Saanichton Bay - A Perfectly Peaceful Spot
Living at Turgoose Point Estates reminds us how lucky we are to live on southern Vancouver Island - one of the most diverse and liveable places on earth!
'Best described as a strip of trees and shore-line that provides green-space to a residential area, Saanichton Bay Park is a little known treasure. Explored from a paved path overlooking the water or from the foreshore, you will often find waterfowl and bald eagles here. This is a very easy, short walk. At the south end, the Sandhill Creek estuary mixes fresh water with salt. Whenever two habitats come together like this, there is always an increase in plants and animals because of the mixing. If waterfowl are paddling away from the shore, look up ... a bald eagle may be perched nearby.
The huge Cordova Spit across the bay, shelters the waters from southerly winds. Beyond the Spit is James Island, now privately owned. Tread carefully, but explore the mixed cobble and sand beach of Saanichton Bay. Various fish lay their eggs in the cobble areas. This provides food for many small creatures and is ultimately important to salmon population. Some salmon are very important to Orca, therefore keep an eye out for the killer whales! To the north, Saanichton Bay is protected by the rocky Turgoose Point. Overhanging firs provide perches for eagles, and Arbutus trees cling to the bank. The rocks can be slippery if wet, but provide a whole new environment to explore. Fishing from the dock at the end of James Island Road is popular.'
Reproduced in part, with kind permission from Frank Gee,The Seaside Times.
Some Useful Distances:
Convenience Store: 0.6km
Saanich Peninsula Hospital: 1.8km
Thriftys Grocery (Brentwood Bay shopping centre): 2.7km
Victoria Int'l Airport: 4.5km
Panorama Leisure Centre: 4.7km
Town of Sidney: 5.7km
BC Ferries: 10.8km
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