Photographer rocks boat sailing inside passage

Lance Ekhart didn’t hesitate to rock the boat, creating quite a stir as he guided over 150 people through a month-long sailboat trip he took to Desolation Sound and Princess Louisa Inlet in the Strait of Georgia, north of Vancouver. Ekhart rocked the audience with a collection of photography from his journey at the Anacortes Library last Wednesday.

At Prideaux Haven, a scenic anchorage in Desolation sound, Ekhart found a combination of calm weather and an uncharacteristic lack of other boats on the water. This allowed him to team up with Mother Nature. The resulting photos became more than just gorgeous shoreline scenes; they became inspiring mirror image reflections that brought to mind Native American totem poles and mind-bending art forms.

Later, at Princess Louisa Inlet, a marvel of rock walls rose steeply from the shoreline and waterfalls danced down stratified granite cliffs. Mythical shapes and ancient carved faces seemed to appear out of the mist and trees. In some cases mountains rose in the distance with brilliant fall colors adding stunning contrast to the undulating waves of color and light.

As the room felt silent, he showed one picture after another that were met with short intakes of breath or delighted sighs from the audience. While he said very little throughout the show, the audience was in awe, feeling the magic of his journey.

In addition to being a professional photographer, Ekhart is an experienced sailor, refits boats and travels the world. His photographs have been published in various magazines including Wooden Boat Magazine and Nautical Quarterly. He lives on his sail boat, Elenoa, in Anacortes.

Should you wish to sample his photographs, you can search the internet for several of his sites or email him at [email protected].

The Anacortes Library hosted this event. Find more at https://www.anacorteswa.gov/222/Calendars-Programs-Events.