The weather broke during the night! I already knew it would & was expecting to get out today. The sun is now setting a little past 8:30pm! Making me leave much later in the day now. When I headed out,the tide was coming up & near high. I knew it would be poor conditions for finding bears,but kept my fingers crossed? I went into Gunner Inlet & immediately saw one at a distance! Once I got closer,I realized it was my little friend “Li’l Jackie”! She’s 2 1/2 at the moment & looking excellent!
I remember many months ago watching her mother chasing her away & than listening to Li’l Jackie crying. She was so frightened & could not understand why her mother was being so mean? It was time to cut the cord. I’ve seen a few of these “partings” & they are always heart wrenching to watch & to be honest……,I hope I never see another! It was very sad to witness,but alas………Nature cannot be denied.
At any rate,Li’l Jackie & I have always gotten along. Oh yes,she keeps a eye on me but has always allowed me to enter into her flight zone.
She has started doing a strange behaviour? She’ll be walking along fine & dandy & than for no reason start to run! As if something frightened her! I thought there might be something spooking her but she never turns around to check? I think (for whatever reason) she just enjoys running. She’s young but already has personality! I think she may be the bear for me this year. Each year,one bear shines above the others. The last few years it’s been “Diamond”.(haven’t seen her this year?) I think Li’l Jackie will turn out to be the one who captures my heart this year!
Had a most excellent shoot with my fine furry friend! I was constantly talking to her. Asking her things like “How was your Winter?” has she seen many other bears about & so on? She’s certainly not a chatty bird.
Said goodnight & headed over into Fortune channel to see if any of her cousins were out & about? Turns out……………not a one! She was the only one. It was high tide so I wasn’t shocked.
Headed back & stopped off at Tsapee narrows to visit with both the Daredevil & Delilah. That nice black shadow has once again (because the sun is setting further north) come back! I always love shooting them in that spot! There simply isn’t a more attractive place…….other than a great sunset/clouds in the background.
The Daredevil did something that surprised me! He flew in from behind me & came within a foot of striking my head! I felt the pressure wave!
He scared the hell out of me & I let him know too! He does do things like that & is the reason I chose the name for him! Of course he would never “come in” if he didn’t think he could! He is a master at what he does & he simply takes my breath away sometimes!
Said goodnight to my fine feathered friends & headed into town for sunset. I did stop to visit with Maggie on Morpheus island. When I came around the north end,she saw me & flew over to greet me! I always love when she does this! Only Romeo & her do this.
She’s the largest of the eagles I’m friends with but that doesn’t stop her from flying back & forth above me! If I haven’t gotten the exposure,I tell her (& point) to go back to her perch & wait. She’s just going to get tired waiting for me & often does!
Stayed awhile with my girlfriend & said goodnight. I wanted to go visit with Romeo & Juliette. When I came around the north end of Stone island I could see the wind had whipped the surface up! I hate when that happens! There is no reflection,so the ocean appears dark. Shooting silhouette’s against a dark background is not a great scenario!
Romeo did come to greet me but than headed straight over to the island instead of perching upon his rocky “throne”. Could only stay with him for awhile. The wind was constantly blowing me into the shallows. The wind is my Bain!
Said goodnight & looked for “anything” to put in the foreground? I saw at a distance,someone rowing a small punt! I rushed as fast as I could. I had to get on the other side of him & get the sun in behind quickly! He was about to go behind a island & the sun was very low in the horizon. So low that it would be gone by the time he came out from the shadow of that island! I was only able to get a handful off before he went in behind.
The highlight of todays shoot was obviously the quality time I spent with my furry friend Li’l Jackie!
Everything else was icing to my cake!
Tofino Photography 