Coast Guard Helicopter Landing & Taking Off

A nice strong high pressure system moved in last night and was giving us a beautiful sunny day today! I had seen it coming days before and knew exactly what I wanted to do!
I went down to Cannery Bay to see if my “barking” furry friends were home yet?…………….& they were!They almost always come back on or near my birthday. My birthday was yesterday. So I use that as a bench mark date for their return.
The Sea Lions have moved back into the Inlet! They were on the outside of the Bay on two small rocky islets. There were none on the inside yet. Because of the suns angle right now,the entire bay is almost in darkness. Our friends want warmth,so I think they move into the Bay when the sun starts to come back to the north on Dec 21st? I went inside of the Bay and the hill to the SW was casting nothing but darkness by blocking the suns rays.
Even the Sea Lions depend on the sun like me!
I spent a hour with my friends and than turned to the west to come back in to town.
I stopped off at Tsapee Narrows to check on the Daredevil and see how he was doing? He had injured his left Talon a week or so ago. He was his chirpy self!
It was good to see him again!
I than moved on to visit Moe at Morpheus Island. Maggie wasn’t around.(must of been out doing Christmas shopping?)
The water was fairly calm,so I managed to get a few good shots of Moe with Strathcona in the background.
After that I continued west to Deadman Island to visit Romeo and Juliette. They both were active tonight. I find all the eagles are way more active in the winter.
I had a great afternoons shoot! Just having my furry friends back for the winter made it all worthwhile on it’s own!
The Coast Guard chopper landed, dropped someone off & was out of there right away.

The ” Sherman T “

This landing marine vessel is owned by “Clayoquot Wilderness”. Clayoquot Wilderness is a remote resort north of Tofino that only the rich can afford. Well………you and I “can” use it if you want to fork out $1700 a night to sleep in a glorified prospectors tent!
As a X geologist,I have used those type of tents many times! Of course they would have power,silk pillows etc and such.
Glad to see someone’s got money out there!
This is their landing vessel that they use to transport large cargo. Looks like they have several cars and a large wrapped something on todays load.

Almond Islet Eagle

On my way down to Cannery Bay,I always pass by Almond islet. It’s on the south side of Warn island and close to Creative Salmon’s Fish Farm.
This eagle likes this spot. I like it for taking shots of him as well! It’s a bit skittish of me. I would need to visit it many many times until it accepts me.

“Everyone In The Pool”

Theirrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr BACK!
I was so happy to see my furry friends back for another winters vacation! I estimate about a hundred so far and their numbers will grow daily to about a thousand or so?
Only the males stay over here. It’s a boys club!
The females are much smarter and stay in the south with the kids in the warmth/sunshine.
The vast majority are Californians with a few Stellar Sea Lions sprinkled about. I hear the Stellar’s before I see them. They make “Growling” noises,whereas the Californian’s are “Barking” mad!

“Heads Up”

BIG ” ED “

This guy was King of the Hill!
Everywhere in Nature “SIZE DOES MATTER”!

Sea Lion Pano’s

The Sea Lions were on two different rocks.

“HEY”!!

The Daredevil

Blue Heron

Moe & Strathcona

The “Oceansummer” (Crabber)

Blue Heron

Romeo

Romeo at Sunset

A Cormorants Sunset

Chillin

Dunlin’s

Wave Sequence

For the rest of the winter,you will see this very same scene played out with each storm!
I try to get horizontal light when the wind is blowing! It highlights the waves tails in golden light!

Splish Splash

Lighthouse Sunset

Sunset Ride

Donald Mackenzie

This fellow died at the early age of 26! He died in 1942. I didn’t see any Military markings,so I don’t think he died because of the war?
Update – April 1st,2013
A relative of Mr.Mackenzie’s told me this about him…….”He would have been my great uncle. He was working at a logging camp in Chamis Bay, near Zeballos running his tugboat. He was working alone and his arm got caught in the winch. By the time he was able to stop it, it mangled his arm and shoulder. The nearest doctor was in Esperanza, at least 4 hrs away. Storms prevented him from getting out and gangrene set in. He died in Esperanza October 19, 1942.. His Father, Also Donald MacKenzie moved to Tofino in 1925 and settled the land now known as MacKenzie Beach.” (Ryan Mackenzie April 1st,2013)

West Coast ROCK & ROLL

A strong Low pressure system pushed through Tofino today. I started watching the Low pressure system approach us early this morning. When I get up in the morning,I go to the Weather Networks Satellite/Radar site.
I see whats coming our way. I noticed that the rear end of that Frontal system was 100 klicks to the SW. It was tracking fast! I knew that it would arrive here in a few hours. I also saw some clearing’s in behind! I was hopeful to get some storm shots today!
I loaded up my gear and headed out to Frank Island. I always like to go there. From Frank island looking to the West there is a large rock that has waves crashing up against it and the Lighthouse is directly in behind!
Basically the Lighthouse is point “A” and the rock with the waves crashing is point “B”. I line up A & B and that gives me my sweet spot……”C”.
Simple as that!
The light was constantly changing! The wind was blowing very strongly from the SW! It was difficult for me to stand because of it being so windy! I kept my back to the ocean/spray and had my camera inside my jacket to protect it from that salt spray. Salt water and electronics are not good bedfellows.
When I saw a opportunity, I pulled out my camera and shot like a sniper! My lens was getting spray on it from looking into the wind! I had to pick and choose carefully!
You can see in the first shot how the light was so much cooler than the ones below it. The sun came out briefly and warmed up the lights temp!
I love light from the side in a storm! It highlights the wave tops!
Obviously I didn’t go out in my boat today. It’s what I would call “poor canoeing weather”!

Storm Sunset

Storm Watchers

Big Horned Sheep

I went out today! It was the only chance to get some shots. It’s been raining alot lately!
So when I saw that the light was good,I got out. The first thing I came across was this Big Horn Sheep!
It was being loaded onto a water taxi by two Native men. They also had acouple of Mule Deer. They had been hunting up in the Interior.
They will have meat for the long Winter ahead and by the looks of it,it’ll be longer rather than shorter!

Tofino Air

Calfornia Sea Lion

This male Sea Lion was passing through town on his way to Cannery Bay. All the boys stay down there all winter! It’s a boys club thing I guess?
All the females are smarter and stay south were it’s calm,warm and pleasant!
Maybe the guys just have to get away from them each year?
Funny how we (human’s) emulate Nature?

Blue Heron

This Heron wasn’t hunting ,so it was aware of my presence. See how it’s neck extends in the second shot. Thats a body language signal to me that it not only is aware of me but is about to fly the coop!

Fortune Channel Snow Storm Pano

The entire Inlet was in darkness when I arrived. A large cloud had swallowed the light! Before I went out, I had already looked at the Satellite/Radar site and knew that there were many of these isolated clouds floating about and just kept my fingers crossed that this particular cloud would pass………….and it did! “I saw the light” coming and waited.
What you see here are the first rays coming through and highlighting a snow storm happening at the north end of Fortune Channel.
The only thing I could find for the foreground was Mainstreams Fortune Channel site!

Mainstream’s Fortune Channel Fish Farm Pano

“Let There Be Light”

Fresh Snow

Romeo

I can always depend on Romeo for being around! He’s my most reliable eagle!
The sun had set,so I could only get silhouettes.

Kimoto & Komatsu

I’m not sure what is going on here?
On the far left is what I believe to be the Mother? Kamejiro. (I’m not sure of the spelling?) She lived to be 51 years old.
It looks like she had a son when she was 43. Yoshio M. He appears to of died 3 years later! She would of been 45 than and it must of been hard on her!
On the right is someone named Kijiro. I do not know if this is a male or female? I’m not familiar with Japanese names? Sorry.
If this is the father,he was a younger father. She would of been 43 and he 24 when they had little Yoshio in 1925.

Notice the porcelain flowers under the glass dome. The dome is protected by a iron cage. It stops falling tree debris during wind storms.

Update:         “Hello, Kamejiro Kimoto is my maternal grand-father (on the far left). His wife was Tama Kimoto (nee Yanai) and her gravesite is in Toronto at the Mount Pleasant Cemetary. Kamejiro passed away at the age of 51. His son Yoshio M. (Major) was his youngest son out of ten children (four daughters: Frances (Omori), Mary (my mom) (Madokoro), Patricia (Kobayashi), Margaret (Sora) and six sons: Harold, Robert (Bobby), Tom, Jack, George, Major). Little “Major” accidentally drowned and that must have been so sad and difficult for my grandparents and my mom and her siblings. The Kimoto family has lived on the West Coast (Tofino and Ucluelet) since the 1920’s (except for the 1942 evacuation and internment of Japanese Canadians and their lives prior to returning to the coast in the 1950’s).”

I have no knowledge about the person with the surname of “Komatsu”.

Marlene Madokoro Mortensen   (March 1st,2016)

Sakauye Jinmatsu

This person was born in 1881 and died in 1938.I say person because I do not know if this was a male or female?
I find it odd that their was no month for birth or death? I assume that the people who buried this person did not know him or her very well?
Someone who knows Japanese may be able to read the wooden tombstone?
The Japanese settled here in Tofino but were rounded up after Pearl Harbour and held in detention camps.
After the war,the Japanese did not or could not settle back into Tofino.

Update:July 23rd,2015 – Just found out from a relative (Chris Sakauye) that this person was a male. Sakauye Jinmatsu was his Great Grandfather.

Update: July 29th,2015 -I’m Chris’s uncle and I’ll leave a little more background on Jinmatsu. He was buried on Morpheus island and his grave marker was joined by the more modern one in the late 90’s by his surviving children at the time. The Sakauye family, during the early part of the century (up to 1942) lived on the Eik property and the Eik cedar was well remembered by all.

Mr. Jacob Hendrik Arnet & Mrs. Johanna Nes Arnet

Because it was raining/sleeting today,the light was extremely bad! On days like this I always upload a shot from the old cemetery for filler.

Jacob died at the age of 71 on July 24th,1941 & his wife, Johanna joined him 7 months later.
These two have the best tombstones in the cemetery!
I know one of their Grand Children. Roland Arnet.(Roly) He has a Oyster farm up in Lemmins Inlet.

Tofino Air Taking Off

This was my first victim of the days shoot! I put my boat in right beside their office. So I see them coming and going alot.
I got out early today so as take advantge of the light/weather ! I wanted to go up to Fortune Channel for bear! The tide was low,so I was hoping to run into one of my friendly Bruins,but alas,no Boo Boo’s today!
I did see the Tug “Regent” pulling the “Makah” however! They must of just started Towing because their loading spot (Rankin Cove) was just around the corner & behind me down Tofino Inlet.
Another forest leaves us! These trees are Old Growth and many hundreds of years at the youngest!
I want to say something clearly here……………..”ORIGINAL GROWTH IS A NON RENEWABLE COMMODITY”
What I mean by that is that trees grown in the very same spot that these were cut down,will never be allowed to grow old again!!
WHY you ask? Because the second growth harvest age limit is around 80 years,that means in 80 years they will be back in this area logging all the second growth! By that time,there will be no Old Growth left standing & anyone who tells you that after 50 years it’s all grown back and “looks” fine is full of it!!
A second growth forest is not even close or even remotely similar to a Original Growth forest!
It’s the wood of choice because the fibers are much stronger! The second growth has thinner and weaker fiber content. Good for TP,newspaper etc.
They want the Old Growth because the fiber is excellent! Once Original Growth is cut,it is gone forever………………… or at least until we are gone!
It’s a touchy subject here in Tofino!
Other than that,I got a few of Two Heron’s fighting. It was really cold today! I was warm because I dressed for it! I even used electric socks!
I love the cold crisp air hitting my face! Always makes me feel alive! Another fantastic day in paradise folks!

BTW,I have (on a totally separate topic) a ANNA’s Hummingbird coming around! I put my feeder out with snow all around! Why a Hummingbird from California would come North to the freezing cold is something I will have to look into! Maybe it got blown off course to the North?
It’s a female and I will make sure our little friend is kept warm with nectar. I will try to get a shot of her for you?

Blue Heron’s Fighting

I’ve never seen Blue Heron’s fighting before ,so I didn’t recognize the posturing! I almost missed it! I will be aware of that posturing behaviour next time. I didn’t get all of the fight,but enough to show you how they settle territorial issues!
I really do not know what all the fuse was about? There was plenty of empty shoreline for everyone!
The most Territorial animal I have come across in my life’s travels is without a doubt “Homo Sapiens”!
If you come across any of those animals,be wary!

The Victor

The “Grace II”

I saw this Crabber heading south towards me from Dawely Pass. I knew he was loaded down with Crab because of the bow wake he was kicking up! I slowed and let the wake pass while I took shots of him going by. The water was very calm and hitting a boats wake at high speed all of a sudden out of the blue,……. can cause problems !
Splash on my camera gear is not something I want! (even if my camera bag’s flap is closed,but not zipped up) I keep it that way for quick access when something unexpected happens!I’m always ready in acouple of seconds to shoot!

Deadhead!

If someone was silly enough to think that just because they have Radar,running lights etc to be able to drive at night,they just need to have a look at this deadhead!
Technically it’s not a deadhead. It’s simply a floating tree. A true deadhead has been in the water a long time and gotten water logged. It gets heavier and heavier until only one end is pointing upwards right below the surface of the water! Thats when it’s really dangerous! Instead of being positive in buoyancy,it’s going from neutral to negative.
This tree will give any mariner pause when they see it!
There is no warning for hitting these things! At night you wouldn’t see a thing! The hull would be damaged at the very least!
& you can figure out the rest……
& no I do not travel at night,safety first! It’s dangerous enough out there!

The Tug “Regent” Towing The Barge “Makah”

The “Regent” (Prince George)

Tofino Air Landing

Romeo At Sunset

Sunset Snacking

Romeo Chillin

Romeo flew over to the sand bar close by to eat his fish. I had to swing to the north and look south to contrast him against the sky. I couldn’t see him in the darkness of the near by islands!

Water Taxi