Hot Springs Cove

Last Sunday's post I described a boat trip up the coast north from Tofino heading to Maquinna Provincial Marine Park. When we got off the little boat and recovered somewhat (!) we enjoyed a magnificent walk through the dense rainforest. At the end of the trail was this little river running down through the rocks forming the hot springs. It was incredibly hot and the smell was like boiled eggs; very sulfery. However, once you were in them, all warm and relaxed, with the waves crashing in the distance, it was truly worth it. - Fern

Another Spring

This photo so full of rich greens can serve as a suitable introduction to the next few days' posts. It's from a trip out to Goldstream Park last Friday when I realized that autumn in the rain forest here is very like spring in the incredible burgeoning of plant life. The mosses and lichens of course are thriving in the cool wetness much more than during summer's dry heat. But it is really the mushrooms, molds and other fungi that that caught my attention recently. They're popping up everywhere in all sorts of brilliant colors and odd shapes. Those in the photo below may serve as an example. Anyone know what they are? (*see note below)December 11, 2010: While browsing through an excellent local nature blog, "Island Nature" about nature on Vancouver Island, I came across a short article about this fungus. It's called Carbon Antlers or Candlesnuff Fungus (Xylaria hypoxylon).

Rain Forest

Two weeks ago I posted a couple of photos of a waterfall in Goldstream Provincial Park, just outside Victoria. One of the most daunting aspects of a trip to Goldstream is that the forest is so overwhelming. It is such a rich, lush, busy chaotic environment it is very difficult to capture in a photograph. However, I offer these two photographs as a first attempt to picture some of our local rain forest. Above is a fairly typical bit of the forest and below is the waterfall in context.