As black and white images,
the encroaching forest and the abandoned village of Scedans
seem to become part of each another...

Nikon D600, 28-70mm AFD Nikkor lens

In spite of the returning forest,
the village of Scedans is still struggling to show it self.
House pits and roof beams lie on the forest floor covered in a carpet of green,
and a number of house and morturary poles still struggle to remain vertical...

The forest will eventually win...
and I feel like we are potentially the last  generation to see,
but certainly not the last generation to feel this place...

Nikon D600, 28-70mm and 70-300mm AFD Nikkor lenses

And the past
still lingers on the edge...
as the ancient villages return to the forests
from where they came...

On a windward end of Louise Island lies K'uuna Linagaay (Skedans). The once very prosperous village nestles on a beautiful 'T' of land with tidal beaches on both sides.  Protected by a cliff to the rear and a protective headland facing the often stormy Hecate Strait to the windward, the long abandoned village is slowly being devoured by a forest of growing things...
Nikon D600, 28-70mm AFD Nikkor lens

At the Haida Cultural Centre in Skidegate
we met a young man named Jordann.
His very fine powerful voice
filled the recreated cedar long house
with ancient songs and stories...

Turning,
he opened the doors of the new long house,

perhaps allowing us some way of seeing the past...
Nikon D600,  28mm-70mm AFD Nikkor lens

Skidegate has the new Haida Cultural Centre;
a beautiful new museum designed to protect Haida cultural artifacts from the past,
and,
dedicated to the ongoing Haida cultural revival of the present...

Nikon D600, 28-70mm AFD Nikkor lens 

Early morning,
Queen Charlotte City...
I am waiting for Queen Bee's to open for my first coffee.
The eagles and ravens
have cleaned up left over fish treats from the docks...

Nikon D600, 70 -300mm AFD Nikkor lens.

There are a few places in the world,
which seem to transcend this world and another...
Places where we see and feel with our heart and mind...
I have visited a few,
Stonehenge in southern England,
and New Grange and other ancient Celtic sites along the River Boyne in Ireland come to mind...

Canada is not without these,
places of the heart and mind...

Haida Gwaii,
separated from Northern British Columbia by often stormy seas,
Is one of these places...
It is a place that I felt deep inside me,
I could hear the wind,
shared by ancient people of 10,000 years...

The eagle and raven,
the symbolic heads of the two Haida family clans,
still live in relative abundance..
and like the Haida,
are gradually recovering from past devastation...

Queen Charlotte City, British Columbia.
Nikon D600, 70 -300mm AFD Nikkor lens

Another look at Kits Beach...

Image 1, Upside down surfboard.
Image 2, My foot prints before they disappear.
Image 3, Waiting cargo ship in English Bay.
Nikon D600, 70mm - 300mm AFD Nikkor lens

Shadow play,
and the stories they tell...

Kitsilano Beach, Vancouver
Nikon D600, 70mm-300mm AFD Nikkor lens

Vancouver is a pretty special place,
especially in the summer,
where the show is outside,
and all you need is a seat
to watch the glory unfold...

Sunset Beach, Vancouver
Nikon D600, 28-70mm AFD Nikkor lens

I can't help it...
Our amazing summer continues,
and bragging helps,
when we all know the grey of winter
will one day come...

Spanish Banks, Vancouver
Nikon D600, 70-300 AFD Nikkor lens

Meanwhile,

In Vancouver,
we have had an amazing summer.
Can you imagine,
33 straight days without even a sprinkle from the sky...

Locarno Beach, Vancouver

Image 1, Nikon D600, 70-300 AFD Nikkor lens
Image 2 and 3, Leica M6, 90mm F2.8 Tele Elmarit (Canada) lens, Kodak Ektrachrome VS 100 film

And finally...

It's a Dutch thing.

Leaving Amsterdam for new adventures,
though a part will remain behind...

Nikon D600, 28-70mm AFD Nikkor lens

This summer has been full of new experiences.
Just back from Haida Gwaii,
with many more images,
I have discovered my computer needs an up grade!

In the mean time,
here are a few more images from June's trip to Amsterdam...

Waiting for customers...

Nikon D600, 28-70mm AFD Nikkor lens

More images of Amsterdam's
400 year old transport system.

Similar parking problems,
and often as busy as the streets...
Nikon D600, 28mm-70mm AFD Nikkor lens