Leaping Salmon

Sooke River potholes.
 The salmon require a much greater volume of water to spawn but they are pooling in the harbour.

First leaping salmon in the Sooke River estuary September 10. It was a cool day after a light rain. It's still early and may be a sign of a healthy 2012 run. We have been seeing seals patrolling the estuary for about three weeks. Then a cormorant or two showed up. Then it rained, and the one fairly large salmon came entirely out of the water.

Nature seemed to mark the event the next day, with a rare golden eagle sighting. She appeared at the west end of the harbour, languidly flying straight towards us. The huge bird approached, getting flat in the sky like a rip in the space - time continuum, soaring over the estuary and up the river.

The river, soon to be overflowing with leaping, life-giving salmon.