Looks like another hot and sunny summer will be starting soon in Nanaimo!

[caption id="attachment_967" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Tubing Down the Cowichan River on Central Vancouver Island - BC, Canada"][/caption] One neat thought to keep yourself cool this coming summer is to take a day tubing down the Cowichan River. Take a few friends with you and enjoy a completely relaxing day while you gently float down to river. You can bring your own flotation device, or rent a tube. There are even recommended areas to tube for the most enjoyment! Skutz Falls: This 2.5 km (1.6 miles) trip takes roughly 2-3 hours depending on water flow. Skutz Falls and Marie Canyon offer excellent swimming and have ample vehicle parking for transporting back and forth if you're tubing. Marie Canyon: You can also tube from Marie Canyon to Stoltz Pool. Unfortunately because of some rapids, you cannot tube through Marie Canyon from Skutz Falls. You’ll have to start below a rocky shelf and shoreline at Marie Canyon. It’s a good idea to have some items with you while tubing: Waterproof sun block, some sort of water shoes for the rocky parts, possibly a water bottle of clean water, at least two vehicles (or some sort of pick up at the end arranged), friends for a good time, and plenty of time! Stoltz Pool: There is swimming too, this area features several gravel beach areas and shallower water that is well suited for younger children. There are pools around but they tend to be smaller than and not quite as deep as those found at Skutz Falls. The swimming hole at Stoltz Pool is safer, shallower, has a gravel beach and is more suited for young children. The swimming hole at Skutz Falls is deeper, rocky and the water is swifter with some rapids, more suited to teenagers and younger adults. For more information about where to start your day long adventure, or where to rent tubes, give the Lake Cowichan Information Centre a call, or visit the web site: http://www.rainforestexpeditions.com/thints.htm If you are travelling to Vancouver Island, or a backpacker using Nanaimo as your base camp location on Central Island to explore the natural riches of BC, Cowichan Lake, Cowichan Bay and the Cowichan River regions are all excellent day trips.