Sunday, February 5, 2012

Nature's Veil

Crofton Beach - no wharf in sight
Just as a bridal veil may obscure the face beneath while still hinting at its beauty, the fog that blankets the town obscures the details while revealing, in silhouettes, shadows, and shapes a different kind of beauty. Such was Crofton yesterday morning.

As Eddie and I trekked down the path at the far end of the beach loop, the blanket of fog obliterated all signs of Salt Spring Island across the bay, and even the docks and wharfs along our shoreline.

No sign of Salt Spring Island

Yet as we descended to the beach, beauty emerged in the form of an oystercatcher:





And as we strolled along the shore, another form, perched high on a post in the water, emerged from the fog - an eagle:



Eagle takes wing in fog

As we neared the seawalk, a small rowboat and red seaweed provided a picturesque shot against the haze of the wooden raised walkway:



And I spend a few minutes playing around with the camera settings to accentuate the boat and the fog:



Leaving the beach, we hurried home and hopped in the van, heading to our friend Karen's where Eddie would have a meet-and-greet with her dogs and an introduction to the grooming he will receive there ever few weeks. But we didn't quite get there at the appointed time because, just as we drove past Maple Mountain, the sun tried to break through the fog and illuminated the forest with such beauty that I was compelled to try to capture it - though I didn't come close to capturing the awe-inspiring effect of yellow sunbeams stretching fingers through fog and winter branches.









Duncan, our destination, was bright and sunny and remained that way all day. Crofton, on the other hand, stayed thickly smothered in fog all day and night, a fog through which the sun is just now trying to burn. Twenty minutes apart by car, but such different climates.

And now Sir Eddie would like a walk, so the photos from Eddie's meet and greet shall have to wait for tomorrow.

6 comments:

Caroline said...

These pictures are magical! Especially the forest ones!
And ALL are worthy of an award!

Anonymous said...

Beautiful pictures Jean. Fog does have it's own beauty.
One day of it is enough so I was disapointed to see the fog still here this morning and still here. I'm loading up the dogs and heading for Karen's for a playday with her dogs. Hopefully like yesterday Duncan will have SUN.

Anonymous said...

Nice photos.
My favorite pic. is the (colored) dock with beached boat It's moody/ beautiful.
I am now inspired to take my camera out on our dog walk.
Wendy

Brigid said...

Wonderful shots, Jean - you have such a great eye!

georgia little pea said...

Beautiful. I get the sunbeams through the trees - I think you captured it pretty well! Our poor dogs. I stop to fiddle and shoot even with my mobile phone cam. Imagine what it'd be like if I had a proper camera ;)

Has your lost sheltie been found yet?

Funder said...

Wow, fabulous pictures!

I think the driftwood was almost better than the oystercatcher - it looked like a moose to me :)