Black Bear on rock, Thornton Creek, BC

A black bear taking a brief break while fishing for salmon on Thornton Creek, Vancouver Island

Thornton Creek, Vancouver Island, BC

Thornton Creek on the west coast of Vancouver Island, known as a popular site for viewing black bears fishing.  Still a nice spot even if the bears don’t cooperate.   The bears did show, a shot from a previous post can be viewed here.

Goats on roof, Old Country Market, Coombs, BC

Uncooperative Goats on the roof of The Old Country Market in Coombs, British Columbia.  After waiting for them to turn and face the camera, I finally gave up and headed on my way.

Mysterious onlookers

This photo really lets your imagination soar, and works well on it’s own.  I captured these curious onlookers on Vancouver Island’s Long Beach on a very foggy morning.  I like the mystery it creates, and wasn’t sure whether to include the second image that shows what they were looking at, but after a little consideration, here it is below.

I guess the title could have just as easily been “Dog Lovers”

Windblown trees on the Wild Pacific Trail, Vancouver Island

Windblown trees on the Pacific Coast, while hiking the Wild Pacific Trail.  The trail offers some truly breathtaking vistas, and is a fairly easy hike if you don’t mind the relentless rain.  That’s not to say you won’t get beautiful sunny weather, but don’t plan on it.  However, without the heavy rainfall and onshore winds this lush, windblown coastal rainforest wouldn’t exist.

Little girl on foggy beach, Vancouver Island

On a recent trip to Long Beach on the west coast of Vancouver Island, we headed out in the morning to photograph the surfer’s that the beach is renowned for.  But, what often happens, a heavy fog moved in and changed everything, probably for the better in this case.   The ordinary became the extraordinary, when we came across this very cute little girl with her mother and dog, who made the most of their visit to the Pacific Ocean beach.

View from the Wild Pacific Trail, driftwood on the Pacific Coast

Driftwood logs washed ashore near Ucluelet, British Columbia on the west coast of Vancouver Island.   Photographed from the Wild Pacific Trail.

Viewing Black Bears, Thornton Creek, British Columbia

Black Bear fishing for Salmon at the Thornton Creek Fish Hatchery on Vancouver Island.  The bears are common and can be viewed in relative safety from an elevated boardwalk.

Scenic Pacific Coast, photographed from the Wild Pacific Trail

Rocky coastline of the Pacific Ocean, from the Wild Pacific Trail, near Ucluelet, British Columbia.  About as far west as you can drive in Canada, some stunning scenery, but be prepared for some serious rain when visiting the Islands West Coast.  The trail is a fairly easy hike, but bears and cougars are a concern.  During our brief stay two cougars were destroyed in the area.  One was found stalking near the local schoolyard.

Surfers in silhouette on Long Beach, Vancouver Island, Canada

Surfers in silhouette on Long Beach on the west coast of Vancouver Island.  Located between Ucluelet and Tofino in Pacific Rim National Park, it’s a mecca for surfing in Canada.   Wetsuits are required for the chilly Pacific waters.