Mark Hobson (Prints)

The Leslie Ellen is a classic west coast fishing boat, known as a purse seiner. It was frequently seen near Tofino in the 1990’s when it was commissioned by Federal Fisheries to sample the herring populations in Clayoquot Sound. I have depicted her in a scene from the outer west coast of South Moresby Island, the southern of the two large islands that make up Haida Gwaii. I travelled this extreme section of the coast four times in the summers of 1989 and 1990 aboard the Darwin Sound, a  70 foot sailboat. Despite often feeling seasick, I was blown away by the the intense drama of the place. The 3,000 foot peak of Dilabesh Mountain was nearly always shrouded in mist. It lies right on the edge of the continental shelf and the slope drops at 45 degrees all the way to the ocean floor another 3,000 feet below. As a result seabirds from the open ocean such as Albatross and Shearwaters can be seen cruising below the cliffs. The Northern Fulmar in the foreground is a common bird of the North Pacific. It glides over the waves on stiff wings with an excellent sense of smell, searching out the scent of squid and other delicacies.