2024 Comox Valley Collective Winter
While the custom of drinking tea goes back as far as 4,000 years to China’s Shang dynasty, here on Canada’s West Coast, we’re a little late to the tea party. […]
Words by Nicole BergotPhotos by Jenn Dykstra

POETSKIS
2024 Comox Valley Collective What Winter
The feeling of being fully immersed in the moment Reflect back on your greatest moment on skis, board, bike—or even just on a run through the forest. What do you […]
Words by Dave NowakPhotos by Jenn Dykstra

THE MANY COLOURS OF BUTE INLET
2024 Fall/Winter Strathcona Collective
In the Ayajuthem (ʔayʔaǰuθəm) language of the Homalco, a northern Coast Salish First Nation, the colours blue and green are the same word: kʷusɛm. The traditional lands of the Homalco […]
Words by Catherine Marie GilbertPhoto by Jenn Dykstra

ELDER VALLEY: NATURAL EXPLORATION
2024 Comox Valley Collective Elder Valley Fall
The human instinct to explore is infinite To explore is to investigate the unknown, to learn about or become familiar with something. It happens through travel, research, observation, or introspection. […]
Words by Wendy KotillaPhoto by

TALES FROM WITHIN AN OLD SAUNA’S WALLS
2024 Comox Valley Collective Winter
I began my life as a giant cedar in the upper reaches of the Cruikshank River. When I was felled, I envisioned a myriad of dignified purposes for my future […]
Words by Neil BoreckyPhotos by Jenn Dykstra

CUMBERLAND’S REVAMPED JUMP PARK
2024 Comox Valley Collective Fall
We all need a place to play. For dirt jumpers, that place is simple: a few giant piles of soil are the key to a good time. The modern dirt […]
Words by Mike BPhoto by Jenn Dykstra

GROWING APPLES AND MAKING CIDER
2024 Comox Valley Collective Fall
Not far from the tree Courtenay’s Old Orchard neighbourhood comes by its name honestly. In the 1890s, Joseph McPhee bought several strategic parcels of land around Courtenay, surveyed the future […]
Words by Ryan StuartPhotos by Jenn Dykstra

A LOVE LETTER TO THE VALLEY
2024 Comox Valley Collective Fall Intro
Bring your curiosity. There’s always more to explore. In 2017, we had officially outgrown Vancouver and needed to find somewhere with a slower pace to raise our family—yes, you’ve heard […]
Words by Courtney BrownPhoto by Jenn Dykstra

COLLABORATIVE MICRO-FARMING
2024 Comox Valley Collective Summer
In a time of noisy online discourse, where peoples’ values seem to generate more heat than light, it’s easy to overlook those who are steadily and quietly doing good things […]
Words by Claire GilmorePhotos by Jenn Dykstra

CUMBERLAND ADULT SOCIAL CLUB
2024 Comox Valley Collective Summer
A warm, friendly place In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, isolation was an all-too-familiar reality for many seniors. In Cumberland, however, a beacon of connection emerged when the Cumberland […]
Words by Ryan PartonPhotos by Jenn Dykstra

ELDER VALLEY: PLAY FOR A PURPOSE
Comox Valley Collective Elder Valley Summer
Putting on shows to raise funds for great causes Pure play is something that I haven’t always had a lot of time to enjoy. Raising five children kept me very […]
Words by Doris WeisleinPhoto by Jenn Dykstra

LITTLE VALLEY: LIGHT AND HAPPY
2024 Comox Valley Collective Little Valley Summer
Finding magic in the sea, the forest, and our imaginations It was a midsummer night and the stars were out. We went to our favourite swimming spot in Royston. It […]
Photo by Jenn DykstraWords by Kozma-Rose Kelly

THE RISK OF FIRE TO THE COMOX LAKE WATERSHED
2024 Comox Valley Collective Summer
And into the fire, I’m reunited Into the fire, I am the spark Into the night, I yearn for comfort —Sarah McLachlan We’re looking out across the lake on the […]
Words by Meaghan CursonsPhoto by Jenn Dykstra

EMBRACING FRIVOLITY
2024 Comox Valley Collective Intro Summer
Your inner kid wants you to come out and play I just brought a ten-week-old kitten home from the SPCA, so writing about the theme of play feels fitting, as […]
Words by Zoë CooperPhoto by Jenn Dykstra

ELDER VALLEY: BOUQUETS OF HAPPINESS
2024 Comox Valley Collective Elder Valley Spring
Creating a bit of paradise on a small city lot in Comox When I retired from a fulfilling nursing career in 2016, it felt not only like I had begun […]
Words by Chris SemenickPhoto by Jenn Dykstra

CVOX: COMOX VALLEY COMMUNITY RADIO
2024 Comox Valley Collective Spring
Our devices can bring music and news from almost everywhere in the world. But most of the content is corporate-driven—selling to us, collecting our data, locking us in algorithmic sameness. […]
Photos by Jenn Dykstra

HARD-SKINNED FOR THE WIN
2023 Comox Valley Collective Winter
I’m here to talk about winter squash: the wondrous genetic diversity they display, the dedicated farmers who grow them, and some foolproof ways to prepare them. But let me start […]
Words by James McKerricherPhotos by Jenn Dykstra

FROM THOUGHT TO REALITY
2023 Comox Valley Collective Intro Winter
The birth of the Comox Valley Collective As we go into our 10th year of publishing this magazine, I am stepping out of my comfort zone. It’s often assumed that […]
Words & Photo by Jenn Dykstra

KEEP IT GREEN
Comox Valley Collective 2023 Fall
Communities in the Pacific Northwest are essentially human settlements in logging clearcuts. Whack down trees, lay out a street grid, start framing buildings, then landscape around them. Trees were viewed […]
Words by Andrew FindlayOpening photo by Jen Groundwater

ELDER VALLEY: NESTING INSTINCT
Comox Valley Collective 2023 Elder Valley Fall
Reflections from an older resident. I grew up and lived for much of my life in northern Ontario, where the fall colours always reminded me of the need […]
Words by Doloris PaquinPhoto by Jenn Dykstra

GIVE BEETS A CHANCE
Comox Valley Collective 2023 Fall
I’m writing these words in the height of summer, when I barely have enough time to juice a cucumber. But it will be fall by the time this issue finds […]
Words by James McKerricherPhoto by Jenn Dykstra

OLD HOUSE ON THE RIVER
Comox Valley Collective 2023 Fall
Darren Howlett is sitting in Locals Restaurant, a place he has a long history with. He’s worked in this dining room off and on since it was called The Old […]
Words by Allie JenkinsonPhotos by Jenn Dykstra

LITTLE VALLEY: DELLA AND WINTER PODMORE-GOGGINS
Comox Valley Collective 2023 Little Valley Summer
Variety is the spice of life when you’re growing up in Cumberland Della and Winter Podmore-Goggins have grown up here and attend Cumberland Community School, where Della is going into […]
By Della & Winter Podmore-GogginsPhoto by Jenn Dykstra

A 4,200-KM JOURNEY
Comox Valley Collective 2023 Summer
Have you ever wondered what your body is physically and mentally capable of handling? I asked myself this question in 2017 when I first heard a friend was attempting to […]
Words by Bent "Aloha" HansenOpening photo by Jenn Dykstra

LITTLE VALLEY: FARRAH RUSSELL
Comox Valley Collective 2023 Little Valley Spring
When your family moves to Spain for a year, there’s a lot to learn My name is Farrah. I am eight years old and right now I am living in […]
Words by Farrah RussellPhoto by Jenn Dykstra

STOCKING THE WORLD
Comox Valley Collective 2023 Spring
The Comox Valley is known for its abundance of fresh seafood and farm produce. At the right time of year, shoppers can fill their totes with salmon, tuna, and prawns […]
Words by Nicole BergotPhotos by Jenn Dykstra

ALL HAIL THE MAY QUEEN
Comox Valley Collective Spring
The merry month of May is highly anticipated in the Village of Cumberland. Since 1888, Villagers have gathered on Victoria Day (Queen Victoria’s birthday) for a civic celebration unparalleled on […]
Words by Meaghan CursonsPhoto by Jenn Dykstra

FRASER CAIN’S UNIVERSE
Comox Valley Collective Spring
Many people might be surprised to learn that one of the most successful astronomy news sites on the Internet is published from right here in the Comox Valley. Depending on […]
Words by Ryan StuartFeatured photo by Sara Kempner

ALWAYS HERE FOR US
Comox Valley Collective Winter
No vegetable family is as diverse and versatile as the brassicas. While you may not know the word, you’re certainly familiar with them. From your everyday broccoli to the peculiar […]
Words by James McKerricherPhoto by Jenn Dykstra

ELDER VALLEY: REFRAMING REST
2023 Comox Valley Collective Elder Valley Winter
Restful interludes are integral to the rhythm of life. In the natural world, winter is usually considered a season of rest as many plants and animals become dormant […]
Words by Diane JacquestPhoto by Jenn Dykstra

LITTLE VALLEY: CADE HALE
2022 Comox Valley Collective Little Valley Winter
Winter tells us to chill out. But that doesn’t mean we have to sit still. The dictionary says rest is “to cease work or movement in order to relax, refresh […]
Words by Cade HalePhoto by Jenn Dykstra

A BENEFIT FOR ALL
Comox Valley Collective Winter
Except for Indigenous people, Canadians are settlers—immigrants themselves, or the descendants of immigrants. After my parents and I arrived in Canada from England and Ireland when I was four, we […]
Words by Mac NewtonPhoto by Jenn Dykstra

THE GIFT OF LIFE
Comox Valley Collective Winter
In the early morning hours of the winter solstice, December 21, 2021, my life and health changed forever. I was given the gift of life: I received a liver transplant. […]
Words by Sara CherewatyPhoto by Jenn Dykstra

GOOD AS GOLD
Comox Valley Collective Winter
I first became drawn to mead because of my Scandinavian heritage: mead plays an important role in many of the Norse myths, piquing my interest. Legends even spoke of the […]
Words by Derek AdamsPhoto by Jenn Dykstra

Campbellton
Fall/Winter Strathcona Collective Where
For decades, the renowned Campbell River surged past the small neighbourhood of Campbellton all but unseen by passersby. In 1917, the only commercial activity in the area was a roughly […]
Words by Morgan OstlerPhotos by Jenn Dykstra

GIVE IT A REST
Comox Valley Collective Opening Introduction Winter
When I was a kid growing up in the ’70s and ’80s in Montreal, stores were closed on Sundays. Every single store. Every single Sunday. Sure, at the dépanneurs (corner […]
Words by Jen GroundwaterPhoto by Jenn Dykstra

MAGIC IN THE DYE POT
Comox Valley Collective Fall
When I was a kid growing up in the northern boreal forest, my mother took me and my siblings out foraging for edible mushrooms in the spring. I loved these […]
Words by Marie MaccagnoPhotos by Jenn Dykstra

VIVA LA TRASH PANDA
Comox Valley Collective Fall
I’ve occasionally yearned to wear a Davy Crockett-inspired coonskin hat. The reason I don’t isn’t that I fear I’d end up looking more like some molly-soaked fool who had just […]
Words by Neil BoreckyPhoto by Jenn Dykstra

ALL IN THE SAME BOAT
Comox Valley Collective Summer
On Friday, May 13, 2022, a group of paddlers from many backgrounds made their way, in two interconnected voyageur canoes, across the east end of Comox Lake. The sky to […]
Words by Jim WhytePhotos by Jenn Dykstra

The Land Beneath Our Feet
Fall/Winter Strathcona Collective
The gritty exfoliation of sand between toes, the softness of dewy grass underfoot, the wet flecks of mud that spatter my partner’s feet while running the trails in open sandals: […]
Words by Camilla SampsonPhoto by Jenn Dykstra

No More Pineapples In December
Fall/Winter Strathcona Collective
The Strathcona Food Hub, put simply, is a group of collaborators working on contemporary food issues in the Strathcona region. The Hub works with communities to establish more well-rounded, accessible, […]
Words by Madison StewartPhoto by Jenn Dykstra

ELDER VALLEY: A WHOLE LOTTA LOVE
Comox Valley Collective Elder Valley Summer
Mastering the art of love starts with yourself. Every day, we hear and say, “I love this.” And this. And this. And this. And oh, that over there, […]
Words by Bette KosmolakPhoto by Jenn Dykstra

FRIENDS OF FELINES
Comox Valley Collective Summer
Two “very pregnant” cats. That was the delivery at the door of the Kitty Cat P.A.L. (Prevent-A-Litter) Society at 8 a.m. the day I spoke with the society’s executive director, […]
Words by Mac NewtonPhotos by Jenn Dykstra

NOSY NEIGHBOURS WELCOME
Comox Valley Collective Spring
We meet in the shadows and plan our route for the late afternoon, prowling the alleys, neighbourhood by neighbourhood, looking for hints about what lies behind the hedges, fences, and […]
Words by Meaghan CursonsPhotos by Jenn Dykstra

TUNED TO THE COMMUNITY’S FREQUENCY
Comox Valley Collective Spring
A lone modular office building with blue vinyl siding rests at the end of a gravel driveway on the edge of Homalco First Nation near Campbell River. From a wide, […]
Words by Dave FlawsePhoto by Jenn Dykstra

GREENING YOUR MONEY
Comox Valley Collective Spring
When Kermit the Frog said, “It’s not easy being green,” he wasn’t talking about investing, but he might as well have been. It’s a complicated topic to cover on just […]
Words by Jen GroundwaterPhoto by Jenn Dykstra

LIVING LARGE
Comox Valley Collective Winter
Most people are shocked when they learn our family of five lives in a tiny home. “How many square feet?” they ask for clarification. “Three hundred and eighty,” we repeat, and […]
Words by Amy WoodsPhotos by Jenn Dykstra

Traffic Jam
Spring/Summer Strathcona Collective
Oh no! What? Wait for another traffic light? Simultaneous laughter, as our eyes connect, and we realize we have become Islanders. No longer are our lives at the mercy of […]
Words by Tacey KeighleyPhotos by Jenn Dykstra

RETHINKING ONIGIRI
Comox Valley Collective Spring
Hornby Island local Jake Berman first encountered onigiri while visiting his sister in Japan in 2006. This traditional Japanese food consists of a triangle-shaped bundle of rice and seafood, meat, […]
Words by Britt HansonPhoto by Jenn Dykstra

GETTING THE DRIFT
Comox Valley Collective Winter
Every poem tells a kind of story, but poems are not short stories. They are a unique medium which is concerned with universal truths revealed by personal experience. When I […]
Words by Ed VarneyPhoto by Jenn Dykstra

SALMON AND STEWARDSHIP
Comox Valley Collective Winter
The late autumn sun lazily streams through dwindling golden leaves. Live music drifts across the smiling, murmuring crowd. Laughing children roam freely, getting their faces painted and collecting treasures. A […]
Words by Lisa LevesquePhotos by Jenn Dykstra

COME TO THE DARK SIDE
Comox Valley Collective Fall
Does the thought of walking in the forest at night make you feel uneasy? Does it sound strange? And if you were to walk in the forest after dark, what […]
Words by Wendy MayersPhoto by Jenn Dykstra

THE NORTHEAST WOODS
Comox Valley Collective Fall
Etched into the fabric of Comox life, the Northeast Woods are considered by many locals, especially newcomers, to be an iconic parcel of serene wilderness. The woods, almost like a […]
Words by Kerry HalePhotos by Jenn Dykstra

The Origins of the Comox Valley Writers Society
2021 Comox Valley Collective Fall
For over 5,000 years, the written word has carried knowledge and information to readers, supporting the development of humanity and the history of civilization. The penning of facts and ideas […]
Words by Joline MartinPhotos by Jenn Dykstra

THE VILLAGE TINKER
Comox Valley Collective Fall
After the year that was 2020, we’re starting to see light at the end of the tunnel—a return to the way life was before COVID-19 struck—but we are left with […]
Words by Dave NowakPhotos by Jenn Dykstra

TOWARD A MORE LIVABLE VALLEY
Comox Valley Collective Summer
You pretty much can’t have a conversation anywhere in the world today without one of our global crises popping up and confounding us with its complexity. On the surface, housing […]
Words by RJ HerronPhoto by Jenn Dykstra

FREE THE LAWNS!
Comox Valley Collective Summer
Urban agriculture can mean a number of things depending on who you ask and where in the world it’s occurring. To me, it’s simply the practice of growing food in […]
Words by James McKerricherFeatured photo by Jenn Dykstra

IT’S NOT ABOUT THE MONEY
Comox Valley Collective Summer
What separates SOS Gear from other outdoor stores is not what it carries, but what it doesn’t. Like most gear shops, the store, located in a cul-de-sac across Cliffe Avenue […]
Words by Ryan StuartPhoto by Jenn Dykstra

SAILING FORTH
Comox Valley Collective Summer
There’s no real place to start this story of sailing. I never would have predicted that I would be writing this version. When I moved to the Comox Valley with […]
Words by Judith WrightFeatured photo by Jenn Dykstra

RECHARGED AND READY
Comox Valley Collective Opening Introduction Summer
After so many months of navigating an ever-changing pandemic landscape of worries, warnings, restrictions, and rules, I think it’s safe to say most of us are feeling pretty damn depleted. […]
Words by Jen GroundwaterPhoto by Jenn Dykstra

FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT
Comox Valley Collective Spring
Often in an instant, an acquired head injury can change everything. How do you make sense of so much loss? Where does purpose come from if you lose your ability […]
Photo by Jenn Dykstra

PERCEPTIONS, PREJUDICE, AND PRIDE
Comox Valley Collective Spring
“Hi, I’m Sam. I’m trans.” I start quite a number of conversations this way, and although it’s an unfortunate reality to have to disclose something so personal so frequently, it’s […]
Words by Sam PetersonPhoto by Jenn Dykstra

THE THREADS OF RECOVERY
Comox Valley Collective Winter
My adventures used to involve adrenaline. Like the time I hitchhiked from Kamloops to climb Mt Forbes in Banff National Park, or when I took a job flight nursing in […]
Words by Andrea TownsendPhotos by Jenn Dykstra

SPEAKING FOR THE TREES
Comox Valley Collective Winter
Devin Burton grew up in the Comox Valley but only recently discovered the Bevan trails, a network of paths winding through lush forest next to the Puntledge River and near […]
Words by Andrew FindlayPhoto by Jenn Dykstra

LITTLE VALLEY: ZOË HENDERSON
Comox Valley Collective Little Valley Winter
My name is Zoë, and I am nine years old. I have lived in Cumberland my whole life and I really love winter in the Comox Valley. There is lots […]
Words by Zoë HendersonPhoto by Jenn Dykstra

TAKING THE PLUNGE
Comox Valley Collective Winter
On January 1, 2019, a large group of adventurous Cumberland residents gathered on the shores of Comox Lake. Celebrating the New Year, we were there to jump into the frigid […]
Words by Joanne McElroyPhoto by Jenn Dykstra

TAKING THE TEMPERATURE ON GEOTHERMAL SYSTEMS
Comox Valley Collective Winter
I’ve been intimately involved in the ground-source heat pump (GSHP) industry for 20 years. I began with mud up to my armpits, testing the thermal conductivity of geological formations all […]
Words by Daniel BooyPhoto by Jenn Dykstra

COURTENAY AFTER COVID
Comox Valley Collective Fall
The third in our series imagining how the Comox Valley’s communities could look 20 years from now. How quickly we can adapt. That’s the underlying message inside historian […]
Words by Ryan StuartPhoto by Jenn Dykstra

SWEAT IT OUT
Comox Valley Collective Fall
True story: my first-ever sauna experience included pitchers of gin Caesars and a waterslide—a really steep one. Thinking back, I can feel the heat sinking into my bones, the sweat […]
Words by Bevin ClempsonPhoto by Jenn Dykstra

Born Wild
Fall/Winter Strathcona Collective
At 18 years old, Matt is fully submerged in wild island living. A ski instructor and fishing guide, Matt also has experience hunting, surfing, and mountain biking. “I just love […]
Words By Nicole BertramArticle Photo By Jenn Dykstra

A Very True Story
Fall/Winter Strathcona Collective
Please be advised that the following story contains a graphic description of a grizzly bear attack from the summer of 2019. This story is Colin’s, and he has chosen to […]
Words By Colin DowlerPhoto By Jenn Dykstra

TURNING DOWN THE TEMPERATURE
Comox Valley Collective Spring
The second in our series imagining how the Comox Valley’s communities could look 20 years from now. MAY 2, 2040 At exactly 10:24 p.m. on May 1, Mother […]
Words by Ryan StuartPhoto by Jenn Dykstra

IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL LAND
Comox Valley Collective Spring
When my kids were younger, I logged long hours at the Rotary Skypark, going half-dizzy as they performed endless laps on the merry-go-round and other playground apparatus. Cessnas, Pipers, and […]
Words by Andrew FindlayPhotos by Jenn Dykstra

THE PERKS OF PLAYING PRETEND
Comox Valley Collective Winter
You have been stuck on the glacier for three days and whatever has been stalking you is closing in. Night is falling, the sky promises another rough night, your phones […]
Words by Curt Carbonelland Sam Larente

PROFILE OF COMMUNITY IN ACTION SPONSORED BY NORTH ISLAND UROLOGY
Comox Valley Collective Who Winter
The first thing you need to know about Glen Alwin Farm is that nobody involved is named Glen. Or Alwin. The people who run the show are Joanna (Jo) Smith […]
Words by Jen GroundwaterPhoto by Jenn Dykstra

REBUILDING A HERITAGE HOME
Comox Valley Collective 2019 Fall
Our heritage house was built in 1895 with the proceeds of a hip-length gold chain carried over the Chilkoot Pass. It was raised with a twin next door, and the […]
Words by Jenn LaingPhotos by Joanne McElroy

IN THE FIELD
Comox Valley Collective Fall
PETER GEE: CONNECTOR If you recently arrived in the Comox Valley and found a family doctor with little trouble, you can thank Dr. Peter Gee. As Site Director of the […]
Words by Jen GroundwaterPhotos by Jenn Dykstra

STOLEN MOMENTS
Comox Valley Collective Summer
Desperately pinching limestone tufas and underclinging stalactites, I tried hard, like full-body core-strength hard, to keep my feet on tiny features while nearly upside down. Overhanging climbs are the only […]
Words by David BentonPhoto by Jenn Dykstra

DEEP BLUE
Comox Valley Collective Summer
It is amazing to stand on the shores of Comox Lake and consider the vast amount of water it contains. With a surface area of 21 square kilometres and a […]
Words by Tim EnnisPhotos by Jenn Dykstra

ADAPT OR DIE
Comox Valley Collective Summer
The world of photography is broad and has no boundaries. Perhaps this is why so many people are drawn to it. But in this ever-changing, doggish industry, how do you make a sustainable career […]
Words by Jenn DykstraPhotos by Boomer Jerritt

IF THESE WALLS COULD TALK
Comox Valley Collective Summer
During the late 1800s and early 1900s, thriving mining, logging, and fishing industries in the Comox Valley led to a remarkably imbalanced male-to-female ratio. With it came the development of […]
Words by Christa PetchPhoto by Jenn Dykstra

IN THE FIELD
Comox Valley Collective Spring
ERIC RUSH: EXPLORER To put it mildly, Eric Rush is pretty fond of road biking. A member of Courtenay’s Riverway Dental Racing team, he regularly puts in weekly 100-kilometre rides. […]
Words by Jen GroundwaterFeatured photo by April Bencze

HOME BASE
Comox Valley Collective Spring
Under the steady gaze of the Comox Glacier, looking east to the Strait of Georgia, the airfield at Canadian Forces Base Comox stands prominently in the landscape. Pitched along the […]
Words by Camille DouglasPhoto by Jenn Dykstra

PLAYING THE LONG GAME
Comox Valley Collective Winter
Walk into any garage in Canada and you’re likely to find a hockey stick or two, tucked in a corner or shoved upside down in a barrel alongside brooms, rakes, […]
Words by Dave NowakPhotos by Jenn Dykstra

BEARING WITNESS
Comox Valley Collective Winter
On a late October day, a pale sun shines through sparse golden leaves, making sparkles on the Orford River. I know there are four grizzly bears just across the water […]
Words by Jen GroundwaterPhotos by Jenn Dykstra

SMOOTH MOVES
Comox Valley Collective Winter
Around 11am on a sunny Monday, Dan Espeseth, Sean Manara, and Chris Hancock show up for work. Instead of riding to their usual job at Dodge City Cycles (DCC), they […]
Words by Ryan StuartPhotos by Jenn Dykstra

WHAT MOVES US
Comox Valley Collective Winter
We are made of the place we came from. If you eat locally and don’t drink bottled water, your body becomes a product of the very land around you. For […]
Words by Mike B.Photo by Jenn Dykstra

THINKING BEYOND BUSINESS
Comox Valley Collective Fall
I enjoy a good local holiday, and one of the best things about living on Vancouver Island is the abundance of adventures to be had within a five-hour drive from […]
Words by Laurel SliskovicPhotos by Jenn Dykstra

ON ANY GIVEN THURSDAY
Comox Valley Collective Fall
I came across a photo box recently containing pictures of a summer my family spent in a rented cottage at Penn Lake in Ontario’s Muskoka region. They say a picture […]
Words by Dave NowakPhotos by Jenn Dykstra

PREPARING FOR THE PRESENT
Comox Valley Collective Fall
On a sunny afternoon six years ago while riding my motorcycle home from Campbell River on the Old Island Highway, I noticed a pick-up truck waiting to turn from a […]
Words by Mac NewtonPhotos by Jenn Dykstra

SHUT IT DOWN
Comox Valley Collective Fall Intro
I am a true introvert, my husband a true extrovert. Which means we spend a lot of time telling each other how weird we think the other one is. He […]
Words by Allie JenkinsonPhoto by Jenn Dykstra

CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE
Comox Valley Collective Summer
Let’s face it, cycling is less of a chore when you have a growler of local craft beer, fresh herbs, and a few pieces of fresh-picked produce in your basket. […]
Words by Paula WorthingtonPhotos by Jenn Dykstra

GROWING CALM
Comox Valley Collective Summer
Fresh water flows through the Kingfisher Oceanside Resort and Spa’s new Serenity Garden. The soothing sound of water travelling over stone provides the foundation for this striking landscape. From the […]
Words by Ashley Hamilton-MacquarriePhotos by Jenn Dykstra

GRAVITATIONAL PULL
Comox Valley Collective Spring
Though the Comox Valley leaves little to be desired for the Island’s mountain biking community, our excitement often fuels the desire for new terrain. When I lived in North Vancouver […]
Words by Nicole RippelPhotos by Jenn Dykstra

A WILDERNESS RETREAT, REIMAGINED
Comox Valley Collective Spring
High on the verdant slope of Forbidden Plateau rests a craftsman lodge overlooking the Salish Sea. Though the area is at the mercy of deep snow in the winter and […]
Words by Allie JenkinsonPhotos by Jenn Dykstra

ANCHORED IN ICELAND
Comox Valley Collective Winter
In the late seventies, Sandra Dykstra skied into Skoki Lodge, an historical backcountry destination in the Canadian Rockies. An east-coaster for the majority of her life, she was not an […]
Words & Photos by Jenn Dykstra

THE SWEET SPOTS
Comox Valley Collective Winter
Shinrin-yoku, sometimes known as “forest bathing,” is simply the act of being mindful and present in the forest while repeatedly walking and stopping. Using the spiritual geography of the Comox […]
Words by Terry Folks& Wendy Turner

DAIRY FARMING ON VANCOUVER ISLAND
Fall Comox Valley Collective
My husband Kyle and I grew up in the Comox Valley, both of us lovingly raised on the family farms started by our grandparents in the 1960s—Knopp’s Dairy Farm and […]
Words by Jennifer SieffertPhotos by Jenn Dykstra

HARVEST & SHADOWS
Comox Valley Collective Fall
Summer lays down to sleep in the cool woods. The crisp fall air wakens. Trails of dark wet earth wind through the forest. The prints of thirsty animals in the […]
Words by Meaghan CursonsPhoto by Jenn Dykstra

WEIGHING OUR OPTIONS
Comox Valley Collective Fall
I’m standing at the sink, doing the dishes, washing out the plastic yoghurt pot before tossing it into the recycling. As the dirty hot water washes down the drain I […]
Words by Nick WardPhoto by Jenn Dykstra

AT JOURNEY’S END
Comox Valley Collective Summer
It’s 5:30 a.m., April 15, 1942. The full dark of night is just lifting. Suitcases are packed and weighed and packed again. A last board is hammered into a window […]
Words by Dawn CopemanPhoto by Jenn Dykstra

MAKING AN IMPACT
Comox Valley Collective Summer
Picture a small boy sitting on a tall drafting stool, drawing rocket ships, submarines, and houses – sculptural, impossible, fantastical houses. That was me almost 50 years ago, enjoying the […]
Words by John GowerPhoto by Jenn Dykstra

CASTING LIGHT
Comox Valley Collective Summer What
The setting of The Fanny Bay Candle Company is pastoral. Donalda Lauzon and her husband Randy greet me while attempting to wrangle their wildly friendly 7 month-old puppy, Belle. I […]
Words by Allie JenkinsonPhotos by Jenn Dykstra

ELDER VALLEY: AGING GRACEFULLY
Comox Valley Collective Elder Valley Spring
Keep a childlike curiosity in search of life’s miraculous delight. I celebrated my 85th birthday on December 28, 2022, with a sense of fulfillment and gratitude. What I […]
Words by Wei-Ching ChangPhoto by Jenn Dykstra

IF I HAD A HAMMER
Comox Valley Collective Spring
In the 1980s, I was living in a subdivision in the suburbs just north of Toronto. On any given Saturday afternoon if you were to drive through my neighbourhood you […]
Words by Dave NowakPhoto by Jenn Dykstra

A CLOSER LOOK AT HYPNOTHERAPY
Comox Valley Collective
So often we think of hypnosis as a magic trick or simply good for a laugh. My first experience with hypnosis was during my G.P. Vanier graduation talent show in […]
Words by Britt Hanson& Carly Panzenboeck

CAFFEINATED
Comox Valley Collective Winter
The coffeehouse dates back to the Middle East, with origination suggested as early as the late 1400s, where they were primarily used as a place for political gatherings. An introduction […]
Words by Bevin ClempsonPhoto by Jenn Dykstra

CHORAL VALLEY
Comox Valley Collective 2016 Winter
Mind. Body. Heart. Spirit. The experience of communal singing nourishes them all. The Comox Valley is rich in choral activity. There’s a choir here for anyone to lift their voice […]
Words by Wendy Nixon StothertPhotos by Jenn Dykstra

LENTELUS ORGANICS
Comox Valley Collective Fall
In these days of shifting consciousness around food production and consumption, it’s encouraging to meet a young person with a fresh and inspired approach to farming. The rigours of such […]
Words by RJ HerronPhotos by Jenn Dykstra

MEMORIES IN MUD
Comox Valley Collective Fall
Cyclocross, as a type of racing, tends to be limited to a clearly defined race season here on Vancouver Island. From September to December, cyclocross is full on: a flurry […]
Words by Terry McKallPhotos by Jenn Dykstra

FLOAT YOUR BOAT
Comox Valley Collective Fall What
In the past I have waxed poetic about the beauty of wood; how it can be shaped, molded, and finished. But wood is fallible; it can check and warp, split […]
Words by Dave NowakPhotos by Jenn Dykstra

ESTEVAN TUNA
Comox Valley Collective Market Innovators Summer
Fishing may be one of the planets oldest professions, but Estevan Tuna is all about innovation. Bruce and Dianne Devereux have built a faithful clientele of Albacore tuna enthusiasts since […]
Words by Meaghan CursonsPhoto by Jenn Dykstra

WATER-PROOFED PIONEERS
Comox Valley Collective Summer What
They say necessity is the mother of all inventions, and that’s ever apparent when hearing the story of how the now Comox Valley-based company, AquaQuest, came to be. Curt Coomber, […]
Words by Dave NowakFeatured photo by Jenn Dykstra

COMOX VALLEY SOAP ARTISTS
Comox Valley Collective Summer
They have distinct products and personal journeys, but their motivation is shared: your skin is your body’s largest and fastest-growing organ, and it deserves the best possible care. Local soap […]
Words by Lisa LevesquePhotos by Jenn Dykstra

BRICK BY BRICK
Comox Valley Collective Collective Efforts Summer
Imagine living a childhood without water flowing from the tap or food in the fridge. Imagine having to huddle around a space heater for warmth or plug holes in the […]
Words by Bevin ClempsonPhotos by Jenn Dykstra

STAYING THE COURSE
Comox Valley Collective Intro Summer
Many of us fear to take risks. Fear to surrender. Fear the outcome. Although this life is altogether calm and tumultuous, somehow we make our way through it. More often […]
Words by Bevin ClempsonPhoto by Jenn Dykstra

COMPLETE COMBUSTION
Comox Valley Collective Spring What
Since it was first discovered, fire has been heating our caves, huts and homes. But wood-burning heat has not been without controversy in our modern world. Looking back on my […]
Words by Dave NowakPhotos by Jenn Dykstra

HE ART OF THE PICK UP
Comox Valley Collective Spring
In my happy place, I’m away from the world and all its noise. I’m free from unnecessary thought and distraction. In this place, there’s no mom, no writer. There’s just […]
Words by Bevin ClempsonPhoto by Jenn Dykstra

SHOW OF PROGRESS
Comox Valley Collective Winter
In a list of quintessential Comox Valley events, it can be argued that the World Community Film Festival sits nears the top. It reflects a deep current of social and […]
Words by Meaghan CursonsPhotos by Jenn Dykstra

SEWING WILD
Comox Valley Collective Winter
Adventure is dirty business. With piles of gear comes the need for novel ways to store, stow and transport gear that may be clean, but will soon become filthy; dry […]
Words by Dave NowakPhotos by Jenn Dykstra

KINDRED SPIRIT
Comox Valley Collective What Winter
Three years ago I first laid eyes on a Kindred snowboard in a local sporting goods consignment store. The top sheet depicted a sawtooth mountain using wood veneer, and taped […]
Words by Dave NowakPhotos by Jenn Dykstra

LAKE OF DRAGONS
Comox Valley Collective Winter
Though Comox Lake is a short drive from Cumberland’s west end, past the Chinese town site and a quaint collection of waterside cabins, it’s arguably best witnessed when stumbled upon […]
Words by Allie JenkinsonPhotos by Jenn Dykstra

THE FIRE INSIDE
Comox Valley Collective Intro Winter
Our associations with the notion of inspiration are more fiction than fact, made evident by the familiar image of depressed and disheveled artist waiting for the lightning to strike. This […]
Words by Allie JenkinsonPhoto by Jenn Dykstra

ECLECTIC TONES
Comox Valley Collective Fall What
We all have a virtual playlist running through our minds that gets us from one day to the next. Music can inspire and motivate, it can lift us up, or […]
Words by Dave NowakPhotos by Jenn Dykstra

A YOGA STATE OF MIND
Comox Valley Collective Fall
It doesn’t matter whether you have tried yoga, or not. Whether you’re good at it, or not. Yoga isn’t really about all the poses we see in magazines or film. […]
Words by Alex LeikermoserPhotos by Jenn Dykstra

NAKED BICYCLES
Comox Valley Collective Summer What
The first bike I ever owned was a black triumph BMX with yellow gum-wall tires and matching grips. I have always wished I had kept that bike. Not to ride […]
Words by Dave NowakPhotos by Jenn Dykstra

WRECKIN’ SHOP
Comox Valley Collective Spring Where
For the past 90 years Royston’s rusty monuments to Vancouver Island’s nautical history rests on the Comox Harbour seabed. Welcome to the Royston Ship Wrecks. On most days, taking a […]
Words by Allie JenkinsonPhoto by Jenn Dykstra

RECREATING NOSTALGIA
Comox Valley Collective Spring What
North Americans love their cars. No matter how hard we try to avoid it and might hate to admit it, the automobile is an essential and integral part of our […]
Words by Dave NowakPhotos by Jenn Dykstra

RIDING IS AWESOME
Comox Valley Collective Winter
Old school, new school, ski school no school. Freestyle, freeride, slopestyle, no style. Front side, back side, new lines. Singles lines, family days, winter break, Friday nights. Hiking boot pack, […]
Words by Eugene ChungOpening photo by Jenn Dykstra
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