Vancouver Island Nature Tours

It’s called the Angler’s Trail, Stamp Long River Trail, and Sayachlas t’a saa’nim in the Hupacasath language. Don’t ask me how to pronounce the last name. I have no idea! I did find out that it means Stamp Long River Trail! This trail was constructed a year and a half ago by local people with [...]

Over the last few years Black Bears have been reliably seen on the other side of the Somass River – especially at low tide. But this year it has been different. I think it must be due to the low numbers of Sockeye Salmon returning over the summer. They just haven’t been around much. But [...]

Edited 9 February 2009. Although it wasn’t part of the trips I do, I took some people to the Carmanah Valley a couple of years ago. I didn’t go there very often then. But now I do a few times every year, I am always impressed. It is home to the largest tree in Canada, [...]

It’s not often you find a guest who demonstrates to you how much he and his family enjoyed their trip with Rainbird Excursions. But Micheal Pratt has done just that. He sent all 130 of his photos to me. And some of them are really nice. So I thought I would share them and his [...]

Edited: 10 Feb 2009 I have been to the Nahmint Recreation Site a couple of times recently. And many more times in the past. Each time I go I am amazed that the place is so empty. How many places on Vancouver Island can you go and camp or picnic in a pristine old-growth stand [...]

It’s Good Friday today. This morning I hiked up to the Alberni Lookout. From Coombs Country Candy on Highway 4, it’s only about a 40-50 minute hike, depending on how fast you go. I’ve been hiking up regularly because it is a good bit of exercise. The weather was cool and foggy. But the weatherman [...]