Sunshine Coast

It hasn't been by design, but we've ended up visting the Sunshine Coast of BC at least once a year for the past few years. If you've ever been, you've seen plenty of the highway that stretches through the coast cradled with lush trees on either side.

On a hike at Hidden Grove, we witnessed what was one of the most amazing yet subtle displays of animal instincts I've ever seen. The hike consisted of a series of intersecting paths throughout wild forest. We were trotting along when Tintin very suddenly snapped out of his happy-go-lucky demeanor and took on a confident and poised stance with his sights set on something at a distance. I knelt down to see what he was focused on and noticed that his breathing had quieted to a whisper and his body was as still as a rock. When we called him to continue, his gaze remained fixed on the 'subject' regularly flicking his head back to check on us, then back to the 'subject'. It was a humbling realization of how inferior our mere human senses and instincts were in that moment and the extent to which we relied on his direction as we cautiously continued. This went on for another few minutes until Tintin stopped dead in his tracks, sniffed the surrounding air rapidly and directed his focus at a spot in the woods. No more than half a second later, there were a loud series of branches and small trees breaking from that very spot. Tintin then started to run in the opposite direction looking back to ensure we were following. We never saw what it was but what's for sure is that it was something... something big. What I did manage to capture was Tintin at that moment of supreme focus.

After our encounter with <use your imagination>, we ended our trip with dinner at Lighthouse Pub where we had the chance to enjoy our meal as the sun set over the sea planes and mountains at a distance.

Sunshine Coast, we'll see you soon.