out of focus
The Leech
INCIDENT
I have a confession to make: I’m terrified of
swimming in dark water where I can’t see
the lake bottom. It’s an irrational fear of the
unknown, as if there are creatures lurking in
the depths below that might consider me as
food. This phobia does not mix well with my
passion for canoeing and kayaking on backcountry
photo trips, exploring the myriad of
tea-coloured lakes that dot the Canadian
Shield. My friends never miss a chance to
taunt me on hot summer days, as they swim
in the refreshingly-cool water, and I sit ashore
barely able to dip a toe or two in the lake.
Sometimes on extended trips I have
little choice but to face my fear. Last summer
I bought a new red canoe and was
eager to paddle to a scenic spot and shoot
some classic Canadian wilderness photos
using the boat as a prop. The Massasauga
Provincial Park along eastern Georgian
Bay was the perfect location, so my girlfriend
and I took off on a week-long trip.
After a long day of paddling and portaging,
we arrived at an idyllic campsite
on a secluded inlet. Muddy and
smelly, I was given an ultimatum:
either take a dip to clean up, or
sleep outside the tent.
The mosquitoes were bad so
there was no option. I stripped
off my clothes and hesitantly
waded into the bay to lather
up with biodegradable soap. It
took only a minute to quickly
rinse off and race back out of
the water to dry off.
Standing on shore, my girlfriend
— apparently admiring
my stark physique — started
to chuckle and then said rather
plainly, “There’s a leech on your
butt.” I too laughed, assuming
she was just making fun of me
because of my fear of the water.
That’s what I wanted to believe.
And then she retorted, “No,
there really is a leech on your butt.”
It took a moment for the thought to
fully register in my brain. There’s no way
a leech could find me in such a short period
of time. Or could it? I simply didn’t
know. The colour instantly drained from
my face and I shrieked loud enough to be
heard on neighbouring lakes, “Ahhhhhh,
get it off me…. now!”
My girlfriend was laughing uncontrollably
as she pulled the leech off my rear
torso. She snapped a photo of me in the
moment, far too risqué to publish in this
magazine. As for the rest of the photos from
the trip, I can’t look at them without being
reminded of the leech incident — the last
time I ever swam in dark waters.
By Ethan Meleg
Contributing Editor
To read more of Outdoor Photography Canada please ...
BIO
Ethan Meleg is a professional nature photographer
from Ontario, Canada. He specializes in photos of outdoor recreation,
landscapes, birds and wildlife.
Ethan grew up near Point Pelee National Park,
a world-famous birding site in southern Ontario. The park inspired
his love of nature, and he often skipped classes to chase songbirds
during spring and fall migrations. With an in-depth knowledge
of nature, Ethan has led bird and nature tours for fifteen years
and is a member of the champion Kowa 'Canadian' Birding Team.
In between watching birds and taking photos, he miraculously
completed a bachelors degree in Environment and Resource Studies
at Trent University.
Ethan is a self-taught photographer. His photos have
been published all over the world in books, calendars, brochures, magazines
and corporate ads. Credits include: National Geographic books, Ranger Rick
books, Forbes Magazine, Canadian Geographic, Wyman Calendars, Lonely
Planet books, Cottage Life, Birder's World, Birding, Birdwatch, Wildbird,
Living Bird Quarterly, Birder's Journal, National Wildlife, Nature Canada,
ON Nature, Canoe & Kayak and many more. At only 33 years of age, Ethan is
already established as one of Canada's leading nature photographers.
Ethan lives by the shore of Georgian Bay near the town of
Midland, Ontario. His great passion in life is exploring the natural world
with his camera, whether on distant travels or in his own backyard.
Please click
here to visit Ethan's site. |
