Category: Fortune Channel

JESUS HERON

Blue Heron, Fortune Channel, Tofino Birds, Tofino Wildlife

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I’ve never seen a Heron do this before.It was standing on some Bull kelp in the middle of the channel. That Kelp has to be 60 feet long! It’s anchoured on the bottom with a “holdfast”.Small fish like the cover the kelp provides but this very smart Heron has figured it out!

FORTUNE CHANNEL VISTA

Bears, Fortune Channel, Tofino Bears, Tofino Wildlife

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As I was getting ready to head out today,I noticed a large expansive cloud system moving in from the west.I had been watching this system since the morning.I was afraid it might move in & snuff the light………….& thats exactly what happened!

For a few moments I considered cancelling the shoot?After all,If I don’t have the light,I don’t have a picture. The shots will be less than what they could be with good light!

Today was going to be the last day out for awhile,so I went out anyways just to see what was going on & very happy that I did too! I came across one of my furry friends along the shore in Fortune Channel & was pleasantly surprised to find that she was a recent mummy!

I was introduced to “Piglet”

“Piglet” has to be the cutest cub I’ve ever seen! “Peggy” must of given birth late in the season? I know very little about cubs age,but would hazard a guess to be a month or so?”Peggy” knows me from previous years,but was still keeping a eye on me.I tried to only move when she wasn’t looking.She felt comfortable enough to nurse “Piglet” with me present.A honour to be sure!

After being with them for over a hour “Peggy” wanted to head back into the forest & so very gently picked up “Piglet” by the scruff of the neck & carried it into the forest.It was the only time “Piglet” stopped crying!

 

ABOVE – I found this bear on a tip of land in Dawley Pass.Dawley Pass is a narrow opening connecting Fortune Channel & Tofino Inlet.

I wanted to get a different perspective.Normally I’m looking from the water to the land,but wanted to get some reverse shots.From the land looking out to the water. So I beached the boat & walked up on land to try & get a shot looking down Fortune Channel with the bear in the foreground.

This shot could of been much better with some nice bright white clouds & golden sunshine!

THE “SHERMAN T”

Fortune Channel

20141112-IMG_988220141112-IMG_9878This is the “Sherman T” heading out with a load of hay for their horses. The “Clayoquot Wilderness Resort” is at the end of Bedwell inlet. It’s a very expensive place & only the rich/famous go there. I use to go there & camp when there wasn’t anything or anybody,but it’s gotten really crowded for my taste! Wilderness is suppose to be……………..wild! Not gentrified!…………….& certainly not $1700 a night for a pretty tent!

I went up into both Fortune Channel & Gunner inlet looking for bears,but alas no one was home. I wasn’t too surprised because it was high tide. With the colder temps my furry friends are looking for a place to sleep away the winter in.
After checking both spots out,I headed down into Grice bay to see what was going on? I flushed out a dozen eagles down by the falls! They had to be there for the salmon,but I couldn’t see any? I can’t believe that any of them would try to get up the falls & the bottom wasn’t the right type for them to lay their eggs,so I haven’t a clue what was going on?
Headed out of Grice for Tsapee Narrows. My friend The Daredevil was there! The wind was coming from the east & kind of screwed up my angle. I always want the eagle heading into the sun,not away from it! Too many shadows heading away!
We have a Arctic Outflow happening right now & that means winds from the NE & E.
Said goodnight to my feathered friend & took off towards town.
I went around to the north end of Morpheus island to see if my girlfriend was home? Sure enough Maggie flew out from the darkness to greet me!
She’s such a joy to see! Took some great shots of her!
The sun is setting so early now that it seems I’m always being pushed for time! Said goodnight to my girlfriend & went to see if Romeo/Juliette were home? Romeo was,didn’t see his better half?
We spent some quality time together! The wind made the surface of the water too dark for my liking! Much better if it’s flat calm!
Said goodnight to my friend & went to see if I could get a sunset shot. The sun’s setting so far south now! Took a few sunset shots & came back in.
It sure was cold out there today,but I dressed for it! I have no windshield on my boat,so I get hit full force with the wind chill!
Was disappointed I couldn’t find any of my bear friend wandering about but as I said,with it being high tide……..not surprising. That wind was a pain in the butt actually & cold but I managed through it.
Still had a great afternoon shoot!

THE “STELLAR SEA” CRUISING UP IN FORTUNE CHANNEL

Fortune Channel, Jamies Whale Watching, Tofino Wildlife

20140725-IMG_2332It was cloudy all day today,but I did see a clearing coming up from the south! I decided to head out & take advantage of it!
I normally leave this time of year by 6pm,but because of that cloud delaying me,I left tonight around 7:30pm!
I originally intended on just doing a harbour tour because of time constraints but the tide was perfect for bears,so I rolled the dice & decided to run up to Fortune Channel!
Sure enough I found a Bruin! Took a few shots & because of being short of time, didn’t hang around. Time was short for me!! I started back but my engine had other ideas!
It conked out?? I stopped in the middle of Fortune perplexed!
I had already took it in weeks ago for one of my spark plugs being bent! The cylinder some how must of smacked the plug but the engine shop couldn’t find a single thing wrong? Cost me $160.
So when I took the top spark plug out tonight & saw it had been smacked again,I was pissed! I replaced it with a fresh plug (& the second cyclinder as well) & “tried” to take off again………but I couldn’t! I figured there was no way the fresh plug (top cylinder) could be smacked right off the bat,so thought it must be something else? I motored on at a very slow speed!
I realized that there was no way I was going to be able to make it back to the harbour at this speed & just settled in for the long haul!
After half a hour had gone by,I decided to stop & check that new plug I had put in? Sure enough it had been smacked as well & there was no gap! You need that gap so the spark can jump across & light the vaporized fuel,creating the explosion!
I took my handy dandy knife & pried the prong open to get that gap…..replaced it & tried it,……….it fired up no problem!! I was zipping along again!
By this time the sun had set,so I knew I wasn’t going to get much. I stopped at Tsapee Narrows for a few silhouette shots with my two feathered friends.(Daredevil & Delilah)
I was lucky to be able to do this & happy I did get them!
I called it quits after a few minutes & headed back.

A strange night tonight,but still good! I will have to go back to the shop & show them the damaged plug & ask why is this still happening?

CANADA DAY FOG!

Fog, Fortune Channel

20130701-20130701-Baxter Fish Farm Pano,July 1st,2013 We had fog in the morning,but sunshine in the afternoon. Just after I got out,the fog began to move into the harbour & that beautiful sunshine went south!
I headed further east to get away from that fog Vail.
I went up into Fortune Channel & sure enough…….the light was fantastic! I began to look for bears but after awhile realized there wasn’t a single one out & about! Also the tide was too high! Bears prefer the low tides,so they can overturn the rocks for those juicy crabs!.
I guess the bears were having a party in the forest somewhere because of it being “Canada Day”,cause there weren’t any of them out & about!
The fog,tide & the bears were all conspiring against me tonight! I basically came up “snake eyes” tonight folks!
I went up into Gunner Inlet as a last ditch effort for finding a bruin? Not a chance lance! Nobody home in Gunner either!
So I simply shut the motor off,pulled it out of the water(backrest) & sat listening to all the birds off in the forest! I always take a treat with me & this was a perfect moment to enjoy it! I just drifted softly & quietly. I love listening to the evening forest chatter of all the different birds!

You can see in this shot how the fog was spilling over into the inlet. Meares island holds the fog at bay & stops it from filling up Fortune Channel.
Sorry folks,but I didn’t bring home the bacon tonight. Maybe tomorrow night?

Fortune Channel Snow Storm Pano

Fortune Channel, Snow

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!

Fortune Channel Entrance Pano

Fortune Channel

I didn’t get out today. The weather/light was “poor” and so would the shots be if I took any!
I shot this last Sunday.
This pano is one I haven’t shown you folks.
I was looking north when I shot this. I had just exited Dawley Pass and was entering Fortune Channel from the south.
I estimated the dimensions of this scene to be about 4 klicks wide and 20 deep!

Fortune Channel Pano

Fortune Channel

This is where I like to go for bears. As you can clearly see…….. a very beautiful spot just to be in! & When you add to that the opportunity of being close to a beautiful Vancouver Island Black Bear! Well,that just goes off the chart for me!
I feel very fortunate to be able to do what I do!

I ran into only one bear today up in Fortune Channel. It didn’t mind me being around it,so I filled my boots. The light was about to go. We only had 30 minutes of it!
I than came back into town from Fortune Channel for the sunset with Romeo and Juliette! They were very active tonight.
The sunset “went” and it was a rare opportunity for me!

Fortune Channel Black Bear Pano

Bears, Fortune Channel, Ocean Outfitters

Many tour boats come up here for the bears,seals etc. This years season is about to close for them. The tourist numbers always die down around this time of year.
Which is great for me because now I will be the only one out there! I’ll have all the bears to myself!
This tour boat coming in is from Ocean Outfitters. They must of spotted me and knew I had a bear.
Looking at the direction they were coming from,I would say that they had been visiting the Harbour Seals over by Dark Island.

Fortune Channel Eagle Nest

Eagle Nest, Fortune Channel

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I normally do not come up to this location (too far) and so I am not that familiar with the eagles in these parts?
It takes years for the eagles to become conditioned to my presence!
One of the eagles might always stay skittish towards me however. Like “Tam” does on Lovekin Point. For whatever reason she doesn’t like me being around? Attitude problem I suspect?