East Sooke Park is only an hour’s (35km) drive outside of downtown Victoria. You can find douglas fir tree stands, fields of ferns, links to the past, and more within its 1422 hectare expanse. I rambled and ambled there with my adventuresome friends Karsten and Nicole. Sea anemones, sword ferns, sea lions, and more lay ahead to be discovered. Onward we go.

The spring board notches are cut quite high into this stump as they cut above the twisty lower section

Karsten climbs a stump for scale. Though his dismount was more amusing.... click on this photo to open the youtube video ๐Ÿ˜‰

Oh sweet sweet coast trail.. how you beckon. We're going to keep going left.

Skunk cabbage leaves alongside a swampy section underneath a wee bridge

Owl Casting? Whatever it was.. it's been eating little birds.

Our cast of adventurers

Sea anemones

a large barnacle and mussel

crossing water

Chocolate Lily discovery

Coastal exploration

Daniel says this reminds him of the Death Star. It's a wasp's nest a few feet above high tide clinging to the underside of a rock in a sheltered location

Crab babies ๐Ÿ˜€

Into the woods and past a fort

Through the trees and out at sea. Donaldson Island

A bear's hers/his washroom?

In the rainforest where things flourish and grow ๐Ÿ˜‰