Spirit Island

Early autumn in the Canadian Rockies: the days are still warm, frosts are common before dawn, and snow already lies on the mountainsides. Spirit Island is a small islet on Maligne Lake. It can only be reached by water — on a small tour boat, or by canoe, if the thought of paddling twenty kilometres doesn’t put you off. I was lucky to arrive just after sunrise, before the mist had lifted, with everything around bathed in soft light.