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Published: February 19th 2012
Bamfield Memories Hey! Canuck Junior Here!
Visitors from all over the world marvel at the beauty and serenity that British Columbia's wilderness experiences offer urbanites. Admittedly, I am not outdoorsy, but as a photographer, I loved the sheer majesty of my surroundings on this very memorable school field trip, like no other. This is a photoblog more than a reminiscence of a high school Biology 11 trip to Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre on the west coast of Vancouver Island in my home province of British Columbia.
The coastline and water are breathtakingly beautiful. The coastal environment ranges from exposed rocky shorelines, expansive sandy beaches, productive estuaries, and ancient coastal temperate rainforests. Situated within the traditional territory of the Huu-ay-aht First Nation in Barkley Sound, and adjacent to the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, the scenery and diversity of wildlife is spectacular, including bears, eagles, great blue herons, whales, sea lions, sea otters and seals that populate the waters and shoreline.
Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre (BMSC), established in 1972, is an ocean research and teaching facility located on the outer west coast of Vancouver Island overlooking Barkley Sound and the Broken Islands. BMSC hosts marine biologists, field researchers
from around the world and university students who have the option of doing a full term at Bamfield and receive credit for their work. They also have a public education program where both high-school and university students can stay for a shorter period of time and are given the unique opportunity to experience life in a working marine research centre. That’s where I come in - ocean researcher in training!
Fortunately, our group stayed three nights at the BMSC from Sunday, September 27th to Wednesday, September 30th, 2009 when the weather was unexpectedly dry! While Vancouver had about 50 mm of rain in a 2 hour downpour, the sun was shining in Bamfield! Unusual, since the average annual rainfall in Bamfield is over 3m per year! So needless to say, good rain gear (Gortex jacket & rubber boots) and warm clothing are a must for the cool, moist climate!
Waking up before dawn to catch the 8:30am ferry out of Horseshoe Bay wasn’t the most fun thing to do on a Sunday, but getting an early start proved to be well worth it! We were lucky to board one of the new super ferries, the Coastal Renaissance. A
fantastic ride through the Gulf Islands heading to Vancouver Island!
After arriving at Departure Bay in Nanaimo, we set off along the Island Highway in our bus, travelling northwest towards Bamfield. An hour and a half later we stopped in Port Alberni where we grabbed a quick lunch before hitting the road again. The second leg of our journey involved travelling 3 hours and about 76km along a gravel logging road. We clattered along the uneven road, with each rotation of the tires sending up great clouds of dirt comparable to the dustbowls of the 1920’s. Believe it or not, it was a tougher journey than the desert drive from Alexandria to Siwa Oasis in Egypt; at least the road to Siwa was paved! Needless to say, Gravol is a must. After being in transit for about 7 hours, it was a relief to set foot in Bamfield since motion sickness seems to always afflict me on field trips!
Granted, sharing fun, but exhausting school-age experiences of doing labs from morning to night is not that exciting a read. It only provides context in which I was given the opportunity to experience the outdoors and capture the beauty
not only in my memory, but in a format that can be shared with those not as fortunate as I. Afterall, is it not what photography is all about, capturing a moment in time to be shared with others.
Whether it was doing experimental biology, studying oceanography in Grappler Inlet, or indulging in one of my passions, photography, trip highlights are best described by sharing the photographs taken on the trip. Check them out! Having said that, my favorite experiences were watching sea lions on the rocks, whale-watching, boating around Barclay Sound, exploring the rocky shorelines, sandy beaches and tidal pools, bird-watching and roaming ancient forest stands.
On the way home from Bamfield, we stopped at Cathedral Grove which is located in MacMillan Provincial Park, a coastal forest on the eastern side of Vancouver Island, between Port Alberni and Nanaimo. Cathedral Grove is one of the great stands of giant Douglas Fir trees on Vancouver Island with trails under the shadow of towering ancient Douglas Fir trees to explore. Some of these majestic pillars, untouched by the modern world, are more than 800 years old and measure more than 9 meters in circumference. Amazing! While many species of
wildlife inhabit the old-growth forest, the White-Spotted owl is most loved, though at risk of extinction.
A Word about the West Coast Trail The West Coast Trail stretches 77 kilometers from Port Renfrew on the south end to Bamfield on the north end. Thousands of hikers travel all or part of the trail each year. Hiking the West Coast Trail is one of the world's great wilderness experiences, which can only be experienced from May 1st to September 30th. Weather conditions would make it impassable over the rainy, stormy season.
Over the years, the stretch of coastline encompassing the West Coast Trail has been many things to many people. The influence of the ocean on the human history has been dramatic - Native people, lighthouse keepers, shipwreck survivors, homesteaders, prospectors and missionaries all have traveled along these trails and beaches. Today, visitors come to experience the beauty of the coastal environment and the challenge of hiking one of the most arduous hiking trails in North America.
The West Coast Trail, part of the Pacific Rim National Parks System that protects the beauty of the craggy sea stacks, dramatic rocky headlands, wide, sandy beaches and lush rainforests,
Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre
on the west coast of Vancouver Islandoffers not only these special features, but are all intertwined with a vibrant cultural history.
Hopefully, one day, I will have the chance to experience the environs of the West Coast Trail and maybe, if I get the outdoorsy bug, hey, I may even try to navigate the West Coast Trail as so many have over the centuries.
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Yar Burn
non-member comment
Bamfield on the road to recovery
The properties of Hawkeye Marine Group are currently being renovated so that over half of them will be occupied and sustainable within 3 months time. The Trails Lodge and the Hawkeyes nest Pub will be open full time for the peak season under a confident and successful management team, the remaining properties will be restored and developed thereafter in respect to a plan that is shared by the OCP (Bamfield Official Community Plan). Mr Jack Purdy has become a involved community member and is hopeful of a resolution in the interests of the Bamfield community, its organizations and it business's. Help support this opportunity and share in its growth. informed citizen of Bamfield BC