Editor’s Note: Parents, one of the lasting legacies we can leave for our kids is the way our communities are allowed to develop today. Preserving parkland, ensuring smart, green development, making use of land in a way that nurtures nature as well as inspires a thoughtful business community is crucial.

We as parents now have an opportunity to have a true influence on how our community develops by joining the Comox Valley Regional District’s Advisory Planning Commission. There are numerous open seats on each of the three area APCs where critical land use decisions that will change the face of our region are being made.

This is a place where you can shape our towns at the grassroots level. So, check out the details on the CVRD website and get involved. We’ll see you there!

The slushy deluge currently dominating this chilly March morning is not exactly inspirational in the Sunday morning walk department.

But, the onset of March and the incredible burst of life that it brings makes these rainy days hum.

For me, the ringing in of the third month each year means spending the month out along the receding tide lines, fascinated and in complete awe of nature as the annual Spring migration and herring run begin.

After a couple of years hitting the beach to spend our days in awe of the ecosystem that those tiny herring bring with them, the tiny person and I are already pulling out the necessary rain gear and plotting our route to make sure we get an excellent shot at checking out everything from the seals and eagles to the whales coming back up from warmer waters.

We’re prepping with some excellent migratory stories from local writers and watching the online whale trackers religiously.

But, even on those days when a huge adventure is not in the cards, there’s one local spot that is guaranteed to be activity central in the Spring migration department – Pt. Holmes Beach.

One of those off-the-beaten path locales that is generally under water, this gorgeous beach opening up with some serious majesty onto the Georgia Straight is like a little mico-system where you can watch nature in action from the front row.

You get there either from Lazo Road to the South or Knight Road from the Northeast. Even if you aren’t completely sure if you’ve found the right spot, the hordes of bald eagles, gulls and other shore birds snacking on herring and jockeying for position and a frothy shoreline will clue you in to your locale.

Recommended gear includes:

• Wellies
• Binoculars
• A thermos of something warm and yummy
• Warm layers for those blustery winds that come up the Straight
• A camera

Check the tide charts and head out about mid-tide (as it’s headed out) for optimum viewing. I recommend mid-tide only because when the tide is in at Pt. Holmes the beach is under water. But, if you get there when it’s headed out then the shore life is in top form as the food is revealed by the receding tide.

The white froth on the shoreline is, indeed, herring milt or sperm. While it seems a little gross at first, this is one of those rare opportunities for kids to learn about sea animal reproduction by truly witnessing it.

Staying up out of the water is important as the milt and herring eggs are busy in reproduction mode and you don’t want to disturb the process. Plus, really, who wants their kids picking up herring sperm?

But, from different vantage points along the beach, you and the family will be able to watch so much going on. The eagles gather there by the dozens and – as the dominant bird of prey – manage the crowd of other shore birds like the alpha bird they are. It is incredible to watch them swoop in and relocate an entire crowd of gulls in order to gain access to a top fishing spot. The reordering of the shoreline is constant.

Other birds such as the solitary heron are a bit less likely to entire into the fray. But, are interested in the food none the less. A clear, sunny day is more suitable for them and spotting a heron means you may also be treated to some seals or other larger sea life as they are commonly seen in spots where eagles have moved on.

There are quite a few great local spots to check out the Spring migration. Each of them offer a different set of creatures to spot and features to check out. The Goose Spit is often home to the Brant Geese crowd. Seal Bay to, what else, seals and star fish.

But, Pt. Holmes is most definitely the grand stand locale in the Comox Valley.

So, as you get the urge to head outside this month, be sure to take in the annual nature extravaganza – it always makes me understand even deeper (once again) what an incredible, inspiring place we live in – and how important it is to protect this slice of heaven for the people and creatures yet to come.