An Introduction to Pacific Rim National Park Reserve

Pacific Rim National Park Reserve Located
on a Map of Canada

Pacific Rim National Park Reserve is one of the greatest prides of Canada, since it represents the rich natural and cultural heritage of Canada’s west coast. It is located in British Columbia, its latitude and longitude co-ordinates are 48°38′10″N 124°46′09″W. In this beautiful park there is an abundance of life on both land and in water due to its cool and wet maritime climate. This park also has a lush coastal temperate rainforest that gives way to lavish and diverse intertidal and subtidal areas. Along with these natural wonders, this park also has a long and dynamic history of the Nuu-chah-nulth First Nations and European explorers and settlers. The park has an area of 511 km² and it is divided into three separate regions: Long Beach, the Broken Group Islands, and the West Coast Trail. My adventures take place in Long Beach, which is the most visited and accessible region out of the three. I travelled there on June 13, 2014 with my parents and my sister. We stayed there for approximately three days, which were some of the best days of my life.

A Brief Visual of Pacific Rim National Park Reserve

The Actual Location of Pacific
 Rim National Park Reserve

Day 1: The Old-Growth Temperate Rainforest

 Long Beach Lodge Resort

After landing at Tofino Airport we took a cab to Long Beach Lodge Resort, where my family and I had decided to stay for the first day of our lengthy expedition. We had booked a cozy room with two queen size beds, one for my parents and one for my sister and me to share. Our room looked out to a gorgeous forest, with tall trees and many shades of green. In the morning, as we all woke up we were greeted by the blissful sunlight streaming through the windows with the sound of nature accompanying it.

We were all famished so we went to the Great Room for a scrumptious breakfast. We all ordered the Long Beach Breakfast, which consisted of two omelets, roasted tomatoes, country-style home fries, toast, and smoked bacon. We were so stuffed at the end that we could barely get up off our seats!

Our Room at Long
 Beach Lodge Resort

After an hour of getting ready and packing a few supplies we set off on our first adventure: we were going to be exploring the temperate rainforest. After an 11 minutes taxi ride we arrived at our destination, which was the Long Beach Nature Tours point. My dad had signed us up to be a part of an educational and truly breath-taking tour, the West Coast Temperate Rainforest tour, which was really a hiking trip. Our guide’s name was Bill McIntyre; he was one jolly man, very lively and easy to talk to.

The West Coast Temperate forest

As we entered the forest trail the sights that we saw were truly extraordinary. I walked through an open forest of trees so twisted and stunted they look like broccoli, they were reaching up from a mass of thick, wet moss, and the moss was drenched in rain that was collecting in pools. It was a world of bright green moss, bending ferns, and a mass of plants so thick that it was impossible to see the soil beneath it. Since it was an old growth forest I noticed trees that ranged in age from being small saplings to very old and grand trees that seemed to have lived on for many years. I noticed many canopy layers with each tree having upper levels of vegetation. There were large standing snags, which are broken trees that are usually dead. Large logs were scattered across the forest floor and in the streams. I saw plenty of fungi growing on plants, they were epiphytes and parasites. I observed a dense understory of shrubbery and an abundance of green in more shades than I could count.

Black-Tailed Deer

Harlequin Duck

As we continued to walk through the forest Bill explained to us the different mammals, birds, and vegetation that we saw on the way and what they are known as. We didn’t get to see that many mammals, due to the noise of our footsteps, but we did get to see glimpses of some animals, living in their natural habitat. We saw a black-tailed deer which was truly fascinating to observe. Bill pointed out some of the vegetation as we walked by them. They were the Spruce Fringe, the Cedar-Hemlock Tree, and (as I mentioned previously) the moss and the bog. As we stood around admiring the trees, something flew over us, all of us were kept guessing until Bill spoke up and told us that it was a Bald Eagle. Some other bird species that we got to see that day were the Common Ravens, Sandhill Cranes, Northern Saw-whet Owl, Marbled Murrelet, Trumpeter Swans, Harlequin Ducks, and some shorebirds like ducks and geese. Lastly on the tour Bill mentioned some of the fish species, the reptile species, and amphibian species in the rainforest. The common fish species was the Coho Salmon and the common amphibian species was the Clouded Salamander, the Pacific Chorus Frog, Red-legged Frog and the Pacific Tailed Frog. Due to the requirement of more heat from sunlight and drier conditions, reptiles were uncommon in the rainforest.

As the tour came to an end and we were all getting ready to leave, I stayed back, since I wanted a little more information on the wildlife, vegetation, and soil. Bill was more than happy to give me the information that I needed to extinguish my curiosity. He explained in much detail about the wildlife, vegetation, and soil not just in the temperate rainforest, but in all three parts of the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve.

VEGETATION:

Early Morning Fog Floating
Above the Bog

Spitka Spruce

Pacific Rim has a wide range of vegetation but the most noticeable species are the massive coastal spruces and firs that flourish magnificently in the ample moisture and long growing season. The main coastal species are the Sitka spruce, while cedar-hemlock, and western red cedar grow further inland. On the shoreline you will certainly find areas of bog and muskeg along with flora such as Labrador tea and bog Laurel. On the ground of old growth forests thick growths of salmonberry, huckleberry, and salal are found at the length of 2-3 meters, while in the forest floor mosses, ferns, and bunchberries are to be seen. Along flooded stream banks and cleared roadsides willows, cascara, thimbleberry, Saskatoonberry, and Nootka are found between the rocky shoreline and the forest. Where the subtidal zone is located you are sure to find kelp which grows up to be 30 metres in height.

WILDLIFE:

Red-legged Frog

Pileated Woodpecker

In the park reserve there is an abundance of land mammals in a large variety. Red squirrels, mink, martens, and raccoons are seen occasionally, while Black-tailed deers are frequently seen along the shore. Large predators like black bears, cougars, and wolves are seen during the off-season months, like in the wintertime. The birdlife in the park reserve is truly extraordinary, it includes the forest species like pileated woodpeckers and red crossbills, and shoreline species like sandpipers, gulls, diving ducks, loons, cormorants, murres, grebes, and bald eagles. Garter snakes are a common sight to see there along with leatherback turtles that are considered endangered, Pacific tree frogs, Clouded Salamander, the Pacific Chorus Frog, Red-legged Frog also inhabit the forests.

SOIL:
The soil there is rich in minerals and contains much humus. This is due to the high rainfall that filters the minerals and nutrients deep into the soil.

The Great Room

After a long and tiring yet captivating trail, my family and I hailed a cab, and soon left the rainforest behind. After another journey of 11 minutes we came back to our resort, and we were starving, it was a good thing we had had a heavy breakfast or we wouldn’t have survived the long and fruitful trail. As we returned back to the resort it was about 4:00 and it was too late for lunch. So we all decided to have an early dinner, so it was back to the Great Room for an appetizing meal. For dinner we each ordered the Island Chicken which consisted of comox valley farmhouse chicken, white bean cassoulet, balsamic glaze, and sautéed winter greens. It was absolutely magnificent.

After dinner we all retired to our bedroom, since me and my sister still had a bit of energy left within us, we decided to go to the hot tub at the resort. While in the hot tub I had thought about how nicely the day had gone by and promised myself that is I were to go on a hiking trail like that again I would wear proper shoes and socks instead of sandals so that my feet are not sore and dirty at the end of the day. Finally at about 8:00 we all got into bed and fell into a deep and peaceful sleep, why we had to recharge ourselves for Day 2 of our expedition.

Day 2: The Intertidal Area

South Beach

As my family got up all rested and reenergized the next day we were all greeted by the sweet smell of bark and wet grass. The resort was truly delightful; it had accommodated us with a luxurious room and delectable food. We had enjoyed the meals so much the day before that we again decided to go to the Great Room for breakfast. This time around, we had decided to try something different, so we all ordered the Fireside Quiche, which was a fresh baked quiche of the day served with fresh fruit, inspired ingredients, and farmer ben eggs, we were all licking our fingers at the end.

Then we all got ready to leave, for our second adventure, which was another tour but of the intertidal area, it was known as the Intertidal Exploration tour, an astonishing and truly worthwhile tour. After a 10 minute drive, we arrived at our destination which was South Beach. This time around, our tour guide was a woman, her name was Silva Johansson. She was a kind lady, with a beautiful smile, she loved to talk and was ready to answer any type of question that you had.

South Beach Rocky Shore-line

The beach stretched out many kilometres ahead of us; it seemed as if it was endless. The beach itself was a marvel on its own, its rocky beaches and the water that came up, kissed the sand and then ran back was a beautiful aqua-blue that shimmered and glittered when the sun reflected off of it. The entire scene felt as if it had come off of an artist’s canvas, it was truly a vision of ecstasy. The smell of pine in the air, the warmth of the sun and the cool breeze in the air made the trip even better.

Ochre Sea Stars

Tidepool Sculpins

Purple Sea Urchins

That day we were exploring the low tide rocky-shore line region of the beach. Silva informed us that the low tide zone is covered by water 70% of the time. There, plants and animals have to find ways to survive without water for short periods of time. In

Rockweed

order to conserve moisture, many of them close up tight or dig in. Also, since the beach had a rocky shoreline we observed many marine animals and plants on the rocks since they were holding onto them for dear life because of the constant barrage of waves coming and going. The marine animals and plants that we got to experience first-hand in their natural habitats were the Rockweed (an olive green seaweed), Ochre Sea Stars (starfish, that are actually not fish but spiny-skinned animals), Purple Sea Urchins (purple ‘pin cushions’ found under rock ledges and in tidepools), Tidepool Sculpins (tiny fish with the ability to change their colour to blend in with their tidepool), Hermit Crabs (crabs that use the shells of other creatures for armour), and the Northern Abalone (slow growing, ear-shaped marine snails).

Pretty soon, after a whole day of walking across the beach on our bare feet, capturing memories in the form of pictures, and observing different marine life in its natural habitat, the tour soon came to an end. But I still wanted to learn more and I assumed that Bill had talked to Silva, because she had come to educate me on marine life in all of the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, its landform and its climate, she even provided me a copy of the climate graph for Tofino, Vancouver Island (where Long Beach is located).

MARINE LIFE:

Harbour Seals

Beaches are home to many species such as razor clams, sea worms, and beach hoppers, while the tidal pools are alive with barnacles, mussels, hermit crabs, small fish, sea stars, and sponges. But offshore species such as halibut, sole, cod and schools of salmon feed on shrimp, plankton, and small fish. In the ocean you are to find many types of whales that include killer, gray, sperm, hump-backed and blue whales, sea lions, and harbor seals.

LANDFORM REGIONS:

Western Cordillera

The Pacific Rim reserve’s landform region is known as the Western Cordillera. The area consists of range after range of mountains that are separated by plateaus and valleys. The North American and the Pacific plates are responsible for a collision, which is the cause of uplifting the region into several different regions, all 700 kilometers wide. This is the reason why Vancouver is limited in growth and there is a small population in the cordillera due to its mountains. There are three major divisions in the Western Cordillera: Coast Mountains, Interior Plateau, and Eastern Mountains.

CLIMATE: 
The Pacific Rim reserve is located in the Pacific Maritime Ecozone. That is why it is known for its maritime climate that is reason for an abundance of heavy rains, prolonged cloudiness, and moderate temperatures. Due to its onshore flow of Pacific air, the climate is typically moist and mild. During the winter, rain storms are common, while large pressure areas off the coast are the reason for long hours of sunlight. Temperatures in winter are usually above 0°C, while in the summer the temperature rarely goes above 30°C. Also, the average annual temperature is 9.5°C and the average annual precipitation is 3270.7mm.

Climate Graph of Tofino, Vancouver Island
(where Long Beach is located). 

Surfing on Long Beach

After gathering all the knowledge that I needed to know, my father called me over to the picnic tables, so that we could have a quick lunch of ham and cheese sandwiches. We had decided that we would go up to Long Beach (which was just a fe minutes away from South Beach) and for the rest of the day, we would surf and just enjoy that beach and its exquisite atmosphere. As we watched the sun set over the now orange, mauve, and gold horizon, we all sat and rested over prune-like fingers and toes, wet hair, and tired bodies. Surfing was quite the adventure, at first it was hard, but then we all eventually got the hang of it. The ride back to the resort was quite the wait considering the fact that we were all starving! For supper we went to the Great Room again and feasted upon the Tofino Crab, which was a locally caught Dungeness crab, roasted potato wedges, and a caesar salad, it was heavenly.

Sunset on Long Beach

As I laid in bed that night, I was really excited for our third adventure tomorrow, but I was also really sad, because tomorrow was our last day in British Columbia, then it was back home, school was about to start. As I reflected on the day that had gone by, I told myself that next time when I am to go to a beach I should bring plenty of sunscreen whether the sun is shining or not to avoid even the slighest bit of sun burn. I then slowly closed my eyes, the exhaustion of that wonderful day would not let me stay awake a single second longer.

Day 3: Kwisitis Visitor Centre

The Exterior of the Kwisitis Visitor Centre

This was the last day of my family’s great expedition. We all woke up to a sweet song of the birds and the sight of the lush forest. My mother started packing right away, we were scheduled to take a flight at 6:00 P.M. and we were to leave right after our adventure for the airport. By the time we got ready and packed our bags, it was almost lunchtime, I was really hungry, but unlike the previous days we didn’t stop to eat at the Great Room, but instead we just left the resort.

As we left the resort behind my father informed us of the last destination of our great expedition, which was the Kwisitis Visitor Centre. The Kwisitis Visitor Centre is a museum and restaurant that has been built to honor the first nations that lived in that area. So after a ride that lasted 23 minutes and a hike that lasted a good 5-10 minutes

Kwisitis Feast House

we came upon the Kwisitis Visitor Centre. The Kwisitis Visitor Centre is a wooden building perched on the end of Wickaninnish Beach in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. Before exploring the museum we decided to go to the Kwisitis Feast House, which is the restaurant. There we were served authentic First Nations cuisine, which included fish soup, fish hash, bannock and fried bread; it was so enticing and delightful. Along with the delicious meal and exceptional service, we were able to enjoy the fascinating ocean views.

Giant Mural of the Whale

Replica of the Whale Hunt

After a wonderful meal we went to go explore the museum, the first thing we saw was giant mural of the whale on the wall, it was such realistic painting that it made me feel as if I was on the ocean floor listening to the majestic songs of the whale. Beside that there was an actual skull of a Gray whale, along with more photos and a story about how, many years ago biologists discovered a washed up whale on the beach. Beside the whale mural and the whale skull there was an exact replica of a First Nations longhouse. We explored the long house, and followed the interpretive signs to discover what life would have been like for the Nuu-chah-nulth people all those years ago. Then right across from the longhouse there was a replica of a whale hunt. We were told that the Nuu-chah-nulth warriors crossed the wild, icy waters of the Pacific Ocean to hunt a whale and bring back its reward to their coastal village. Along with looking at the exhibits and artifacts we got to listen to stories of the First Nations of the coast, ride a giant slug, examine tracks of bears, wolves and cougars and other critters that use the beaches, learn about the fascinating history of the west coast and find out how salmon nurture the rainforest. It was a real fun and educational trip.

First Nations Loghouse

First Nations Nature Exhibits

But pretty soon the time came for us to leave to go to the airport, at first me and my sister protested a lot, but in the end we accepted the fact that it was time for us to leave.

A Closer Look at Kwisitis Visitor Centre

Farewell

Long Beach

Old Growth Temperate Rainforest

Sitting here on the airplane, I think back to the three most amazing days of my life. Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, the Long Beach Unit gave me a lot of knowledge, experience, and most all memories. I learned about the west coast temperate rainforest, its marine life, the Nuu-chah-nulth people, the climate, vegetation, wildlife, soil, and landforms of that area. This trip is something I will treasure for the rest of my life, it was a marvelous journey, but now it is time to go home. Don’t worry, this is not the end, because everyone knows that as a chapter closes a new one begins, after all there is still the rest of the world left to explore!