Exploring the coastline regional parks near Nanoose, BC

It's windy today and not really safe for the canoe on open waters so Adam and I drive along the rocky coast and visit small community parks. We have stopped at the Parksville tourist bureau and picked up some maps to go along with Adam's mother's advice. Our daughter works in the regional park planning office so her suggestions lead us to explore beautiful and interesting places, some still in the process of development. This part of the coast has filled up with many folks from cities and they have more varied expectations of their environment from the regular more industrial users of the land. Small regional parks like these are being developed and happily populated by families, joggers, walkers, scuba divers and, in our case, grandparents and their summer relatives. And what a great experience it is to explore the rocky headlands and beaches, backed by arbutus and fir clad slopes and dry summer grasses.

Adam tries fishing from some low tide rocks but somehow the possibility that he might actually snag a large fish on his homemade rod limits his fishing time this morning and we drive on to new parks. We take a timer selfie on a headland and this is so interesting that he determines to have a camera and small tripod too. All these activities and experiences.... you never know when one of them might stick with him into later years.