Hornby Island
...finding shark teeth fossils.

Alex Discovers Vancouver Island

We hunted for fossils on Hornby Island on a dull wet day ---fossils of sharks teeth and other fossils from the Triassic period are common on the island.

There are lots of Karmutsen Triassic period rock on Vancouver Island and Hornby Island got it’s share. When this volcanic rock was thrown up out of the ocean it trapped thousands of sea bed animals and locked them in time, their fossils giving us a picture of ocean life 230 million years ago (1).

It sure wasn’t a day for the beach to build sand castles so we opted to join the fossil hunters. We drove to the end of Savoie, off Central road and walked down a pathway onto the rocky beach at low tide.

We were glad we wore old runners to splash through the water and across the sharp rocks. Our guide also had specimens of fossils.

Hornby Island, off the east coast of Vancouver Island is accessible by means of two ferry trips starting at Buckley Bay Petro-Canada, 75 km north of Nanaimo on Highway 19A. The location of the ferry dock is clearly marked on BC19, the new island highway from Victoria to Campbell river.

The first ferry takes one to Denman island, the second leaves Gravelly Bay at the south east end of Denman island. Just follow the cars when leaving the ferry or lead them across the island turning left at the top side of Denman village, following Denman road then turning south on East road.

Alternative route is turn right on Lacon road and left on McFarlane, then right on East road. There’s usually a string of cars racing for the Hornby Island ferry. Remember the last ferry from the island is six pm in the summer. Yes there are B and Bs on the island but if you really want to spend a few days find lodgings before you go---http://hornbyisland.net.

There are several beautiful beaches, the most popular being Tribune Bay, a Provincial Park. Be aware that Little Tribune Beach, next to it, is a nudist beach.

Both these beaches face south and provide both sunbathing and swimming. Tribune is a great place for a family with clean white sands for kids to build castles. It’s fairly sheltered for a boat to anchor but beware of the south east Qualicum winds.

There is no overnight camping at either Tribune Bay or Helliwell provincial parks,

Hornby Island is an artists paradise and many of its residents are artists from the "hippy" generation of the 70s.

On market day on Saturday, near the community hall, one can pick through a wide range of arts and crafts or visit the numerous art galleries and potteries.

Fishing on Hornby Island:

If it’s fishing you want, the waters off the island are still a fisherman’s dream world. Mooch for coho (silvers) or troll deep for spring salmon that may weigh in at over forty pounds. In the eighties the fishing was awesome, limits could be caught in a couple of hours.

But they are still there --- watch for the terns diving onto herring shoals ---that’s where the coho are. There’s a marina at Ford’s cove ---I caught a big ling cod there two years ago---on a buzz bomb. Read your regulations carefully--- I released it when I found they are catch and release.

Hire a guide for salmon. He knows where the best spots are and will provide the tackle.

One can spend a week on this lovely island --- On the beach --- seeking fossils ---walking the trails --- or fishing for salmon.

Our Thanks to Alex for another inside Vancouver Island discovery: and there is nothing to stop you doing the same thing!

[Ref:(1) R. Ludvigsen and G Reard. West Coast Fossils. 2nd edition. Harbor Publishing 1998]