Ian Lindsay & Associates: Ian Lindsay of Lindsay and Associates has played an active role in the local community since 1979. He has been with RE/MAX, Vancouver Island's most advanced real estate business network, since 1996, marketing and selling residential, rural, strata, and recreational investment and project development real estate. Ian has received several awards recognizing his exceptional community commitment locally, as well as awards for outstanding performance and achievement from both RE/MAX International and the Vancouver Island Real Estate Board. You'll find true real estate professionals at IanLindsay.ca.

Eddie Van Haddock & The Rockfish: In a little town by the sea where the stories never end, lived Captain Dave and his crew, every child's favourite friend. With a smile as wide as the ocean and a heart that's full of dreams, he sails a mellow submarine where magic gleams and beams. Every morning at sunrise, when the world awakes anew, Captain Dave and his crew set sail in waters deep and blue. Through the ticking clock of time, where adventures come alive, they laugh and learn and play each day in their underwater dive.

Dave Graham: The sun was shining and the air was full of seagulls. As Captain Dave, standing at the open hatch of the Mellow Submarine, enjoyed some deep breaths of fresh ocean air, he heard a noise from within the sub and called out, "Good morning, Larry. Today we're heading to Quadra Island for a very special exploration."

"Quadra Island! I love it, dear Captain!" That was the voice of Larry—Larry the Lobster, the captain's best friend and right-hand man. Well, right-hand lobster. Larry continued, "The currents around Discovery Passage are always exciting. What are we looking for today?"

"We are going to discover something ancient and amazing, my friend. We are searching for clam gardens built by Coast Salish peoples thousands of years ago."

"Gardens? Underwater gardens? But Captain, how do you grow a garden under the ocean? Don't plants need soil and sunshine?"

Captain Dave took a last look at the seascape around them and then climbed down the ladder to join Larry inside the sub. "These aren't gardens with flowers and vegetables, Larry. Clam gardens are special rock walls built in the intertidal zone. That's the area between high tide and low tide. The walls create perfect habitat for the clams to grow."

Larry's eyes widened with curiosity. "Rock walls? You mean people built walls underwater to help clams? Why would they do that?"

"Because the Coast Salish peoples, who have lived there for over 10,000 years, understood something that modern scientists are only now fully appreciating," Captain Dave explained. "They knew how to work with nature to create more food, not just take what was already there. They were the ocean's first farmers."

Larry clicked his claws together excitedly. "Oh, that sounds brilliant! When do we get to see one?"

"Right now, my friend. We're approaching the eastern shore of Quadra Island. Look at your tide charts. We're arriving at low tide, which is perfect timing."

As the Mellow Submarine glided into a quiet bay on Quadra Island, Larry pressed his face against the porthole. The water was crystal clear, and through it he could see an amazing sight. "Captain Dave, I see a wall! A long, curved wall made of rocks, and it's covered with barnacles and seaweed!"

"That's it, Larry. That's a clam garden. Let's take a closer look."

Captain Dave and Larry climbed out onto the submarine's deck. The tide was low, and before them stretched a remarkable site: a rock wall carefully constructed about half a metre tall, curved along the shoreline for nearly 100 metres. Behind the wall, the beach was terraced and flat, covered with a mixture of sand, gravel, and shell fragments.

"So beautiful," Larry whispered. "Captain, how old do you figure this wall is?"

"Well, some clam gardens in this area are over 3,500 years old," Captain Dave said with reverence. "Imagine that, Larry. People were building these gardens before the pyramids of Egypt were completed, and they're still working today."

A gentle voice called out from the shore. "Hello, are you here to learn about the clam gardens?"

Captain Dave and Larry looked up to see a woman walking carefully across the rocky beach towards them. She wore rubber boots and carried a clipboard and camera. A young boy, about eight years old, walked beside her.

"Good morning," Captain Dave called back. "Yes, we are. I'm Captain Dave, and this is my first mate, Larry."

The woman smiled warmly. "I'm Dr. Sarah Wilson, a marine archaeologist, and this is my son James. We're documenting clam gardens all along the coast. It's wonderful to meet you both."

Larry waved his claws. "Nice to meet you."

"We're here to learn about these amazing walls," James said. His eyes lit up when he saw Larry. "A talking lobster! That's so cool!"

Dr. Wilson gestured to the rock wall before them. "You've come to the right place. This is one of the best-preserved clam gardens on Quadra Island. The First Nations have been caring for these gardens for countless generations."

"How exactly does the wall help the clams?" Larry asked, scuttling closer to examine the structure.

James knelt down beside Larry, pointing to the wall. "My mom says the wall does a bunch of things. First, it makes the beach flatter behind it. See how the beach is like a terrace?"

"I do see that," Larry said. "It's much flatter behind the wall than in front of it."

Dr. Wilson nodded approvingly at her son. "Exactly right, James. Now, Captain Dave and Larry, think about what clams need to survive. What do you think is important for them?"

Captain Dave thought for a moment. "Well, they need food in the form of tiny particles in the water. They need protection from predators, and they need the right kind of beach to burrow into."

"Perfect," Dr. Wilson said. "The rock wall creates all of those conditions. When the tide comes in, water flows over the wall and slows down. Slower water means more food particles settle on the beach instead of washing away. The clams have more to eat."

Larry's eyes widened. "So the wall is like a filter that catches food?"

"Exactly! And there's more. The flatter beach behind the wall retains water longer when the tide goes out. That means clams aren't exposed to air and sun as long, which is healthier for them."

James added excitedly, "And the flat beach warms up faster in the sun, which helps baby clams grow quicker."

"That's remarkable," Captain Dave said, examining the wall more closely. "The people who built these understood water flow, temperature, sediment, and clam biology. That's sophisticated science."

Dr. Wilson smiled. "Modern marine biologists are discovering that these clam gardens can produce two to four times more clams than natural beaches. The Coast Salish peoples created some of the most productive clam habitat in the world, and they did it thousands of years ago."

Larry scuttled along the wall, examining how the rocks were placed. "These rocks are fitted together so carefully. How did they build this?"

"Families and communities worked together," Dr. Wilson explained. "They chose rocks of specific sizes and shapes, carried them to the right spots, and placed them during low tide. Building a clam garden like this one would've taken many days of work at low tide."

James pointed to different sections of the wall. "See how some rocks are bigger at the bottom? This makes the wall stronger against waves. And look—they curved the wall to follow the natural shape of the beach."

Captain Dave nodded appreciatively. "They worked with nature, not against it. They understood the landscape and the tides."

"Exactly," Dr. Wilson said. "This isn't just fishing or harvesting—this is mariculture. That's a fancy word for ocean farming. The Coast Salish peoples were cultivating the ocean, managing it sustainably for generation after generation."

Larry looked thoughtful. "So they took care of the clams, and the clams took care of them?"

"A beautiful way to put it, Larry," Dr. Wilson said. "And importantly, they harvested sustainably. They never took too many clams. They left plenty to reproduce. They knew that if they cared for the garden, it would care for their children and grandchildren."

James bent down and carefully brushed sand away from the beach behind the wall. "Look, you can see clamshells everywhere. Mom says we can find different kinds."

Larry scuttled over to investigate. "Oh my! There are so many. Are all these clams alive?"

"Many are," Dr. Wilson said. "You can see little holes in the sand. Those are clams' siphons. The clams are buried underneath, filtering water and eating plankton. Behind this wall, we've counted five different species of clams. There's littleneck, butter, cockle, horse, and softshell clams."

Captain Dave was amazed. "Five species, all thriving in one clam garden! That's incredible biodiversity."

"The gardens support much more than clams," Dr. Wilson continued. "All these clams attract crabs, sea stars, fish, and birds. The rock walls themselves become habitat for barnacles, mussels, seaweed, and small fish. A single clam garden creates homes for hundreds of species."

Larry clicked his claws excitedly. "It's like building an apartment building for the whole neighbourhood!"

"Coast Salish peoples were brilliant environmental engineers," Dr. Wilson said. "They managed forests, estuaries, salmon streams, root gardens, and clam gardens. They shaped the landscape through careful, sustainable practices developed over thousands of years."

James pointed up the beach. "Wanna see something else cool? Follow me."

The group carefully walked along the shoreline, staying below the high-tide line to avoid disturbing any culturally sensitive areas. James led them to a spot where two clam garden walls met at an angle.

"See this?" James said. "The walls form a channel. When the tide goes out, water drains through here, but it flows slowly because of how the walls are angled. That keeps the beach moist longer."

Larry was amazed. "It's like plumbing! Underwater plumbing designed thousands of years ago!"

Captain Dave looked out across the bay. "Are there many clam gardens in this area?"

"Hundreds," Dr. Wilson said. "All along the BC coast, from Washington State up to Alaska, we're still discovering and documenting them. Some researchers estimate there could be more than a thousand clam gardens along the coast."

"A thousand?" Larry exclaimed. "That's an entire network of ocean farms!"

"It is," Dr. Wilson agreed. "And here's something important: many of these gardens are still producing clams today, thousands of years later. That's true sustainability."

James sat down on a dry rock and pulled out a notebook. "I'm helping my mom document the gardens. We measure them, photograph them, and record what species we find. And then we share that information with First Nations communities."

"Why is it important to share with the communities?" Larry asked.

Dr. Wilson's expression became serious. "Because this is their knowledge, their heritage, and their traditional territory. These gardens belong to the First Nations peoples whose ancestors built them. Scientists like me are guests here, learning from their expertise."

Captain Dave nodded. "It's their story to tell."

"Exactly. That's why we always work in partnership with local nations. They're the experts, not us. They've been caring for these gardens for millennia. Modern science is just beginning to understand what they've always known."

James closed his notebook. "Mom says the gardens teach us about climate change, too."

"How so?" Captain Dave asked.

Dr. Wilson gestured to the wall. "These gardens have survived thousands of years of changing sea levels, changing temperatures, and changing ecosystems. They show us that humans can work with nature to create resilience. Instead of fighting against change, we can design systems that adapt and thrive."

"So the old ways can teach us new ways?" Larry asked.

"The old ways can teach us better ways," Dr. Wilson corrected gently. "Traditional ecological knowledge isn't primitive or outdated. It's sophisticated, tested, and proven over thousands of years. We need to listen to it."

Captain Dave looked at the clam garden with new eyes. "This isn't just history—it's a lesson for the future."

"Absolutely," Dr. Wilson said. "Some communities are even building new clam gardens using traditional methods. They're revitalizing this ancient practice because it works. It's sustainable, it's productive, and it's good for the ecosystem."

The tide was beginning to turn, water creeping slowly up the beach towards the wall.

"We should head back," Dr. Wilson said. "The tide comes in quickly here."

As they walked back towards the submarine, James turned to Larry. "What did you learn today, Larry?"

Larry thought carefully, his claws clicking together. "I learned that the smartest way to get food from the ocean isn't just to take it, but to care for it. I learned that Indigenous peoples have been scientists and engineers for thousands of years. And I learned that we should listen to the people who've lived here longest. They know things we are still trying to understand."

"Beautifully said," Dr. Wilson smiled. "Larry, you'd make an excellent marine archaeologist."

Larry beamed with pride. "Thank you! Captain Dave, can we come back and help document more clam gardens?"

"I think that's a wonderful idea, Larry."

"Dr. Wilson, James, thank you for teaching us today."

"Thank you for being such eager learners," Dr. Wilson said. "The more people who understand and respect these gardens, the better chance we have of protecting them for future generations."

As the Mellow Submarine slipped back into deeper water, Larry took one last look at the clam garden through the porthole.

"Captain Dave?"

"Yes, Larry?"

"Those walls have been standing for thousands of years, taking care of clams and people. That's the kind of legacy I want to leave—something that helps others long after I'm gone."

Captain Dave smiled warmly. "That's a noble aspiration, my friend. The people who built those gardens felt the same way. They built for their grandchildren and great-grandchildren. They built for tomorrow."

Larry nodded thoughtfully. "Built for tomorrow. I like that."

As the Mellow Submarine headed home through the strong currents of Discovery Passage, Larry couldn't stop thinking about the ancient walls, the careful placement of each rock, and the hands that had built something so lasting, so generous, and so wise.

"Captain Dave?" Larry said quietly.

"Yes?"

"Next time someone asks me what treasure we found in our explorations, I'm going to tell 'em about the clam gardens."

"Because they're valuable?" Captain Dave asked.

"No," Larry said. "Because they teach us how to be good ancestors."

Captain Dave smiled, his eyes warm with pride. "Well said, Larry. Very well said indeed."

Eddie Van Haddock & The Rockfish: When the night falls softly, and stars light up the sky, Captain Dave tucks his crew in with a gentle lullaby. Dreams of whales and mermaids, of treasures lush and green, await each little sailor aboard the Mellow Submarine.

Ian Lindsay & Associates: Ian Lindsay of Lindsay and Associates has played an active role in the local community since 1979. He has been with RE/MAX, Vancouver Island's most advanced real estate business network, since 1996, marketing and selling residential, rural, strata, and recreational investment and project development real estate. Ian has received several awards recognizing his exceptional community commitment locally, as well as awards for outstanding performance and achievement from both RE/MAX International and the Vancouver Island Real Estate Board. You'll find true real estate professionals at IanLindsay.ca.