Recently I was commissioned to shoot at one of British Columbia's most remote and pristine locations in Haida Gwaii. For four fantastic days I stayed at the West Coast Fishing Club's North Island Lodge. It was a 2 hour flight up the coast to Masset followed by a short helicopter ride.
Haida Gwaii is spectacular. It's definitely a fisherman's paradise. Bird watchers and nature lovers alike would find much peace here. It was cloudy and threatened to rain the majority of the trip. However, it held out except for one night which was great as I didn't have to worry about my gear getting soggy at all. We did end up having one evening where the clouds broke and were able to see a beautiful sunset. The fishing was great and I was able to catch - well the catches.
Breath taking sunset from our boat.
I was also invited to document the First Annual West Coast Fishing Club Ultimate Grill Showdown. The resort featured award-winning chefs, Canadian BBQ Icon Ted Reader, Christian Pritchard, and Park Heffelfinger from Memphis Blues Barbeque House restaurants in Vancouver. Over the course of the four days there I was lucky enough to dine on some of the best BBQ I've ever tasted.
Slow roasted beef brisket sandwich created by chefs Reader and Pritchard
Of the many new experiences I had, the one I enjoyed the most I affectionately called "Eagle-ing". When the fish weren't biting, we tossed herring pieces into the air and waited for the eagles' response. With luck, the eagle would swoop in and grasp the fish with their impressive talons. These animals are absolutely majestic and a photographer's delight.
Eagle flying away with dinner
All in all it was an excellent week. I met a ton of fantastic people, captured beautiful visuals, ate some incredible food and caught a couple of fish myself. I can't wait to get back to the West Coast Fishing Club in Haida Gwaii! Please have a look at a couple more shots from the trip.
-Broda