbia, the Crown retains ownership of lands below the natural boundary, except in very rare instances. 

BC Ferry passing the navigation light on Jesse Island

So, as I'm no lawyer, I read this to mean that the beach below the "natural boundary" (the high water mark?) is Crown Land. I further read this to mean that I can land my kayak there and enjoy the beach to it's fullest.

Enjoying the beach at east end of Jesse Island

So.... So, I wish the owners of the island would get their dog under control. I believe all kayakers, and the poor residents of the opposite shore, would agree with me. The dog is loud and annoying!

Photos taken: 2011-07-04