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BC: Vancouver Island: Juan de Fuca Marine Trail: Trailhead
... shoreline trails with unique
geological features
All
information reprinted from BC Parks materials with permission
Rich tide pools, a shoreline full of life and
fantastic geological features impress visitors to Botanical Beach
Provincial Park. The abundance of wildlife was what drew Dr. Josephine
Tildon to choose Botanical Beach as the location for the University
of Minnesota's marine station in 1900. For 7 years researchers and
students came from all over the world to study here. To get to the
station, a steamship would come from Victoria to Port Renfrew. From
there it was on foot on a very muddy and narrow trail to the station.
A better road in to the station was promised, however, it did not
materialize and the difficult access was considered a reason for
the station's closure in 1907. There are few remains of the station
left today. Universities still use Botanical Beach for field trips
and research, under park use permits. The area became a Class "A"
Provincial Park in 1989; the highest level of protection to a park
area.
Botanical Beach has 251 ha of upland habitat,
but is best known for its abundance of intertidal life. A visitor
can find hundreds of species of plants and animals. The organisms
that live here must be able to handle a wide range of conditions.
When the tide is out there are large changes in temperature, predators,
food sources and salinity.
Each creature has adapted to contend with these
variable conditions. Organisms that can not cope with drying will
survive in the tidepools or in shaded crevices. There you will find
congregations of seastars, chitons and anemones, the seastars often
piled together to conserve moisture loss. Barnacles, snails and
mussels are able to survive by closing up tightly with a small amount
of water inside their shells.
There are some plants and animals that are specialists
to the high impact waves found at Botanical Beach. The Gooseneck
Barnacle, an animal, and the Sea Palm, a brown algae, are two of
these. These organisms survive in the surf zone by being attached
to the rock with flexible stalks that bend with the force of the
waves. They are just two of the thousands of species of marine invertebrates
and algae that can be found here at low tide. A low tide of 4 feet
or less is best for wildlife and tide pool viewing. The area offers
parking, toilets, information and picnic areas. A number of trails:
Mill Bay, Botany Bay, and Shoreline are suitable hiking for young
children and the elderly.
Killer Whales and Grey Whales have often
been observed swimming past the beach or feeding just off the points.
The best time to see Grey Whales is during their migration
from the Mexican coast to Alaska during March and April. Both California
and Northern Sealions can be found here from late August through
May. Harbour Seals are often seen offshore, they can be recognized
by their basketball-shaped heads bobbing at the surface.
The main tide pools and sculptured formations
are formed out of soft sandstone. Some of the park's tide pools
are formed by wave-tossed boulders grinding out pockets in the sandstone.
Purple sea urchins further modify these tide pools by grinding out
small pockets. Ridges of shale and quartz jut up through black basalt,
and the southern cliffs form some of the most photogenic landscapes
found on southern Vancouver Island.
Botanical Beach is about a 12 minute walk
from the public parking areas just beyond Port Renfrew which is
just over 2 hours by car from Victoria - a perfect day's outing.
The drive to this area is along the south-western shoreline of Vancouver
Island and is very scenic. Botanical Beach is also the northern
trailhead of the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail
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Botanical Beach
is a wilderness area:
Black Bear and Cougar may be present at any time. Black bears
have NOT
become used to feeding on picnickers' garbage, so please pack
your garbage out of the park. Cougars normally avoid people
and are rarely seen. Take precautions by leaving your small
pets at home and ensuring your small children do not venture
alone into the bush areas.
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Be cautious of the force of the waves. They
can be VERY DANGEROUS.
Periodically and unpredictably a very large wave or a series
of waves will hit the beach. These waves can pull an unsuspecting
park visitor into the water. Please respect their power. Do
not let children play near the surf.
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Know what the tide
is doing, and be aware of escape trails if your route back is
blocked by surf.
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Visitors should be
equipped with appropriate outerwear and footwear for wet weather
conditions and the very rocky and slippery shoreline.
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Remember that this is a
wilderness area and First Aid is NOT
readily available.
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There is no potable
water available.
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This is a pack-in, pack-out
PARK.
There are NO
disposal facilities.
All information
courtesy of BC Parks, for further information please contact:
BC Parks
South Vancouver Island District
2930 Trans Canada Highway
Victoria, BC V9E 1K3
BC Parks Telephone: (250) 391-2300
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