Unexpected Magic: Witnessing the Herring Spawn Spectacle in Nanaimo

Unexpected Magic: Witnessing the Herring Spawn Spectacle in Nanaimo
Unexpected Magic: Witnessing the Herring Spawn Spectacle in Nanaimo

Experience Details

WHERE
WHO
Two adults & a child
WEATHER
Sunny Skies
TAGS
Featured in this post
WHERE GUIDE | Herring Spawn - WHERE GUIDE Herring Spawn v5
241220-JJS-A1-BC-Vancouver-Capilano-Bridge-01487
241211-JJS-A1-BC-Vancouver-Island-Victoria-Christmas-03890
Places from this experience
Gear used
This Journal Entry is from:
Help Keep This Site Ad Free

We Hate Ads. They are intrusive and interfere with an experience. Keeping Ads off this site is a huge goal of mine and there are plenty of ways you can show your support to help maintain a beautiful experience here.

Share This Post
Follow On Social Media
Featured in this post
WHERE GUIDE | Herring Spawn - WHERE GUIDE Herring Spawn v5
Help Keep This Site Ad Free

We Hate Ads. They are intrusive and interfere with an experience. Keeping Ads off this site is a huge goal of mine and there are plenty of ways you can show your support to help maintain a beautiful experience here.

Share This Post
Follow On Social Media
WHERE
WHO
Two adults & a child
WEATHER
Sunny Skies
TAGS
WHERE GUIDE | Herring Spawn - WHERE GUIDE Herring Spawn v5
241220-JJS-A1-BC-Vancouver-Capilano-Bridge-01487
241211-JJS-A1-BC-Vancouver-Island-Victoria-Christmas-03890

The Herring Spawn… if you’ve never heard of it, I wouldn’t blame you. Before moving to the Pacific Northwest, I don’t think I had either. But within the past month, there’s been quite a stir online and around the island.

Joanna had mentioned that friends and colleagues were talking about it, but in typical fashion, I didn’t quite get the hype. Fish laying eggs? How interesting could that really be?

Still, the energy began to build, and that subtle fear of FOMO started creeping in. I doubted I would go out of my way to check it out, but I kept my eyes peeled.

I had seen posts online of others sharing photos of the spawning, but it just looked like a lot of seagulls and slightly more sea lions than usual. It seemed like nothing more than a minor natural event, and deep down, I remained unconvinced of its significance.

 

But nature has a way of surprising you.

 

That evening, we had one of those remarkable late winter sunsets, and while flying the drone to capture its beauty, something magical happened. The sky was painting itself in those rich, warm hues that make Vancouver Island sunsets legendary – deep oranges bleeding into soft purples, with just a hint of golden light dancing across the horizon. I was focused on capturing the perfect aerial shot, my mind half on the camera settings, half drifting with the peaceful moment.

And then – I spotted a burst of bright light blue erupting in the water. A color so distinctly different, so unexpected, that it immediately pulled my attention. This wasn’t just a subtle change or a trick of the light. This was something extraordinary.

In that moment, everything changed. What started as a routine sunset shoot transformed into something miraculous. The herring spawn was happening right before my eyes, and the timing was absolutely perfect. The light, the color, the unexpected drama of nature unfolding – it was like the universe had conspired to create this single, breathtaking moment.

For a photographer, these are the moments that truly stand out after years of capturing life. And I’m forever grateful that even when my half-cynical mind tells me not to bother, the inner child of wonder and exploration keeps pushing its way out.

And that was only half of it.

The next day, after being completely blown away, I was ready to pull myself away from my massive workload and go see the spawn in person. We heard the spawning had made its way down to Neck Point, which is quite rare, so the three of us jumped in the car and were walking along the water within five minutes.

As soon as we arrived, you could just feel the energy in the air. The water was alive – literally teeming with life in a way I had never witnessed before. Thousands of birds were everywhere: in the water, on the rocks, soaring overhead, diving beneath the surface. Sea lions bobbed and rolled in the waves, their massive forms creating ripples and splashes. Some had silver herrings in their mouths, others lay on their backs in the water with flippers in the air. Kayakers navigated this bustling marine landscape, their paddles cutting through water that seemed to pulse with its own heartbeat.

 

As the tide receded, we could see the herring roe clinging to the rocks and shoreline – delicate, almost translucent evidence of this remarkable reproductive spectacle. These tiny eggs, barely visible to the naked eye, represented so much more than just a biological process. They were the very foundation of an entire ecosystem, a delicate yet resilient system of life that had been repeating this dance for millennia.

Our two-year-old’s excitement was infectious. “Ryba! Ryba!” she shouted – Polish for fish – her little voice capturing the pure, unbridled wonder of the moment. Her enthusiasm was a reminder of how we often lose our sense of marvel as we grow older, how we become jaded and stop seeing the extraordinary in the seemingly ordinary.

It was more than just a nature observation; it was a full sensory experience that reconnected us to the ecosystem around us. The sounds of birds, the splash of sea lions, the gentle lapping of waves, the crisp coastal air – everything came together in a symphony of natural beauty.

What I’ve learned is that these moments – these unexpected, breathtaking displays of natural wonder – are exactly why we moved to Vancouver Island. They’re the kind of experiences that can’t be planned, can’t be manufactured. They simply happen, and when they do, they’re nothing short of magical.

The herring spawn wasn’t just a biological event. It was a reminder of the incredible, interconnected world we live in – a world full of beauty, surprise, and endless discovery. It challenged my initial skepticism and opened my eyes to the profound complexity of marine ecosystems.

As the day wound down and we made our way back home, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of gratitude. Gratitude for this place we now call home, for the unexpected moments of wonder, and for the ability to witness and capture such incredible natural phenomena with my little family.

And you can bet I’ll be seeking out a more in-depth experience of next year’s spawning spectacle.

You're Gonna Want To See This

Don't Miss This Year's Herring Spawn!

This Natural Spectacle only occurs once a year and while we know when it typically happens, each spawning event is a surprise.

Subscribe to be notified and checkout our articles and Mini Guide!

Get Notified
Get The Guide

Image Gallery

CONNECTED CONTENT
WHERE GUIDE | Herring Spawn - WHERE GUIDE Herring Spawn v5

Other Experiences

240723-JJS-LB-9760
240818-JJS-D1-BC-VI-Sproat-Lake-Camping-0036-Pano-Edit
240228-JJS-A1-New-Zealand-Milford-Sound-02000
240307-JJS-A1-New-Zealand-Hooker-Valley-Track-04667
240306-JJS-A1-New-Zealand-Mount-Cook-04349