Nanaimo harbour, Cameron Island stroll

It was December, and the rains had let up for a bit. Not in the mood for hilly or muddy walking, I headed for Nanaimo's downtown; specifically, the harbour. In this post, I'll feature my views as I rounded Cameron Island (which really isn't an island anymore).

Take as load off, enjoy the sun, and admire the harbour (2015-12-08)

The sun had been out long enough that the boardwalk was dry 
and no longer slippery (2015-12-08)

Watching the comings and goings of the Protection Island ferry 
(in this case the Island Queen) is always a pleasant diversion (2015-12-08)

Iconic Nanaimo waterfront view (2015-12-08)

As part of the Cameron Island "circumnavigation", I watched the BC Ferries vessel 
MV Quinsam depart for Gabriola Island (2015-12-08)

Reflections of the Nanaimo Waterfront

It might be said that I'm going to the well too many times with these pictures, taken in February, 2012. On the other hand, the walk I took on that day did yield some photos that I'm very pleased with. On this day, I started taking photos at the Brechin boat launch with its mirror-like water surface in Newcastle Passage. My destination was Nanaimo harbour, and that took me past a series of marinas. The still water was perfect for catching some great reflections.

Mirror-like Newcastle Passage (2012-02-15)

Reflection of a Nanaimo marina (2012-02-15)

Reflection of a Nanaimo marina (2012-02-15)

 Tug reflected in Nanaimo Harbour waters (2012-02-15)

Fish boats reflected in Nanaimo Harbour waters (2012-02-15)

Benson Creek Falls Park

In four years of living in Nanaimo, I thought I'd visited most of the local parks. However, looking over the City of Nanaimo's parks and recreation website, I noticed reference to Benson Creek Falls Regional Park. I hadn't been there. What was I waiting for? Although it was cold in March, I headed out. So cold, I might add, that the puddles I encountered on the trails through the park had thin ice layers on them. This is a excellent park to stroll through with one proviso. If walkers stay on the wider paths they'll generally be fine. The problem with this park is that it is criss-crossed by dozens of mountain biking/BMX trails with an odd collection of names. The only trail lacking adequate signage was the one you'd want to stay on to take advantage of the wilderness in the park.

Notice only one railing on this bridge. I suspect due to use by bikers. (2012-03-30) 

Pristine nature marred by seemingly inexplicable junk (2012-03-30) 

Benson Creek (2012-03-30) 

Small stream flowing through the rainforest (2012-03-30) 

Lampposts and Boats - around Cameron Island

Mid June took me down to the Nanaimo waterfront near Cameron Island. I was rewarded by a nice contrast in boats. Large and small. Powerful and not quite so powerful. Whatever the case, boats always put me in mind of Water Rat's insightful comments (from Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame):

"Is it so nice as all that?" asked the mole, shyly...

"Nice? It's the only thing," said the Water Rat Solemnly, as he leaned forward for his stroke. "Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing -- absolutely nothing -- half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats."

There is nothing... half so much worth doing 
as simply messing about in boats (2011-06-15) 

"Simply messing...about in boats -- or with boats... In or out of 'em it doesn't matter. Nothing seems to matter, that's the charm of it. Whether you get away, or whether you don't; whether you arrive at your destination or whether you reach somewhere else, or whether you never get anywhere at all, you're always busy, and you never do anything in particular; and when you've done it there's always something else to do, and you can do it if you like, but you'd much better not."

Simply messing...about in boats -- or with boats... 
In or out of 'em it doesn't matter. 
Nothing seems to matter, 
that's the charm of it (2011-06-15) 

Looking towards Nanaimo's Cameron Island (2011-06-15) 

Blue Heron sculpture along 
Nanaimo's waterfront (2011-06-15) 

Dockside Details in Nanaimo Harbour

My two previous posts featured colours, patterns, and symmetry along the Nanaimo waterfront. As far as taking photographs was concerned, that February day was very productive. I was also very pleased with the dockside details of various boats I was able to capture. Quite clearly, given the pictures below, I've never met a boat (or nautical scene) I didn't immediately love!

 Dockside details of a Nanaimo tug (2012-02-15)

 Dockside details of a Nanaimo fish boat (2012-02-15)

Dockside details of a Nanaimo tug (2012-02-15)

 Dockside details of a Nanaimo 
fish boat (2012-02-15)

Patterns along the Nanaimo Waterfront

My previous post, "Colours of the Nanaimo Waterfront", featured pictures I'd taken while on a February stroll along Nanaimo's waterfront. In that post, I highlighted bright colours that contrasted with the sombre tones of February. In this post I'll feature some of the patterns/symmetry that caught my eye on that day as well.

Curvy stairs leading to the fishing pier in 
Nanaimo Harbour (2012-02-15)

The fishing/walking pier in 
Nanaimo Harbour (2012-02-15)

Curvy seawall leads to the Petrocan pier in Newcastle Passage (2012-02-15)

Lamp post symmetry along the seawall leading to 
downtown Nanaimo (2012-02-15)

Colours of the Nanaimo Waterfront

It was a Nanaimo February and it wasn't raining. The lack of rain, alone, made it a good day to get out of the house and into the fresh air. Strolling along the walk that skirts the Nanaimo waterfront along Newcastle Passage, I was struck by the bright colours in the marina. 

Yellow flotation device in a Nanaimo marina (2012-02-15) 

Red, white, and blue bumpers along a
Nanaimo dockside (2012-02-15) 

Again, a red, white, and blue theme (2012-02-15) 

A splotch of yellow interrupts a sea of blue at a
Nanaimo marina (2012-02-15) 

August at Neck Point Park

Earlier this year, in mid-August, we had visitors from Europe. By the time visitors get out of YVR, negotiate the Canada Line and West Vancouver Blue Bus connections to Horseshoe Bay, never mind the ferry across to Nanaimo, they're generally beat. We've found that a good sleep and a leisurely breakfast usually gets visitors into vacation mode. So, the question is, "How do we ease them into their Vancouver Island stay?" For us, the answer is: a stroll through Neck Point Park (avoiding the 100+ stairs to Keel Cove, of course).

Enjoy my pictorial record of our walk on this occasion.

 Looking along Indian Beach towards
Neck Point (2013-08-17)

The "neck" that is  
Neck Point (2013-08-17)

What the low tide reveals at  
Neck Point Park (2013-08-17)

A look back at the park from Neck Point (2013-08-17)

Human ingenuity (fun) at Neck Point Park (2013-08-17)

Arbutus tree at Neck Point Park (2013-08-17)

Strolling about near the Fish Hatchery

On this first day of February, I had started out intending to explore the Nanaimo River area, just south of the bungee jumping zone. What looks lively and exciting in the summer, with lots of people swimming and otherwise enjoying the river, was boring on this particular day. As I was leaving the area, I noticed a pipeline snaking it's way in a direction that can best be described as down river. My curiosity piqued, I followed in that general direction. Since I'm a sucker for "mechanical" photos, I was rewarded by more pipeline-like stuff. Lucky me! What follows are some pictures taken in and about the Nanaimo Fish Hatchery.

Pipeline near the Nanaimo River 
(2013-02-01)

Nanaimo River pipeline; details (2013-02-01)

Nanaimo River pipeline; details (2013-02-01)

Trail leading to Haslam Creek (2013-02-01)

Pipe details near the Nanaimo 
Fish Hatchery (2013-02-01)

(2013-02-01)

Nanaimo River by the Cedar Bridge (2013-01-31)

Many times each year, for many years now, I've driven over the Cedar bridge that crosses the Nanaimo River.

Bridge over the Nanaimo River (2013-01-31)

In the summer, the little gravel bar just visible to cars whizzing by, is full of families enjoying wading or swimming in the warm waters of the river. As an aside, I know this river to be warm in the summer from first hand experience. Some years ago, Barb and I used a rather flimsy flotation device to "float " from the bridge by the highway, with this Cedar location as our destination. We never made it. It's a journey Barb prefers not to discuss. So, for now, we'll leave it at that. Perhaps another time.Now back to this location and it's apparent charm in the summer. Often I've thought it'd be nice to stop, have a seat, or perhaps even pop into the water. That'll have to wait.

Crooked WC marks the location of the 

trail down to the 

Nanaimo River spawning channel (2013-01-31)

In late January, I decided to give the gravel bar another look. I was surprised to see hundreds (thousands) of salmon skeletons strewn all over the gravel bar. Exploring around the area, it became clear that the depression to the side of the gravel bar was a spawning channel.

The banks of the Nanaimo River, littered with the 
remains of the autumn spawn (2013-01-31)

As I explored this now-dried channel further, I noticed that, further along, in times of higher water, it would join up with the Nanaimo River.

Spawning channel; off the Nanaimo River (2013-01-31)

So, it really was a channel; a part of the river itself, not some dead-end. This channel had even more evidence of autumn spawning. It was quite an amazing sight. And to think, some months earlier, this gravel bed and these waters would have been teeming with life.

Look at the size of these salmon! (2013-01-31)

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Look at the size of these salmon! (2013-01-31)

Look like somebody is ready to cook salmon (2013-01-31)

Salmon spawning channel off the Nanaimo River (2013-01-31)

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Nanaimo River in a January fog

A foggy January day along the Nanaimo River.

Nanaimo River at the estuary; remnants of historical industry

Nanaimo River current; sometimes with the tide and sometimes against

Nanaimo River landscape shrouded in fog