Discovery Marine Safaris delivers another incredible whale watching adventure

By Keith and Heather Nicol

We had never seen a humpback spy hop before

     A few years ago we had an epic whale watching trip with Discovery Marine Safaris (DMS) which is based in Campbell River. On that trip we had Orcas swim right up and under our  boat – the Tenacious III  and we even saw them circling around a small rocky island that had seals on it who were trying not to become dinner.  For details on that blog post and a video see: https://keithnicol.blogspot.com/2016/09/for-unforgettable-whale-watching-check.html   

      On August 30 we decided to try another trip with DMS and they just happened to have room for us on their August 31 sailing. The weather forecast was not in our favour with rain showers forecast for the morning but we headed off anyway hoping that it would clear. As we checked in for our 8:30 am trip we could also see fog off shore obscuring the view of Quadra Island across Discovery Passage.  Captain John told us it was the first fog of the fall and that he would flip a coin to see which way he would turn going out the harbour.  After picking up 2 passengers on Quadra Island the coin told him to head south which proved to be a great choice.  While we steamed through the fog Roleen, our on board naturalist ,told us about what we might see and we discovered that our group hailed from all points of the world including Australia, The Netherlands, Germany, Nova Scotia, Alberta and there was even a family from China!

The Tenacious III has an upper and lower deck which is a bonus

        Once we rounded the southern end of Quadra Island the fog disappeared and the sun even began to poke through the clouds. We wove our way past Marina Island and along the shore of Cortes Island and Roleen pointed out Whaletown where ironically whaling had previously occurred.  We then headed for Sutil Channel and in no time we had reports of several humpbacks ahead. John kept his distance stopping 700 meters away. We could see the blows of at least 4-5 whales and we waited. Slowly the whales made their way toward us and then split into 2 groups.  A group of 3 continued right toward us and before we knew it they were passing underneath the Tenacious III!! Amazing since that is exactly what had happened on our earlier trip with the Orcas. From the upper deck we could see the faint outline of the whales in the water and then they spy hopped to check us out. Yikes, we were eye ball to eye ball with 25 tons of whale!  Roleen told us that humpbacks are making a real come back in these waters and last year whale watching companies from Campbell River identified 86 different humpbacks. She told she could readily identify the following whales: Chinook, Columbia, Cirque, and Checkmate. 

Columbia takes a dive

  We then steamed south west toward Quadra Island where we saw 2 more humpbacks and then motored south to Mitlenatch Island, which is a protected nature park known for its nesting sea birds, haul outs for sealions and seals as well as even having unusual plants like the prickly pear cactus!.  We saw several huge stellar sea lions on a small island just off shore and then it was time to head back to Campbell River.  We didn`t see any Orcas on this trip but the humpback display was unforgettable. Thanks to Captain John and Roleen for making this such a memorable trip. It certainly easy to recommend  Discovery Marine Safaris for the personalized trips that they put on.  They will be offering whale watching trips through the end of September and they are now starting their grizzly bear tours as well so you might want to check that out as well. For more information and to book your trip see:   https://www.adventurewhalewatching.com/

Stellar sea lions on Mitlenatch Island

                                                Video of our whale watching tour

   

Visiting Morton, Mohun and Goose Lake near Campbell River

By Keith and Heather Nicol

Paddling north on Goose Lake

      We had heard some great things about camping at Morton Lake and the kayaking opportunities in adjacent Mohun and Goose Lake so with a good weather forecast we decided to check this area out. We headed out from Courtenay at around 10 am on Wednesday, August 28 and arrived around noon after negotiating the rough gravel road after you leave the pavement just north of Campbell River. The turn off is easy to find since it is signposted on Highway 19 – just watch for signs for Morton Lake.  We took Menzies Main in for about 12 km before turning off on Morton Main for another 5 km to the Morton Lake Provincial Park.  Those 17 km took us about 1 hour since we had to weave around potholes and with kayaks on top that didn’t appreciate the rough road which meant that we had to stop are retighten the straps on a couple of occasions.  

The scenery is spectacular to the south on Mohun Lake

    But once at the Morton Lake campground we were amazed at the large trailers and boats that people had gotten in there. Since it was a spur of the moment trip we didn’t have time to make camping  reservations but since it was mid week we thought we would have no problem with getting a campsite. As it turned out we got the last site and people coming after had to head to the overflow area. After we had eaten lunch and set up camp we set out to explore Mohun and Goose Lakes. There is a rough boat launch on Mohun Lake which was fine for getting our kayaks to the water and we headed north from Mohun Lake into a narrows which then opened into Goose Lake. This area is ideal for canoeing or kayaking and we saw several people out paddling.  We headed to the end of Goose Lake (about 4 km – 1way) and on the return trip we decided to pull out and go for a swim. The lake water was a perfect way to cool off on this warm summer afternoon. That evening the sunset over Mohun Lake was amazing and took several photos as the sky became increasingly spectacular. 

We were treated to an amazing sunset over Mohun Lake

 On Thursday we awoke to another sunny day and decided to check out the trail to Andrew Lake which leads from the campground and winds for about 2 km to a small lake. Allow about 45 -60 minutes to do the return hike and except for a few logs to step over or duck under the trail is in good shape. We next decided to head back to Goose Lake to explore some other small bays and came across a rocky outcrop readymade for landing and swimming off of. Goose Lake has more appeal than the southern end of Mohun Lake which is wider and with straighter shorelines but the backdrop from Mohun Lake is jaw dropping with the mountains of Strathcona Provincial Park in the background.  This scenery alone is captivating and you can only get it from a boat.    

Heather swimming from a rocky island in Goose Lake

      We lunched back at the Morton Lake picnic site and had to check out the sandy beach that was very popular with families on our visit. The water in Morton Lake is the warmest water we have swam in all summer and is another bonus to visiting this area.  From there we headed back to Courtenay but decided to take another route back which involved a longer distance over gravel road but these roads were generally in better shape.  Our return included Gosling Main, Brewster Lake Main , Snowden Main and Iron River Road. Overall it took about the same length of time but the road conditions were better with fewer potholes. Be aware that logging trucks may travel these roads so use your lights and drive with care. If you like swimming and being on the water you should check this area out.  Mohun Lake is on the Sayward Canoe Loop so you can venture into other lakes if you are interested but this would involve portaging. For more info : see http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/morton_lk/   

Morton Lake has a lovely sand beach and warm water

     

Glacier Greens Golf Course is in great condition

By Keith and Heather Nicol

      We had been wanting  to revisit Glacier Green golf course for a while and so with our son Michael visiting we decided we could show him the front nine on Monday, August 19  and then we played the back nine on Friday, August 23.  We have been sampling several course in the Comox Valley over the last 10 days  and Glacier Green was certainly in the best condition given the dry summer we have had.  The green and tee boxes at Glacier Green were in great shape and most fairways were as well.  Some of the other courses we have played lately had  hard, brown fairways but not here (see photo below). 

The fairways were a treat to play on - green and well mowed

        We were fortunate to play with some locals on Monday since they could tell us which side of the fairway to try to hit toward and other strategic pointers. Fred Williams was one of our four some and he has been playing here since 1991 so needless to say he knew this course.  One aspect of Glacier Greens layout that we noted was that it has quite a few dog legs which force you to play your shots straight and to one side of the fairway or the other.  As well there is a good mix of water and sand traps to force you to think carefully about your approach shots. Most fairways are reasonably wide but there are enough narrow ones that again put an emphasis on straight ball hitting. We saw several deer on the course and Fred told us that they are very common and can been seen on just about any hole.

Michael putting on the 8th hole

       We played the back nice on Friday , August 23 around 3:00 pm and turned out to be the perfect time to play. Not only did we not see anyone ahead of us but we also didn’t have anyone behind us. It was like we had the course to ourselves which made for a very relaxing round.  The back nine is abit more open and provides good views of the Beaufort Range and the course is right next to the Comox Airport so the control tower is a backdrop on some holes.  Last time we played in 2017 parts of the back nine were under construction with the building of a water retention pond.  It was nice to see the final product which is a water feature along holes 14 and 16.  We really liked the layout of the last few holes and although the last hole is just 316 yards (par 4) it is very tough with trees and a pond protecting the green.  

We liked the tree lines fairways

 The front nine is a par 36 (2952 yards off the white tees) and the back nine is 200 yards shorter and is a par 35. The course is known for its lessons including fitting you with proper length clubs.  Glacier Greens  is full service with a driving range, putting green, clubhouse and pro shop. They are also one of the few courses here that are open year around so watch for various golf specials. We want to come back to play the course in the fall when the autumn colours should really enhance several holes. For more information see:  http://www.glaciergreens.com/. 

Heather putting on the 14th green

The Park at Crown Isle provides a fun round of golf

By Keith and Heather Nicol

We loved the Course Rules

     The tone of how the new owners of “The Park” would like you to enjoy a round a golf is captured by the Rules Board posted as you enter. It includes reminders like “ Come relaxed...leave happy” and “Play often ...laugh often”.

"The Park" is the new name of the former “Longlands” located just off Anderton Road and is now owned by Crown Isle.  The new owners have added some old farm equipment to give it a rustic feel  but the course itself – a an 18 hole par 3 course - is similar to the former “Longlands”.  But the restaurant and patio is spruced up and they even have an ice cream booth near the 10 th tee.  We got a chance to play on Thursday, August 22 and had an enjoyable round that allowed us to get in 18 holes in 2 hours and 15 minutes.

The greens here are small but generally in good shape

     There are no sand traps on the course and although there is some water it doesn’t really come into play.  But don’t get too complacent since many of your tee shots need to be dead straight or you will be off the fairway.  Tall trees line the course and you have to mindful of how far the branches can reach out into the fairways ready to intercept a ball that is occasionally hit too high.  Also the greens tend to be very small which adds to the overall difficulty.  Given the dry summer it isn’t surprising that some fairways were abit brown but the shade from the tall trees helps keep things green.    

The course is nicely tree lined

 Since the course length is short – 1049 yards on the front and 1173 yards on the back it is a perfect course for walking. We would think that families, new golfers and those older golfers that like to play but can’t get around a long course would find this layout perfect.  The longest hole is 160 yards and the shortest is just 83 yards so you can get by with carrying just a few clubs which may also suit some golfers.  So check out “The Park” for your next round of social golf. You can get more information at:  https://thepark.crownisle.com/

 

Heather putting on the last hole with the clubhouse behind