Colossus Rising

This past July, my photographer brother, Michael and I decided to take the ferry from Nanaimo (not far from our new home) to Gabriola Island, one of the Southern Gulf Islands known for its spectacular natural features, one of which is called the Malaspina Galleries by Gabriolans. It is a massive, 100m-long barrel wave formation created by the erosion of sandstone by salt. After that trip, I was hooked on tafoni (known as honeycomb holes), sandstone caves and the prehistoric-looking natural sculptures we discovered.

In September, we decided to venture out to one of our spectacular local beaches here on Vancouver Island, located in Nanaimo’s Jack Point and Biggs Park. We arrived mid-morning to ensure that the tide was far enough out to enable us to view the unique sandstone formations from the shore (it’s important to check the tides to make sure you don’t get “trapped” if the tide is coming in). On our first outing in the park, we only had time to view a small part of a sandstone tunnel wave. However, on our second visit, we were absolutely astonished to discover these colossi rising before us, dwarfing the giant boulders on the sand.

For my image, I walked out as far as I could to capture the full length and height of this monolith, some parts of which made me think of the interior of mosques—sacred spaces. And I couldn’t help but stand still in awe, marvelling at all the intricate details perfectly, evenly lit on that calm, overcast day.