Port Renfrew - Vancouver Island

For this post we are going clear across the country to the west coast of Canada, across the Georgia Strait to Vancouver Island. Take the BC Ferry to Nanaimo then make your way through the belly of the island, winding your way around mountains, through valleys, along lakes and past pines taller than you’ve ever imagined with breathtaking scenery at every turn. At Lake Cowichan,  follow a gravel logging road to Port Renfrew. Keep alert as there are logging trucks using this passage.

 Port Renfrew resides on the west coast of the island; home of Juan de Fuca Provincial Park, Botanical Beach and access point to several trailheads.  This small community has quite a few amenities given its proximity to such a diverse playground.

If you are here to hike and experience the exposed shoreline and old growth temperate rainforest, there is more than one option. The Juan deFuca Marine Trail begins here and snakes its way along the coastline and through very rugged terrain for 47 kilometres to China Beach. The other option is The West Coast Trail which is classed as difficult to challenging and includes steep climbs up cliffs using rope ladders.  At 75 km expect  this trail to take about 5 - 7 days in its entirety.

Botanical Beach is part of Juan de Fuca Provincial Park. Check the tide tables for low tide and head out for a 20 minute walk through the dense forest to reach this beach which resembles a distant planet of black jagged rock interspersed with smooth wave worn rocks. At first glance you might think it is a barren wasteland, however once you begin to clamber over the rocks it won’t take long to discover the tidal pools left behind by the receding ocean. Each pool is teaming with life patiently waiting until the tide returns and the ocean once again claims it as part of the rhythm of life. Enjoy such finds as anemones, sea urchins, mussels, snails, barnacles and seastars.  You might know seastars better as starfish, as they used to be called.  Their name has been changed as technically they are not a fish.

Botanical Beach was a marine station in 1900 belonging to the University of Minnesota where students and researchers gathered from all over the world to study the abundance of intertidal life here. There are easily hundreds of species of plants and animals that have learned to adapt to the wide range of conditions presented to them in the tidal pools. When the tide is out, the pools warm up quickly, the salinity changes, food sources are not readily found and predators make life a tenuous affair when you are trapped in a rocky bowl of water.

Take frequent glances out to sea for a chance to see KillerWhales and Grey Whales which can be seen swimming by or feeding  just off of the points. Grey Whales are best observed in March and April. If you are visiting between late August through May, Sea Lions are a viewing possibility. Oh, and those black basketballs bobbing at the surface? Harbour Seals.

We stayed at Trailhead Resort which is well situated and offers a variety of lodging options, from hiker huts for the minimalist to rooms with kitchenettes. There is a hot tub in the yard to soak in after a hard day of hiking, fishing charters, and a fish processing plant on site. Not only that, you need only walk across the street to enjoy great local food and enjoy the fruits of the ocean at The Coastal Kitchen Café.

A note about safety. The rocks at Botanical Beach are extremely sharp and slippery and it is helpful to have a walking stick. The island is also known to have black bears and cougars and they may be present here. Leave pets at home and do not allow small children to venture alone into bush areas. Develop a healthy respect for the power of waves and be aware of what the tide is doing and know where your escape trails are if your route becomes blocked by the surf.