This beautiful two bedroom lock-off has just become available.  This is the only developer owned,  year round rotation with a water view.  More spacious, with more privacy, than other two bedroom residences with lots of closets, an oversized soaker tub in the master suite and a guest suite that includes a fireplace and living area.

A quarter share (12 weeks) is currently priced at $105,800 with your choice of weeks. A convenient monthly fee covers all expenses including, strata fees, telephone, cable, property taxes, insurance, maintenance, and refurbishment. Our on-site hotel management will take care of renting any unused time you may have.

Contact John Seeland at 1-866-812-3224 or john@sunriseresortparksville.ca for details.

Parksville, B.C.

Nanoose Bay

Dave and Beryl Musser buckling up

Granite topped island, stainless appliances, beautifully decorated

It seems like time is moving faster than ever.  Maybe it’s just part of the aging process, but the changes seem to be happening faster and faster and the “good old days” now seem not that long ago.

It must be difficult for the young to make decisions about a secure future today.  Government jobs used to mean a secure, long term career with benefits and a decent pension when you retired.  In the past, you picked a profession you thought would provide personal fulfillment and substantial income, enrolled in university, got your degree and chose your employer and where you wanted to live.  Now you may have to push it to a Master’s Degree, and end up tens of thousands of dollars in debt selling computers in a retail store.

Many of us who were building our retirement nest-egg “playing the markets” or using the myriad of mutual funds or other non-guaranteed investments available have seen hard earned money simply disappear from our accounts.  If you spend a couple of hours researching what “money” is today, you’ll probably be shocked to find that the Federal Reserve and the Bank of Canada are actually private banking firms who have been printing money and loaning it to “the government” at interest for decades.  This is why countries including both Canada and the U.S. have huge and growing national debts.

People are starting to question the actual value of “money”.  To say, for example, that gold is worth $1700 an ounce, or a Rolex watch is worth $10,000, begs the question, “what if the money isn’t worth anything”.  What if our common measuring stick is way out of whack?  What if the economic system finally collapsed and you were bartering for basic necessities like food and water?  Would you trade your precious supply of food for shiny coins or a Rolex knowing how scarce it was?  As the U.S. economy staggers under the crushing weight of it’s national debt and European countries struggle to keep the Euro alive, people around the world are becoming more concerned about the viability and value of their currency.  Their concern appears to be justified as there is simply nothing of value to back up the major currencies of the world today.  Not gold or silver… it’s been printed out of thin air.  Debt far outweighs assets. Fiat currency.  Funny money.

Although Canadians aren’t necessarily exempt from the turmoil swirling around the globe, we’re in pretty good shape by comparison.  If we avoid reading the news from around the globe, it’s very good here.  There are still jobs for our children (although maybe not the dream job or location they were hoping for).  Our banks are still solvent.  Compared to many other countries, it’s safe here.  We have a medical system that still provides all of us with at least the basics without bankrupting us.  And our overall real estate market is still viable.  More people are realizing that compared to fiat money, owning property is not smoke and mirrors.  It is real (estate).

The average home in Parksville sold for $168,111 in 2001 according to the Vancouver Island Real Estate Board statistics.  In 2010, it had risen to $389,523.  Sunrise Ridge is deed and title real estate, sold in “fractions” that allow everyday people to own property in one of the most beautiful and temperate areas in Canada.  People who don’t want to uproot themselves and move away from friends, family and the homes they’ve bought and paid for, but would like to escape the harsh winters of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba for a couple of months every winter.  People who have worked hard for what they’ve accumulated, and want to leave something of value to their heirs.  People with what some might call “old fashioned values”, but who don’t have hundreds of thousands of dollars to invest in anything, let alone a second home.

None of the usual baggage comes with this real estate.  You can come and use it yourself, invite family and friends, rent it or exchange it at over 2600 resorts around the world if you don’t want to come to Parksville every year.  You don’t have to paint, fix or clean it.  You don’t have to collect the rent or even meet the renters.  You can sell it or leave it to your heirs when you’re finished using it.  It is real. It is yours.

If any of this strikes a chord with you, take some time to at least explore the possibility of converting some of your “money” into a very special piece of real estate.  The time you take could be the smartest investment you’ve ever made.

Jean and Peggy were both well into their eighties and still going strong.  One of their greatest pleasures in life was the freedom of driving and they frequently took Jean’s car out for little trips here and there.

Last week they were headed to one of their favourite restaurants for lunch.  Just minutes after leaving Peggy’s place they approached a stop sign and didn’t even slow down as they drove through the intersection.  Peggy flinched a little as they passed the sign, but afterwards thought she was mistaken, as she thought of Jean as an excellent driver.  Only a few more minutes had passed when they approached another intersection with a highly visible stop sign.  With her foot pressed down as hard as she could on the imaginary brake pedal that passengers use, Peggy watched the sign flash past as they continued on their way without even slowing down.

Again, Peggy said nothing, thinking that there must not have been a stop sign, feeling a little confused and seriously questioning her judgement.

As they approached a major intersection, Peggy could see that the light ahead was changing to red.  The huge car actually seemed to pick up a little speed as it approached the lights.  Peggy’s foot was slammed into the floorboards again as they drifted right through the intersection, which was thankfully clear of cross traffic.

Peggy was white as a sheet when she turned to Jean, who appeared to be calmly enjoying herself.   “Jean”, she shouted, “you just went through two stop signs and a red light without even slowing down”.

Jean looked at her, startled by her shouting.  “Oh crap, am I driving?”

The story of Brother Twelve (it is superstition to use the roman numbers) starts on Vancouver Island, British Columbia in the late 1920′s. Edward Arthur Wilson, as he was known then (born J. C. Skottowe) is proported to have had a number of visions telling him to found a new foundation and to seek out a place to form it. His new name he supposedly took from the 12 astrological signs of his birth.

His first visit to Vancouver Island was in 1905, long before his visions where he worked at many jobs, the most notable as a Baggage Handler in Victoria. He never was a very health individual, so we do not find him living there very long. He gravitated back to England where his parents were retired, reputedly with a considerable fortune. There he cultivated a string of friends and confidants who would eventually come back to Vancouver Island with him.

During the 20′s there were a great deal of miserable folk looking for a way out of the horrors of World War I and the stages of the depression. So, anyone with a so called “Vision” held a lot of sway with the public. When Wilson began having his so called visions he thought he was receiving the answers to the ills and woes of society, and a number of people were willing to follow him and his vision. The “Aquarian Foundation”, a group he formed was to have all the answers to the salvation of humanity. In fact, it was a Society formed by Wilson and was under the absolute and total control of him. A number of folk joined right off the bat hoping to get in on the “Ground Floor” and pledged total loyalty and all their finances to him. So, The Society was a very well funded organization right from the start.

It is only natural that he should have a journey through California, the home of all the really serious cults, but he is reported to have had a vision that Nanaimo on Vancouver Island was the safest place for him to form his community of followers. So, his first roots were in the Cedar area, just south east of the main city of Nanaimo. There he formed a farm commune. In 1926 (or thereabouts) he started earnestly setting up the rituals and prayers used by his followers. These were said to have been given to him in dreams during his regular sojourns to his spiritual sanctuary. Nothing earth shattering seems to have occurred to lead anyone to believe that his way was not the true way.

About a year later, in 1927 however local folk were suddenly beginning to realize that this organization was not just a spiritual movement but was indeed a militant organization. There were many signs of withdrawal from any contact with the community (not that they had a lot of contact). He himself outwardly preached of the coming Armageddon. A catastrophe from which only he and his followers were destined to survive.  Some folk actually followed him back to “Cedar-By-The-Sea” as it is referred to in history. They didn’t just bring money as we will later find out!

Land was plentiful, so Brother 12 (as he now was called) pressed on with his dream. His old past was totally forgotten, even to those who knew him. Anyone meeting him who claimed to know him was immediately dismissed. His sights were on the future, and his prophecy. It is interesting to read that there were other cults, some of which prophesied the devil and witchcraft. All of which were he felt were attacking the Aquarians. I wonder if this might have been an early sign of the madness in the man? However, considerable effort was expended by him in fighting off the threat he assumed they made. The one underlying thing about the cult was beginning to show at this time. It was apparent that certain women were being brought under the direction of Brother 12. A ban was beginning on normal relations between couples. It was beginning to appear that the only one allowed to have relations with any of the women in the cult was Brother 12. Does this appear to have been followed in later day cults too? Did Brother 12 start the trend? Sorry, not for me to speculate on. Suffice it to say, that practise alone could have contributed to the ultimate collapse of the cult. Not the only reason, but a pretty good one!

OK, the major question… how did he and his followers wind up on DeCourcy Island? And what did they do there?

All was not well with the foundation. Brother 12 was loosing his grip on the Society that was formed to run it. Members were in court suing Wilson and there were serious doubts of his sanity. They even went so far as to have him arrested at one point. The Cedar community and the small settlement community on Valdez Island were in trouble. His followers had dwindled from hundred to less than two dozen. One writer on the subject goes as far as saying it had deteriorated to a “Free Love” colony. That was in fall of 1928. The colony and Brother 12 were starting to be noticed by the community, and they did not like what they saw. Even the Government of British Columbia was to get involved in the affairs of the Aquarian Society!

Spring of 1929 saw the launching of the Kuenaten, a brand new tug boat. His travels led him to DeCourcy Island which he coerced one of his most followers, a lady called called Mary, into buying for him. Almost 700 acres, formerly owned by W.M. Flewitt passed into his hands for the mere sum of $10,000. The year was 1929.

All this time the men of the colony were becoming more and more disenchanted with the situation. In fact, a number of very strong willed and influential women seem to come into the picture. All of which seemed to have worshipped Brother 12. Money and power were coming back on board and plans were drawn up for a very extensive (and expensive) community. Meanwhile, the government was still involved in the legal matter of the foundation. They eventually decreed that the Cedar farm be dissolved and the land be given to the adherents there. Meantime rumours were flying. Right down to the disappearance of certain members of the cult who were assumed to have met a dire fate at the hands of Brother 12. But, by now he had built up a considerable fortress and was unapproachable by any normal means. Work progressed to the point that Brother 12, in the company of his present mistress went to England for a while. He bought a boat there and provisioned it for a journey back to DeCourcy. The boat was christened the Lady Royal and her destination was to become the colony. In only a fashion he could have managed he seemed to have sailed her across the Atlantic, through the Panama Canal and up to British Columbia.

Fall of 1930 saw the Lady Royal arrive in our waters. His escapades on that voyage would make a book all of their own! He was almost shipwrecked off of California. The Customs folk were on the lookout for him up here. When spotted she was taken into custody in Roche Harbour, but was later spirited to Decourcy where the cargo was off loaded. The customs folk were then invited to inspect her.  One interesting aside is that it even survived an attempt at sabotage by a fellow Brother 12 stiffed for repairs. He actually drove an iron bar through the boat, an action which slowed the vessel by gathering seaweed and the like. But never stopped it. Even though the community was glad to see his return, the infighting had escalated. There was considerable dissent from the men of the cult. There were some very powerful women running the place too. But, even amongst them there were serious problems. You could even say they were fighting amongst themselves for power and favour. Eventually folk would start leaving the cult with huge amounts of cash. Some escaped hoping to get away from Brother 12. But, in most instances these folk were tracked down and returned. But, clearly things were falling apart…

Brother 12 went through a couple of ladies who were his actual mistresses. The last one, the most powerful was possibly the real power in the cult. He officially took out notice in The British Columbia Gazette that he was changing his name to Amiel De Valdes. His mistress changed her name later to Zura De Valdes. Both in obvious honour of the colony on Valdez Island.

Meantime members were getting braver and were actually starting lawsuits against the cult and Brother 12. Eventually the courts awarded considerable sums to the members, but when they went to DeCourcy there was no sign of Brother 12. The buildings were wrecked, his sailboat was sunk in the harbour. He had blown a hole in the hull. Everything of value had been either looted or destroyed. Brother 12 and his mistress was gone. All through the spring of 1933 there were various reports of them. All the way from the Sunshine Coast to Victoria. Finally in fall of 1934 they arrived in Switzerland. His stay was short lived, he died on November 7, 1934 of a heart attack. He was just 56 years old. But, like Elvis, there were reported sightings of him long after his death.

The entire cult eventually disbursed. No one seemed to want to stay around and settle the area any more. Some of them died virtual paupers, a long way from DeCourcy and Brother 12. One of the longest supporters for Brother 12, Mary Connaly continued to live on DeCourcy. She died in 1947. The property spurred quite a treasure hunt. But to this day no sign of the gold said to be secreted there was found. It is said that a note was found proclaiming a prophesy from Brother 12 proclaiming “For fools and traitors – nothing”. But no treasure. As close as we can come is Pirate’s Cove on DeCourcy where there is an open treasure chest next to the sign proclaiming the Provincial Park. A few notes inside from folk who have stopped, and at least one recipe for some sort of rum drink.

Strange though, just like Nostradamus events that happened long after his supposed date of birth were said to have been predicted by him. But, in the large scheme of it all, he is still largely a local figure.

Take a scenic drive to cedar-by-the-sea (about half an hour from Sunrise Ridge) and visit the area where this incredible story took place.

The rain shadow effect of Vancouver Island’s mountains (including Mount Arrowsmith, southwest of Parksville and Qualicum Beach), as well as the mountains of Washington’s Olympic Peninsula, creates wide variation in precipitation.

The rain shadow effect means the west coast of Vancouver Island is much wetter than the east coast. The average yearly precipitation ranges from 6,650 millimetres (260 in) at Henderson Lake on Vancouver Island’s west coast (the wettest place in North America) to only 635 millimetres (25 in) at the Saanich Peninsula in Greater Victoria. Rainfall is heaviest in the autumn and winter and snow is rare at low altitudes on Vancouver Island.

A Vancouver Island weather feature to note is the Mediterranean-like dryness that residents and visitors alike enjoy in latitudes as high as 50°N. This is part of the reason why the Parksville and Qualicum Beach region of Vancouver Island is known as “Canada’s Riviera”. Only in the extreme northern part of Vancouver Island near Port Hardy is the driest summer month’s rainfall as much as 20% of the wet winter months. The west coast regions of other continents at similar latitudes normally have even rainfall distribution throughout the year.

Is Vancouver Island really as wet as some people believe it to be?  Let’s compare it to a few other destinations….

Average Annual Precipitation (in mm.)

Parksville                             1126

Orlando, FL.                         1289

West Palm Beach, FL.          1583

Venice                                  2036

Paris                                    1630

Rome                                   2273

Puerto Vallarta                      1392

Cancun                                1338

North Vancouver                   2437

Santa Domingo                     1447

How come we have the reputation of being so rainy?  Because some parts of Vancouver Island are really rainy.

Port Renfrew                        3671

Tofino                                 3306

Holberg                               4000

Henderson Lake                  6600

It’s principally the rain shadow effect that keeps us as dry or drier than many other vacation destinations around the world.  Sure, there are warmer, drier vacation destinations, but there are also other factors to consider including: travel costs, crime rates, medical insurance, exchange rates, and more.

All things considered, Vancouver Island is an incredible destination for a wide variety of people.  More Canadians are choosing to keep their money inside Canada for any number of reasons, including the support of our own economy.

Canadian snowbirds and winter vacationers are being warned to have proof of private travel health insurance in place prior to leaving for any trips to the United States, Mexico, Cuba, the Dominican Republic or elsewhere in the Caribbean this winter.

The Travel Health Insurance Association of Canada (THIA) says that private insurance is essential for all winter destinations, particularly the U.S. where soaring health costs and uncertainty about the future of health care reform is forcing many economically-stressed hospitals to demand up-front deposits or direct payment arrangements of patients who cannot prove they have insurance coverage.

David Hartman, president of THIA, says: “The relentless increase in health care costs world-wide makes international travel insurance absolutely essential, even for one-day trips, as provincial health insurance reimbursements for out-of-country medical services don’t come close to covering foreign hospital bills that can total thousands of dollars per day.” He adds that even Cuba now requires all foreign visitors to have proof of travel insurance adequate to cover any medical services they might require in that country.

A little about Travel Warnings

Travel Warnings are there to protect you, but even the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade concedes that the decision to travel is the sole responsibility of the individual. That being said, the warning represents the Government of Canada’s official advice. The warning may recommend that Canadians avoid “all travel”, or in both Mexican examples, “non-essential travel”. In some cases, it will even recommend that travellers leave the country or region all together.

What happens if a Travel Warning is issued after you’ve already booked a trip?

It depends. Are you still planning to go despite the Government of Canada’s recommendation? Did you buy Trip Cancellation and Interruption travel insurance?

If you’ve decided to ignore the Travel Warning and are able to get to your holiday destination despite it, make sure you read the fine print of the travel insurance policy you’ve bought, or are planning to buy. There is a chance you won’t be covered.

Travel insurance when you ignore a Travel Warning

Travel insurance is intended to offer you protection for unexpected and unforeseen events. If you choose to ignore a Travel Warning then it could be viewed that you’re expecting the unexpected and depending on the policy, you may not be covered.

Read the exclusions in the policy. A benefit does not have to be payed out if it is determined that the costs were incurred due to something that was specifically excluded. Exclusions vary by policy. For example, consider Travel Warnings. If mentioned as an exclusion, some policy wordings are general in nature, while others are very specific. The following two samples illustrate this point:

“When you travel to a country after such time that a travel advisory has been issued by the Canadian government recommending that Canadians do not travel to such country, or to specific regions within such country.”

“Sickness, injury or medical condition you suffer or contract in a specific country, region or area for which the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade of the Canadian Government has issued a travel advisory or formal notice, before your departure date, advising Canadians not to travel to that specific country, region or area. If the Canadian Government issues a travel advisory or formal notice to leave that specific country, region or area, after your departure date, your coverage for sickness, injury or medical condition is limited to a period of 10 days from the date the advisory was issued, or to a period that is reasonably necessary to safely evacuate the country, region or area. In this exclusion “sickness, injury or medical condition” means any sickness, injury or medical condition that is attributable to the reason for which the travel advisory or formal notice was issued or complications arising from such “sickness, injury or medical condition”.

In a nutshell, it is your responsibility to keep up-to-date on Travel Warnings, and if you choose to ignore a warning then you may not not be covered while away on holiday. And this doesn’t just apply to emergency medical coverage. It could also apply to your Trip Cancellation and Interruption coverage if the warning was issued prior to your policy purchase and travel dates.

Not sure where to find the Travel Reports? They can be found at the site for Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada

Didn’t buy travel insurance?

Without travel insurance, you’re at the mercy of your airline or tour operator. Consider what happened only a day after the government issued its warning about Mexico on April 27th, 2009. On April 28th, all customers of Transat (which includes Air Transat, Transat Holidays and Nolitours), Air Canada and Air Canada Vacations, Sunquest Vacations, and WestJet and WestJet Vacations learned that their trips were effectively cancelled or postponed. While some of the companies offered full refunds if you decided to cancel (without penalty), others required that you simply reschedule your trip to a later date, choose a new destination, or get a travel credit for use at a later date.

Every year, more Canadians are discovering that places like Parksville, although not as tropical as some locations, offers safety and security that may very well outweigh any perceived downsides as a vacation destination.  This is a great country with an enviable economy.  Spending our dollars inside Canada will help keep it that way.

The largest Island on the West Coast of North America, Vancouver Island is separated from the mainland of Canada by the Georgia Strait, Johnstone Strait, and the Queen Charlotte Strait. It is separated from the United States mainland by the Juan de Fuca Strait in the south.

Length: Approximately 280 miles (450 km).

Area: Approximately 12,076 square miles, or roughly 32,000 square kilometres – about 2/3 the size of England. Larger than Belgium, Haiti,  Rwanda or Belize.

Coastline Length: Approximately 2,136 miles (3,440 km).

Highest Elevation: Mount Golden Hinde at 2,200 m.

Population: Approx.  750,000

• Della Falls in Strathcona Park (North Central Island) is the highest waterfall in North America (440 metres high or 1,443 feet).
• The Island is now known as one of the best Caving areas in the world with over 1,050 known caves.
• •
• Canada’s tallest tree, a Sitka Spruce, is located in the Carmanah Valley on the southwestern side of Vancouver Island.
• •
• The United States originally claimed Vancouver Island in the 1800s, but surrendered it to Great Britain in the Oregon Treaty of 1846.
• •
• Victoria’s Fan Tan Alley is the narrowest commercial street in Canada. Mel Gibson and Goldie Hawn were filmed on this street in the movie “Bird on a Wire.”
• #1 Vancouver Island top North American Island – (Conde Nast Travel Magazine 2003/2004)
• #1 Best Temperate Island Destination in the World – (Conde Nast Travel Magazine 2002)
• #1 Best Island in Continental USA/Canada – (Travel & Leisure Magazine 2002, 2001 Awards)
• #1 Environment and Ambience in the World – (Conde Nast Travel Magazine 1999)
• #3 Top 10 Islands in the World – (Travel & Leisure Magazine 2001 Awards)

John Hirst first visited this area in 1870 and settled near the Englishman River in 1874.  Then known as The River, it remained a remote outpost until a crude “road” was pushed through from Nanaimo in the late 1890′s.  A post office soon followed and mail was distributed from the cabin of Nelson Parks whose name was eventually given to the town that grew up around him.

Sunrise Ridge is the perfect location for exploring Vancouver Island.  Just an hour from Comox (with WestJet service at the airport), one and a half hours to Victoria, and a scenic two and a half hours to the spectacular west coast.

We’re in the heart of the Oceanside area, with it’s own things to do and see.  Take a look at what awaits you on our website…..

www.sunriseresortparksville.ca

He wasn’t one who wanted to look back on his life and say, “I wish I spent more time in the office.”       Anonymous

“Our death is not an end if we can live on in our children and the younger generation.  For they are us, our bodies are only wilted leaves on the tree of life.”  ~Albert Einstein

Death is a topic that most of us avoid until we’re forced by circumstance to deal with it.  We tend to take life, and the time it provides us with, for granted.  We put things off until tomorrow based on the firm belief that it will be there for us.

How different our lives would be had we been given a Life Manual at birth that outlined what it was that we’re supposed to be doing with our lives along with our death date so we knew how much time we had to accomplish it. But death remains life’s greatest mystery (how ironic!).  Most of the lasting philosophies and religions address the issue of death, but no matter what we may believe, we have no way of truly knowing what it will be like. But we should all realize and accept that it is coming.  Our inevitable death is something that all humans regardless of race, sex or religion have in common.

If we knew that we only had a year to live, would our lives change or would we just carry on living as we had been?

Would we continue to go to work because we find it fulfilling?

Would we remain in a relationship with our current partner?

Would we treat others differently or be more honest with them?

Would we be more honest with ourselves?

Would we spend more time with our children and grandchildren?

Would we remain calm or do something drastic, like start spending all of our savings?

Would we take up an extreme sport knowing we didn’t have much time to lose anyway?

Most of us would make some changes to our lives and routine if we knew our days were numbered, yet we refuse to accept they are, in fact, limited.  We just don’t know when the big wheel stops turning.

Here’s another quotation… this time from Seneca, a first century Roman philosopher….

“Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.”

Maybe we’d all be better off if we were preparing for our lives to end sooner rather than later.  Aside from the attraction of real estate as an investment, Fractional Ownership at Sunrise Ridge Waterfront Resort does provide the opportunity to break the routines we’ve created for ourselves (or have allowed others to create for us).  A couple of weeks or months here, either on your own or with family and friends is a very different experience than sitting at home.

If you want some quiet, meditative time for yourself, it’s here.  If you want a little excitement; Wild Play, bungee jumping, skydiving, fishing, exploring a cave, surfing, skiing & snowboarding, hang gliding, sky diving and river cliff jumping are all available as day trips with Sunrise Ridge as your home base.  And don’t forget about walking on the bottom of the ocean when the tides out at Rathtrevor Beach!

Why not take charge of the time you have left and start some new routines and traditions that include things you’d really like to do?  Want to spend more time with your grandchildren?  You may find it’s easier to get them to come to your “vacation home”  for a visit than sleeping in your spare room at home.  How about everyone getting together here for Christmas and/or New Years?  How about giving Mom and Dad some time to themselves by having the grandkids out here for a week or two during the summer?  Have you noticed how different kids can be when they’re away from their parents?

 This is your life….  your time…. your decision.

The nutrient rich and sheltered waters around Vancouver Island abound with marine life, and provide some f the world’s highest density and most accessible whale watching.  Both the sheltered east and the open west coast are home to these amazing marine mammals.

The calm, protected waters along Vancouver Island’s northeast coast is the most accessible and predictable areas to see orcas (AKA “killer whales”) in their natural environment.  The Northern resident (fish-eating) population of orcas typically return to the Johnstone Strait and Blackfish Archipelago around the middle of June and are known to stay in the area well into the winter months.  Transient (mammal eating) orcas also frequent this area and are most often seen in the spring, fall and winter.

Wildlife and whale watching tours depart from Telegraph Cove, Port McNeill and Alert Bay from May until October.  Other marine mammals that visit this area include humpback whales, minke whales, Pacific whie-sided dolphins, Dall’s porpoise and Steller sea lions.  This area is on the Pacific flyway, making it a great place to see migrating sea and shore birds.

Campbell River (less than 2 hours drive) has become a hub for the tour through the calm waters of Discovery Passage, Johnstone Strait and other nearby inlets in pursuit of wildlife and adventure.  This dynamic, inland coastal environment is home ot some of the most spectacular wildlife in the world, in the water and on the land.

Qualified, experienced operators offer a variety of excursions to see whales, grizzly and black bears, and often learn about First Nations culture and local history.  Some of the tours combine the wildlife adventures with the thrill of five sets of tidal rapids and some of the fastest ocean currents in the world, some reaching 15.5 knots!  Although the water may move quickly, there’s very little of the rolling motion that occurs on open water, minimizing the possibility of sea sickness.

Each Spring, between 18,000 to 22,000 Pacific Gray whales migrate along the western shores of the Island as they head north on their annual migration from their breeding grounds off the Baja Peninsula to their feeding grounds in the Bering and Chukchi Sea, near Alaska.

Whales can be seen from shore in March and April, mostly from on top of the rocky headlands along the Pacific Rim.  The Wild Pacific Trail at Ucluelet is a popular viewpoint.  An increasing number of Humpback whales and orcas are now calling Clayquot Sound home and can be seen throughout the year.  But it’s not just about whales.  Sea lions, seals, bears, bald eagles, and sea otters are often encountered.

Back on the southeast side of the Island, the sheltered waters of the Salish Sea (where Sunrise Ridge is located) are a sea adventurer’s paradise.  These nutrient rich waters have enough plankton to feed the world’s largest marine mammals and the marine ecosystem is home to an astonishing diversity of saltwater inhabitants.  Into all the bounty, ships have been sunk to become artificial reefs and, combined with exceptional clarity and visibility in the cooler months, it’s clear to see why the waters that surround Vancouver Island have been named the best scuba diving destination in North America.  World famous oceanographer, Jacques Cousteau, rated these water as the best cold water diving destination in the world behind only the Red Sea.