Katherine Bickford

Two sections of beach that look quite alike each other, and are in many ways representative of cobble beaches on the east coast of Vancouver Island along Georgia Strait.

Above, looking toward Singing Sands and Little River – Texada is pretty much directly to the east.

Below, looking toward Union Bay, with Denman to the east.

These are not swimming and sun tanning beaches so much as places to go beach combing, places to explore the intertidal zone, places to wonder why that series of wood pilings, mounds of rock, and concrete, brick and iron structures were there, and what they were used for. Fisheries, forestry and mining built Vancouver Island and water was largely the medium that brought it all together.

Later many of the beaches became recreational areas, and then as roads improved, tourist areas – then they largely faded away as travel became easier and destination resorts were favoured over the simple pleasures of the beach. Many of the former sawmills, log booming grounds, coal and cargo ports and fish plants went by the way side and have quietly faded into the past – yet some remains can still be seen, simple treasures can still be found, if you take the time to stop and walk along the beach with eyes wide open.