“This is paradise for kids,” declared Caroline Tourigny, who was one happy camper — literally — when she lucked out and found a spot to pitch her tent at the Central Saanich beach last Thursday.
It was a spur-of-the-moment decision for the beaming mom, who brought her daughter Emma Rose, 5, to learn about edible plants from Capital Regional District park naturalists.
They came for one of the free CRD programs at the beach. The next drop-in event at the 48-hectare site, Feeling Crabby, will focus on red, green, purple and hairy crabs on Thursday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The park’s self-contained RV and tent campground is a bonus, one of many at the long, family-friendly seascape notable for its dunes, easy hiking trails, picnicking, swimming, beachcombing and birdwatching.
It’s also one of the few places in the capital region where horse riders can safely canter in a traffic and development-free area. Indeed, the sight of equestrians in the morning mist is a spectacle in itself.
“It’s a giant crab city!” exclaimed Erick Caraveo, 9, seemingly oblivious to the panoramic views of Haro Strait, James Island and Mount Baker as he focused on the movements of crabs in a saltwater-filled hole encircled by rocks.
Erick and his brother Alan, 7, were accompanied by their Mexico-born mother, Lety, her sister-in-law Lorena Caraveo, visiting from Cancun, and her children Danna, 6, and Karla, 8.
They, too, came for the edible plants program but couldn’t tear themselves away from the beach — even if, as Lorena noted, the water was much colder and its appearance much different from Cancun’s.
“We don’t have as many pebbles,” she said. “But it’s very beautiful, and the crabs are keeping the kids so happy.”
Several well-behaved dogs gamboling along the shore or chasing sticks tossed into the emerald sea appeared equally euphoric.
For Elsa Crealock, 13, and her father, Wes, Island View Beach was the perfect spot for a family reunion with her grandparents and other family members who now live in China.
“It’s lovely here,” said grandpa John Gravatt, visiting from Suffolk, England, with his wife, Alison.
“The kids provide a house and we come and use it, and the son-in-law cooks!” said Alison as the couple relaxed, soaking up the sunshine in what Wes described as their go-to destination for international guests.
Alexandra Miller, who had travelled from Crofton with her husband, James, and their 21-month-old daughter, Dahlia, visited the Butchart Gardens before coming to the beach for some fun in the sun.
The couple said it was an ideal getaway for their three dogs — Elwood, a six-month-old mastiff, Alfie, a Frenchie mix, and Cleo, a Heinz 57.
“These guys have already had their walk, so they’re in cool-down mode,” said James as the playful pooches occasionally took refuge in the shade of an elaborate driftwood fort.
“I used to come here when I was young,” James recalled, before the family ventured into the shallow waters of the location that has become increasingly popular since it was featured in the Fox series Gracepoint.
Munching an apple and striking a yoga pose by the shore, Mia Lauzon was the picture of contentment farther down the beach.
“I finished work at noon, so it’s a nice long afternoon and I felt like tailgating,” said Lauzon, who cooked vegetables from nearby Michells Farm for lunch.
“This is kind of my Friday,” said the recreation worker, who works with Bricks 4 Kidz and teaches children to build and design unique creations using Lego bricks.
Dutchman Dirk Riedstra and his wife, Grace, who worked at Purdy’s Chocolates in Victoria for 15 of her 40 years spent in Canada, said Island View Beach was the next best thing to having lived in Parksville.
“We come here often,” said the Sidney-based retiree as he lounged in a Canadian flag-decorated chair, appreciating a sight the couple said should never be taken for granted.
