Nature Canada

Whiffen Spit, one of Sooke’s special treasures

This blog is written by guest blogger Tiffany Huggins. 

Whiffen Spit is a quiet waterfront community in Sooke, British Columbia . It is noted for its coastal tranquility, picturesque scenery, and bird watching activities.

Lengthwise, Whiffen Spit extends almost one mile and reaches into Sooke Harbor and the Pacific Ocean. Since one of its points is bridged to the larger landmass, it is not considered an island. However, it is flanked on both sides by Sooke Basin and Juan de Fuca Strait, respectively.

Image of Whiffen Spit

Flickr Photo by Tracy O (CC BY-SA 2.0)

You can walk to the tip in about 30 minutes, and explore the nature and wildlife habitat. Traversing on foot, you will notice a track leading into the beaches. On the trail there are residents who come to walk their dogs and visitors discovering this side of the coast off-the-beaten-path.

Along the route, you will see the ocean and Olympic Mountain in Washington state. Along with these amazing mountain views, the region is also appreciated for it spectacular sunsets. A number of family owned cottages and guesthouses cater to travelers and hosts are usually eager to share information about the native flora and fauna in the area.

An estimated 500 birds flocked to Whiffen Spit shore; some resides here throughout the year while others stop over during their annual migration period in spring and fall. Among them are the Bald Eagles, a variety of ducks, herons, swan, quail, the South American Owl and the Canada Goose. Other wildlife here includes Sea Lions and seals which you can commonly to see basking on tree branches close to shore and on the warm rocks.

Whiffen Spit is one of those places that doesn’t seem to garner a lot of noises with regards to its setting and attributes but when you see it you are pleased to have come. Not to say that residents aren’t proud of the spit. Blasé perhaps since the beautiful landscape abounds in British Columbia. In an article by Elida Peers, she did however described the Whiffen Spit as one of Sooke’s special treasures and I couldn’t agree more.

Below is a map of where this fantastic trail can be found!

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