this is the Great Bear Rainforest this is a place on the British Columbia
is a place on the British Columbia
is a place on the British Columbia Canada coastline and this is one of
Canada coastline and this is one of
Canada coastline and this is one of those unique places where you can be
those unique places where you can be
those unique places where you can be sitting in a boat and you look at the
sitting in a boat and you look at the
sitting in a boat and you look at the land and you can watch a bear and a wolf
land and you can watch a bear and a wolf
land and you can watch a bear and a wolf on the beach and you look around and
on the beach and you look around and
on the beach and you look around and there’s a humpback whale an orca in the
there’s a humpback whale an orca in the
there’s a humpback whale an orca in the water this is one of those incredible
water this is one of those incredible
water this is one of those incredible rare locations where a wild landscape
rare locations where a wild landscape
rare locations where a wild landscape still meets a wild ocean those places
still meets a wild ocean those places
still meets a wild ocean those places have largely been relegated into the
have largely been relegated into the
have largely been relegated into the history books this is also the only
history books this is also the only
history books this is also the only place in the world where humpback whales
place in the world where humpback whales
place in the world where humpback whales sing on their feeding grounds and this
sing on their feeding grounds and this
sing on their feeding grounds and this is what their songs sound like
so I first went to the Great Bear
so I first went to the Great Bear Rainforest in 2010 on an expedition
Rainforest in 2010 on an expedition
Rainforest in 2010 on an expedition organized by the International League of
organized by the International League of
organized by the International League of Conservation photographers to document
Conservation photographers to document
Conservation photographers to document the biodiversity of this area why well
the biodiversity of this area why well
the biodiversity of this area why well because tragically there was a proposal
because tragically there was a proposal
because tragically there was a proposal to put an all pipeline that runs from
to put an all pipeline that runs from
to put an all pipeline that runs from the Alberta oil sands all the way to the
the Alberta oil sands all the way to the
the Alberta oil sands all the way to the Pacific Ocean and then have large super
Pacific Ocean and then have large super
Pacific Ocean and then have large super tankers traveling through these sort of
tankers traveling through these sort of
tankers traveling through these sort of remote fjords and channels to take the
remote fjords and channels to take the
remote fjords and channels to take the old Asia and the get GAD First Nation
old Asia and the get GAD First Nation
old Asia and the get GAD First Nation who are the local
who are the local
who are the local stewards of this coastline had invited
stewards of this coastline had invited
stewards of this coastline had invited us to help them try to raise awareness
us to help them try to raise awareness
us to help them try to raise awareness of that realm as a rough coastline it’s
of that realm as a rough coastline it’s
of that realm as a rough coastline it’s not a place for tankers and in my mind
not a place for tankers and in my mind
not a place for tankers and in my mind you know it’s not a question of if it’s
you know it’s not a question of if it’s
you know it’s not a question of if it’s a question of when a spill will occur if
a question of when a spill will occur if
a question of when a spill will occur if these tankers do move into that area
these tankers do move into that area
these tankers do move into that area it’s just this incredible incredible
it’s just this incredible incredible
it’s just this incredible incredible wild place published in 2011 2012 and
wild place published in 2011 2012 and
wild place published in 2011 2012 and that was not the end of it for me I was
that was not the end of it for me I was
that was not the end of it for me I was hooked by this place I think I went back
hooked by this place I think I went back
hooked by this place I think I went back three seasons in a row on my own working
three seasons in a row on my own working
three seasons in a row on my own working with local NGOs and the gig at First
with local NGOs and the gig at First
with local NGOs and the gig at First Nations and for me the terrestrial realm
Nations and for me the terrestrial realm
Nations and for me the terrestrial realm had been documented very well but the
had been documented very well but the
had been documented very well but the underwater world by and large was
underwater world by and large was
underwater world by and large was completely unknown so I went there to
completely unknown so I went there to
completely unknown so I went there to try to you know really create a
try to you know really create a
try to you know really create a exhaustive portfolio of life in the seas
exhaustive portfolio of life in the seas
exhaustive portfolio of life in the seas off the Great Bear Rainforest this is
off the Great Bear Rainforest this is
off the Great Bear Rainforest this is the cradle of kelp evolution nowhere
the cradle of kelp evolution nowhere
the cradle of kelp evolution nowhere else on earth are there that many
else on earth are there that many
else on earth are there that many species of kelp it’s a cold it’s a
species of kelp it’s a cold it’s a
species of kelp it’s a cold it’s a nutrient-rich sea highest diversity of
nutrient-rich sea highest diversity of
nutrient-rich sea highest diversity of starfish and temperate waters this
starfish and temperate waters this
starfish and temperate waters this sunflower starfish they grow to this
sunflower starfish they grow to this
sunflower starfish they grow to this sort of size they’re the largest
sort of size they’re the largest
sort of size they’re the largest shallow-water starfish in the world you
shallow-water starfish in the world you
shallow-water starfish in the world you know three four kilos incredible
know three four kilos incredible
know three four kilos incredible predators but for me the one species
predators but for me the one species
predators but for me the one species that screamed out pulsating life were
that screamed out pulsating life were
that screamed out pulsating life were jellyfish and in the right months of the
jellyfish and in the right months of the
jellyfish and in the right months of the year in the fjords they aggregate in
year in the fjords they aggregate in
year in the fjords they aggregate in incredible numbers to spawn smacks of
incredible numbers to spawn smacks of
incredible numbers to spawn smacks of jellyfish I just learned a few years ago
jellyfish I just learned a few years ago
jellyfish I just learned a few years ago it’s not schools it’s a snack this is
it’s not schools it’s a snack this is
it’s not schools it’s a snack this is basically me I’ve turned the camera
basically me I’ve turned the camera
basically me I’ve turned the camera around on myself and I’m now trying to
around on myself and I’m now trying to
around on myself and I’m now trying to basically swim into the densest part of
basically swim into the densest part of
basically swim into the densest part of the jellyfish school don’t ask me why
the jellyfish school don’t ask me why
the jellyfish school don’t ask me why it’s just it’s just one of those things
it’s just it’s just one of those things
it’s just it’s just one of those things they’re caressing me I mean tickled by
they’re caressing me I mean tickled by
they’re caressing me I mean tickled by jellyfish I think I get a look at leaf
jellyfish I think I get a look at leaf
jellyfish I think I get a look at leaf fish hack now maybe go to tap there and
fish hack now maybe go to tap there and
fish hack now maybe go to tap there and waters cold is four or five degrees
waters cold is four or five degrees
waters cold is four or five degrees every hour I climb on the boat with my
every hour I climb on the boat with my
every hour I climb on the boat with my elbows because I can’t feel my hands or
elbows because I can’t feel my hands or
elbows because I can’t feel my hands or my legs I kind of just you know like a
my legs I kind of just you know like a
my legs I kind of just you know like a seal get me out of the boat I have this
seal get me out of the boat I have this
seal get me out of the boat I have this hot water hose in my wetsuit for 10-15
hot water hose in my wetsuit for 10-15
hot water hose in my wetsuit for 10-15 minutes lying on the swim platform like
minutes lying on the swim platform like
minutes lying on the swim platform like you know crying and shivering you know I
you know crying and shivering you know I
you know crying and shivering you know I do that three four times a day you sleep
do that three four times a day you sleep
do that three four times a day you sleep really really really really well on
really really really really well on
really really really really well on these yeah and the Great Bear Rainforest
these yeah and the Great Bear Rainforest
these yeah and the Great Bear Rainforest the one species that is more important
the one species that is more important
the one species that is more important than any other if there can be such like
than any other if there can be such like
than any other if there can be such like as a salmon now once a year these fish
as a salmon now once a year these fish
as a salmon now once a year these fish abandon their life in the ocean and they
abandon their life in the ocean and they
abandon their life in the ocean and they move inshore and they swim up rivers to
move inshore and they swim up rivers to
move inshore and they swim up rivers to spawn I arrived at this one pool right
spawn I arrived at this one pool right
spawn I arrived at this one pool right below a waterfall and I found this
below a waterfall and I found this
below a waterfall and I found this little sight chamber this little sort of
little sight chamber this little sort of
little sight chamber this little sort of look in the corner and I kind of you
look in the corner and I kind of you
look in the corner and I kind of you know wedged myself in there and and I
know wedged myself in there and and I
know wedged myself in there and and I waited 5 minutes 10 minutes 20 minutes
waited 5 minutes 10 minutes 20 minutes
waited 5 minutes 10 minutes 20 minutes 30 minutes I think it was about 45
30 minutes I think it was about 45
30 minutes I think it was about 45 minutes later that one fish came back
minutes later that one fish came back
minutes later that one fish came back and then another one came back and then
and then another one came back and then
and then another one came back and then I just waited like it you know I
I just waited like it you know I
I just waited like it you know I couldn’t move anyway I was too cold so I
couldn’t move anyway I was too cold so I
couldn’t move anyway I was too cold so I wasn’t gonna scare them and then I got
wasn’t gonna scare them and then I got
wasn’t gonna scare them and then I got this picture so all these fish just kind
this picture so all these fish just kind
this picture so all these fish just kind of huddled together waiting to pretty
of huddled together waiting to pretty
of huddled together waiting to pretty much take on these mighty mighty
much take on these mighty mighty
much take on these mighty mighty waterfalls
waterfalls
waterfalls I also the wanted an image that
I also the wanted an image that
I also the wanted an image that Illustrated the connection that a lot of
Illustrated the connection that a lot of
Illustrated the connection that a lot of the wildlife has with these salmon and I
the wildlife has with these salmon and I
the wildlife has with these salmon and I had dreamt up this picture of a
had dreamt up this picture of a
had dreamt up this picture of a split-level which is half underwater
split-level which is half underwater
split-level which is half underwater half above water under water you have
half above water under water you have
half above water under water you have the salmon above you have a bear with a
the salmon above you have a bear with a
the salmon above you have a bear with a salmon in its mouth and the waterfall
salmon in its mouth and the waterfall
salmon in its mouth and the waterfall flowing behind with the rainbow running
flowing behind with the rainbow running
flowing behind with the rainbow running diagonally across the frame I sketched
diagonally across the frame I sketched
diagonally across the frame I sketched my pictures and that’s what I sketched
my pictures and that’s what I sketched
my pictures and that’s what I sketched very rarely do I get my sketches but you
very rarely do I get my sketches but you
very rarely do I get my sketches but you know dream big fail spectacularly
know dream big fail spectacularly
know dream big fail spectacularly anyways black bear expert fisherman he’s
anyways black bear expert fisherman he’s
anyways black bear expert fisherman he’s waiting he’s waiting up and he’s got one
waiting he’s waiting up and he’s got one
waiting he’s waiting up and he’s got one and I watch this there for hours yet
and I watch this there for hours yet
and I watch this there for hours yet this technique and once he gets when he
this technique and once he gets when he
this technique and once he gets when he walks up into the forest eats and every
walks up into the forest eats and every
walks up into the forest eats and every 15 minutes so he comes back down he gets
15 minutes so he comes back down he gets
15 minutes so he comes back down he gets hungry again he gets another one Pierce
hungry again he gets another one Pierce
hungry again he gets another one Pierce and I he comes back in the meantime I
and I he comes back in the meantime I
and I he comes back in the meantime I snuck into the water and he’s just not
snuck into the water and he’s just not
snuck into the water and he’s just not sure you know this is bear snorkeling
sure you know this is bear snorkeling
sure you know this is bear snorkeling 101 the bear can smell you even if
101 the bear can smell you even if
101 the bear can smell you even if you’re in the water something I learned
you’re in the water something I learned
you’re in the water something I learned I’m trying my best I’m sneaking up to
I’m trying my best I’m sneaking up to
I’m trying my best I’m sneaking up to the spare you know I can see the salmon
the spare you know I can see the salmon
the spare you know I can see the salmon underwater I have this picture in my
underwater I have this picture in my
underwater I have this picture in my head and I try and I try on it and every
head and I try and I try on it and every
head and I try and I try on it and every time I get past this little area right
time I get past this little area right
time I get past this little area right about now he spots me he was like I got
about now he spots me he was like I got
about now he spots me he was like I got you I see you you damn National
you I see you you damn National
you I see you you damn National Geographic photographer and it’s just
Geographic photographer and it’s just
Geographic photographer and it’s just like and I go okay fine I give up man
like and I go okay fine I give up man
like and I go okay fine I give up man all right all right Plan B if I can’t
all right all right Plan B if I can’t
all right all right Plan B if I can’t get a picture of a bear and a salmon let
get a picture of a bear and a salmon let
get a picture of a bear and a salmon let me get a picture of a salmon leaping
me get a picture of a salmon leaping
me get a picture of a salmon leaping from the Bears perspective
from the Bears perspective
from the Bears perspective I’ll have timed this I have 15 minutes
I’ll have timed this I have 15 minutes
I’ll have timed this I have 15 minutes before the bear comes back so I sit
before the bear comes back so I sit
before the bear comes back so I sit where the bear suits and I got pummeled
where the bear suits and I got pummeled
where the bear suits and I got pummeled with salmon ow this hurts you know I had
with salmon ow this hurts you know I had
with salmon ow this hurts you know I had bruises but again I’m a worried about
bruises but again I’m a worried about
bruises but again I’m a worried about Flash place but every time I place the
Flash place but every time I place the
Flash place but every time I place the flash they hit the flash again and and
flash they hit the flash again and and
flash they hit the flash again and and so complete disastrous disasters mix of
so complete disastrous disasters mix of
so complete disastrous disasters mix of things and it’s like a shotgun they come
things and it’s like a shotgun they come
things and it’s like a shotgun they come in waves bang bang bang bang bang and
in waves bang bang bang bang bang and
in waves bang bang bang bang bang and there’s one firm that I kind of like and
there’s one firm that I kind of like and
there’s one firm that I kind of like and it kind of sort of you know connects I
it kind of sort of you know connects I
it kind of sort of you know connects I wanted a picture that connects the
wanted a picture that connects the
wanted a picture that connects the salmon with the forest and this is what
salmon with the forest and this is what
salmon with the forest and this is what I got you know salmon in the trees I
I got you know salmon in the trees I
I got you know salmon in the trees I called
”
Be First to Comment