The north arm of Burrard Inlet, known as Indian Arm, is a fjord which runs 8 miles from Roche Point north to the Indian River estuary. Fresh water enters the inlet from more than forty creeks and streams. Many creeks have outwash fans of cobblestone and gravel beaches. Only Indian River has a fully developed estuary with extensive mudflats, salt marshes, estuarine grasslands and estuarine forest including Pacific crabapple, Sitka spruce, black cottonwood and ninebark. The inlet is surrounded by steep mountains covered with second growth forest of western hemlock, Douglas fir and western red cedar. Huge stumps of old growth trees, logged between 1865 and 1995, testify to the area's natural history.

               Loon                                      Racoon

          Indian Arm once nourished animal, bird and marine life in rich variety. Elk roamed here, along with black bear, grizzly bear, cougar, wolf, mountain goat and deer. The smaller forest animals included beaver, skunk, otter, marten, fisher, mink and weasel. All were here in plenty until the turn of the century, many until much later. Only occasional glimpses are seen of these wild creatures today.

          Many different birds still nest, winter or migrate in the inlet. Major wintering species include Barrow's Goldeneye (over 2000), Surf Scoter (over 1000), Western Grebe (over 500) and Glaucous winged Gull (over 1000). Summer breeding birds include Gadwall, Bufflehead, Hooded Merganser, Green backed Heron, Sora and Virginia Rails, Spotted Sandpiper and Killdeer. Feeding in the estuary while nesting upriver or on a mountain lake are Common Merganser, Harlequin Duck, Common Loon, Belted Kingfisher, Great Blue Heron and Dipper. Eagles nest along the shores of the inlet and congregate at the estuary during salmon runs. Eighteen breeding pairs of marbled murrelets lived in Indian Arm in 1990, but in recent years only one lone murrelet has been seen. Trumpeter swans once wintered at the estuary; the last were killed in the 1970's.

                     Black Bear                                         Blue Heron

          Humpback whales lived in the Straight of Georgia until the 1920's. They traveled all the fjords, as did killer whales and porpoises. Harbor seals are once again plentiful and can be seen when the salmon are running in the estuary of Indian River, lolling with full bellies on the log booms.

          Indian River is the birthplace and spawning ground for several species of salmon. Chum and Pink salmon still run in substantial numbers. Tiny runs of 100 Chinook, 700 Coho, and less than 100 steelhead are haunting remnants of what once was here.

          Crab and prawns are still subject to commercial harvest in Indian Arm. Commercial shrimp fishing boats drag their fine mesh nets along the bottom of the inlet, scooping up a "bycatch" including immature cod, snapper and prawns. Up until the 1960's five species of clams were readily harvested on all the beaches in the inlet; none can be found today.

Red Dungeness Crab

The Estuary

          The Indian River estuary is complex environment where elements of terrestrial, fresh water, and marine worlds meet and mix. Estuaries are known to scientists as the "nursery of life"  the place where sunlight is converted into food energy through the detritus cycle. Estuarine plants absorb sun energy. They die in winter, and are broken down by a rich assortment of fungi, bacteria, protozoa and other microorganisms which coat the dead plant material. Worms, snails, clams, and shrimp feed on this detritus, and in turn become food for fish, birds and amphibians. The organic detritus of the estuary is thus the beginning link in several food chains.

          Water birds use estuaries extensively during migration and winter feeding. Various species of oceanic fish use estuaries as spawning grounds, nurseries or temporary feeding areas. Salmon spend several weeks in estuary nurseries before moving out to the sea.

          Indian River is the last estuary on the south coast which has not been compromised by industrial use.

« History Map »

     Published on the internet by LachTroniX (LTX Design). Originally published by the Indian Arm Natural History Group with assistance from Seycove Marina, Deep Cove Canoe and Kayak Center, and the District of North Vancouver Community Heritage Commission. Map by Robert Harris. Layout, research and writing by Cynthia Baxter and Caffyn Kelley. Illustrations by Liz Shelton. Additional research and writing by Robert Harris, Sanford Osler and Gillian Murray. Based on oral and archival sources and publications including "Birds of Burrard Inlet, " BIEAP and VNHS,‑ "Estuaries: habitat for wildlife, " Canadian Wildlife Service: Echoes Across the Inlet by Damian Inwood. Dawn Sparks and Martha Border; History of Wigwam Inn by Steven Wong and Pam Humphries and other books and articles.

Phone: (604) 250-0375 (Preston Jennings)

Mailing Address: Indian Arm Bed And Breakfast Retreat 2967 Panorama Drive North Vancouver BC V7G 2A4

E-Mail: pjenning@shaw.ca