Iona Beach Photowalk

This morning John and I headed out to Iona Beach in Richmond for a brisk Sunday walk.

I have profiled Iona before thanks to Stewart Marshall who contributed a guest post. The regional park consists of several kilometers of sandy beaches sandwiched by Fraser River outlets. As we set out, the warm sea air rolled across the sand dunes, weaving its way through the vegetation.

Airplanes took off and landed at YVR to the South, where you can walk out along the pipeline. We hung a right along the Northern shoreline and out to a spit along the Fraser River, across from UBC and the Endowment Lands.

There is a curious mix of river industry debris blended with whatever the Georgia Straight tides rolls in. We walked between century-old logs, washed up truck tires, old fishing nets and styrofoam pebbles dancing in the wind.

A bald eagle soared overhead as glistening tidal pools rippled in the breeze. After about 2 hours of walking on the sand we could feel its soft impact in our legs — but the trek was well worth it.

The next time we visit Iona it will hopefully be at dusk so we can witness the sun tucking itself behind the snow-capped peaks on Vancouver Island.