We scooped a map of the East Sooke Regional Park from Sooke Tourist Info and then went off for a long walk.

We started from the Becher Bay parking lot by a few apple trees in what used to be the Aylard Farm.We have done this hike twice; once in the fall and once in the spring, with noticeably different vegetation action such as ferns unfurling…Wild orchids in bloom……and Arbutus trees as well. In the fall the ocean had a salt haze; noisy seagulls were setting up a screeching ruckus.
Succulents were coming into their own.
Sign to the petroglyph(s).
A drawing of the petroglyph; a seal on a rock I think.The actual petroglyph.
I have a few too many shots of Arbutus trees (my favourite tree) so have just selected a few.Around this spot we met a photographer who had seen “maybe a crane; I should have brought along my bird book, I always forget.” He told us about another photo he had taken in the area, “a sleeping sea lion, its hands on its stomach, having a luxurious nap – sold a few of those.”At this point the trail got tricky and my knee started acting up, so I sat down and sketched a fallen Arbutus tree while Al carried on.Back at the parking lot we talked with a couple from California. They were having a lot of fun; were surprised at all the building going on. They laughed at the locals who were all on ‘island time’ saying, “Everyone drives so slowly here”.More on Travelling around BC.