An art & literature awareness & fundraising campaign to give everyone the opportunity to contribute to the preservation and restoration of the Courtenay River Estuary: an Online Silent Auction, Sponsorship Drive and Events culminating in an ART TOUR & AWARENESS FORUM.

Project Watershed thanks Fisheries and Oceans Canada for their continued support of our estuary initiatives. Sponsorships of our estuary projects come with limited edition prints, find out more at www.keepingitliving.ca/become-a-sponsor or call (250) 703-2871.

March’s Featured Creative Writing Work

QUIET DAY by Ruth Dickson

Sunbaked rocks
with pooled green shadows
hissing waves
reluctant to leave the shore

Quiet - peace - here where life began?
Here on the edge of the world
is the struggle of a lifetime?
Stillness.
Hear the hermit crab tapping out
the ghost of the moon-snail,
and there in a collar of sand
her young are napping,
the whisper of minute creatures,
beneath drying seaweed
rise to thunder in ears attone
and a noisy gull lectures
on the art of shell breaking.
Shell? the shore is formed of them
and the sea mourns a dirge
of life gone and making.

Hear the sands silted whisper of days long past
land formed by the waves cupped in the gale of strong grasp
hear the barnacles stutter and the rasp of a chiton
the blue mussel squeak to the crab’s quick scuttle
hear the sea worm burrow and the mollusk moan
in the arms of a starfish, for them no tomorrow
hear the fishes quick splash - the surging depths mutter
as the sandpiper’s young from the seagull flutter.

Peace? here at life’s door?
The gray wrinkled hands of the sea
creep with white tipped fingers
over the quiet shore.

Estuary Events

March 4th – Estuary Art Opening at Zocalo's, 7-9pm featuring Fiftieth Parallel
12th & 13th – Eelgrass Restoration Piolt Project – 10 to 5pm/ 10 to 3pm, Space limited RSVP to info,,,keepingitliving.ca, (250) 703-2871
17th – Estuary Movie Night, 7 to 9 pm at North Island College
April 2nd - Day of the Estuary, 1 to 5:30pm Open House - displays, estuary walks & more, 4-6pm Salmon BBQ, 6:30 to 9pm Evening Forum


Art Auction and Competition
March 1st to April 2nd

Once again artists from around the Comox Valley and beyond are supporting the protection and restoration of the Courtenay River Estuary with estuary inspired art. The pieces, beautiful and alluring, are up at www.keepingitliving.ca and will be on display at Zocalo Cafe from March 1st to 31st. Opening night will be held from 7 to 9pm March 4th at Zocalo on 5th and Cliffe, featuring an up and coming local band, Fiftieth Parallel. You will be able to bid and vote throughout March at Zocalo's and bid online. The votes are to select this year’s People’s Choice winner. As you value art, estuaries and community bid on a piece for your home or as a gift - remember these pieces not only have value as amazing art but also as symbols of the quality of life you are protecting.

The Grand Finale of the auction and competition will be the Day of the Estuary event held at K'omoks Band Hall on April 2nd. All art as well as interactive multimedia displays will be showcased and open to the public 1pm to 5:30pm. A First Nation style salmon BBQ will be offered from 4-6pm and select members from the community will be arriving by dugout canoe around 6pm. This will be the last chance for bids or votes and will be an event to remember. For more information visit www.keepingitliving.ca.