A Day in Dodd Narrows: Help protect ecologically important habitat on Vancouver Island
The message barely flashes across your phone before you immediately jump into action, grabbing your gear and running out the door. Jittering with excitement at the opportunity to see orcas from shore in one of the coolest places on Vancouver Island.
You arrive at the Cable Bay Trail trailhead and begin the beautiful hike through Garry Oak meadows and old-growth evergreens. Passing other hikers, you share the excitement: " Orcas are coming.”
At the end of the trail, you head towards the rocky shoreline. Oyster shells litter the ground. A small group has formed on the rocks, looking down Stuart Channel for blows. Across the water, just 100 meters away, more people have gathered on Mudge Island. Everyone, here to see the orcas. Someone calls out, “They’re here” and suddenly…
T46Bs in Dodd Narrows. Photo credit: Kendra Nelson
Whale Watching from Shore: Dodd Narrows
Dodd Narrows is located between Mudge Island and Vancouver Island, just south of the Nanaimo River estuary. This area is an important habitat, home to hundreds of terrestrial and aquatic species, but one species has made it an incredibly popular whale watching location: orcas.
Transient orcas often travel through Dodd Narrows, to/from the Southern Gulf Islands. Local whale lovers, naturalists, and sightings networks help visitors a chance to watch these incredible predators travel through the narrows, sometimes just feet away from the rocky shore.
T19s, T36Bs, T60D + T60E,T19s ,T75Bs ,T124C & T49A2. Photo credit: Kendra Nelson
Dodd Narrows is a dynamic food web. Throughout the intertidal zone you can spot anemones, sea stars, algae, crabs, oysters, and more. This area is also a corridor for migrating salmon. These fish are important for humans and wildlife all along the coastline, especially the SRKW. During migration seasons, the salmon attract predators such as sea lions and harbor seals, who feast on the fish.
Photo Credits: Kendra Nelson, Aly Kohlman
While it is not as common to see Southern Residents travel through Dodd Narrows, in April of 2024, J Pod traveled North and South through Dodd and it was a sight to see! Aly Kohlman, naturalist and content creator, was there and captured this spectacular footage.
Video of J Pod in Dodd Narrows - Provided by Aly Kohlman
The Cable Bay Trail: A Gateway to Nature
To access Dodd Narrows from the Vancouver Island side, you must use the Cable Bay Trail. This 4-mile trail is not just a scenic hiking route, but a natural refuge for wildlife.
Photo credit: Aly Kohlman
The trail meanders through coastal forest, teeming with wildlife and plant diversity. Hikers walk among Douglas fir, cedar, and arbutus trees, many of which provide nesting sites for bald eagles, great blue herons, and barred owls. This forest is also home to an endangered Garry oak ecosystem. According to the Garry Oak Meadow Preservation Society, Garry oak ecosystems only occur in British Columbia on southeastern Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands, and a few areas east of Vancouver. These habitats are considered biodiversity hotspots and home to rare and endangered species. While these ecosystems were once common in their range, it is estimated that less than 5% of Garry Oak ecosystems remain in near-natural condition.
At the end of Cable Bay Trail is Joan Point Park, 23 acres of waterfront that looks over Dodd Narrows, where changing tides create strong currents and a nutrient-rich ecosystem teeming with life. Walking along the water, hikers can spot sea stars, oysters, seaweed, and more.
In October 2024, a sea otter was spotted in Dodd Narrows, exciting biologists and naturalists in the area. Sea otters were once abundant along the coastline but were nearly driven to extinction by the fur trade in the 18th and 19th centuries. Other areas of BC’s coast have seen rebounds of sea otter populations, thanks to conservation and reintroduction programs, but Nanaimo has not had a confirmed sighting of a sea otter since the fur trade era, until now!
Photo credit: Aly Kohlman
Protect Dodd Narrows: Save Cable Bay
While Dodd Narrows and the surrounding habitat offer a haven for wildlife and nature lovers, this area is increasingly under threat from development. The lands to the West side of the trail are owned by Nanaimo Forest Products Limited (NPFL), who have proposed industrial lots as close as 50 meters from the trail. Residential lots have also been proposed on the East side of the trail.
These proposals would mean that over 200 acres of forest in the area would be cut down and the Garry oak meadow, one of the most endangered ecosystems in Canada, would be lost. Deforestation increases the risk of sediment runoff, pollution, and flood in the area. Erosion of pollutants and sediment into Stuart Channel, Dodd Narrows, and Northumberland Channel reduces the quality of habitat for marine species. Healthy waterways are important for the shellfish, algae, salmon, seals, and orcas.
Photo credit: Aly Kohlman
What Can You Do?
Learn more about the threats to Cable Bay and Dodd Narrows from the“Save Cable Bay” movement and Facebook group.
Sign the petition to preserve and expand the Cable Bay Trail. Over 23,000 people have already signed the petition to preserve and expand Cable Bay Trail, advocating for this area to be protected as a park. Cable Bay is not the space for more industrial development. It is an important, biodiverse ecosystem and beloved natural space for local communities.
A second petition has also been launched to urge the City of Nanaimo to make thoughtful, community-focused decisions that safeguard the health of residents and the environment:
If you live on Vancouver Island, attend the public information session on October 23rd, from 4pm - 8pm at Moose Hall (1356 Cranberry Ave, Nanaimo). Nanaimo Forest Products has scheduled a Public Information Session in regards to the rezoning of their lands from Rural Resource to Heavy Industrial. Find more information on this Facebook post from the Save Cable Bay Group.
Don’t live in British Columbia? While you may not be to do more for Cable Bay and Dodd Narrows, let this be a message to look around you and what ecosystems you can protect in your own communities. From coastal cities to neighborhoods in the desert, urban areas are full of important natural spaces that need protection and advocates. These places are not just scenic getaways but vital ecosystems where wildlife continue to thrive, reminding us of the interconnectedness between land, water, and life. Because all of these ecosystems are interconnected. Protecting and conserving terrestrial habitats does help aquatic habitats.
Advocate for sustainable development policies and be involved in local community conservation. Community engagement is essential—residents and visitors must play a role in preserving ecosystems. Be informed on what environmental measures are on your ballots during election season. The people and initiatives on the ballot will help shape future legislation like clean water policies, habitat protection, and more. We have put together a custom Orca Voter's Guide page for you to use as a resource for everything you need to know about initiatives that impact orcas, how to register, and more!
You can also help us in our efforts by supporting our work and making a donation today.
Photo Credit: Kendra Nelson