February | 2016 | MetchosinCoastal

This past week we have had a few days of extra heavy rainfall in Metchosin and consequently the hazard land slopes of the Development Permit Area along the Taylor Beach bluff have certainly met the designation. On the South end of the bluffs alone, at least ten new slides have left large gaps on the cliff and have deposited piles of vegetation on the beach. Residents on the top of the bluff are continuously at risk of losing property so development of any new structures or vegetation removal is inadvisable.

The following pictures were taken starting from the south end of the cliff toward the first corner heading North.

: View from the south end of the bluff

: Lichen and moss on a mature maple trunk, soon destined to be carried away by the sea.

: Alders that have slid from the steep bank. Their broken trunks are a bright red when the bark is scraped off.

: Large alder trees now sitting in debris on the beach.

: All the debris on the beach will be carried away with high storm tides when it blows from the East.

: The second slide going north on the beach

: The third slide

: A large old arbutus came down with this slide

: third slide viewed from the north side

: The fourth new slide

: 4th slide viewed from north side

: the fifth slide, not new but extra mud added to the beach

: This next series of three new mud/tree slides is the most affected section and it is below the first set of houses up on the south end of the cliff.