frozen seaweed

On a recent morning beach walk, I happened upon this bit of seaweed that had snagged on a driftwood log and frozen overnight. A few minutes later the rising sun had melted most of the frost away.

 

 

bedrock and driftwood

Yesterday I was at the beach, but found my favourite composition facing away from the water.

remains of the day

A simple and very typical west-coast composition of driftwood, shore, sea, and sky.

Pender Island dawn (2 images)

I was hoping for some sunrise colour but no luck today. Still, it was a beautiful morning to be out at the beach.

About half an hour later the light had changed dramatically and it was time to go–but not before grabbing a shot of some picturesque driftwood.

Craddock beach sunrise

I was lucky to catch a few moments of yesterday’s rising sun before it disappeared behind the clouds. The wind was chilly but the waves were perfect — lively enough to make things interesting, but not so wild that they sprayed my camera (or me).

I finally bought myself a cheap wired shutter release (the Vello RS-C1II for those who are curious) and this beach outing was the perfect opportunity to try it out. It worked without a hitch and made it so much easier to capture a wave or water-trail shot than using my camera’s self-timer.

beach sunrise, four ways

A crisp Sunday morning at Medicine Beach, Pender Island. The tide was very high and had swamped the beach, so there was no place to walk. These four shots were all taken from the beach access point, within a few metres of each other.

Pender Island beach sunrise

drifter

Pushed along by the wind and tide, this log found a temporary resting spot in shallow waters. It was gone the next day.

criss cross

Seaweed strands wrapped neatly around a driftwood log.

crossed

The weather of late has not been conducive to photography, but yesterday at least it wasn’t raining. The pup and I took the opportunity to get out for a walk along the beach.

Recent storms and high tides have tossed a lot of driftwood ashore.

(You know what’s fun? Walking along a slippery driftwood log while carrying a tripod in one hand and a camera in the other, and trying not to trip over your dog who, for no apparent reason, has come to a dead stop right in front of you on said log. 🙂 )

This log was sporting a jaunty seagull feather.

waves and driftwood

During winter storms, beaches like this one can collect big piles of driftwood, making it a challenge to get to the water’s edge.