Category: Tofino Inlet

DEER BAY

Deer Bay, Tofino Inlet

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I went all the way down Tofino Inlet to Deer Bay.About 1 1/2 hours away.The ice sheet was gone but the Trumpeters were there.There are seven staying in Deer bay right now.

Tried to go up Tofino creek but the water was too shallow & the tide was already dropping.I wanted to go to the old prospectors cabin up river.I can only get there during high tides.

So I shut the engine off & drifted back out.Thats when I heard the distinct sound of a generator coming from further upstream.Someone must be staying at the cabin? I bet it’s Hunters?

Left that mystery alone & headed back to Tofino.Visited with my eagle friends & got some good shots! Was a tad chilly for me today,but I managed to stay fairly warm.

DEER BAY

Deer Bay, Tofino Inlet, Tofino Wildlife

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I went down Tofino inlet today.I went to the end,Deer Bay,or at least as far as I could go.There was some ice down in the bay.I wanted to find out how extensive the ice sheet was & If the Trumpeters were down there?

The ice was,but the Trumpeters weren’t! With nobody home I took some panoramic shots.The light was perfect & so were the clouds.Not too much & not too little!

A really pretty spot to hang out for awhile & I had it all to myself!

ICE SHEET ACROSS DEER BAY ENTRANCE WAY

Deer Bay, Tofino Inlet

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I “tried”to go to the end of Tofino inlet today with try being the operative word. I already knew there was a good chance I wouldn’t be able to.Our cold weather has created ice at the ends of the inlets! I wanted to photograph the Trumpeters that stay down in Deer bay but encountered this expansive ice sheet! If I had moved slowly, I probably could of gone further down the inlet but to be honest, going through ice makes me nervous in a inflatable boat. I could see a flock of Gulls walking about further down & knew that the thickness was too much anyways.

FOG MOVING INTO TOFINO INLET

Fog, Tofino Inlet

20130728-TOFINO INLET PANO,JULY 28TH,2013When the fog begins to move into Tofino’s harbour,I know it’ll eventually cover everything! Except Fortune Channel & Tofino Inlet!
Except tonight, you can see the fog trying to push further down Tofino inlet!
Fortune was clear as always however. I find the mountains on Meares island acts as a fence or barrier for the fog. They seems to contain the fog & the best it can do is pour alittle over the mountains & send a few fog tongues wagging down to the waters edge!

TOFINO CREEK

Tofino Inlet

20130520-TOFINO CREEK PANO,MAY 19TH,201320130520-TOFINO CREEK #2 PANO,MAY19TH,2013I decided to head all the way up to Tofino creek today! It’s at the end of Tofino Inlet. It took me almost 1 1/2 hrs to get there! There is a old prospectors cabin further up the creek & I wanted to see if I could get to it from the ocean? I know how to get there by logging road,but wanted to see if I could get there by water. I actually did get up to it many years ago,but the tide was high & the creek was more like a river from the winters rains than.
I came across a small section of washboard rapids,but think I know how to get by them. Kick the motor up,tie a rope on the boat & walk up the shore line (with my chest waders & felt booty’s on) to the top & pull the boat up!
Easy to say,but I know the Devil’s always in the details!
After taking a few shots,I headed back downstream. I than went straight up into Fortune Channel. That took me the better part of a hour in it’s self!
I was getting cramped for time,so I decided only time for one bear tonight. I found one almost immediately! I also think this bear knows me! It might be Li’l Jackie? She’s grown since I last saw her last Fall! She & I spent some quality time together but I was cursing the light! Some Cirrus clouds had moved in & diffused the light tremendously! I prefer bright gold light,but that wasn’t in the cards tonight!
Left Li’l Jackie & headed to Tsapee Narrows to visit with the Daredevil & Delilah. Once again,due to low light conditions,the best I could do was take only silhouette’s!
Continued on into the harbour. I saw either Ernie or Ethel on top of Strawberry island & took a few with the diffused light in behind & than went to Deadman island to visit with Romeo & Juliette!
Juliette stayed on the nest but Romeo came over to say hi! After taking a few I decided to head on out to open water & see if I could shoot the Lighthouse with the remaining sunset?
I did make it out there but it was alittle rough! Took a few shots & headed back in.
Broke a record today! I traveled further today than I ever have! Not sure how far,but more than 50 klicks!
Another outstanding days shoot in beautiful Tofino!

Slide!

Tofino Inlet

I got out today. This high pressure system is holding strong! So I’m taking advantage of it!
I went down Tofino Inlet & took some extra fuel with me. I decided to go all the way down to the end of Tofino Inlet & check for the Lions. They could be hauled out down there? Turns out they weren’t! I couldn’t find a single Sea Lion down the Inlet!
I’m disappointed because that means that they are gone for good! The food for them must not be there? They only move around because of food.
Their numbers are way down! Less than a hundred!
Also no Stellers. (maybe one or two?)
While I was down the Inlet,the Coast Guard cutter “Cape Ann” came around the corner! They went all the way down the Inlet to Deer Bay.
I turned around & headed back to visit with my feathered friends.
I went to see Moe/Maggie first & than Romeo/Juliette.
Romeo flew over to greet me! I like it when he does that. It was a great day out today even if I didn’t find the Lions further down the Inlet.

This is a natural slide down near Deer Bay. I’ve always looked at it from afar. I use to be a Geologist,so am naturally curious about it. I noticed some rusty staining further up. Probably a exposed vein of pyrite? Mother nature has already down all the work in clearing away the surface soil. That way the structure can be seen and any mineralization! Not sure of the host rock, might be a “Quartzite”?
I hate when these things go off! All the wood debris makes the waters in that inlet dangerous! It stays that way for months too!

Posing

Tofino Inlet

While I was down the Inlet,I saw this rock platform on a island. I think it would be a great spot to place my next nude! She’d have to climb a bit,but just a few minutes worth.
I see places to shoot all the time. I just make a mental note of it. I have hundreds of these places!
All I need to do is just be there at the right time!
Being intimate with your own backyard is critical!

“Where I Play”

Aerial Photography, Tofino Inlet

The weather did break today,but the light got snuffed big time by yet another Frontal system! A clearing arrived 1am this morning.It was clear up to 1pm or so. I wasn’t about to go out knowing that the light was going to go south!
I was looking forward to getting out! I need to go play!

So because I didn’t get anything today, I thought I’d show you were I do go & play!
This is where I spend alot of time looking for bears,wolfs,Sea Lions etc. (even Orca’s!)
I originally took this Oct 3rd,2010. I am looking to the east ,down Tofino Inlet. The small islands at the bottom of the shot are where the Daredevil & Delilah live! The larger island on the left to be exact. They live in Tsapee Narrows.
Looking up to the right is Grice Bay. It is one of those shallow bays. It was low tide so you can see some of the mudflats exposed.
The Sea Lions are at the back of the shot. Tofino Inlet continues around the corner to Deer Bay.
There is always something going on down here! Never a dull moment!

The “Harvest King”

Fish Farm, Harvest King, Snow, Tofino Inlet

The Harvest King is a cargo boat for Creative Salmon. A local Fish farm company.
The boat was coming from Indian Bay & going over to the Warne Island farm.
This shot shows how expansive the inlet actually is. Tofino Inlet goes several miles further down to Deer Bay.

Tofino Inlet Pano

Tofino Inlet

I worked down here for 6 years as a Fishfarmer with Creative Salmon. I got to know the Inlet a bit.
I would travel to work in a boat everyday. I saw some amazing sights!
The Sea Lions are located on the right hand side at the end. That is Cannery bay. I’m still several klicks from it.
I love dramatic sweeping vistas! It’s what I look for.
This shot could be better if there was a rock in the foreground with several dozen Sea Lions on it! I needed something in the foreground,but sometimes it’s just not going to happen.
When I go out on a shoot I have to look at a scene ,analysis it and figure out how to shoot it. In other words,I shoot from the hip and figure it out on the spot.
I took the shot from this perspective because I was losing Tranquil Inlets snow covered mountains if I continued to the east.

California Group Hug

California Sea Lion, Tofino Inlet


I came across these guys down in front of Cannery bay. Down Tofino Inlet to the east.
They like to bask in the sun and make lots of noise!
A few of them showed scars from a fight! I can only assume that it must be from each other.
Only the adult males and juveniles come up from the south. The females stay in the south.
There are 7 types of Sea Lions(Pinnipeds) and they are found all over the world ,except in the Atlantic. Nobody knows why this occurs?

Almond Islet Eagle with Snow Topped Mountain

Clayoquot Sound, Eagles, Tofino Eagles, Tofino Inlet


This location is down Tofino Inlet. It’s on a small islet called Almond Islet.
I do not know this eagle,but visit him on occasion. He’s further down the Inlet,so do not normally go pass Tsapee Narrows. Shear logistics really. It’s a ways.
I liked the snow on the mountains and lined myself up with him in the foreground.