Torrance Barrens
Driving up to Muskoka solo after work on a Friday, I had a solid plan to wake up early on Saturday and find some moose in Algonquin Park. Making quick progress with the lack of traffic and nary a cloud in the sky, a visit to Torrance Barrens seemed like an opportunity that shouldn’t be missed. Just 25 minutes from Gravenhurst towards Bala, lies the world’s first permanently designated dark sky preserve. In hindsight, visiting a dark sky preserve that I’d never been to during the day could have been better thought out, but with a half moon, I was able to find my way around with the aid of a small flashlight. Stumbling across a pair of campers, their tents and fire provided a nice element to the photos. The images were shot on the Sigma 20mm f1.4 DG HSM | Art, the widest f1.4 lens in the world and made for astrophotography.
Spring Moose on Highway 60, Algonquin Park
An early 5:30am alarm on Saturday morning and I was out the door by 6. The plan was to drive across Highway 60 in Algonquin Park and find a moose. They aren’t the most photogenic creatures in the spring, having lost their antlers in the fall and their fur ravaged by ticks, but they are easy to find due to the melting snow and it’s high salt content from winter trucks. Within an hour, I’d tracked down my first one, just East of Opeongo Road. This guy gave me a solid 15 minutes, spooked by a few cars but he continued to return to the edge of the highway. These images were shot on the Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG HSM | Contemporary lens.
Here are two images from Highway 60 testing the new Sigma 30mm f1.4 DC DN | Contemporary for the Sony a6000.
Taylor Statten War Canoe Restoration
I’ve previously written about the Canoes of Canoe Lake and their impending restoration. Well, it’s finally underway for one of the two 42 foot cedar strip canoes, originally built in 1926 by the Peterborough Canoe Company. Over 200 ribs replaced, thousands of brass tacks hammered away, 50 lbs of varnish removed and an entirely rebuilt keel, it should be back on the waters in July. Can’t wait to capture it gliding across Canoe Lake.
High Falls, Bracebridge
Finally a trip back to the cottage to spend some time in my own canoe before wrapping up the weekend.
