At this point on the coast there is often only one major tide per day, and you can spend several hours waiting for it to recede if you arrive at the wrong time. The best local tide chart to consult is the one issued for Tofino. Although orcas live in these waters year-round, the best time for spotting grey whales is during their annual migration in March and April, when they are en route to Alaska from their breeding grounds in Baja, Mexico. California and Steller sea lions appear from August to March as they follow migrating fish stocks. You'll almost always spot from these beaches the smooth-domed head of a curious harbour seal bobbing offshore.
Bears are unpredictable creatures, especially when they emerge hungry from winter denning.
If you see one, back away slowly. Spring and fall present remarkable opportunities to view birds as they travel along the Pacific Flyway. Not to be outdone, BC Wildlife Watch has a viewing station at the Morrell Wildlife Sanctuary in Nanaimo . Wildflowers don't return in the fall like birds, so you must be on site in the spring to appreciate them. The south side of Cowichan Lake is a particularly pretty place to be, including the Honeymoon Bay Wildflower Ecological Reserve , where pink easter lilies begin blooming in late April, surrounded by dozens more blossoms that continue to perfume the air and colour the landscape throughout the summer.