This is why I do it. I go out in my little boat, Snoopy, in the summer months and sometimes I come home with a bad back as a result. I drag my camera gear out there and usually come home with some photos of splashes or maybe nothing at all. But sometimes ... I have the best day of my life. One of those days when, in the middle of the action, I realize it is a day I will … [Read more...]
Reasons to Love Vancouver Island in Summer: #4 Dolphins
Are you noticing a trend here? Yes, I love my wildlife photography in summer here in British Columbia. My favourite thing to do is go out in my little boat Snoopy and photograph the marine wildlife, should they choose to visit me. You can't just chase them down. Usually I'll see them off in the distance and go towards the general vicinity, cut the motor, and watch from … [Read more...]
Reasons to Love Vancouver Island in Summer: #3 Bald Eagles
We have a bald eagle nest in the estuary behind our campsite in Campbell River, British Columbia. It's too far away to photograph (for me), but with a spotting scope, we can watch over the eaglets. In spring when we arrive here, we see the adults coming and going with sticks. Once I saw and heard one of the adults break a branch off of a neighbouring tree! There was a great … [Read more...]
Reasons to Love Vancouver Island in Summer: #2 Humpback Whales
Another one of my favourite photography subjects in summertime is seen during my frequent boating trips: Humpback Whales. In fact, I'm seeing more and more of them all the time. They are returning to British Columbia in increasingly higher numbers every year. Commercial whaling in British Columbia ended 50 years ago (the year I was born actually). Since that time, the … [Read more...]
Reasons to Love Vancouver Island in Summer: #1 Orcas
Ahhhh, summertime in BC. It’s truly spectacular. The long summer nights, the mountains, the lakes, the ocean, the waterfalls, the beaches, the trees, the wildlife, and did I mention the boating? Even though Ray and I live a nomadic lifestyle now and have the freedom to go anywhere we want, we return to Vancouver Island, British Columbia, every summer because there is no place … [Read more...]
Larry the Mute Swan
We’re back in British Columbia for the summer and we’re all set up at our favourite spot at Thunderbird RV Park in Campbell River. Opportunities for wildlife photography abound here, but I’ve noticed that lately my attention has fallen on one particular individual: Larry the Mute Swan. Over the past few years we’ve been coming here Larry has become a familiar sight and we … [Read more...]
How the Beauty of Autumn Broke My Darkness
It’s hard to stay positive sometimes. After my mother passed away, the grey cloud came, both literally and figuratively. It rained and rained and rained. They were dark dreary days. There were some days that I didn’t even get out of bed - didn’t or couldn’t. But when I did get out for a walk around the campground, I couldn’t help but notice the colours of autumn. All the … [Read more...]
Humpback Whales at Copper Cliffs
Quadra Island lies just across Discovery Passage from Campbell River, British Columbia, and on it is a very special location known as Copper Cliffs. It's actually a famous diving location. But I've never been diving. On board my boat, Snoopy, the brightly coloured cliffs stand out like someone spilled a box of crayons that melted in the sun. The minerals in the rock have … [Read more...]