Friday Harbor

Washington State, 2023

Limited edition fine art print of 6 – While spending time in the Pacific Northwest, I was aboard an early morning ferry to San Juan Island to film Southern Resident Killer Whales. The hour-and-a-half-long ferry started out very dark as the sun was still far below the horizon. I could see a split in the clouds as we pulled into the harbor. All the vehicles disembarked, and the sky transformed from dark grey to deep purple and orange. I begged my friends to pull over, and in seconds, I was sprinting down the slippery docks to find a strong composition. Just as I set up, the sun broke, and a rainbow appeared perfectly over the sailboats in the harbor. If the boat were even delayed by a minute, I would have missed the whole thing. Sometimes, it pays to have luck on your side. Photo © copyright by Derek Nielsen