Things to Do in Camano

The nature enthusiasts at West Coast Outdoor Adventure Rentals supply sportsmen with Hobie kayaks and stand-up paddleboards to explore the protected waters of the Jordan River, Sombrio Beach, and Strait of Juan de Fuca. Needing no prior experience, single explorers or duos propel their vessels with paddles or fully adjustable kayak pedal systems, which leave hands free for photographing scenery, fishing, or manning the onboard crepe stations. Highlights include wildlife encounters with seals, otters, and eagles.

The Braefoot Community Association was created to enrich its community with sports and recreational activities. Each of their programs is designed to help kids develop social and physical skills while encouraging healthy lifestyle habits and instilling in them an eagerness to remain active instead of imitating plastic-molded mannequins. Kids aged 16 months to 12 years can undergo non-competitive instruction in roller hockey, soccer, basketball, baseball, and tennis, and owners of fancy feet can take pre-professional and children's level dance instruction with the Westcoast Academy of Performing Arts. During the summer, a slew of camps keep children occupied and involved, teaching kids kayaking or biking basics, or helping them hone their soccer or hockey skills. The organization’s multi-use facility also has grounds for the Lakehill Soccer Association and the Saanich Lacrosse Association to play on and is working toward expanding their activities to include adult programs.

Film enthusiast Roland Fernando entered the movie-rental industry more than 30 years ago, building Video Express into a movie emporium that carries hard-to-find and vintage films, independent releases, and blockbuster hits. Walls lined with blue neon tubes evoke a retro movie theatre, leading customers along shelves stocked with children's movies, dramas, horrors, comedies, documentaries, and Woody Allen's napping nook. The store also stocks video games for Wii, PS3, and Xbox 360, and offers one or two-day console rentals.

As any triumphant team of athletes can tell you, winning is exhilarating. At Sportball, though, instructors focus on the quieter joys of athletics: improving motor skills and life skills. Their noncompetitive instruction—aimed at babies all the way up through tweens—covers eight popular sports, ranging from soccer and volleyball to hockey and golf. With age-appropriate, child-sized equipment, they help youth develop balance, strength, and coordination. They also nurture the self-confidence that will one day be needed on the soccer field where each grown kid will take the bar exam.