Beachcomber Regional Park

The next stop on our hidden beaches tour was Beachcomber Regional Park. This one is a photographers haven, beauty and variation in every direction. Unlike the previous two places we stopped, this one had a small parking lot at the edge of the road and a sign posted. The path we took down was steep in areas yet  manageable with a little help on the downward roll, thankfully we were informed of an easier route to go back on.

This is the view that greeted us at the base of the steep path; an arbutus tree overhanging the sea. We asked a couple sunbathers where the balancing rock lie, but they said they have never seen one and had been coming there for twenty years. I felt a little disappointed as that was my reason for picking this beach to visit. We headed towards the arbutus as I am curious about the view around the corner.

The shape of the arbutus above the rock reminded me of a puzzle piece that should interlock.

We rounded the corner where quite a few people were swimming and enjoying themselves in the hot afternoon sun. We crossed the rock sheet and headed across the point for another vantage point.

And there it was, the balancing rock.

It surprised me that people can spend twenty years in a place and never see what is there. Maybe that is why we are artists, to point out the obvious that gets overlooked.

 Rock seams filled with barnacles.

Shadow play.

Purple starfish in water-trapped crevices. The tiniest pools teem with life, including minnows.

A cool looking square hole filled with barnacles, seaweed and a hermit crab or two.

Perforated rock looks like cooled lava.

Crab assortment.

Looking back up as we head back towards the path we cut across the back end of the point into a trail through shoreline vegetation. I take a look back and...

am glad I did.

The arbutus trees are extremely big in this part of the forest.

Tree tops filled with chickadee song as they flitted happily about joined by brown creepers whisping along the tree trunks.

As it was full sun most shots taken upwards are silhouettes aside from this shot, which is greatly cropped to show you the brown creeper.

May your heart and soul be filled with love and joy.

Beach tour and open artist studios

Canada Geese

Gull

Our next stop on our hidden beaches tour took us to Mallard Way. 

The trail was a rocky steep path that was quite hidden and sprouting undergrowth yet still discernible. The path came out onto a Rock bluff. The route to the lower rocky beach was quite steep so I enjoyed the wonderful view from the rocky ledge.

Smoke haze in brilliant afternoon sun. I hear most photographers like to avoid the harsh lighting of mid-day preferring the "golden hour of dawn or dusk". As an artist I personally love the stark contrasts of light to shadow that mid-day beholds. 

Sailing on Faith.

Light on the sea.

Patterns of Arbutus.

Dogwood, probably an imported garden variety as the wild ones bloom in early spring.

Upon leaving the beach we headed up-island and spotted this wee fella standing at the edge of a driveway, at first glance I took it to be a yard statue, then out of the corner of my eye I saw movement so we backtracked and captured some sweet little shots. Momma deer was just down the road a bit though did not get a picture of her as she was scared into the bush by noisy people walking the road who never even saw her cross in front of them, or maybe they are so used to seeing deer they pay no mind.

All along the route were "open artists studios" signs, you can imagine my excitement, whoo-hoo I figured we hit the jackpot. Where this statue sits signs at the base of the driveway pronounced the studio "open" then further up was a "welcome" sign, yet the studio door was locked and none came to see to us. We stood around a bit then ventured towards the house entry when startlingly an automated water sprinkler came on preventing entry unless we wanted a shower. Still no one came out. We found this to be a common theme not only on Vancouver island but also in the interior of B.C. which was very frustrating and gives artists a bad name. Further on we did find an open house reception going on at one quaint studio. I admired the artists work and was interested in a purchase so the attendant brought the artist aside to meet me. The artist was pompous, treating us as though we were ignorant to art; first mistake on his part, then someone he knew came through the door and he abandoned us mid-sentance of a question I was asking, another rude mistake. We politely viewed the rest of the exhibition then left.

Two potential sales opportunities lost within half an hour of each other. I hate to admit but this was standard fare for the island open studios, on the average one out of four studios posting "open" signs were actually open.

And to finish on a good note, here are a few more images from the beach tour.

Cormorant 

Color splash by the way-side.

Have a great day!