The Keeping it Living Campaign is an art & literature awareness & fundraising campaign to give everyone the opportunity to contribute to the preservation and restoration of the Courtenay River Estuary; an Online Silent Auction, Sponsorship Drive, Art Workshops and Events culminating in a MAY ART TOUR with a  GALA EVENING and BENEFIT CONCERT

Only in the Estuary by Hazel Lenox

The rain has been unrelenting for two days, the wind blasting in from the south-east. On the third day, it’s not lashing with rain and out I go. As is often the case, the river draws me. The intertidal zone where the Puntledge flows out to the ocean fascinates me. The willows along the riverside are shaking and waving their skinny fingers into the wind as I walk, head down, hood up. I reach the wooden platform with its bridge over the slough. At one time this was the sewage lagoon. I know because a friend of mine told me a story of his early days in Courtenay, some 20 years ago.

It was summer-time (ah, yes!). There wasn’t a path round the estuary then, so it was often deserted, allowing those so inclined to go skinny-dipping without fear of shocking an Albertan. My friend was of such an inclination, and after a cooling dip he lay on the wiry grass that only grows in estuaries; only for a moment, before a severe itching started. Alarmed at the severity, he was horrified to see red blotches appearing all over his body. Hightailing it home, he scrubbed himself off in the shower. Aargh.

I’m not swimming though. I’m standing on the bridge waiting for the magical moment when the tide turns. It doesn’t last too long – 5 minutes at most. The stream vigorously rushing into the lagoon, swirling food scraps towards the mergansers and ducks grazing in the shallows, imperceptibly slows, then for a few minutes it seems as if time is suspended. The waters are still. I hold my breath, then notice tiny bubbles and movement happening under the surface. The flow has reversed, the tide has turned. Within minutes water is surging out of the lagoon. The ocean will shrink away leaving sand and mud stretching for a good mile or so towards Denman and Hornby. Only in the estuary

Upcoming Events

February 20th, 3-6 pm:  Acrylic painting with Tracy Kobus ~ Explore your own personal vision of the estuary during an afternoon of creative expression through paint. The focus of the workshop will be on color, design, creativity and simply having fun.  Cost: $38 – course will run with 6 or more participants. Location: K’omoks Band Hall, 3320 Comox Road. For more info visit our calendar!

Estuary Maps

An important part of restoration and protection is knowing what you’ve got to restore or protect in the first place. Once you know what you’ve got you can plan where to spend your time and energy most efficiently. To this end the Mapping Centre, a social enterprising arm of Comox Valley Project Watershed Society, has created a series of estuary maps. The latest and greatest of which are The Courtenay River Estuary Channels – Historical Changes from 1929 to 2007, and  The Courtenay River Estuary – Anthropogenic Disturbance Sites.

The Historical Channels map captures changes in estuary channels between 1929, 1951, 1964  and 2007 through air photo analysis . It also summarizes missed opportunities from “Comox Harbour – A Plan for Conservation“ a report by Ted Burns published in 1976. The Anthropogenic Disturbance map highlights areas along the shoreline that have been modified by humans. According to the information we collected over 50%of the shoreline has been impacted by these disturbances. It also shows the patchwork nature of jurisdictional boundaries and the assortment of Crown Tenures in and around the estuary.

Both of these maps and more can be found on our Estuary Maps page or on the home page of the Mapping Centre’s website maps.projectwatershed.bc.ca.

Recreation in the Estuary – Andrew Finlay

Estuaries form where rivers greet the sea, a rich interface of fresh and saltwater teaming with life and biodiversity. It’s no wonder people choose to settle next to where nature is so generous. The Courtenay River Estuary is just such a place, the pulsing heart of the Comox First Nation’s traditional territory and the watery link between the municipalities of Comox and Courtenay. In many ways, the estuary defines the Comox Valley both topographically and spiritually, but it’s easy to take this ecological treasure for granted.

There is no better way to get reacquainted with the estuary than through non-motorized recreation, whether by foot, paddle, bike or sail. Put on your walking shoes, rollerblades or saddle up a bike and take to the Air Park for a view of the estuary shoreline keeping an eye out for blue herons, bald eagles, loons and trumpeter swans, a few of the many migrating waterfowl and shorebirds that frequent the estuary. When the tide is out, slip into rubber boots and explore the sprawling inter-tidal mud flats that for centuries have hosted a cornucopia of sea and bird life. The vast and complex system of cedar-staked fish weirs installed by the Coast Salish people, some of them dating back more than 500 years, is a testament to the important role the estuary plays in supporting herring, salmon, shellfish and crustaceans.

Paddling a sea kayak gives you a great sense of the power and beauty of this natural system as the freshwater of the Courtenay River mixes with the sea, braiding into numerous channels and threading through tufts of pondweed, Widgeon grass, Lyngby’s sedge and cattails. Harnessing the energy of the wind in a sailboat enables you to venture further out into the bay and gain a perspective on the scale of the estuary and the interconnectivity between terrestrial and marine ecosystems in the Comox Valley. To get out and smell, feel and experience nature is to appreciate it, and this will be key to safeguarding the Courtenay River Estuary into the future.