Photo: The Canadian Press

Waves crashing against rocks in Ucluelet in January.

Seismic activity in recent months has shifted southern Vancouver Island slightly farther away from the mainland, one earthquake expert determined.

The shift is estimated to be about five millimetres, Natural Resources Canada seismologist John Cassidy said. He noted that's about the width of a pencil.

Cassidy said the movement was caused by thousands of tiny tremors that began occurring in mid-May, and he said the island's shift in only a few weeks is a "remarkable" phenomenon. 

He added the seismic activity picked up in mid-June, noting there have been more 10,000 tremors since then.

On Friday, Cassidy wrote in a Tweet that Vancouver Island was "tremor free" for the first time in weeks.

- with files from CTV Vancouver Island