Hiking the Campbell River Lookout Trail

Looking back towards the Beaufort Range from a lower view point As an alternative to the very popular Ripple Rock trail consider the Campbell River Lookout trail. While the Ripple Rock trail might have a full parking lot, the lookout trail can be less busy. The views are just as good and perhaps better than Ripple Rock because the elevation …

Point Holmes Moonrise

The first night I went down to Point Holmes, the moonrise was relatively close to sunset so there was still some very interesting colour in the sky. The beach at Point Holmes is fabulous to photograph and particularly good on a falling tide since the dropping water reveals a set of very interesting boulders. Over the last month I’ve been down …

Campbell River’s Canyon View Trail

Campbell River’s Canyon View Trail (accessed via parking areas at the old BC Hydro powerhouse and at the logging bridge at Woodburn Road) is a moderate 6 km loop that is excellent for wildflowers in the early spring. The rich soil of the Campbell River flood plain is perfect for both white and pink fawn lilies (Erythronium sp.) and the display can …

Oyster River Bowls

Photographing moving water has been a theme for me this year and I’ve really been enjoying experimenting with neutral density filters to slow down the shutter speed and blur the flowing water. It’s also been a good excuse to get out and visit new locations. Sandstone Abstract #2 This weekend I followed up a suggestion by George Bowron and checked …

Down at the Brown’s

Brown’s River falls have been on my “must visit” photography list for a while—the problem was that I really didn’t have a clear idea of where exactly they were. The Comox Valley Camera Club did a field trip there earlier in the month but I had a scheduling conflict and couldn’t attend. There are a couple of different ways to …

Bear Creek Nature Park

Bear Creek Nature Park is one of the Comox Valley’s less well known regional parks. It’s relatively new (added to the Comox Valley Regional District’s system of parks in 2011) and it is a bit off the beaten track on MacAulay Road in Black Creek. The 161 acre park includes a working fish hatchery run by the Oyster River Enhancement …

Spring Hiking Conditions at Paradise Meadows

This weekend Jocie and I decided to venture into the snow and look for early blooming plants at Paradise Meadows in Strathcona Provincial Park. This section of the park is easily accessible once the snow pack melts and the boardwalk and trail is clear—it’s a great place to see some of the beautiful flowers that make the meadows special. Still …

Deep Bay Marine Field Station

At the end of a crushed shell road lies the Deep Bay Marine Field Station, a research facility run by Vancouver Island University. It’s a gorgeous location overlooking Deep Bay on Vancouver Island. The station is spectacular in its design, looking a little like a huge clam shell. The station is used by Vancouver Island University for aquaculture and marine …

Rosewall Creek Ramble

Earlier this month I had a day to myself and thought that it would be good to check out the waterfalls at Rosewall Creek. I know a couple of people who have hiked up to the falls but didn’t really have a clear idea of how long it would take and what was involved—that always put me off making the …

Stream of Ghosts

I’ve been experimenting with long exposures and photographing moving water (and chum salmon) down at the Puntledge. I don’t have the technique quite right yet and really need to get some neutral density filters so that I can get longer shutter speeds. It has been fun trying different things out and it’s forcing me to use my tripod (which I …