My Belcarra Park/təmtəmíxʷtən Nature Journal
“The lake stretches, still and
endless, beneath a soft grey sky.”
The day started with a bit of rain, and it left a cozy and moist atmosphere. During the trip, the rain slowly faded away, leaving behind fresh scents of wet earth and pine.
Land Acknowledgement
The first thing we did was heading down to the Təmtəmíxʷtən Welcoming Pole and we participated in the land acknowledgement to show our respect and appreciation for the Indigenous Peoples who are for the lands and waters.
Nature Walk
Our first activity was our nature walk, and were able to explore and identify plants. With the help of an application on my phone that identifies plants, I found and learned about plants in a fun and educational way.
By the end of the activity, we were able to identify various plants, berries, flowers, grasses, trees, and mushrooms.
The Sandy Beach
Our second activity was exploring the small sandy beach by the Welcoming Pole, which was dotted with colourful shells and blanketed with fresh seaweeds. I also found this weird-looking dried leaf that was interesting to me.
Lake View
The view of the lake was spectacular! I was able to see the glossy mirror-like reflections, and the gentle ripples of the water.
Lunch
After that, we returned to the wooden shelter for our lunch break. We ate and stayed under the wooden shelter, and it was calming and peaceful listening to the soothing soft splashing of raindrops, and the wet rustling of grass.
The Dock
Our last activity was exploring the dock and crabbing, which was the most exciting part of the trip in my opinion. Along the dock were an abundance of marine life such as starfishes, barnacles, jellyfish, seaweeds, and seals. There were also avian animals like crows, geese, and gulls.
Crabbing
When our teacher took out the crabbing cage from the water, everyone swarmed to the cage. Inside were many Dungeness crabs, sizes ranging from a human hand to a football. We were then taught that the crabs with the wide and rounded abdomen were female, and the crabs with thinner and triangular-shaped abdomen were male.
Soon, we were allowed to hold and release the crabs back into the water. When I held a crab, it had no resistance and allowed me to hold it quite easily. After a moment of inspecting the crab, I crouched down to the edge of the dock and lowered it into the water.
Lake View
My Nature Journal
My watercolour journal serves as a reflection of our trip, capturing the stunning landscapes and buildings. I used soft and light brushstrokes that captured the soft colours of the lake and the surrounding area, and the tranquillity and peacefulness.
Using watercolour allowed me to blend colours in a way that captures the muted tones of the sky and the colourful shade of the plants. I also used pencil crayons to colour beneath the watercolour, creating sharpness and contrast to the softness of the watercolour.
Furthermore, I included notes and sketches of the plants we learned about on the trip, and I have used Kristin Link’s nature journal as a reference point to mine.
https://www.kristinlink.com/blog/2020/10/30/nature-journaling
Conclusion
All in all, this trip was wonderful and peaceful. Exploring beaches, finding fascinating plants, observing wildlife, enjoying myself in the relaxing rain, and discovering how the Indigenous Peoples care for the land and how they intertwine with nature.
“In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he sees.”
– John Muir
Online Sources Used for this Blog
For this blog, I have used Canva to format the images, and I have learned from online sources to help me create my nature journal. Here are some that I’ve been used the most:
Size Matters: Balancing Line Length And Font Size In Responsive Web Design — Smashing Magazine
How to Design a Blog: 7 Best Practices and Examples
Top 6 Cognitive Psychology Principles for UI and UX Designers
https://www.wix.com/blog/blog-design
https://backlinko.com/hub/content/blog-design