Series D of the Ogden Point Panels...

Series B of the Ogden Point Panels...

Series A of the Ogden Point Signage

Humpback Whale

Humpback Whales are found in most of the world’s oceans. The northern Pacific population migrates between their winter breeding grounds in Hawaii, Mexico and Southern Asia to their summer feeding areas from California to Alaska, including the waters of British Columbia. Humpback Whales can grow up to 17 metres in length, weigh up to 36 tonnes and their flippers can be 5 metres long.

A few years back, Yim and I were lucky enough to have one swim by 50 feet away off the coast of Vancouver Island. Read more here >

Steller, or Northern, Sea Lion (Eumetopias jubatus)

The male, or bull, Steller Sea Lion is a huge animal, growing up to 3 metres in length and weighing up to 900 kilograms. In contrast, the females are only about a third as large. There are three Steller Sea Lion breeding rookeries in British Columbia and many haul-out sites (places where they rest on land) located throughout coastal B.C. A prominent local haul-out site is at Race Rocks, off the Western Communities of Greater Victoria. Elephant Seals (Mirounga angustirostris) can also be seen hauled-out at Race Rocks.

I took this shot in the Broken Islands Group in Barkely Sound on Vancouver Island while visiting Ucluelet >

Phillip Colla

Phillip Colla is a natural history photographer and writer. He focuses on wild marine mammals, the California kelp forest, inhabitants of remote eastern Pacific islands, National Parks of the American West and, most recently, waves and surfing.

His natural history photography has appeared in the pages of BBC Wildlife, National Wildlife, Ocean Realm, Ranger Rick, Reader's Digest, Skin Diver, and National Geographic Books, has been used in various advertising and publicity campaigns, is in use in aquaria and museums, and is occasionally recognized in photographic competitions. His underwater videography has been broadcast in various productions in the United States and abroad.

Mr. Colla's photography has been commended in past Wildlife Photographer of the Year and Nature's Best contests, the two most significant and competitive wildlife photography competitions in the world.

And I was lucky enough to have him collaborate on my recent project for the Ogden Point Enhancement Society and the interpretive signage I developed for them.

You can visit his web site here >

Dr. Peter S. Ross

Dr. Peter S. Ross is a Research Scientist (Marine mammal toxicologist) with the Institute of Ocean Sciences (Fisheries and Oceans Canada) in Sidney, British Columbia, Canada. He has an active research program on (1) the effects of persistent environmental contaminants on the health of marine mammals and (2) the sources, movement and fate of persistent environmental contaminants in marine food chains. He conducts his research in collaboration with colleagues at universities and government laboratories in Canada and internationally.

Dr. Ross is an Adjunct Professor at Simon Fraser University (SFU) in Burnaby, B.C., and supervises graduate students at SFU, the University of British Columbia and the University of Victoria. Dr. Ross obtained his PhD from the Faculty of Veterinary Sciences (Utrecht University, the Netherlands), MSc from Dalhousie University (Halifax, Nova Scotia), and BSc (Honours) from Trent University (Peterborough, Ontario).

Peter recently worked with us in developing a series o underwater interpretive signage for the Ogden Point Enhancement Society and it was=a pleasure to listen to his lectures and work with him.

To learn more about Peter, click here >