Mesmerized: off Reid Island (click to enlarge)
The shoreline can be mesmerizing for paddlers here in the Gulf Islands.
Everywhere you look, there’s a fascinating new canvas of layered and eroded sandstone decorated with mosses, lichens and – as the tide drops – endless permutations of kelp, barnacles and other intertidal life.
And if you let your imagination drift, you can often conjure up strange human or animal faces, like the grimacing pirate I saw on Reid Island, in the photo above. Maybe you can see him too – or maybe you’ll see something else entirely!
With so much to look at, it’s no surprise that many kayakers seem to spend a lot of time simply floating, with their paddles resting on their boats. After all, who needs to reach any further destination, with Mother Nature’s art gallery right here in front of you?
My photography show, “Inspired by the Coast”, continues until September 7 at the Silva Bay Restaurant & Pub on Gabriola Island (34 mounted prints in the main room, foyer & family room). Open every day, so if you’re on the Island please drop by to have a look.
Eye on Environment 
[…] Mother Nature’s Art Gallery – this lovely photo and accompanying anecdotal thoughts reflect the lifestyle we enjoy on the west coast of Canada. Laurie MacBride captures a terrific shot here, featuring a kayaker at rest as he takes in the rugged beauty found in the shorelines of our islands. […]
[…] Mother Nature’s Art Gallery – this pretty photograph and accompanying anecdotal ideas mirror the life-style we take pleasure in on the west coast of Canada. Laurie MacBride captures a terrific shot right here, that includes a kayaker at relaxation as he takes within the rugged magnificence discovered within the shorelines of our islands. […]
Shoreline paddling…how blissful! The patterns are incredible…and yes I do see faces and other things in the rocks too. Wonderful.
Thanks Sherry!
At first I saw a lizard of some kind, but then I found your pirate. I think. It looks like such a lovely place to paddle around. Your art captures Mother Nature’s art beautifully. 🙂
Thank you so much, Robin! I think I can see the lizard, too – just beyond the pirate. 🙂