Day 10: I awoke to the brilliant amber light of sunrise coming through my window. Time for one quick excursion before the plane arrives. I hiked the north side ridge and surveyed the incredible panorama in front of me. In the distance I spotted the lone stallion from the first day and went to him.…
Sable Island 2012 Expedition

Day 9: I woke early determined to trek to East Light. I shed most of my gear, taking only one camera and a lightweight lens. The weather was perfect and with visibility good, I was able to see East Light far in the distance. I took to the north beach and began my journey. It…

Day 8: I felt rejuvenated and ready to go. Today I wanted to get a better look at the dune landscape further east, beyond the first Bald Dune. I started out walking the tideline and soon came across a group of bachelors. They were out this morning to have fun! They played in the surf,…

Day 7: In the morning I arose with every muscle in my body screaming from the cumulative miles of carrying heavy gear. It was a good day to stay close to home base. The storm has left a great deal of flooding out on the plains and the ever-present fog suggests opportunity for some moody…

Day 6: The west end of Sable Island, beyond the west light, starts to curve in a crescent shape to the northwest. The dune topography flattens out substantially, and creates a type of elongated bowl between north and south shores. Today was a day to explore, for my first time, the extreme western reaches of…

Day 5: The fog was so thick this morning that shooting was really impossible. However, that could change quickly, so I headed towards one of my favourite spots – Bald dune and the old No. 3 Station. The landscape is eerie and stark, even more so in the mist. For now I decided that it…
Day 4: After yesterday’s shoot with the bachelors on the beach in perfect light, I had to force myself to get out first thing into the fog again. I decided to try for better shots of ‘Platinum’ and I headed west, soon to find him just east of the station. I was again impressed with…

Day 3: First alarm = fog. Second alarm = fog. I checked the weather radar report and it looked like an opening in the fog around 8am. I headed out and picked up a small band of bachelor stallions west of base and followed them along the ponds and out towards the south beach. What…

Day 2: 4:30am comes much too early, but I know that I must press forward when the weather permits. No part of a sunrise today, 98% humidity and more greyness. Just east of main station I see a small group and begin to approach. The band stallion comes to meet me and I am thrilled…

Nature photographers often say that in order to really connect with a place you must experience and photograph it three times. As if like an ocean mist a sense of familiarity creeps in, and the scene becomes personal and the animals like family. This is an account of my third expedition to Sable Island. At…