Porpoise Bay Provincial Park

IUCN Category II - National Park

Park entrance

The Porpoise Bay Provincial Park is a 61 hectare Provincial Park in the Canadian province of British Columbia. The park lies on Sechelt Inlet on the Sunshine Coast, about 4 kilometers north of Sechelt. He is to be reached with a short detour inland from Highway 101. The park is located in the Sunshine Coast Regional District.

Plant

The small park adjacent to the outskirts of Sechelt. The park itself is characterized by large areas of grass and the sandy beach.

In the park is a protected area category II (National Park).

History

A first portion of the area was made already in 1966 by a local family at a recreation area. As Provincial Park he was then set up in 1971 and enlarged it. In the 200 year its boundaries were redefined, while widening the park easily.

Flora and Fauna

The park is located in the sphere of temperate rainforest. Within the ecosystem of British Columbia, the park area of the Coastal Douglas Fir zone is assigned. This Biogeoklimatischen zones are characterized by a respective same climate and the same or similar biological and geological conditions. This results in the respective zones then a very similar inventory of plants and animals.

Here grows next to the Douglas fir, the Nootka cypress, the Western Hemlock ( in the English language "Coastal Western Hemlock "), and the alder and maple. The trees here in the park no longer part by past forestry industry use the original vegetation of the area, it is called secondary forest. Therefore, they are not, how else spread in temperate rainforest very, covered with epiphytic lichens and mosses. However, the forest has also an understory of sword fern and ericaceous. The spread in many parts of the province of Pacific Dogwood blossoms, the coat of arms plant of British Columbia, can be found as well.

The tidal range of the Strait of Georgia continues also in the Sechelt Inlet. He is here as a rule, however, less than about 1 meter directly in front of the entrance to the Inlet. The reason for the somewhat lower tidal range is located in the Skookumchuck Narrows. At low tide it is possible to see at the beach mussel beds and other marine creatures. Represented at fishing here is also the Pacific salmon, mainly with the subspecies Silver Salmon ( Coho Salmon engl. ) and chum salmon (English Chum Salmon). The mussels and fish lure ospreys and bald eagles. The only sparsely populated hinterland of the park, there are also black bears, bobcats, and cougars. Many bird species in the park area. Including the national bird of British Columbia, the Steller.

Activities

The Sechelt Inlet is popular with paddlers. It is the starting point for tours on Sechelt Inlet. Also, the park hikers serves as a starting point for tours to Mount Richardson Provincial Park.

Due to the abundance of fish of Sechelt Inlet, the park is also popular with the called learning.

In addition to a picnic area, the park has 84 ( partially reservable ) pitches for caravans and tents and has sanitary facilities with showers.

Adjacent parks

If you follow the access road to the park further north, you reach after about 7 kilometers to also on Sechelt Inlet lying Mount Richardson Provincial Park. Along the running in the east-west direction of Highway 101 are the next Provincial Park to the east of Robert Creek Provincial Park and Mount Elphinstone Provincial Park. To the west are the next parks in the Sargeant Bay Provincial Park and then, after the Smuggler Cove Marine Provincial Park, the Francis Point Provincial Park.