Stunning nature photography is paired with evocative writing that combine to explore the history of the Broughton Archipelago and expose some of the lesser known practises of government and industry in this dynamic coastal landscape.

Converging Waters explores an area on the northern coast of Vancouver Island on the edge of the Broughton Archipelago: Queen Charlotte Strait, Broughton Strait, Cormorant Channel, Blackfish Sound. This part of the Namgis First Nation territory is characterized by tree-covered islands, pebble beaches, foggy mornings, rocky islets, orcas, eagles, and an ever-changing light. Boats are at least as important as trucks for the few who live here. The sea and sky dominate the land, and marine mammals and fish seem to overshadow the human residents.

Daniel Hillert’s inspiring photographs focus on the wild essence that still permeates these converging waters, while Gwen Curry’s prose dives beneath the surface to appreciate not only the natural wonder of this place but its history, people, and present-day challenges.

Dan Hillert began looking at the world through an Instamatic camera when he was 14 years old. Fifty years later his great joy is still to communicate the excitement and beauty of the natural world around him; only the equipment has changed. Previously he self-published two photography books, Imagine an Island and Reflections of an Island, showing Malcolm Island and its environment. His adventurous spirit also led him to Wood Buffalo National Park, which resulted in another book, Into the Boreal. Now residing on Malcolm Island, Dan and his partner, Deb Wiggins, like nothing better than to jump into their Zodiac and explore the islands and seascape that is their backyard. For more information and some examples of Dan’s work, visit www.rainforestwild.ca.

Daniel Hillert's profile page

Gwen Curry is an artist/writer and a former professor in the visual arts department at the University of Victoria. She is a member of the Royal Canadian Academy and her work is in many private and public collections. Her first book, Tod Inlet: A Healing Place, was shortlisted for the Roderick Haig-Brown Regional Prize for B.C. literature. In it, her photographs and writing detail her walks to Tod Inlet and its fascinating history. Gwen has travelled widely but finds nothing more exciting than exploring the rugged coast of British Columbia. She has visited Malcolm Island and the surrounding area many times in the past decade and appreciates what a beautiful yet vulnerable place it is. Her most recent book (with photographer Daniel Hillert) is Converging Waters: The Beauty and Challenges of the Broughton Archipelago. Gwen Curry lives in Brentwood Bay (Vancouver Island), British Columbia.

Gwen Curry's profile page

"Converging Waters will transport you to a magnificent region of Canada's west coast through a stimulating interplay between the dark and the light, between the words and the images. Daniel Hillert's photographs capture a stunning beauty and drama, and are beautifully interwoven with Gwen Curry's words, which shine a light on the sometimes dark history and current ecological crises in the area." —Cheryl Alexander, author of Takaya: Lone Wolf, photographer, filmmaker

"You'll be left with a longing to experience and protect the rich natural history of this place. And you will be buoyed with the knowledge that, in spite of our human interference, nature always provides 'a crack for the light to get in'." —Cheryl Alexander, author of Takaya: Lone Wolf, photographer, filmmaker

"Converging Waters is the next best thing to visiting British Columbia's remote and beautiful scattering of islands known as the Broughton Archipelago. Daniel Hillert's stunning photographs capture the majesty of this wonderful place and its remarkable ecosystem. Gwen Curry's evocative words remind us that even remote places are impacted by the people who are drawn to them. Together, Hillert and Curry celebrate the resilience of the Broughton Archipelago in the face of worrying intrusions. As they so ably demonstrate, "it's a place worth fighting for." —Joy Davis, author of Complicated Simplicity: Island Life in the Pacific Northwest