Coles Bay Regional Park

Indigenous history

• Long before European settlement, the territory of the Saanich (W̱SÁNEĆ) First Nations encompassed the shores of the Saanich Peninsula, the San Juan Islands, and the lower Gulf Islands.

• The Saanich people moved with the seasons, harvesting seasonal foods like camas bulbs, reef-netting salmon, and gathering shellfish according to the rhythms of the wind and tide.

• Summer camps consisted of temporary pole structures covered in woven mats, while in winter, the Saanich retreated to the sheltered waters of Brentwood, Coles, Patricia, and Saanichton Bays. There, they constructed permanent dwellings from carved cedar planks and posts (source: CRD brochure 1984).
  

How Coles Bay got its name

• The bay and park were named in honour of John Coles, who served as a midshipman aboard the Royal Navy vessel HMS Thetis when it visited the bay in 1851 (source).
  

Establishment

• Coles Bay Regional Park was officially established in 1966 to preserve this unique coastal forest and beach habitat for public recreation and conservation (source).

Forest layers

• Canopy layer: Towering century-old Douglas firs make up about half of the upper canopy, alongside grand fir, broadleaf maple, and western red cedar.

• Cascara trees also thrive in the moist shade; historically, cascara bark was used for its medicinal laxative qualities.

• Shrub layer: Dense thickets of Osoberry, the first forest shrub to bloom in spring, line the paths alongside snowberry, salal, sword fern, and Oregon grape.

• Ground cover: Spring brings a carpet of wildflowers, including starflower, buttercups, and edible miner's lettuce (which gold miners once ate to ward off scurvy).

• Near Cole Creek, moisture-loving horsetails and feathery stairstep moss flourish (source: CRD brochure 1984 – note: this information was gathered over forty years ago so some of these species may no longer exist in the park).
  

Birds & marine life

• Birdwatching: Forest and coastal birds frequently spotted in the park include the Barred owl, Mourning dove, Swainson's thrush, Brown creeper, and Western flycatcher (source).

• Beach & marine life: The south-facing beach features barnacle-covered rocks, gravel, and mudflats where clams and worms burrow at low tide.

• Because Saanich Inlet is sheltered, summer surface water temperatures in the bay can reach 18°C, making it a favorite spot for swimming.

• Offshore, harbour seals can often be seen playing or feeding on salmon during the autumn salmon runs (source: CRD brochure 1984, source, source, source).