salmon spotting at quinsam river

Living where we do one can't help but think about salmon at this time of year. Throughout the fall months you are bound to catch glimpses of spawning salmon on any number of local creeks, rivers and waterways. Each time I witness the marvel of salmon struggling upstream I am as amazed as the very first time. Some miracles of nature remain miraculous, no matter what.

In this spirit we are planning a hike at Quinsam River on Saturday, October 2nd in hopes of seeing this great migration up close. We will meet at the parking lot just past the bridge on Quinsam Road at 1pm.

This is becoming an annual tradition with Into the Wild. Last season's walk, in spite of the heavy rain, was probably my favourite of the entire year. We really hope you can come out and join us.

fall kick off

After a summer hiatus we are back and ready to kick things off for another season of Into the Wild - Family Nature Club. For our first fall event we are planning a gathering at Oyster River Nature Park on Saturday, September 18th. We'll meet at the trailhead at 11 am for a hike and a picnic.

This is one of our family's favourite parks as it has a little bit of everything - forested trails, a beautiful river and estuary, breathtaking ocean views and a sweet beach complete with driftwood. There are even some nice swimming holes, so if the day is hot you may want to bring your suit to get in one last dip before autumn really takes hold.

We hope to see you there!

wet and wild at willow creek

We sure have been having a wet spring, and the weather for our Saturday walk was no exception. Though we humans may be getting tired of all this moisture, the flora at Willow Creek seems to be appreciating it. The rainforest is fueled by rain after all.

It was a veritable jungle along the trails, lush, green and rather muddy. To add to the excitement, we had an unfortunate encounter with some hostile creatures when the kids disturbed a wasps' nest while exploring along the creek.

It was a good reminder of the wild in wilderness, even if that wilderness is tucked into a residential neighborhood in the heart of town.

By the time we made it back to the trailhead we felt like we had experienced a real adventure, with the wounds to prove it. Thanks to every who came out. We hope to see you next time, if you think you can handle it!

plenty of surprises at miracle beach

It never ceases to amaze me how even a familiar trail can offer up the unexpected. That was certainly the case last week during our outing at Miracle Beach. I was sure the kids would rush through the trail eager to get to the beach. Instead we lingered and wandered and took our sweet time.

We snacked on Oregon Grape blossoms along the trail. We marveled at caddisfly larvae and tried to spy darting fish in little puddle. We couldn't resist the mud, and discovered its properties of suction.

The beach was lovely, too. We found moon snail shells. We suddenly seemed so small.

And on the way back, the biggest surprise of all. Thanks to Louise's quick reflexes we got to hold a smooth, slithering, and surprisingly warm garter snake. Oh joy! One never can predict how a walk will unfold. But, one thing is for certain. You'll never know unless you go. Thanks for going along with us!

next meeting - miracle beach

Our next meeting of Into the Wild Family Nature Club will take place on Sunday, April 18th at Miracle Beach.

Meet at the north parking lot at 1pm. There are some nice trails for hiking along Black Creek before heading down to the beach for some good old unstructured play. The tide will be way out so be prepared for plenty of poking around in the sand.

Remember to bring some change to pay for parking, as Miracle Beach is a Provincial Park. Hope to see you there!

earth day events in april

April means Earth Day and this month and there are lots of community events to help you and your family celebrate and do your part to make our little patch of the earth a bit nicer.

April 17 - Strathcona Centennial Expedition Talk
The Campbell River Museum will be hosting a talk by local author and mountaineer, Philip Stone, about the history of Strathcona Provincial Park and an expedition planned to mark the 100th anniversary of Price Ellison's expedition, which led to the formation of the park. This illustrated talk will take place from1-3 at the museum. Cost is $6.

April 18 - Eco Fair
The Eco Fair takes place from 10 till 2 at the Compost Education Centre on Dogwood St. There will be displays from local organizations and activities for the kids. This free family event is sponsored by the Comox Strathcona Waste Management and the Compost Education Centre.

April 21 - Movie Night - Addicted to Plastics
Come watch this award winning documentary film about one of the planet's worst pollutants: plastics. City representatives will be on hand to discuss sustainability and Green City initiatives. Admission is by donation and all proceeds goes towards Carihi and Timberline environmental efforts. Doors open at 7pm at the Tidemark Theatre. Think of it as "date night", only green!

April 25 - Broom Bash
Greenways Land Trust is holding their annual Broom Bash on from 10 till 2 at the BMX track located on Homewood Road next the bottle depot and across from the Salvation Army. This is a great family event aimed at preventing the invasive plant Scotch Broom from taking a foothold in our local greenspaces. Refreshments, timbits, tools and prizes are available to volunteers.

celebrating spring at seal bay

Walking along a beautiful forest trail to emerge at a great beach during low tide is pretty much my favourite outing with kids. It has all the ingredients needed for a good time - trees, sticks, dirt, driftwood, rocks, water, sand, shells and creatures. All those "loose parts" that lend themselves to exploration, imaginative play and wonder. There are wide open spaces to run in, and cozy little crannies for hiding. There are places to dig and things to dig with. There are items to toss and treasures to find. Whole universes to explore and stories to invent.

Well, that old reliable formula came through once again. We had a great time at Seal Bay Nature Park last weekend with the Family Nature Club. We walked, and ran, on the beach trail down to the shore. The tide was way out and offered up all kinds of surprises: a profusion of purple starfish, aggregate sea anemones, tiny sand dollars and great big crabs. One was a momma with a giant egg sack. Too cool!

There was plenty of running, climbing, poking and playing. There was even a driftwood fort to claim and conquer. Sure there were a few pairs of wet feet, but that's the cost of having fun. It was a perfect way to spend a sunny afternoon and welcome in the first day of spring.

My heart was happy and proud to see my oldest, who earlier that day informed me he didn't want to go on any stupid walk, wandering ecstatically through the woods enrapt in some story of adventure. He didn't want to come home. Just about a perfect day! Thanks to all of you who joined us.