News

Thank you to Polaris Law Collective for sponsoring Double Bay Sanctuary Foundation’s July 1st Festival Booth in Campbell River this past weekend. Olivia Murphy and Carlos Los Cobo, members of the Double Bay Sanctuary Foundation team, made a special trip to Campbell River to connect with the community and share the progress we are working toward together. We are grateful for the support, conversations, and continued belief in protecting the waters, wildlife, and future of Double Bay Sanctuary.

June 1st Our third annual Marine Debris Cleanup was another incredible success, made possible by the dedication of our volunteers and partners. A special thank you to Pacific Pro Dive and the Pacific Scuba Club divers, who once again volunteered their time and expertise to recover debris from below the surface. We are also grateful to our international volunteers, who sorted and prepared the collected materials for recycling, and to Ocean Legacy’s Ocean Plastic Depot, whose recycling program ensures ocean plastics are diverted from the landfill and transformed into new products. Together, we removed 770 kg (1,697 lbs) of marine debris. Of that, 580 kg was diverted from the landfill, including 390 kg of ocean plastics, 150 kg of metal, and 40 kg of glass, achieving an impressive 75.32% recycling diversion rate. Protecting Double Bay means protecting an ecosystem where life flourishes. From the smallest intertidal organisms to the whales that pass through these waters. Watch our reel on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doublebaysanctuary/reels/

May 3rd Audy Contracting returned to Double Bay Sanctuary for another major phase of construction, helping bring the next stage of our vision to life. Their continued commitment, skilled craftsmanship, and generosity have played an invaluable role in transforming the sanctuary’s facilities. Following their previous work stabilizing the Main Lodge with a new foundation and custom-milled yellow cedar deck, the team turned their attention to our second wing. This phase included installing a brand-new foundation and durable metal roof, providing a strong, lasting structure as renovations move forward. These improvements are an important step toward expanding our accommodations, allowing us to welcome more researchers, conservation partners, volunteers, and guests at one time while ensuring the buildings are built to serve the sanctuary for many years to come.

Double Bay Sanctuary began measuring water current conditions in Double Bay at the proposed location for Corky’s future enclosure. Current velocity and flow patterns generate forces that directly inform engineering requirements, including infrastructure strength, anchoring, and long-term stability. Using a current meter, we are collecting site-specific data to ensure design decisions are grounded in measured conditions. We’ll share updates as analysis progresses and findings inform the next steps in enclosure planning.

On November 20, we purchased 55 acres of land adjoining both sides of The Sanctuary Property to help protect this forest, and Corky’s future home to strengthen long-term habitat security. Expanding protected shorelines supports ecosystem continuity while creating space for resilience, recovery, and responsible stewardship. Ocean and land are deeply interconnected. If you wish to help us protect this forest, donate here.

We’re honoured to host students from the University of Victoria’s Spectrum Lab for a second time this year and a second consecutive year of research at the Sanctuary, led by Dr. Jordanna Bergman (PhD), Department of Geography. Their current study explores the ecological relationship between bryozoans and kelp forests. As a dedicated field site, The Sanctuary welcomes academic institutions advancing marine research grounded in care and evidence