The Cowichan Estuary
The Cowichan Estuary is a magical place where two rivers, the Cowichan and the Koksilah, pour into the Salish Sea. Bracketed by stunning Mt. Tzouhalem on the northeast and wooded hills on the southwest, this wide plain of river channels and salt marshes harbours a wealth of land and sea flora and fauna. We go there regularly both to see the abundant birdlife (the estuary is an Important Bird Area) and to simply drink in the beauty of the scenery. I have been trying to paint it in all its seasonal glory.
These are the gouache paintings that I did of the estuary in 2024.
Click on the image to enlarge
Waiting for Solstice. Cowichan Estuary #62
Fog in the Estuary. Cowichan Estuary #61
Foggy Morning Cowichan Estuary #60
Another Quiet November Day. Cowichan Estuary #59
November High Tide. Cowichan Estuary #58
November Estuary. Cowichan Estuary #57
November Estuary. Cowichan Estuary #56B
November Estuary. Cowichan Estuary #56A
Clouds above Mt. Prevost II. Cowichan Estuary #55
Clouds above Mt. Prevost I. Cowichan Estuary #54
Cowichan Estuary #53 A, B & C
Cowichan Estuary #52
Trick of the Light. Cowichan Estuary #51
Cowichan Estuary #50
Cowichan Estuary #49
Cowichan Estuary #48. After the Sun Came out.
Before the Sun Came out. Cowichan Estuary #47
Cowichan Estuary 46
Cowichan Estuary #45
Cowichan Estuary #44
Cowichan Estuary #43D
Cowichan Estuary #43C
Cowichan Estuary #43B
Cowichan Estuary #43A
Cowichan Estuary #42
Cowichan Estuary #41
Rose Hips
As the Fog Is Lifting. Cowichan Estuary #40
Cowichan Estuary #39
Cowichan Estuary #38
Cowichan Estuary #37
Cowichan Estuary #36
Cowichan Estuary #35
Fog over Lake Quamichan. Cowichan Estuary #34
Early Morning on the Estuary. Cowichan Estuary #33
Cowichan Estuary #32
Cowichan Estuary #31
Cowichan Estuary #30
Cowichan Estuary #29
Cowichan Estuary #28
The Long View. Cowichan Estuary #27
Clouds at last! Cowichan Estuary #26
The Pond. Cowichan Estuary #25
Low Tide in Front of Mt. Tzouhalem. Cowichan Estuary #24
Mt. Tzouhalem. Cowichan Estuary #23
Queen Anne’s Lace. Cowichan Estuary #22
Bend in the River. Cowichan Estuary #21
Cowichan Estuary #20
Cowichan Estuary #19
Cowichan Estuary #18
Cowichan Estuary #17. The River at Low Tide.
Cowichan Estuary #15
Cowichan Estuary #14
Cowichan Estuary #13B
Cowichan Estuary #13. Cowichan Estuary at Low Tide.
Cowichan Estuary #1
Cowichan Estuary #2
Cowichan Estuary #3
Cowichan Estuary #4
Cowichan Estuary #5
Cowichan Estuary #6
Cowichan Estuary #7. Fields
Cowichan Estuary #8. Mt. Tzouhalem
Cowichan Estuary #9 View of Mt. Provost
Cowichan Estuary #10. The Pond
Cowichan Estuary #11
Cowichan Estuary #12
View across Juan de Fuca