Quinsam River Salmon Hatchery

Vancouver Island is home to a number of salmon hatchery programs where the public is welcome to view the ongoing efforts to enhance and encourage the wild salmon populations of the west coast.

Quinsam River Hatchery is our local hatchery and is a common field trip destination for the local schools. It is also a great place to walk, especially in the fall when the salmon are running upstream. It is not uncommon to see bears, eagles and lots of seagulls on the banks of the river, feasting on the salmon swimming upstream.

The hatchery itself is also an interesting place to walk around and look into all the pens, troughs, etc. From one week to the next you never quite know what you'll see!

Salmon are such an integral part of the coast, both from a fishing view point and also as a common topic in our news and political arenas. The hatcheries provide a valuable look for the general public, through their educational programs and displays, into the importance of salmon in our local waters and within our coastal culture.

The hatcheries also happen to be on rivers which provide beautiful walking trails, making them the perfect place for a Sunday walk.

It's a Coastal Lifestyle ... Live It!

Dealing with Archeological Information

Archeological sites are a common topic with coastal properties these days (the majority of these are sites with cultural and/or historical significance), and even make the news every once in a while. They can be controversial, but they are an essential part of developing property these days on the coast of BC so it is important to know what needs to be done.

Some properties have already had investigations done and have marked archeological sites on them. Understanding the implications of these sites is important, as an owner, or potential owner, needs to know what can and can't be done with the property. A small site can simply mean making sure you do not disturb it when creating development plans, while a large site can mean further action is required.

 You can first determine if there are any known sites on the property by contacting the provincial government through their Archaeology Branch. This is something that we at BC Oceanfront, a part of the Royal LePage Advance Realty team, do on most of our listings. We have found the Arch. Branch to be very easy to deal with, and the forms required are straight forward to fill out. We submit directly from online.

If you wish to build on a property or make major alterations to a property, then an archeological assessment is generally required. Most municipalities and regional districts will require an assessment during the permitting process. These are done by private companies, and there are often many steps involved in the process, which the company should be able to facilitate.

From the Archaeology Branch's FAQ document, these are two things they see as important to property owners: "The current use of the property is seldom affected unless the use involves significant land alteration. A house on a fully developed lot is not affected by overlapping with an archaeological site. An active gravel pit is a concern, because this current use will damage or destroy a site.
New development, such as changing the building footprint, major landscaping, or installation of an in ground swimming pool, will be a concern, because the new activity may damage the archaeological site. When planning for land use change, ensure that a professional consulting archaeologist is part of the planning process. They can determine if the new development will have an effect on the archaeological site.
In many cases, the archaeological site is not within the development zone. As an example, sites on waterfront properties are usually close to the water and are often contained within zoning setbacks set up to protect other environmental values."

Owning property on the BC Coast is a dream for many, and it is important to have all the information on hand when making those dreams reality.

It's a Coastal Lifestyle ... Live It!

Walk the River

One of the wonderful things about Vancouver Island is that every season offers a different nature show. The Fall happens to be a great time to walk along local rivers. With the beauty of the changing leaves on the trees along the banks of the rivers, the salmon returning to spawn and the extra water brought by seasonal rain, rivers are the perfect place to be in the fall.

There is a great selection of rivers with walking trails close to most of the towns and cities on Vancouver Island. Many of them are within minutes of town and are easy to drive to. Some walks are just meandering strolls while others can be quite the hike.

Be aware of rising river levels in the fall, especially when walking near dams (such as on the Campbell River trails near Elk Falls). Exploring the trails in the fall is a great way to get out in nature!

It's a Coastal Lifestyle ... Live It!

BCO Coastal Gems: Malcolm Island (Sointula)

Malcolm Island sits just off the north-east corner of Vancouver Island, in the Queen Charlotte Strait, on the edge of the renowned Broughton Archipelago. The island is known these days for its rubbing beaches - stretches of round stone beaches where orca whales come and rub their bodies under the water.

Whales at the Bere Pt rubbing beach

Malcolm Island is a sprawling island 24km in length. A wide logging ride runs down the spine, from the small residential area of Mitchell Bay to the lighthouse (still manned) at Pulteney Point.

Pulteney Point lighthouse

The village of Sointula is on the eastern side of the island, facing Port McNeill and Vancouver Island. Sointula was established in the early 1900s by Finnish settlers hoping to create a perfect utopia. Although the group disbanded, the village remained as did its Finnish influence. It adapted to become a resource hub for the area in fishing and logging, as well as a place for artists and summer visitors. The village is home to the province's oldest co-op store, and offers amenities (fuel, food, lodging, medical services and even a library). 

the side of the Sointula Co-op

Access is by BC Ferries from Port McNeill (a 25 minute ride), or by personal boat. 

looking back at Sointula from the ferry

There is much to see and do on the island, from visiting the Sointula Museum to hiking the Beautiful Bay Trail to eating at the local cafe/bakery. 

 

Old building across from the Museum

Like all the islands off the coast of Vancouver Island, Malcolm Island has its own character and vibe. Welcoming (be prepared for every driver to wave at you as you pass), slightly off beat, and full of history, Malcolm Island is a place to visit and explore and perhaps even stay.

It's a Coastal Lifestyle ... Live It!

Winterizing your Recreational Property

Fall begins tomorrow and with it comes the promise of rain and wind and storms on the west coast. Just like you should clean your gutters, unhook your hoses and put away the patio furniture at your residence, you should prepare your recreational and remote properties for the fall and winter seasons.

Water - if you are not going to be using your property over the winter your water supply should be properly shut down. There is nothing worse than burst pipes in the spring!

General tidy up - make sure all the loose items from summer, such as chairs, tables, planters, tools, etc are put away in a secure place. Winter weather can wreck these items, and winter storms can send them flying.

Clean up - make sure that food stuffs are either well packaged, stored somewhere else or thrown out. Mice love a winter meal! Putting linens, towels, dishcloths, etc somewhere extra dry will help keep mould from growing on damp fabrics.

Lock up - make sure the property is closed up properly. Windows and doors should be latched so wind doesn't blow them open and so that critters can't get in.

Docks - make sure the surface is "gripped" or cleaned so that if someone needs to use the docks they won't slip on the slick surface from all the winter moisture.

Trees, shrubs, etc - now is a good time to prune any dead branches or long branches that are getting too close to buildings. These can come down during winter storms doing a lot of damage with no one around to clean up. Better to deal with it now.

A small amount of time spent shutting down, cleaning up and locking up will save time and possibly money come spring. Time to get it done before the big storms come!

It's a Coastal Lifestyle ... Live It!

Power Generation on Remote and Recreational Properties

When dealing with recreational and remote properties there are considerations that don't come up with regular residential properties. For instance - is there power and where does it come from?

Some recreational and remote properties are close enough to small communities that they can hook into existing BC Hydro power supplies. It can be surprising how many boat access communities, such as Quatsino on the NW coast of Vancouver Island, actually have power from BC Hydro. This is then just like obtaining power for any new property - lines need to be accessed and power brought into the property through coordination with BC Hydro, neighbouring properties and local communities.

For properties beyond the scope of BC Hydro, there are still options for power. Many of the older, more established remote properties will have gas generators of some sort. This involves generators and usually a battery bank to store power so that the generators aren't running all the time. This requires gas to be brought on to the property, and general upkeep on the equipment.

Solar power has become an attractive option for some, and it is not unusual to see a house or cottage with an array of solar panels on the roof, or as a stand-alone system. These supply a battery bank which stores the energy. Some larger properties have been known to use solar power but keep a gas generator on hand as an emergency back-up system.

Another option for those who have access to a running water supply is personal use hydro-power. This requires a license for the water use, and on a good, strong water source can be a great power supply. There are a variety of set-ups depending on the amount of power required.

All of the options have pros and cons when it comes to upkeep, initial cost of installation and materials, efficiency, etc. It requires some good research both on the options and the property itself. At BCO we have a good deal of information on alternative energy and are always looking out for new and innovative ideas in power for remote/recreational properties.

It's a Coastal Lifestyle ... Live It!

BCO Coastal Gems: Tahsis

The coastal village of Tahsis is situated at the head of protected Tahsis Inlet, on the West Coast of Vancouver Island near Nootka Sound. Tahsis offers access to a number of wilderness hiking trails, caving, incredible ocean kayaking, scuba diving, wind surfing, sailing and canoeing.  

 The Village of Tahsis offers a variety of accommodations, from guest houses to campgrounds and marinas. 

The area is best known for offering world-class sport fishing as massive runs of salmon migrate down the west of British Columbia to their spawning grounds in coastal streams and rivers. Anglers can also venture out to the Pacific Ocean where fishing is excellent for halibut, flounder, rockfish and lingcod. Crabs, prawns, shrimp, oysters and other seafood are also plentiful. Wildlife abounds! Black bear, wolves, cougars, Roosevelt elk and coastal black-tailed deer are frequent visitors to this area. 

Guests from around the world marvel at the eagles, sea lions, whales and other marine wildlife that is common in the nearby waters. The picturesque and versatile west coast village offers a full-service marina and a safe, friendly small town atmosphere that boasts an incredible blend of outdoor adventures and some of the most rugged and breathtaking scenery in British Columbia, Canada.

Tahsis is located on the west coast of Vancouver Island, approx 2.5 hours' drive from Campbell River along the Gold River Hwy and then past Gold River onto gravel road. It can also be reached by boat launched from Gold River or other west coast communities.

It's a Coastal Lifestyle ... Live It!