celebrating the pulse of a truly beautiful place
If you've got a particular outdoor activity in mind, sometimes the best thing to do before heading out is ask advice or snag some tips from the local experts. Here are a few suggestions for Vancouver Island discussion forums covering various outdoor adventures and activities. If you're wondering about trail conditions in a particular area, or looking for a great kayaking destination, these are some great places to start.
On our trip to Vancouver last weekend to see the visiting Snowy Owls at Boundary Bay, we also took the opportunity to check out George C. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary. They are both just a short drive from the ferry terminal, so combining the two made an easy day trip from Vancouver Island. The 300 hectare (740 acre) sanctuary is located on the outskirts of Vancouver, on Westham Island in Delta. It is part of the Fraser Valley Estuary, and consists of managed wetlands, marshes, and low dykes with established walking trails running through them. Even though it's technically on an island, the sanctuary is easily accessible by a short bridge.
Last weekend, two friends and I made a day trip to the Vancouver area to do a little birdwatching. We on the West Coast are very lucky this year to have a large number of Snowy Owls wintering at Boundary Bay. This is not a yearly event, as Snowy Owls tend to remain in the northern Arctic. However, the owls occasionally venture this far south when their main food source (lemmings, primarily) is scarce in the arctic tundra. This happens every four years or so, as the lemming population cycles through boom and bust phases. This year the Snowies were first sighted in the bay in late November; their last visit to this area in high numbers was about five years ago.
Confession: I have a deep and abiding fascination with waterfalls. On any road or hiking trip I take, if there's any chance of working a waterfall into the mix, it's got to be done. I love the sound of the rushing water, and its powerful plunge over a cliff edge or gentle tumble down a hillside. Most of all, I love the way the continuous flow of water has shaped the surrounding landscape bit by bit over more years than I can possibly imagine
Avatar Grove is about a two and a half hour drive from Victoria, the nearest main city. The forest site is quite easy to find, and the Ancient Forest Alliance has done a lovely job of providing detailed directions to the grove. We followed the directions easily, and with the exception of a few deep potholes (which our intrepid driver perhaps could have navigated around!) and several narrow one-lane bridges, the drive is scenic and relatively smooth.
Heart of the West Coast 