Mitlenatch Island is a small rocky island that features semi-arid conditions caused by the island’s location in the “rain shadow” of Vancouver Island. The park receives less than 75 cm (30 inches) of rain each year – about half the Campbell River average. Rain-bearing clouds pass eastward from the Pacific Ocean and drop much of their moisture on Vancouver Island. As they descend across the Strait of Georgia, they warm and pick up new moisture, which will be dropped on the Coast Mountains of mainland British Columbia.

Accessible by boat only, Mitlenatch Island Nature Provincial Park offers excellent opportunities to observe and photograph wildflowers and birds. Visit in May when the island’s meadows of spring wildflowers are in bloom, or in late May to July when the harvest brodiaea blooms and in the last half of June when the coastal cactus bloom.

History

Mitlenatch Island is within the traditional territories of Coast Salish and Kwakwakaʼwakw First Nations. Mitlenatch is an indigenous word with a number of meanings. In Coast Salish it has been translated to mean “calm waters all around”. Perhaps the most descriptive meaning comes from the Tla’amin language where “metl” meant calm and “nach” meant posterior. Calm (waters) behind is an apt description of the island during stormy weather. To the Kwagiulth people “mah-kwee-lay-lah” meant “it looks close, but seems to move away as you approach it”.

Traditionally, Mitlenatch was used by Indigenous peoples for foraging and gathering, including egg collecting, camas harvesting, and fishing. Traditional fishing weirs can still be seen during low tide in Camp Bay.

Mitlenatch was once owned by the Manson family of Cortes Island, who raised cattle and sheep on the island. Cattle were butchered on the island and the meat rowed to Comox; sheep were ferried to the island in spring and removed in late autumn. To discourage “mutton pickers”, the family lived on the island in a driftwood cabin during 1892. Today, nothing remains of the Manson’s activities.

In 1959, the Province of British Columbia purchased Mitlenatch from the Manson family estate and in 1961 it was designated as a Provincial Nature Park.

In addition to being a provincial park, Mitlenatch is one of 600 internationally recognized Important Bird Area (IBA) in Canada.

Nesting Birds

Mitlenatch Island Nature Provincial Park is home to the largest seabird colony in the Strait of Georgia. This nature reserve is an important nesting colony for thousands of Glaucous-winged Gulls, as well as Pelagic Cormorants, Pigeon Guillemots, Black Oystercatchers and many other species of birds.

Read more about the different species of nesting birds.

Flowers

From late April, Mitlenatch’s meadows flower with a procession of blooms. Early spring sea blush, fawn lilies, camas, shooting stars, and chocolate lilies are quickly followed by tiger lilies, stonecrops, wild onions, bluebells, fireweed and brodiaeas.

By late summer the show is over; dry grass turns golden and the meadows rattle with seedpods.

Snakes

Don’t be alarmed if you see a large, dark snake on Mitlenatch Island. These are harmless Western Terrestrial Garter Snakes, some of the largest garter snakes in British Columbia. On Mitlenatch they may grow to more than 90 cm (36 inches). Dark grey with black markings, they blend into the rocks along the beach, where they are often seen sunning, swimming and feeding on small fish such as sculpins and blennies.

Marine Mammals

Mitlenatch is a favourite haul out for Harbour Seals and our two species of sea lions, Northern (Steller’s) and California. Harbour Seals find safe haven on the island for pupping during the summer months. Sea lions are generally present only in late autumn until late spring. River Otter can often be seen swimming close to shore. Harbour Porpoise and Killer Whales are frequently seen off shore. Killer Whales, which move quickly, hugging the island, are mainly “transient” whales hunting Harbour Seals. These whales eat marine mammals, in contract to the local resident Killer Whales, which eat salmon.

Marine Life

Low tide reveals a brilliant mosaic of intertidal life on the island’s rocky shores. Explore tide pools to find colourful small fish and marine invertebrates, including sponges, sea anemones, and sea stars (at least 12 species of sea stars have been found here).

Eelgrass beds in shallow bays are rich with small fish, such as shiners, pipefish, sculpins, sand dabs and greenling.

Geology

The bedrock of Mitlenatch Island is a volcanic basalt that formed from lava. The large, light coloured granite boulders scattered on Mitlenatch Island are glacial erratics, dragged by ice from the last ice age, from nearby Bute Inlet. Fragmented limestone can be seen on top of the basalt in many locations.

Climate

Due to prevailing summer westerlies and the rain shadow effect of the high mountains of Vancouver Island, this rocky island receives less than 75 cm (30 inches) of rain each year. In summer, almost desert-like conditions are ideal for sun-loving plants, including Prickly Pear Cactus, which can be seen on the rocks on the upper trail from Northwest Bay to the bird blind.

Trees

The shallow dry soils of Mitlenatch are not well suited to trees. Recent suppression from fires (which occasionally swept the island historically) has allowed shore pines to colonize the meadows. Other trees on the island include Douglas-fir, bitter cherry, Scouler’s willow, black hawthorn, red alder, and trembling aspen.