[MurrayMinchin]

Just putting out feelers for summer/fall 2011...

Anybody interested in spending about two weeks photographing the Great Bear Rainforest on BC's north coast?

I'm picturing a small group who could be taken down Douglas Channel (south of Kitimat) by boat. We could be dropped off on beaches near prime photography locations, camp and photograph a couple days, then be picked up and taken to other spots. This way we could be at each location enough time to really get a sense of the place, and be there for the all important dusk/dawn light.

A charter vessel big enough for a small group to live aboard for that long would be expensive!

You, your camping gear, clothes, and photography equipment would have to be prepared for drenching rain and wild weather extremes. It is also, obviously, bear country. These would be unspoiled bears for the most part, who don't associate people with handouts or garbage. Knowing how to camp and move through bear country is a must.

Here's a google maps link to the area;

* edit: oops...type in "Douglas Channel" in search field, then click second link. grrrrrrr...

http://maps.google.com/maps?ftr=eart...google%20earth

There is a proposal in the review process right now to build a pipeline to Kitimat, and an oil port in Kitimat that will see 240 supertankers a year. If we agreed to let First Nation's and environmental groups who are fighting this project use the photographs we take in their campaigns, it would open doors that would otherwise be closed to us, particularly in Hartley Bay and Kitamaat.

Here's a short video by the International League of Conservation Photographers. They spent about a week in the area earlier this month;

www.vimeo.com/15330613


What do you think?

Murray