Tide to Table—An Unforgettable Beach BBQ
Imagine if you will, a leisurely afternoon spent at sea, watching as free divers swim amongst the rocks, pulling up sea urchins, ling cod and large rock scallops. We find silky bull kelp growing near the shore—a translucent green, cool and crisp, with a slight salt taste from the sea water. “That’s a delicacy right there”, states Alexander McNaughton, a professional forager for the coastal region.
Our coolers full, we carry on to one of the many secluded coves near Nimmo Bay Resort for an evening barbecue on the beach. We nose our boat into a sandy bay where the fires are already burning, awaiting our catch. Three fires actually, because what would a good beach barbeque be without a full-size natural sea salt and kelp bath!
A short hike gives us the opportunity to forage for tender young sea asparagus and bright green spruce tips while the embers burn down. And we move quickly to uncover tiny shore crab hiding under the rocks. Tossed in a hot cast iron pan with some oil and a bit of locally harvested sea salt, we pop them into our mouths and enjoy a crisp popcorn-like snack, tasting clearly of fresh crab.
The ling cod is cleaned and stuffed with 
spruce tips and sea asparagus. Wrapped firmly in kelp blades, it’s placed directly into the fire, completely immersed in the hot coals. Meanwhile, freshly made bread dough is grilled into a soft naan, with crispy and wood fired edges giving way to the warm soft bread underneath.
Top all this off with a martini 
bar and a selection of fine wines, and you have a summer barbeque experience that is anything but ordinary, and yet something to be expected from our hosts.
Nimmo Bay provides the perfect example of how eco-tourism and extraordinary culinary experiences can co-exist. Committed to educating visitors about authentic coastal cuisine, the team believes that shore lunches and barbeques are an integral part of their culture.
Growing up on the shores of the Pacific Ocean in the Great Bear Rainforest of BC, Fraser Murray remembers shore lunches with his father, where fresh caught salmon was draped over a piece of driftwood and propped against the open fire. No fancy marinades, and no linen tablecloths.
Words such as sustainable, foraged and intentional are becoming common place on menus across North America, and chefs are committed to offering customers more authentic dining experiences, using wild, natural ingredients. As customers, we long to experience food that speaks to all of our senses, and as we find ourselves dining outdoors in this natural setting, it does exactly that.
Edible Vancouver Island joined Alexander McNaughton and Chris Adair of Bottom Dwellers Freediving at Nimmo Bay Resort for an unforgettable weekend of culinary adventures. The beach barbeque was the highlight of the trip, bringing the concepts of culinary adventure, eco-tourism, long table dinners, foraging, and intentionality all together in one phenomenal event.
