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It wasn't quite dive-into-the waves weather but
we had a great morning
on the most impressive beach on the Island.
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There were a lot of bleached logs on the beach, as all over
British Columbia.
Many logs are brought down by creek and river for the timber
trade but some get loose.When you add them to the logs that
drop into the sea as the shore erodes, you get the walls of
white tree trunks along every beach.
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There are rock islands on the beach and out in the bay. They
are a great place to stand and watch the tough surfers in their
wetsuits battle the undertow.
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After a picnic lunch we stopped to visit Cathedral Grove, an
ancient stand of Douglas firs which has been preserved as an example
of old growth forest. More
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There are some very old and some newer trees.
Because of a windstorm ten years ago, some of the bigger trees
came down, allowing others to grow and smaller
plants to flourish.
There is a big notice at the entry warning visitors to leave
at once if there is strong wind.
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Some trees have had to be cut to free up the paths. We counted
250 rings on this one.
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This is one of the newest trees in this area of the forest....
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...and this is the oldest, about 800 years old.
It began to grow around the time of the Crusades, centuries before
Columbus came by the other coast.
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Resiliant things, Douglas firs.
The lump of wood on the right is a damaged stump that has survived
by becoming parasitic on the tree on the left
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Under these huge trees are drifts of tiny, delicate flowers...
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...and lots of these huge black slugs.
This one has been baptised Erwin the Lightening slug.
..??..
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This evening we are on our way to the capital city of British
Columbia, Victoria.
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Yesterday
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Tomorrow
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