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For The Love of Nature
On northwest Vancouver Island, on a wilderness route that weaves through the thick, verdant forests, lies the historically fascinating village of Zeballos. This former gold rush community is tucked at the head of a long narrow inlet whose tidal waters pour out into the Pacific Ocean. On the three-hour journey from Campbell River, you pass through vast hillsides of reforested land, while the views of sparkling Nimpkish River with the mountains of Strathcona Park as a backdrop, will having you reaching for your camera at every turn. In the later summer, when the fish return to the river to spawn, black
bears prowl the estuary, feasting on salmon, while eagles circle overhead, ready to swoop
down for the scraps. The bears can be easily and safely observed from the wide comfortable
deck of Mason's Motor Lodge or from the old wood A guide-led walking tour of this quaint village takes you by the many false-front buildings, a legacy of the once bustling mining town. A van tour includes a visit to the old cemetery which locals claim has a resident ghost, a stop at the famous New Privateer Gold Mine and a look at the former working site of the Zeballos Iron Mine. Crossing the river allows for magnificent views of Mount Zeballos and the snow-encrusted Rugged Mountain. If the tide is right, there is a great photo opportunity to capture the vivid purple and orange starfish that abound in the estuary. Look up, and you will often see eagles perched in favorite trees. Throughout the late spring and summer months the chances are good that huge black bears will amble across the road! Ducks, swans and a host of other wildlife frequent the river at various times of the year, so there is always a reason to have your camera ready. Further exploration includes a five-hour marine tour down Zeballos Inlet to the very edge of the Pacific Ocean. Rocks covered with dozing sea lions and sheltered bays where endearing sea otters pop up to observe your passage, are part of the rich marine life on Vancouver Island's west coast. The beauty of the area and its magnificent isolation will evoke within you the feelings of the early explorers who first came upon this scene. Morgan Ostler is an adventure-tour, travel agency operator and writer
in Campbell River, British Columbia. She is a frequent contributor to Vancouver Island
Abound. © Morgan Ostler |
If you yearn to view the ferocious black
bear in a wilderness river setting, gaze at eagles screaming overhead for scraps of the
salmon bounty, observe dense flocks of humming birds darting from flower to flower
thoughout a rustic village, then a trip to Zeballos will fulfill the desires of the most
avid nature lover.
bridge that
spans the river. Mason's is a charmingly rustic establishment whose staff present evening
orientation to familiarize guests about the area's rich mining history as well as its
native Indian heritage.
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