Where the Garbage Meets the Sea
December 20th, 2021
I slide my body over the bow of the boat, careful not to catch my coat tails on any hooks or cleats. With my feet dangling, I lower myself onto the slippery shoreline below, trying to judge where the water is shallow enough not to flood my boots. Safely on dry land, I remove my mask and put on my…
What are tides?
January 20th, 2019
Picture it: You’ve planned the perfect day of relaxing on the beach. You have your snack packed, your favourite beach towel in tow, and your comfiest pair of flip-flops flip-flopping under your feet. You’ve picked the perfect spot and set up camp among the soft sand and seashells, much closer to the cool, refreshing water than those other chumps lounging…
Life in Between: The Intertidal Zone
November 20th, 2018
Many people come to kayak on northern Vancouver Island in hopes of seeing wildlife. We are frequently asked questions about sea-dwellers (such as whales, dolphins, and seals) and landlubbers (like wolves, bears and eagles). But what many fail to appreciate ahead of time is the vast diversity of life found in the intertidal zone. Our hope here is to shed…
The Great Bear Rainforest: A Swell Place
October 20th, 2018
Nothing makes a Spirit of the West kayak guide get all mystical like the Great Bear Rainforest. Ask any of our guides about the Great Bear Rainforest Expedition and they’ll get a far-off look in their eyes, breathe deeply, and say something akin to “ah, yes, the Great Bear.” To a kayak guide, our most northerly expedition (in the Central…
Seaweeds – Where Nori Comes From
May 3rd, 2018
A common feature found on our kayak tours around Vancouver Island is the presence of seaweeds in their many shapes and forms. Marine ‘macroalgae’, or seaweeds, are plant-like organisms that live attached to rocks in the intertidal zone, in giant underwater forests, or floating on the ocean’s surface. They can be very tiny, or very large – growing to over…
