An evening sea kayak at Goose Spit in Comox , BC

 By Keith and Heather Nicol

Goose Spit is a favourite destination for many people in the Comox Valley and for good reason. You can go for a beach walk, have a picnic, or go paddle boarding or kayaking. One factor to consider when kayaking is the carry to the water from the car and so we usually kayak at the Spit when the tide is quite high to avoid a longer carry. Recently with high tides in the early evening and warm summer temperatures we decided to do an evening paddle on Saturday, May 20.  The tide was about 4.0 meters and so that meant we just had short distance to carry our gear to the water and winds were very light from the north. The easiest place to put is along the lagoon side and this also provides the most protected paddling. We were joined by many people on paddle boards and other kayakers since the evening was so warm.                                     The end of the Spit has an incredible sandy beach which faces the evening sun We paddled around the Spit and saw many people enjoying the many pullouts that are possible along the spit since much of the shore line is sand or small gravels at this tide.  We paddled around the sandy end of the spit and continued along the southern shore for about 1 km before opting to return to the sandy area facing the sun to have a snack. There were several people enjoying this sandy section of the spit and even some people swimming !! Many people had the same idea as we did- paddling down to the end of the spit in sea kayaks or paddle boards for a picnic. And we love the early evening light on the water with the snow capped mountains in the background. For those not familiar with Goose Spit it is at the end of Hawkins Road in Comox.

We hauled out kayaks up at near the end of the spit to have a picnic

 

 

   

 

The “Pub to Pub” trail makes a great walk anytime

by Keith and Heather Nicol

We always love doing the so called “Pub to Pub” trail which is roughly half way between Campbell River and Courtenay since is a scenic trail with both river and ocean/beach views. We hadn’t done the trail for a few months since last fall and so with a sunny forecast we decided to walk on Sunday, May 14 with some xc ski buddies and a friend of theirs who was visiting from Edmonton.   The trail gets its name from the fact that at one time 2 pubs were located close to the start and end point of the trail. Since the trail is just 3.5 km (1 way) it is suited to a variety of options. If you have young children or walkers that would find 7 km too long a hike, you could park a car at each end and just make the 1 way trip. You can see from the photo below that the trail surface is well maintained and is generally flat so is walkable for just about all ages.

To get there from Courtenay drive north on Highway 19A and keep an eye out for the Oyster River bridge since you want to turn right on the next road (Glenmore Road).  Then travel one roughly 1 block and then turn left on Regent and look for a parking lot with a sign Oyster River Nature Park. The parking lot coordinates are 49. 52.232 N and 125 07.616 W.  There is parking for several cars but this area is popular so we try to go mid week to be able to get a spot. But on this Mother’s Day Sunday parking turned out not to be a problem  There are a few forks in the trail but bear to the left and you should be fine.  After about 1 km you reach the ocean and from there you follow the Jack Hames Trail to Salmon Point. You can walk the trail in either direction although we tend to walk it south to north most of the time. In this case we left a car at both ends since it was a very hot day. Anyone planning this hike over the next few days with the very warm temperatures should plan a morning trek. See you on the trail. 

 

 

Paddling with the Snowbirds- A seal's eye view

 By Keith and Heather Nicol

   The Snowbirds usually come to practice in Comox, BC in late April and early May and this year we had visitors from Newfoundland that were keen to see them .They are also avid paddlers so we decided to see them from the water which certainly gives a different perspective. We have  been out sea kayaking when they have been doing their precision flying one other year so suggested it to our guests. They thought it was a great idea so we headed out to catch their 12:30 show on Wednesday , May 10.  We left Pt Holmes boat launch in Comox around 11:45 and paddled around into Kye Bay to see the show where we enjoyed a seal’s eye view of Snowbirds impressive routine. The snow capped mountains of the BC mainland added to the scenic setting. The Snowbirds may be around for 1 more day so check out this vantage point if you own a kayak or boat.  And if you missed them from the water this year remember you can always try this outing next year. For anyone not familiar with this boat launch it is on Lazo Road near the Comox Airport. Don’t forget to drop your launch fee money in the slot so that this great boat launch can be maintained. And a real bonus is that you can check the water and wave conditions at the boat launch with their handy web cam-- here is the link-http://www.pointholmesrecreation.ca/rampcam/

 

Try this cycling loop on Denman Island

By Keith and Heather Nicol

May can be a great month for cycling in the Comox Valley with trees in bloom and temperatures that are perfect for cycling. So on May 8 , 15 cyclists from the Evergreen Cycling Club headed to nearby Denman Island to cycle an easy to do loop. Note that although the distances are not too long – cycling on Denman like many Gulf Islands is hilly. In our group most people used e bikes which of course tended to flattened the hills but 5 people were on peddle bikes so got a chance to use their low gears. Denman has no shoulders for cycling but the lack of traffic –especially  this time of year makes it a relaxing place to cycle. 

We caught the 10 am ferry from Buckley Bay and soon were presented with our first steep hill just a few meters after we off loaded from the ferry. We turned right on Lacon Road to avoid the main traffic artery of Denman Road. Next we took Mcfarlane Road to East Road which took us back toward Fillongley Park where we had a perfect lunch spot overlooking the ocean.  From there most cyclists took at loop which included Pickles Road to Northwest Road but I headed back directly back to catch an earlier ferry to get ready for guests arriving from Newfoundland. My loop was about 22 km and the larger loop would be closer to 30 km.  Bikes are a great way to explore the islands like Denman and the Evergreen Club usually does trips to Quadra and Hornby as well. 

The Evergreen Cycling Club welcomes cyclists over 55 years of age and for more information contact: ejkimball62@gmail.com   They head out on their bikes twice a week through the year weather permitting.