Vancouver Island Circumnavigation - What I did this Summer

This summer Ron and I went on a big expedition. We explored the island we live on.  Travelling on our sailboat we took a month to circumnavigate Vancouver  Island.

We saw many beautiful sights including much wildlife: orcas, dolphins, sea lions, whales, sea otters, seals, bears, and birds - none of which I was able to capture adequately with  my point 'n' shoot camera.

I got lots of knitting time in. I read most of the books I stowed on board.

I did lots of quick sketches to make me really see what I was looking at.

My sketchbook is full of inspiration and ideas for future works which will keep me busy in my studio over winter.

Desolation Sound Inspiration

Our summer holiday this year was spent sailing along the Pacific North West coast and on up into Desolation Sound

I saw lots of inspiring land-seascapes

But I think I feel a bird series coming on

Bridging Waters: Inspiration

The inspiration for the forms I am making came from the Joggins Fossil Cliffs, a United Nations World Heritage Site.

William was our guide down to the site. He passionately explained how the huge surging tides of the Bay of Fundy were actively eroding the Joggins Cliffs to reveal more and more fossils. It must be so exciting to be a scientist going down to the beach under the cliffs when the tide is out, particularly after the high spring tides, to see what new fossils had been revealed.

William explained how the ancient trees were preserved when sediments were laid down.

The tree trunks can be seen preserved in the cliffs today.

William showed us fossil remnants of different trees and named them.

I was intrigued by the patterns made by the leaf scars on the tree trunks.

Samples of different tree trunks are displayed in the interpretative centre. 

I decided to interpret these patterns in fabric.

This is the Calamite's distinctive pattern. It is the gigantic ancient ancestor of the Horse Tail or Scouring Rush found in forests today.

Grassi Lakes, Alberta

Over the summer we went for a walk up behind Canmore to the Grassi Lakes that feed this waterfall. 

While picture-taking I focused on reflections in the water. 

The reflections were abstractions of the surroundings. 

Or they look like digital layering. 

Even though the place was crowded everyone was peaceful and enjoyed talking with passing strangers. The hydrogen ions in the air make people happy.

Otters & Cream

A leisurely walk beside the Otter River....

 

...ended with a Devon cream tea at the old flour mill. 

We confirmed this was the best Devon cream tea in the land.
I had mine with a delicious pot of nettle tea.

More Sailing Pics

One of my favourite spots to stop for the night in the Gulf Islands is Clam Bay. The shoreline catches the early morning light so beautifully it is compulsory to eat breakfast sitting outside (I usually get breakfast in bed and have a good read before pulling up the anchor).

As beautiful as this reflection of the clouds looks, it was an early warning of a rain-filled, cold day.

On Saturna Island I found a decaying tree in the forest. At this scale it looks architectural.