Tips for tubing the Puntledge River in Courtenay

 By Keith and Heather Nicol

It has been a record breaking summer in the Comox Valley in terms of heat and drought conditions but fortunately with dams on the Puntledge River, water levels can be controlled which is good news for “tubers”. Tubing is an institution here and for good reason –it is a great way to cool off on those hot summer days. With a forecast of 2 more weeks of warm weather ahead it is certainly a perfect opportunity to dig out that tube and head down the Puntledge River in Courtenay, B.C. if you haven’t already done so. So far this year we have been done the river several times so here are some tips that we can share if you are new to tubing. Tip 1 -Where to put in? Many people start at the fish hatchery on Powerhouse Road.  Park near the fish hatchery access road and walk around or past the gate. Part way down you will see a sign pointing to “Tubers Trail” and take that to the put in. This trail is steep and slippery in places so may not be suited to people with smaller children.   The section from Powerhouse Road to Puntledge Park is abit faster with more rapids than the lower section from Puntledge Park to either the Condensory Bridge or Lewis Park (see Tip 6 for first timers)  Tip 2-Good footwear really helps on this section and we tend you use kayak booties or well fitted water shoes since they give reasonable grip and are great for protecting your feet once you are in the river. Tip 3- We sometimes use a kayak paddle to help steer and manoeuvre but most people don’t use one. If you have one bring it along since tubes on their own are not very manoeuvrable. 

                             Heather and Keith in the easier section below Puntledge Park 

Tip 4- We also have found that putting a life jacket over the mesh on the bottom of the tube keeps your bum and lower back from hitting too many rocks. If you are using a truck inner tube keep your “bum up” when you go over rapids to avoid hitting “bottom” in the shallow sections. We hear people complain all the time about the rocks that they hit and how sore their back or bum is- a life jacket in the bottom really helps. The photo below shows our set up -the life jackets neatly fit across the bottom of the tube and rest on the mesh. Tip 5- Bring along a real water proof case for car keys or anything else you don’t want to get wet. A ziplock bag likely won’t cut it. Tip 6-First timers or those with younger children may want to do just the lower section starting from Puntledge Park and we suggest a pull out just below the Condensory Bridge since the last part can be slow, especially if there is a high tide. For newcomers to the Comox Valley,  Puntledge Park is at the intersection of 1^st and Urquhart Avenue and the Condensory Bridge is off of Anderton Avenue.  For those that want a real float with few rapids then the trip from Condensory Bridge to Lewis Park is recommended. Tip 7- Since the river is dam controlled water levels can change from day to day so be aware of warnings posted along the river. Tubing shouldn’t be taken lightly and accidents do happen on the river. Look ahead and be prepared to get off of the river if you see hazards ahead. Although few people wear  life jackets they are recommended for people who are poor swmmers. Tubing is an institution in the Comox Valley and it is the ideal way to spend a couple of hours on a warm day.

                                      Keith in the faster upper section with more rapids

 

 

Checking out the Malahat Skywalk

By Keith and Heather Nicol

On our way back from a recent visit to Victoria we decided to check out the Malahat Skywalk which opened a couple of years ago in the summer of 2021. We were joined by my brother Bruce and his wife Mary Ellen from Victoria who had bought season passes last year and suggested we join them on this tour. As the name suggests it is just off the hilly Malahat section of highway between Victoria and Duncan. As we found out there is much more to the Skywalk than a 40 meter high tower that has been constructed to provide amazing vistas of Sannich Inlet and beyond.  You start out on a 600 meter long  walkway that is elevated 20 meters above the ground so as you walk you are in the tree tops of some of the arbutus and douglas fir trees typically found in the area.  As well, along the way are artistic driftwood constructions of various animals you might see in the surrounding wilderness like cougars and owls. 

                          Heather looking at some of the Interpretative Panels with Sannich Inlet below

Once you get to the tower itself you follow a gradually ascending ramp that is stroller and wheelchair accessible that winds to the top of the 40 meter viewing platform. Once you get to the top you can get a 360 view of the surrounding area which includes scenic Sannich Inlet Fjord, forested hills and our day we could even see to distant Mt Baker in Washington State. The platform is situated on a promontory so you can view the steep sided Sannich inlet from many different vantage points. There are interpretative panels in many places and even a fairly rigid adventure net that you can walk out on and look straight down to the base of the Skywalk structure. 

                           The Adventure Net in the foreground lets you peer down 40 meters to the base

 Once you have finished taking pictures and appreciating the view you have 2 options for getting to the bottom of the platform. You can walk down the ramp or take the spiral slide to the bottom! This takes just a few seconds as you quickly slide down the twisting enclosed tube to the base.  What a great way to finish your tour. We opted to try the slide since it looked like alot of fun and we were told by one of the attendants  that the oldest participant so far was a 97 year old! So it is not just for kids. On the walk back to the car we followed a road past various large pieces of art and more interpretative panels explaining how the tower was constructed. Allow about 90 minutes to fully appreciate this new attraction and for more info and specials check out : https://malahatskywalk.com/    We fully recommend it and suggest that if you are visiting Victoria from Duncan and points north (like we were coming from Courtenay) that you visit the Skywalk on your way north since exiting and entering the Malahat Highway is easier this way.  Check it out!

                                                  View of distant Mt Baker from the Malahat Skywalk

                             To get down you can either take the ramp or the tube slide seen on the right 

Hornby Island makes a great 1 day get away

 By Keith and Heather Nicol

We just returned from a great day trip to one of our favourite islands -Hornby Island - with some of our xc ski buddies - Steve and Marg. They hadn't spent much time on Hornby so we decided to show them  some of the places we like to visit. On Thursday, June 22 we caught the 900 am ferry from Buckley Bay which put us on Denman Island 10 minutes later. We then headed directly across the Island to catch the Hornby Island ferry which left at 9:40. Ten minutes later we were on Hornby Island heading toward one of our favourite hikes on Vancouver Island- the Helliwell Park trail.

                     Along the Middle Bench Trail on Hornby Island with Denman Is in the background

We usually go to Hornby to sea kayak but Steve and Marj don't paddle so we stuck to dry land and started with the very scenic 4 km hike at Helliwell Park to start. This is a must do trail since it is right along the ocean for the most part on a dramatic cliff face that gradually gets lower as you head east. It took us about 80 minutes to do the hike, with frequent stops for pictures, and by now we were thinking about a spot for lunch.

                                Heather walking along the scenic Helliwell Park trail overlooking the ocean

We had  packed sandwiches so decided to be by the water at Tribune Bay Beach which has one of the nicest beaches on the east side of Vancouver Island. A few people were wading in the water and so we decided to check it out and managed to get up to our knees in the chilly water.  From Tribune Bay we  then headed to Sandpiper Beach to see a different type of shoreline with its tipping layers of shale and sandstone. After that we decided to go to the end of the road to show Steve and Marj Ford's Cove and then it was back to do a short hike along the Middle Bench trail which has the most amazing views of Denman Island and the Beaufort Mountains of Vancouver  Island behind.  We caught the 400 pm ferry off of Hornby which put us back in Courtenay by 5:15 or so. Even though we had been gone only 6 or so hours it seemed much longer since we had seen so many different landscapes. And Hornby also has great mountain biking and sea kayaking so you can easily spend several day here. But for us a 1 day get away was just the ticket. Check it out before the summer tourism season begins in earnest. 

                                                          Checking out the cool water of Tribune Bay

For fun, value and challenge try Mulligans Golf Course in Courtenay

 by Keith and Heather Nicol

 Golf is popular in the Comox Valley with many courses to test your skills but if you want to try a fine little course that allows you to still play 9 holes for less than $20 then check out Mulligans Golf Course. They are certainly offer the best prices in the Comox Valley and perhaps on Vancouver Island .Where else can you play 9 holes for golf for just $18 ( 7 am – 2:30 pm) and this drops to $16 between 2:30 and 4:50 pm and then to just $14 after 5:00 pm.

The greens were in a great shape

 They offer an executive course which means there are mostly par 3’s with some par 4’s and the longest hole is 337 yards. Total length from the blue tees is 1763 yards which is about a mile so it is also easy to walk for many people from younger children to older adults. But just because it is short doesn’t mean it is easy. There is water on 7 of the 9 holes and many strategically placed sand traps so depending on where the pin is placed, making par can be a real challenge. In fact on our last round there on June 20 I ended up in several traps which certainly didn’t help my score. The course also gives scenic views of the Beaufort Range of Mountains and has been landscaped to create undulations and mounds which add to the layout of the course. We were interested to see how the course was holding up given the lack of rain this summer and were impressed by how well the fairways looked and the greens were in great shape.   

                                Heather teeing off on the first hole with the Beaufort Mtns behind

In addition to a small clubhouse with an outdoor patio , there is a large driving range, a putting green and a sand trap practice area where I need to spend more time. The driving range is another bargain since a bucket of balls is just $3.75.   One of the friendly staff, told us that it is usually busiest between 8 am and 2 pm and it is easiest to get on after 3pm . Mulligans is located right outside of Courtenay and it took us about 90 minutes to play 9 holes. For more information see: http://mulligansgolfcourse.com/  or phone 250-338-2440. This course is ideal for families or friends wanting to meet for a couple of hours of enjoyable golf. 

                                                           Keith chipping on to the second green 

 

The Trailforks app is for more than mountain bikers

 By Keith and Heather Nicol

The Trailforks app is a god send for mountain bikers since it has amassed 1000’s of trails around the world that people use for mountain biking. But where I mainly
ride in Cumberland on Vancouver Island I see many other users on the large trail system. There are dog walkers, trail runners, people out for a walk or hike as well as mountain bikers and but with over dozens of trail options it is always good to know where you are and this is where Trailforks comes in. Most mountain bikers already have Trailforks on their cell phones but many walkers and trail runners may not. 

                                      The trails at Cumberland are for more than just mountain bikers

Once you load the free app on your phone you will get a map of the trails with trail names and difficulty (difficulty for biking) and the gps in your phone will locate you on the map. So if you want to hike or trail run on the Cumberland trails and want to know where some trail might take you the trailforks app can tell you. Or if you twist an ankle walking and need to get out via the shortest trail possible the app will show you the options. It also gives the distance of a trail and a profile of it so you know the ups and downs.  The app is easy to use and with the free version you get a large local area you have access to.  With the Cumberland trails there are 3 different trail types- Nature Trails which are mainly for walkers or hikers, Multi Use trails which as the name suggests are good for hiking, biking etc and Gravity trails where hikers and walkers must yield to mountain bikers. 

                                                            Trail runners on the Cumberland Trails

Be aware that the app is was developed  for single track mountain biking so paved trails or easy trails in city parks usually will not be featured. In the Comox Valley the Trailforks app includes trails around the upper Puntledge (in and around the dam) down to Nymph Falls, the Cumberland Trails, many trails at N E Woods and the multiuse trail at Seal Bay Park. It also features the mountain bike trails on Hornby Island as well as steep trails descending down from Forbidden Plateau. So check it out for your next outing- https://www.trailforks.com/ See you on the trail. 

 

 

Exploring Point Holmes tide pools in June

By Keith and Heather Nicol

    We like to head down to the Point Holmes shoreline of Comox when there is a very  low tide since it is one of the few places we know of in the local area that has small tide pools and exposed bedrock which can hide sea stars and other organisms. The tide at 3:00 pm on June 7 was just 0.3 meters and with the sunny and warm weather it was a great day to check out the tide pools. And Point Holmes is a great way to beat the heat which on this day was forecast to hit 30C.

 

For those people not familiar with this area it is to the right of the boat launch and there is parking for a number of cars just off of Lazo Road. Because of the large tides in this area the tide pools are 200-300 meters from the parking area and footing can be tricky especially near the rocky outcrops. We wore hiking shoes but some people we saw were wearing rubber boots. Flip flops or similar sandals are not recommended given the slippery, seed weed covered rocks.                                      The midshipman can be seen to the right with the orange eggs it is guarding to the left

    And we weren’t disappointed. Under a rock we saw were surprised to see a midshipman fish guarding eggs that likely were deposited in May. If you do move rocks take care to put them back exactly as you have found them. We saw many ochre sea stars clinging to the underside of clefts in the rock and in the tidal pools including one collection with purple and orange sea stars. You don’t tend to see many orange ones so we counted ourselves lucky to photograph one this time. We also managed to see 3 leather sea stars which does feel like wet leather. And we also saw a river otter swim along and then get out on to the rocks just ahead of us. So check this place out if you like exploring nature in the Comox Valley. Bring your camera and binoculars since you don’t know what you might see.  Also a kneeling pad helps protect your knees if you want to see what is under clefts in rocks.  So check this place out when the tide is low. See you there. 

                                               A river otter also decided to see what low tide had to offer

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. 

 

Spring Wildflowers in their prime along the Tsolum River in Courtenay

 By Keith and Heather Nicol

The Fawn Lilies light up the trail

   On Sunday, April 16 we had a pleasant surprise when we had a walk by the Tsolum River. There were carpets of fawn lilies and trilliums in bloom along the trails which really brightened up our walk. The trails are located behind the Exhibition Grounds off of Headquarters Road in Courtenay, B.C. Take the main trail toward the river and we found many clusters of fawn lilies on the side trail to the right. If you are handy with a GPS turn right at this junction - 49 42.284 N 125 00.373 W. You don’t need to walk very far before you see the flowers along the trail.  We are not sure how long they will last but if like early spring flowers check out this area and don’t forget to bring your camera.A pad to kneel on for getting up close will also be helpful.

Since these plants are low bring a kneeling pad

Trilliums are also out but are not as abundant as the fawn lilies

Thanks for a great season of Nordic skiing at Mount Washington

 by Keith and Heather Nicol
It was a sad day when we cleaned out our ski locker at Raven Lodge on Monday, April 10 to end the 2023 cross country ski season. Raven Lodge is the base of operations of cross country skiing and snow shoeing at Mount Washington near Courtenay, B.C on Vancouver Island. The year saw a mix of weather with lots of snow and very cold weather early in the winter followed by a cool weather in February and then lots of snow in March and early April. In fact on the final Easter weekend tons of snow fell.  We managed over 50 days of skiing which is more than we usually get in.

 I was involved in teaching cross country skiing there seemed to be lots of new skiers from all over Vancouver Island in lessons this year.  We also ran a CANSI Level 1 ski instructors course and Mount Washington now has 3 new nordic ski instructors. If becoming a nordic ski instructor is of interest to you contact me at k2nicol@gmail.com since we are planning another course for the 2023-24 season. This was the second year for Nordic Fest which offered a wide range of activities and we had a good turnout for the advanced skate session held on Sunday, March 26.  

   So next year if you have thought about trying cross country skiing or snowshoeing then check out Raven Lodge at Mount Washington. They have over 50 km of trail groomed for skating and classic skiing as well as many snowshoe trails. Raven Lodge has great mountain views and inside you can check out the ski shop, book rentals and lessons, and buy day tickets.  Lets hope next winter brings the same great skiing to Mount Washington.   For more information see: https://www.mountwashington.ca/