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Discovering Kwilakm
  • Discovering Kwilákm
  • About
  • Get Involved
  • Changing Climate
    • Hotter Ocean Temperatures
    • Changing Ocean Chemistry
    • Rising Sea Levels and Intensifying Winter Storms
    • When Seashore Temperatures Spike – Killer Heat Dome 2021
  • Terminal Creek
    • Where does Terminal Creek’s Water Come From?
    • Signal Crayfish
    • Terminal Creek Fish Hatchery
  • The Lagoon
    • The Tidal Inlet that became the Lagoon
    • Aquatic Plants
    • Chum Salmon
    • The Beaver
    • Canada Geese
    • Three-Spined Stickleback
  • Shores
    • Nearshore Forests
    • Beaches
    • The Terminal Creek Sand Flats
    • The Curious Clay Beds of Kwilákm
    • Blue Mussels
    • Clams
    • Purple Stars
    • Oysters in Kwilákm
  • Shallows
    • Eelgrass
    • Young Chum Salmon
    • Winter Bay Birds
    • Year-Round Bay Birds
  • Deeper Waters
    • Plankton
    • Northern Anchovy
    • Harbour Seal
    • Octopus
Conservancy logoBowen Island Conservancy
    • About
    • Get Involved
  • Discovering Kwilákm
    • About
    • Get Involved
  • Changing Climate
    • Hotter Ocean Temperatures
    • Changing Ocean Chemistry
    • Rising Sea Levels and Intensifying Winter Storms
    • When Seashore Temperatures Spike – Killer Heat Dome 2021
  • Terminal Creek
    • Where does Terminal Creek’s Water Come From?
    • Signal Crayfish
    • Terminal Creek Fish Hatchery
  • The Lagoon
    • The Tidal Inlet that became the Lagoon
    • Aquatic Plants
    • Chum Salmon
    • The Beaver
    • Canada Geese
    • Three-Spined Stickleback
  • Shores
    • Nearshore Forests
    • Beaches
    • The Terminal Creek Sand Flats
    • The Curious Clay Beds of Kwilákm
    • Blue Mussels
    • Clams
    • Purple Stars
    • Oysters in Kwilákm
  • Shallows
    • Eelgrass
    • Young Chum Salmon
    • Winter Bay Birds
    • Year-Round Bay Birds
  • Deeper Waters
    • Plankton
    • Northern Anchovy
    • Harbour Seal
    • Octopus

Photo: Will Husby

Shores

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  • Introduction
  • Map of the Shores
  • Explore Further
Discover Kwilakm » Story » Shores » Shores

This zone consists of two segments: dry land (beaches and forest) adjacent to the water and the intertidal zone that is flooded by high tide twice each day.

The exposed bedrock of the cobble/boulder shoreline and shallows provides ideal habitat for barnacles,  mussels and rockweed.

Map: Will Husby

Shores Map

Click below to highlight each area on the map.

Cobble Boulder
Clam Beds
Oyster Habitat
Beaches
Forest
Shallows

Twice daily the tide comes in and twice daily it goes out again. The difference between high and low tide can be as much as five metres.

High Tide
Low tide

High and low tide seen from the Causeway. Sea level may change up to five metres in heigh and the sea may retreat as much as 100 metres. Photos: Bob Turner

Low tides expose many marine creatures . This is when land animals like crows join foraging gulls turning over rocks for crabs and digging holes looking for succulent clams.

The bay’s small beaches not only attract human bathers in the summer months, they are year round resting places for resident water birds and weary migrants who stop by to forage for a meal.

Least Sandpiper on Sandy Beach. Photo:Will Husby

More About Shores

  • Shores
  • Nearshore Forests
  • Beaches
  • The Terminal Creek Sand Flats
  • The Curious Clay Beds of Kwilákm
  • Deep Bay Brickyards
  • Blue Mussels
  • Clams
  • Purple Stars
  • Oysters in Kwilákm
  • Does Kwilákm Have Two Species of Oyster?
  • Oyster are Pretty Awesome Creatures
  • Oysters and People
  • Oyster Harvesting: Health and Safety


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The Bowen Island Conservancy is a BC society and registered Canadian Charity.

Our charitable registration number is 867.261.299.RR001.

Mailing address: P.O. Box 301, Bowen Island, BC  V0N 1G0
Email address: info@bowenislandconservancy.org
Phone number: 604.612.6572

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