For 28 years, I had dreamed of exploring Sable Island, seeing the wild horses that grace its enchanting dunes. In April 2014, my dream came true: I landed on the beach in a small charter aircraft for the first time.
As a conservation photographer and wilderness guide, I have had the privilege of exploring many parts of the world. For more than three decades, I have worked with Parks Canada to photograph our country’s landscapes.
For months, I had been on standby, ready to jump when there was a possibility of reaching the island, Canada’s newest national park.
We flew in from Halifax to the island, which lies 300 kilometres southeast of the city. Before landing, we flew over West Spit and I couldn’t believe my eyes. There I saw thousands of seals from the biggest colony of grey seals in the world.
Once settled, I grabbed my gear and headed for the beach to see the seals up close. I made some portraits of a perturbed pinniped and then moved away to give him some space.
Wild horses speckled the dunescapes, so I pointed my Nikon in their direction. A young colt reminded me of ancient horse drawings I had seen of pre-ice age creatures. He was wearing his thick winter coat — more like fur than hair. He appeared healthy, but others were in rough shape — their ribs sticking out after a cold winter. One fellow with a dreadlock mane nibbled at the first shoots of the year. It would be another month before nutritious grasses and sedges would really provide for these hardy equines.
I moved with a sense of urgency, eager to capture the essence of this place in the sunshine. Weather changes quickly here and fog is a constant challenge.
Before long, a fireball sunset was extinguished in the ocean. I had only been here for eight hours, and I was exhausted and elated after documenting this magical place.
