The seawall in fall

November 4, 2008 - The crowds are gone and the last of the autumn colours are still on the trees. What better time to take a stroll around the Stanley Park seawall and enjoy Vancouver's most popular walk on a crisp and blustery fall day.

Visitor tips: Pack your binoculars (to see the many shorebirds that gather on the waves), a camera (for the fall colours) and a warm thermos of tea or coffee. Be sure to dress warmly and in layers - it's always a bit chillier at the water's edge.

Late fall and early winter are the very best times to spy shoreline birds that gather in the waters off Stanley Park. The best places to see them are near Second Beach Pool and Third Beach where large flocks gather in groups just offshore. Sandpipers and many other species can be seen on sandy beaches now and the next few weeks.

On blustery days watch as waves break over the seawall and rocks. Use caution, though: do not stand too close as large waves can soak you or even sweep you off your feet and watch for icy patches as water on paths freeze, especially in the cooler morning hours. Seawall repair work is still continuing between Prospect Point and Third Beach: watch for machinery and respect signs.