Join Malaspina Naturalist Club members Colleen and Trevor as they recount their trip to Antarctica, South Georgia and the Falkland Islands. They encountered breathtaking landscapes and amazing flora and fauna in the southern hemisphere. See photos of many species of penguins and seabirds in their natural habitats as well as geological features of the southernmost continent.
October 15th, 2026
Trinity Hall, United Church, on Duncan Street,
Doors open at 7:00
Report submitted by Tom Koleszar.
For our 2026 alpine field trip, we chose a ridge just east of Skwim Lake and not too far from Mt. Diadem. For a change the weather allowed us to go on the day we’d planned, and we had a lovely day with sunshine and few bugs!
Once everyone arrived on site via helicopter, we spent more than an hour before lunch touring around the ridge and the large pond there. We learned about the plants, geology, and the alpine environment in general. The main part of the ridge itself was mostly open with rocks, grasses, and flowers, and interspersed with patches of mountain hemlock and yellow cedar sub-alpine forest. Despite being mid-August there were plenty of flowers in bloom. The geology of this spot is also quite different from previous trips: it is mostly sedimentary rock with a bit of volcanics – and no granite! Though I had found a fossil on my scouting trip there, none were in evidence this time.
After an enjoyable lunch in the sunshine, we had a couple of hours of free time to explore. Some relaxed or explored along the ridge and near the pond, and several people even went for a swim in the pond’s refreshing waters. Three intrepid (or foolhardy?) souls even hiked down to Skwim Lake itself for a swim in the cold waters! (They did cheat a little bit, and got helicoptered back up to the ridge top!) It was a great day, and I think everyone had a wonderful time.
Report Submitted by Tom Koleszar
This field trip was again run for two groups: the first on Saturday July 25, and second was delayed from Sunday July 26 to Saturday August 8 due to inclement weather (the 26th would have been quite wet and gloomy!). The trips were aboard a crew boat generously supplied by Western Forest Products, with each following the same itinerary. The trip leaders were Nancy Pezel and Tom Koleszar.
Our first stop was near Cassiar Island where Nancy provided some information about the logging and fire history around the lake that has resulted in mainly second growth Douglas-fir forests. Tom discussed how the last ice age created the “fjord” we now call Powell Lake, with its series of deep basins (350+m) separated by shallow sills, and that two basins still have 200m of salty, anoxic water at the bottom.
On route to the next stop, we cruised by Elvis Point for a photo op, then proceeded on to Olsens’ Landing. There we stopped at the old dock which has developed its own floating garden of bog plants, including sundews, Labrador Tea, Bog Laurel, some sedges and a few western red cedar saplings. Here we had a chance to stretch our legs, and learn a bit about the glacial history of the area and the also about the early farmers in Olsens Valley.
After leaving the dock, Nancy talked about how cutblocks have to meet the Visual Quality Objectives (VQO) designated by the government in scenic areas like Powell Lake, and after cruising around past the Beartooth Valley, Nancy also talked about protected Old Growth Management Areas and Ungulate Winter Ranges (this area is a mountain goat hangout in winter). Tom then spoke about the different types of rock in this area compared to other areas of the lake, and how these were formed.
We had lunch at the head of the lake while Tom told us some stories of the eccentric characters that once inhabited the area, then walked up the logging road to the bridge over the upper Powell River. Though the weather was cool the first day and warm the second, the views from the bridge are always great.
On the way back we went through the second narrows and looked in at the Rainbow Lodge, then proceeded around to a small dock in the Goat Narrows and those who wanted to went for a swim (there were no takers on the cool first day, but some keen souls took the plunge on the second day!). We then continued on the last leg of our journey, stopping off Fiddlehead to hear about the old farm and see the octagonal cabin from the “hippy” era that had been skidded down to the lake and is now a float cabin.
Lastly, special thanks go to Geoff Matheson and Mike Dunn of WFP for their friendly, efficient, and safe piloting through the two days!
September 17th, 2026
Trinity Hall, United Church, on Duncan Street,
Doors open at 7:00
Meeting will start with the AGM, followed by the monthly speaker. Speaker details to follow
Submitted by Trip Leader Cindy Dalcourt
Fourteen of us signed up for a full day adventure in and around the Parksville area on Vancouver Island.
Our first stop was the Parksville Museum, a very interesting place just off the hwy. There was a large nature house with many informative and interactive displays. The museum has been able to gather many historic buildings, and they are set up like a small village on a very scenic property. It was very interesting to walk through all of them and learn the recent history of the area.
From there we drove fifteen minutes to the Butterfly World Coombs. We divided the group in half, so some ate lunch first in the picnic area and the others went inside the greenhouse. We switched the groups around after about twenty-five minutes. There were many exotic butterflies flying freely around us which was magical. Some even landed on us and you had to be careful not to have them on you when you went out the door. Most of the butterflies come as pupae from South America and Asia. They are hatched from their chrysalis in the emerging window and then released into the tropical-like greenhouse.
Our next stop was the North Island Wildlife Recovery & Discovery Centre. We met our guide who gave us a one-and-a-half-hour tour around the center. Starting off in an outdoor seating area one of the staff brought out a small owl on her arm for us to look at. There are many rescued birds at the centre, and they each have a name and story of how they came to be there. Their enclosures are very nicely put together with lots of natural material. We also saw their black bear which cannot be released as it has a seizure disorder. We did get a close-up look at him as he was lazing about in his lounging area close to the fence. The centre also had five bear cubs, but we could only see them via observation camera as they are trying to have as little human interaction with them as possible in preparation for a successful release next year. We had some time after the tour to wander around and have a longer look at everything.
The three carpools split up after this stop as we had about an hour of free time before returning to catch the ferry home. Some went for dinner and some went to Coombs to see the “Goats on a Roof”. It was a very busy day that went off without a hitch and was enjoyed by all!
Report Submitted by Linda Diprose
We had eleven passengers from our club, Jonas (our skipper), and George (our guide and naturalist) for our trip to Mitlenatch island.
We departed out of Lund and slowed down to observe the wild life on Major rock. There were a number of California Sea Lions, Seals, Cormorants, and Gulls on the island. We also saw Marbled Murrelet, Pigeon Guillimots on the water.
We carried on, passing between Cortes and Hernando island, while George told us stories about the islands.
Upon reaching Mitlenatch Island we observed a large colony of Steller Sea Lions resting on the rocks. The big dominant male was on the highest point with the females and younger sea lions below.
Going around the island to Northwest bay we saw Pelagic and Double-crested Cormorants nesting on the high cliff edges
We came ashore in Northwest bay by Zodiac and were guided to the Wardens’ cabin following the designated trail.
There were lots of tiger lilies and smaller amounts of other flowers blooming.
We met the volunteer Wardens, who told us some of their duties.
We then walked up to the bird blind to observe pairs of Glaucous Gulls nesting on the rock bluffs. Coming back along the trail we saw patches of Prickly Pear Cactus, with the occasional flower in bloom.
This is a really good trip for anyone who is interested in birds and sea mammals!
Report by John Edwards.
It was a beautiful sunny morning for an outing as “the early worm gets the bird”. Birding by Ear with Iwan Van Veen at the Wildwood Bluffs. As the group started off there was discussion that bird numbers in general are down all across North America and the world, due to factors such as climate change, pollution, loss of habitat, window crashes, with the number one reason being feral cats.
With the help of Iwan and Merlin bird identification app, we were able to identify and count 42 species. A very good number, as some have returned to the area after the pause on development and destruction in the area.
Some of the audio and/or sighting highlights were:
Orange crown warbler, Evening grosbeak, finches, towhees, robins, wrens, flycatchers, Golden eye, Gold finch, Black throated MacGillivray’s, Sooty grouse, Brown Headed cowbird, woodpeckers, sparrows and a special appearance by the vibrant blue plumage of a male Lazuli Bunting! Also observed were flyovers of eagles, ravens, doves, Band tail pigeons, Turkey vultures and a flock of migrating Snow geese.
A great field trip was had by all who attended.
Report submitted by Isabel Loveluck.
Nine interested members met at the Italian Hall and carpooled to Dinner Rock with Kelly as our leader. First we checked out the flowers on the bluff overlooking Dinner Rock and Savary, where we found Sea blush, Early Saxifrage, Chocolate Lilies, and Dove’s Foot Geranium.
After that, we hiked slowly up to the boundary of the park. It was a gentle climb and we were lucky enough to see lots of Licorice Fern on the way as well as Bitter Cherry just coming into bloom. It is interesting to note that Licorice Fern apparently does taste like licorice and Cherry bark is used by Indigenous Peoples’ weaving.
Near the top of the trail we found two types of Oregon Grape as well as Madrona just coming into bloom. Oregon Grape is edible, and the berries were often dried and used as currants. Its roots can also be used to produce a bright yellow dye.
At the top, we found patches of Shooting Stars, two species of Monkey flower, Coastal Strawberry and Kinickinick. We also saw several types of fern.
We ate lunch on the rocks overlooking Savary (and watched troops of Mergansers diving) and saw more Chocolate Lilies and Blue-eyed Mary.
After lunch, the group carpooled down to the Tla’amin Salmon Hatchery to see White Fawn Lily, Fringe cup, False Lily-of-the valley, and Yellow Violet as well as other flowers including the edible Siberian Lettuce.
Kelly, an extremely knowledgeable Botanist who was a previous MalaNat speaker, provided the list below of all the different species we saw:
| First stop near the parking lot:
|
Botanical name |
| Sea blush | Plectritis congesta |
| Early saxifrage | Micranthes (Saxifraga) integrifolia |
| Chocolate lily | Frittilaria lanceolata |
| Dove’s foot geranium | Geranium molle |
|
Second stop – upper bluffs: |
|
| Bitter cherry | Prunus emarginata |
| Kinickinick | Arctostaphylos uva-ursi |
| Shooting star | Dodecatheon pulchellum |
| Wingstem monkey flower | Erythranthe (Mimulus) alsinoides? (still not 100% sure of this) |
| Yellow monkey flower | Erythranthe (Mimulus) guttata |
| Coastal strawberry | Fragaria chiloensis |
| Tall Oregon grape | Berberis (Mahonia) aquilifolium |
| Ferns | |
| Parsley fern | Cryptograma acrostichoides |
| Green spleenwort (fern) | Asplenium viride |
| Fragile fern | Cystopteris fragilis |
| Licorice fern | Polypodium glycyrrhiza |
|
Third stop – lunch |
|
| Chocolate lily | Frittilaria lanceolata |
| Blue-eyed Mary | Collinsia parviflora |
|
Last stop – Salmon hatchery |
|
| Siberian lettuce | Claytonia sibirica |
| Fringe cup | Tellmia grandiflora |
| Sweet coltsfoot | Petasites frigidus var. palmatus |
| White fawn lily | Erythronium oregonum spp. oregonum |
| Pacific bleeding heart | Dicentra formosa |
| False lily of the valley | Mianthemum dilitatum |
| Yellow violet | Viola sempervirens |
Twenty-one MalaNats members toured the Horseshoe Valley area looking at variety of glaciological and geological sites. And despite some forecasts, the weather cooperated – it turned out to be a nice April day!
Our first stop at 12 Mile on the Goat Main was mostly about recent (10,000 – 30,000 years ago) ice advances and retreats at the close of the last ice age. Some of the sediments left behind as the last ice left the area are nicely exposed in the gravel pit at 12 Mile.
On the Beaver Main we stopped at a view point looking over Dodd Lake and out towards the Rainbow Range. Here we talked a little more about the geographical features left behind by the ice, and also delved into the regional geology and geological history of the area. (And enjoyed the nice view!)
A little further down the road we stopped to hear about fractures and intrusions, and saw swarms of hydrothermal dykes of varying colours. We found the rotten rock that hydrothermal fluids create (and that geologists love to find!) and learned a bit about mineralisation in these veins. We also took a short jaunt down to Beaver Lake to look around.
We then drove further up the road to Little Horseshoe campsite where we enjoyed our lunches and warmed up around a nice campfire. Wide ranging naturalist discussions ensued, going all the way from rocks to birds!
On the way out, we made our last geological stop, walking up an old road to a rock pit where a nicely mineralised quartz vein is exposed. Here we did a bit of hunting for pyrite, chalcopyrite, molybdenite, and other sulphide minerals within the quartz. A few intrepid folk even climbed down into the pit for a closer look at the vein – though, as usual, no one found any gold!
From there we headed towards home with one last stop at Nanton Lake to enjoy the view and compare notes on the day. Hopefully everyone enjoyed the day, perhaps learned a little bit, and maybe even found a few little treasures!
Submitted by Petra Ebner.
On Monday March 23rd, twenty-three members from the Malaspina Naturalists embarked on a wonderful boat tour with Sunshine Coast Tours from Saltery Bay.
We could not have asked for a better day. The sun was shining and the ocean was calm.
There were two boats that took us on our journey into Jervis Inlet to to the spectacular Freil Falls, a 1,400 foot (427 metre) cascading waterfall, plunging into Hotham Sound.
We then stopped for a picnic lunch at the Back Eddie Pub overlooking the straight and then continued on to the Skookumcuck Narrows.
Danny, our tour-guide and skipper, manouvered the currents professionally. He gave us a lot of information and statistics.
The coastline, wildlife and scenery, along with the snow-capped Churchill mountain range was breathtaking. This was a treasured trip to put in the memory books!
We returned to the wharf four hours later safe and sound.
We are so incredibly lucky to call this place our home!
Nineteen MalaNats members toured the Horseshoe Valley area looking at variety of glaciological and geological sites. And the weather even cooperated – for November: no sun, but no wind or rain either!
Our first stop at 12 Mile on the Goat Main was mostly about recent (10,000 – 30,000 years ago) ice advances and retreats at the close of the last ice age. Some of the sediments left behind as the last ice left the area are nicely exposed in the gravel pit at 12 Mile.
On the Beaver Main we stopped at a view point overlooking Dodd Lake and towards the Rainbow Range. Here we talked a little more about the geographical features left behind by the ice, and also delved into the regional geology and geological history of the area. (And enjoyed the nice view!)
A little further down the road we stopped to hear about fractures and intrusions, and saw swarms of hydrothermal dykes of varying colours. We found the rotten rock that hydrothermal fluids create (and that geologists love to find!) and learned a bit about mineralisation in these veins.
We then drove further up the road to Little Horseshoe campsite where we enjoyed our lunches and warmed up around a nice campfire. Wide ranging naturalist discussions ensued, going all the way from rocks to mushrooms!
On the way out, we made one last stop, walking up an old road to a rock pit where a nicely mineralised quartz vein is exposed. Here we did a bit of hunting for pyrite, chalcopyrite, molybdenite, and other sulphide minerals within the quartz. As usual, no one found any gold! From there we headed back home having enjoyed a nice day, learned a little bit, and perhaps acquired a few little treasures!
An intrepid group of fourteen club members set out for the Squirrel Crossing (Duck Lake Trails) parking area in heavy rain. Isabel Loveluck was our leader. We found the parking area surprisingly busy – with people gathering for a multigenerational birthday party. Izi requested use of one picnic table: smart thinking!
She led us to the left first, to an area where lobster mushrooms are often found. She explained these are the result of a symbiosis between a Russula (stalk snaps like chalk) and another fungus, and are recognizable by their bright orange colour and the suggestion of a gill pattern on the underside. Indeed, we found some, but they had been previously cut and left. Several of us collected them anyway. Apparently you can clean them under running water then dry-fry them to drive off excess liquid. I was excited to experiment with cooking them, having tried “lobster” soup at Sarah’s recently.
We claimed our picnic table, where Izi pulled out some mushroom samples she had brought. She cuts mushrooms at the base using a sharp pocket knife on a lanyard, and avoids plastic bags as the mushrooms tend to get crushed. One paper bag per species, in a basket. Take the time to key out any new species using a guidebook. If there’s only one mushroom in an area – leave it to grow and release spores. Also, desirable mushrooms can be tapped to release spores before you harvest them. An important safety piece is: never try eating more than one unfamiliar mushroom species at the same meal.
She pulled out a Hideous Gomphidius as an example of an edible gilled mushroom, also noting that there is a Rosy Gomphidius.
Then there are various hedgehog mushrooms which feature soft spines under the cap; the Hawk Wing is one example. Take care as there’s a close relative that will make you sick. (I experienced this while living in the Yukon)
Chanterelles are the tasty yellow mushrooms but they are a bit different because the folds are not parallel and run partway down the stem – important details.
Two of her favourite gilled locals are the Shaggy Parasol and the Prince. Both are in the Agaricus family, like supermarket mushrooms but tastier. The former (not to be confused with a Shaggy Mane) grows in mainly in open areas, and she has managed to “seed” it in her yard by dissolving out spores in water then pouring it into appropriate habitat. Prince can be encouraged by spreading spores under Douglas fir.
Finally, Izi had us wander for a half hour to see what we could find. We spread out and came back with a variety of forest wonders – Russulas (most are edible but not if peppery on the tongue, apparently), Turkey Tail, Little Brown mushrooms (i.e. your guess is as good as mine!) and some even Isabel did not know, but would have to identify using a key and spore print. She handed out black and white spore print sheets and showed us a selection of the best guidebooks for BC mushrooms.
Submitted by Kate Alexander
Submitted by: Cindy Dalcourt
SEPTEMBER 23, 2025
5:00 pm to 7:45 pm
On a beautiful fall evening 11 members met Captain Matt at the Rugged Coast Expeditions truck in the South Harbour parking lot. After some brief instructions we all donned bulky red survival suits and headed out onto the wharf. Our expedition’s boat was a one of a kind ex-military rigid inflatable boat (zodiac) which turned out to be very fast and comfortable.
We first motored over to the “Hulks” and entered the former mill pond. Here we learned the history of the boats and how they came to Powell River. For a few minutes we watched a noisy group of California Sea Lions who were resting on a long boom. Revving up the motor we headed around the north end of Ahgykson Island and were on the lookout for whales. Matt mentioned that there had been many transient Orca sightings in the past few days so there had not been as many Humpbacks, as they tend to leave the area when the Orcas come in. He reassured us that we should see at least one as there were only two trips this whole season where guests did not see any whales.
We circled Vivian Rocks and observed a group of local Stellar Sea Lions who growl but do not bark like the California Sea Lions. We also saw Harbour Seals and many birds. A whale spout was noticed in the distance and we raced off to that area. We safely observed a female Humpback named Constellation for about 30 minutes as she travelled along.
Matt is a wealth of knowledge about the local history, birds, animals and sea life in and around the waters of the Salish Sea. As we enjoyed a beautiful sunset Matt pulled into a quiet bay on the west side of Ahgykson Island to share more information and stories. It was a magical experience just floating in the fading light and peaceful waters. We headed back to the harbour in almost darkness and our adventure came to an end with all agreeing it had been an amazing trip.
The summer field trips have wrapped up, become a member to be notified about future trips.
For our 2025 alpine field trip, we chose a small lake – Vera Lake – on the west side of the Eldred Valley across from Emma Lake. Once again the weather intervened on our planned date (Aug. 9) and we had to move to August 10. However, Aug. 10 turned out to be a fantastic day, sunny and warm with few insects to bother us! We landed on a low ridge near the lake, with wonderful views across the valley to the Emma Lake – Triple Peaks section of the South Powell Divide. Once everyone arrived on site via helicopter, we spent more than an hour before lunch touring around the ridge and lakeshore and learning about the plants, geology, and the alpine environment in general. The area was mostly open with rocks, grasses, and shrubs (lots of heather and small blueberry bushes), and interspersed with patches of mountain hemlock and yellow cedar sub-alpine forest.
We had no wildlife visitors this year other than a western toad that hopped through early in the morning.
After an enjoyable lunch in the sunshine, we had a couple of hours of free time to explore. Some relaxed or explored near the lake, and even went for a swim in the refreshing waters (there was still a snow patch or two at the other end of the lake!). Several people hiked out to a spectacular viewpoint looking over Joan Lake towards Slide Mountain, and an adventurous (foolhardy? it was rather steep!) few even clambered down to Joan Lake for a swim there. It was a great day, and I think everyone had a wonderful time.
Sharon has kindly created a list of plants she identified on the trip (in alphabetical order):
Thanks again to our drivers who got everyone to the staging area safely and to Cal Smith for handling all the trip registration and communications. And a special thank-you to Ben, our Oceanview Helicopters’ pilot, for his wonderful flying tours on the way in and out and for getting everyone on and off the mountain safely.
This field trip was run for two groups on Saturday and Sunday, July 19 and 20. The trips were aboard a crew boat generously supplied by Western Forest Products, with each following the same itinerary. The trip leaders were Nancy Pezel and Tom Koleszar. The weather was good both days, and we had great views of the surrounding area.
Our first stop was near Cassiar Island where Nancy provided some information about the logging and fire history around the lake that has resulted in mainly second growth Douglas-fir forests. Tom discussed how the last ice age created the “fjord” we now call Powell Lake, with its series of deep basins (350+m) separated by shallow sills, and that two basins still have 200m of salty, anoxic water at the bottom.
On route to the next stop, we stopped by Elvis Point for a photo op before Nancy talked about how cutblocks have to meet the Visual Quality Objectives (VQO) designated by the government in scenic areas like Powell Lake. At Olsens’ Landing, we stopped at the old dock which has developed its own floating garden of bog plants, including sundews, Labrador Tea, Bog Laurel, some sedges and a few western red cedar saplings. Here we had a chance to stretch our legs, and also learn a bit about the history of the early farmers in Olsens valley.
After cruising to the Beartooth Valley vicinity, Nancy talked about protected Old Growth Management Areas and Ungulate Winter Ranges (this area is a mountain goat hangout in winter). Tom then spoke about the different types of rock in this area compared to other areas of the lake, and how these were formed.
We had lunch at the head of the lake, then walked up the logging road to the bridge over the upper Powell River. It was a hot walk both days, but the views from the bridge were spectacular. Before we left the head, Tom told us some stories of the eccentric characters that once inhabited the area.
The Sunday group also had a little extra adventure at the head of the lake as we encountered some mechanical issues with the boat. However, the 2nd WFP crew boat came to the rescue, and the day continued without much change for us.
On the way back we looked for Rainbow Falls – but there was no water at all in the Falls! We then headed around to a small dock in the Goat Narrows and those who wanted to went for a swim (the water was lovely!). I have to say that the Sunday group far outscored the Saturday group in the number of swimmers! We then continued on the last leg of our journey, stopping off Fiddlehead to hear about the farm and see the octagonal cabin from the “hippy” era that had been skidded down to the lake and is now a float cabin.
Lastly, special thanks go to Geoff Matheson and Ross Nuttal of WFP for their friendly, efficient, and safe piloting through the two days!
January 15, 2026
Trinity Hall, United Church, on Duncan Street,
Doors open at 7:00
Tammy recently visited THE PANTANAL. Located mainly in Brazil, this is the world’s largest tropical wetland and floodplain. This dynamic ecosystem with a rich biodiversity experiences a yearly cycle of flooding and drying. The Pantanal is known for its abundant wildlife, including jaguars, capybara and various bird species. It is also home to the largest concentration of crocodiles in the world.
November 20, 2025,
Trinity Hall, United Church, on Duncan Street,
Doors open at 7:00
Travis is a Research Landscape Ecologist specializing in landscape resilience. Focusing on ecosystems which are prone to fire he develops strategies to restore, maintain or adapt forestry landscape for reduced vulnerability under climate change.
October 16, 2025
Trinity Hall, United Church, on Duncan Street,
Doors open at 7:00.
Terry calls himself a “Amphibiographer”; a contradiction of “Amphibious Photographer”, telling stories of life at the interface of land and water, a dynamic realm which combines the familiar above water environment people are used to viewing, with the seldom seen underwater world in our local liquid. Wearing a wetsuit or boots, he explores the ocean, fresh water and ditches with his camera resulting in pictures and videos of the amazing life within.
On Saturday, April 5 the Malaspina Naturalist Club was treated to a tour of the Powell River Community Forest by Forest Manager Chris Laing, along with Community Forest board members Rod Tysdal and Janet May.
We all gathered at the bridge by Duck Lake where we received an excellent introduction to the Community Forest, with a lots of information and excellent displays.
From there, the trip consisted of 4 more stops looking at everything from current harvest activities through various stages of regrowth, and finally to planned new harvest blocks. We learned about all the planning and thought that goes into harvest operations – what to harvest, what to retain, what to plant for the next generation, etc.
At lunch we had a spot with a great view, a newly planted block, and an interesting trial harvest technique that involved taking narrow strips of trees out and seeing how the surrounding forest growth changes.
The next stop showed an extremely rapidly growing young forest – some sites grow trees really well!
The last stop was at a planned new block, where we discussed how forest harvesting interacts with recreational uses.
All told, it was a fascinating day with a great deal of information provided! Special thanks go to Chris Laing, Rod Tysdal, and Janet May for all the work they put into this trip, and all the questions they answered all day long!
Submitted by Tom Koleszar.
Three of us got together at the Tla’amin Hatchery on April 13th to see the White Fawn Lilies in bloom. We walked along the creek and were soon rewarded with the nice blossoms. There were not as many this year as other years.
We also saw Bleeding Heart and Salmonberry in bloom.
We then drove to Gibsons Beach to see the Pink Fawn Lilies. A small patch, but a rare find in our area.
By splitting the trip into two days a couple of weeks apart, we were able to take advantage of the different times the flowers bloom. This was also why we had to advertise dates to be arranged. All we can do is to know approximately when to go.
Submitted by David Bedry.
On Thursday, May 29, 2025, thirteen Malaspina Naturalists caught the early ferry to Comox and headed to Vancouver Island. We carpooled to Maffeo Sutton Marine Park in Nanaimo where we had a quick lunch before boarding the small passenger ferry for the fifteen minute ride to Saysutshun/Newcastle Island Provincial Marine Park. Newcastle Island is just minutes from the Nanaimo waterfront and is very close to Protection Island. There are beautiful rock formations along the shoreline and it is very pristine and picturesque.
What started as an overcast sky soon turned sunny and warm. We enjoyed a cool ocean breeze as we followed a lovely wide trail along the coast. We did not see the infamous blonde racoons that inhabit the island, but we did see beautiful towering gary oak, arbutus, cedar and fir trees. A small mouse or vole greeted us around the halfway mark, and we also encountered two large termite hills along the path. They looked busy! There isn’t much evidence of the large-scale underground mining operation that once existed on the island, other than a large ventilation shaft that is now surrounded by forest.
We turned inland and passed by Mallard Lake and then followed the inland forest path back to Mark Bay. There was signage showing the manufacture of limestone wheels which were used to grind wood down into pulp to be used for papermaking. The limestone mined from Newcastle Island was also used in buildings from San Francisco to Vancouver to Victoria.
The museum there was unfortunately closed, but this beautiful island is definitely worth a return trip. In the afternoon we ferried back to Nanaimo, where we carpooled back to Comox for the evening ferry. As we waited to board we were treated to the sight of harbour seals and an eagle perched above us.
Thanks to Cindy for organizing and to Libby for leading us on the trails.
Report submitted by Colleen Tompkins
At the Saltery Bay dock, 12 Club members embarked on a Sunshine Coast Tours boat captained by Bryce Christie for an afternoon tour of Jervis Inlet and the Skookumchuck Narrows. The day was mostly sunny, but somewhat cool – there was fresh snow on the mountains!
From Saltery Bay we went up into St Vincent Bay,
then across lower Hotham Sound to the Harmony Islands Marine Park and Freil Falls.
The up-close view of the falls was quite spectacular!
We then proceeded across Jervis Inlet to Egmont for a short shore break, and afterwards on into the main event: the Skookumchuck Narrows and Sechelt Rapids!
The rapids were flowing at 12 knots, so the waves and whirlpools and eddies were quite amazing.
The drop in water levels from the top of the rapids to the lower side is very obvious and not what we’re used to seeing on the ocean!
We had just a touch of rain at this point, but the bright rainbow over the eastern shore made up for it.
The return trip took us along the shore of Nelson Island and back into Saltery Bay.
It was a great trip and Captain Bryce was a very good tour guide, ably describing everything we were seeing along the way.
The entire group was very happy with their afternoon out on the water, and I think we’ll likely run this trip again soon!
September 18, 2025
Trinity Hall, United Church, on Duncan Street,
Doors open at 6:45 PM, AGM at 7:15, Speaker at 7:30 PM
Trevor and Colleen, members of the Malaspina Naturalist Club and excellent photographers, spent a month travelling throughout New Zealand, visiting both the North and South Islands. They found beautiful landscapes, stunning seascapes, and many interesting birds that are unique to New Zealand. They learned about New Zealand’s volcanic activity, experienced hot pools, and saw the aftereffects of the Christchurch earthquake in this very seismically active part of the world. Through this presentation we will be able to share their experiences and adventures!
