Sloughs & Streams

Canoeing is likely my favourite way to get around on water, besides paddle boarding. It’s a meditative, rhythmic practice where the paddles slice quietly through the water, and everything else just seems to fall away.

In my canoeing ventures lately, I’ve seen lots of diverse wildlife and scenery in the sloughs of Creston. Autumn gifts warm days and vibrant colours throughout BC’s landscapes, and the beauty is breathtaking. Painted turtles sun themselves on floating logs; kingfishers fill the air with raucous calls; herons silently wait at the banks of water for their fish; ducks and waterfowl quietly paddle by to their destinations.

These riparian ecosystems are habitat for more than just what meets the eye. Insects like water striders, aquatic and land spiders, caterpillars, moths, and dragonflies all find sanctuaries in these places. Elusive foxes, muskrats, and beavers build their dens and homes along banks or even right in the water. Even the very water is life, full of organisms only visible through the lens of a microscope.

I enjoy spending time in this unique biome, and the diversity yet interconnectedness of this area never ceases to draw out wonder from me. Here’s a collection of photos showcasing the individuality of our streams and sloughs.