The crystal waters of the Stawamus River are the perfect stage to watch the return of pink salmon. I work to get my camera, mounted on the end of a long pole, right in with the big schools in the deep pools, as well as on the individual male and female pairs spread out on the spawning beds. Over two weeks I witness the run progress, and the feeding frenzy of gulls, dipper, merganser, mallard and bear as they feast on both fish and eggs.
I have my camera on a long pole, hoping to slide it quietly down in among the pink salmon.
The pink salmon have just entered the Stawamus River, are fresh from the ocean and moving up stream.
The salmon congregate in the deeper pools, waiting to move onto the shallower spawning gravels.
A cloud of sperm rises as two males flank a female as she drops her eggs into the gravels.
Salmon with just their fat-rich brains eaten; evidence of bear or wolves that can afford to be choosy about what they eat on the spawning grounds.
