Looking for a great summer destination? Why not make a trip to the Saanich Peninsula, the cycling capital of Canada. Sooke, a small fishing town on Vancouver Islands' southwestern edge, was originally inhabited by the T'sou-ke, a group related to the Salishan First Nations, who found the mild climate and sea access ideal. Today, these same attributes bring boaters, bikers and casual visitors from around the globe. Salt air adventurers love this small hamlet for its quaint charm and easily explored beaches. Those interested in marine life, both living and long extinct, can poke around the tidepools and well preserved marine fossils near the seaside exposures at Muir Creek.
Along the beachfront, you can find blocks of late Oligocene, 20-25 million year old, sandstone full of fossil clams, mammal material, urchins, coral, chitin and limpets, many of which will look familiar as you've seen their modern relatives.
Great Blue herons and Eastern Harbour seals are frequent visitors to these shores, feasting on the bounty of the shallow waters and sunbathing on the rocks. Whether you make a day of it or just a twenty minute luxurious beach stroll, you'll be rejuvenated by a visit to these sandy shores.
