Season 2 of the Wild Islander Podcast is finally here and we have some absolutely golden episodes ahead!

If you had the chance to learn from someone’s lifetime of experience in something as mystical and unique as fly fishing, wouldn’t you jump at the opportunity to hear what they had to say? Well, you’re in luck folks because we have just the man for the job: Derek Bird, fly-fishing enthusiast, educator, author and founding editor of Fly Fusion: a nationally recognized fly-fishing magazine. We’ll chat about living on Van Isle, close calls, stories that inspired us, parenting, the impact of others experiences on us, and of course, the art of fly-fishing from one of the best in the sport. This episode is brought to you by Imagine Camping, makers of the Fireside Fork. Check out their incredibly handy outdoor cooking utensils at imaginecamping.com!

Each one of our episodes this year have been such a joy to record and put together. Me and our guests on the show have worked to put together ‘timeless episodes’ that can be used as resources and reference points for those wanting to go on adventures here on Vancouver Island. Wether you’re into walking the local parks, climbing our highest peaks, paddling our shores or exploring new places, there is something for everyone on our show who wants a little or a lot more of the Wild Islander lifestyle. I hope you learned something this season while listening in, I know I sure did! Season 2 will air in 2022, and we’re excited to see what shape it will take! Stay wild, Islanders ✌🏼 If you would like to become a partner or sponsor an episode for Season 2, send us an email at [email protected] to find out how you can partner with us!

It’s only in our more recent history that hunting has become more of a sport than necessity, but the real question is sometimes asked: is this still something we should value and practice? I don’t think it would take any of us very long, looking at the family tree or memoirs of days gone by, to find yourself related to someone who was or is a hunter in the family. This ancient practice goes back into the myths of time and is very much practiced today, right here on Vancouver Island. This episode we are joined by Anthony Klassen and Ben Steele, both resident hunters here on the Island. We’ll talk about the ethics of hunting, the difficulty hunting our local Blacktail deer and why we have chosen to make this not only a part of our lives, but bringing our families into this way of life as well.

You don’t have to look far in the outdoor merchandising world to see there are 1 billion options out there to make up your backcountry kit into a world class, super shiny masterpiece.

But for the real world, it’s not realistic to just go drop $10,000 on brand new gear… so, what do you do? Where do you look?

If you have a trip coming up next summer now is the time to start the search. Craigslist, FB Marketplace, Kijiji, Value Village, local consignment shops and every thrift store out there most likely hold a piece of your kit to make your next adventure safe & successful. In this weeks episode, we’ll unpack what I’ve learned to look for and how to save precious time and money to make your next Van Isle adventure the best it can be on a budget.

The West Coast vs My Four Sons.

Honestly, it’s hard to decide which of the two are more wild, but in this weeks episode we get to see who wins this Wild West Coast Showdown as they meet each other for the first time. There will be wind. There will be rain. There will be tears. There will be adventure as we head to some of Vancouver Island’s most beloved locations: Tofino, Ucuelet, and Pacific Rim National Park. Follow along for the journey on Facebook and Instagram for the visuals of this family adventure westward for the first time, together.

In a domain like the outdoors—where masculinity has prevailed for decades—it’s an absolute joy to see women’s opportunities exploding across places like our Island’s backcountry. Wether it’s climbing, mountaineering, trail running, kayaking, hunting or fishing, women’s involvement in the outdoor world is growing every year.

This week, we have the opportunity to hear from my long time friend Jacquelyn Janzen as she shares her journey of becoming an avid and accomplished outdoorswoman here on the Island. Most of her achievements are beyond anything I would ever try to attempt, and I’m proud to call her a friend and an inspiration to me and many others. We’ll talk about her training to becoming a solo hiker, trail runner, running ultra marathons and her 2014 fundraiser run project where she ran from Port Hardy down to Victoria.

With over 1,400 cave locations discovered so far on Vancouver Island, it’s like a modern day gold rush of adventure for those who dare to call themselves Cavers. This week we’re joining my longtime adventure partner Shawn Quinton to head under the surface to discover what lies beneath on the paths of stone below. We’ll cover what’s involved with caving, where you can learn to explore this sport and how to do it safely at every skill level.

Failure is as synonymous with exploring the outdoors as marshmallows are with a campfire. You often see the two together, and your adventures can turn out golden brown with a completed objective or burnt to a crisp in coming up short. What you do with either result is all up to you. There’s so much to learn from the stories we’d rather not share…Personally, I’ve come to appreciate the burnt-to-a-crisp adventures as I find I learn way more from them then I do from my triumphs. For example, I’ve attempted Albert Edward in Strathcona Park 8 times, and 3 of those were cut short due to injury and weather... but I keep coming back to learn something new each time. In many ways, we learn all of our lessons on the backs of those who went before us who tried and failed and tried and failed again to find the best way to accomplish this or that thing. Here’s some of my not so great moments that I hope someone can learn from, to become an even better outdoors person.

Social media has brought about an unprecedented opportunity to discover new places to explore the natural world around us. There are some incredible people doing amazing things to show us what’s just around the corner or down that next trail…

Today’s guest, Dylan Benson or @betterwithadventure is one of those amazing individuals that represents Vancouver Island’s outdoor adventure opportunities so well. Join us for Ep. 8 as he shares his stories of the profoundly positive impact the outdoors can have on our lives, right here on Vancouver Island.

We’ll talk about mental health & the outdoors, how to create quality content to share your story and wilderness journeys like a pro using just your phone. You’re in for a treat on this one, Wild Islanders ✌🏼

Camping is one of my favourite pastimes, so much so I made a career of it the last 10 years of my life. What I learned during those years was that it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, or hot chocolate… It’s not always like the pictures on Instagram made it out to be…But it’s one of the best experiences or practices I’ve seen for kids and people in general to understand their role and impact on the natural world, and how a few days in the wilderness can drastically change your perspective on pretty much everything. It’s a venue like no other that can cause us to slow down and appreciate the simple things: being warmed by a fire, sharing stories under starlight or learning a new skill together as a family or individually. This weeks episode includes stories from my camping adventures on the Island: midnight bear spray mishaps, my first fish, vicious Canadian Geese encounters in the dark and why we keep coming back for more, to experience more Nights under the Stars. Resources included: where to find great camping spots on Vancouver Island!