Since my family and I moved to Vancouver Island from our home on Salt Spring Island almost three years ago, we have been awestruck by the incredible diversity and magnificence of many of the landscapes we have been fortunate enough to photograph.
This past winter, my brother Michael and I decided to focus on the rivers not far from our home and were happy to discover a striking part of the vibrant trail network along the Cowichan River, a designated heritage waterway protected by Cowichan River Provincial Park. The park is very popular with locals and visitors, but in early February—and early in the morning—we were lucky enough to enjoy a very tranquil atmosphere.
While hiking along the Marie Canyon Trail, with its spectacular views of the turquoise waters racing below, we were entranced by this lush, chartreuse forest, with its old second-growth conifers lining the narrow path like sentinels. Some were reminiscent of giant bonsais stretching out over the river, with backlit old man’s beard lichen dangling from the branches, and bright green moss carpeting the forest floor and adorning many of the trees.
This quintessential Coastal Western Hemlock rainforest, with its native ferns and wildflowers in the spring, is a delight to explore, and when I was thinking about what kind of scene I would like to submit for this assignment, I couldn’t help but choose this captivating ribbon of forest snaking its way alongside the Cowichan River!
