I lived for near a year on the central east coast of Vancouver Island and regularly kayaked in the Salish Sea. I often encountered wildlife like seals in the waters and eagles overhead. Killer Whales always scared me but thankfully I got no closer than 100m. I gathered my own mussels or went down to the warf to purchase seafood directly from the fishermen. My favourite thing though about living next to the sea in that area was the thick rain forest.