South Beach

*You can see all the photos on my website at http://www.longbeachphotosbc.ca/ where I sell them for $4.99*

A good day to you all,

I chose Tuesdays to be my day to go to the coast. So this morning I planned on going , but not my usual trip to Wick Beach. I decided to step out of my routine and do something different. I never dreamt it would be so difficult to do :)

I stopped first at Larry Lake and as you can see by the first set of photos, the day put on a show. Larry Lake is fed by Kennedy River and flows into Kennedy Lake. I see my father here. When he was out to visit a few years back, we stopped here and he talked with some loggers who were making their lunch on an open fire. He had quite the time there. It is a beautiful scene.

It was the stillness of the water that was the catch today. Not a whisper of wind. Just look at the mountains reflecting in the water.

The stillness continued on Kennedy Lake. No matter how many times I see this, I still see it as breath taking and I repeat 'look at that' to know one in particular. Take a gander at Kennedy Lake. The tease with the view of Kennedy is that the first glimpse you get of it is as you round the corner of a mountain, sheer cliff and no where to stop to take the photo. Well, nowhere safe until you get down to lake level as you can see by the photo with the road on the right.

South Beach was my goal today. I have tried to take this walk for some time, but there was always a sign that said "BEAR AWARE" Path Closed. I saw some other people going that way so I figured it must be open and be safe today - that didn't stop me from packing my bear spray.

To get to South Beach, you walk past the south Tip of Wickininish (Wick) Beach, then through the woods on boardwalks until you get to South Beach.

There is an optical illusion at this beach which I have not captured with my camera. When you sit on the beach between the two rocks on the right, the waves look like they are going to come right up and wash you away. It really is quite disconcerting.

Sometimes I look at this coast and expect a dinosour to come out from behind the trees it is so wild and ancient here.

I had the opportunity to use my new lens - Canon 75-300mm. My brother's friend Roman bought it at a garage sale and gave it to me over the holidays. I took the crashing wave shot with it. That rock is quite a ways out. I haven't quite got the contrast down yet with the polarized lens on.

The trip back to Port (Alberni) was just as beautiful - it might have something to do with not seeing the sun for three months LOL, but when the sun shines in Port - you REALLY notice it!! I stopped at Taylor Arm to take a shot of Sprout Lake and Mt Arrowsmith. As I stood there and looked at Mt. Arrowsmith, I thought to myself - I live here. I'm not on vacation. How lucky am I?!

See you next time..... Syl