Grand Manan in the Off-Season: A Photographer’s Dreamscape
Visiting Grand Manan Island in the off-season feels like being handed a backstage pass to an island that isn’t putting on a show—it’s simply being itself: rugged, raw, and absolutely beautiful.
Swallow Tail Lighthouse
For a photographer, this is where the magic happens. The usual summer rush has faded away, revealing a landscape that tells its stories in tones, hues, and details often missed during peak season.
Grand Manan Swallowtail Lighthouse viewed from the ferry crossing
And here’s the kicker: the light is at its best. It colours everything in a soft, warm glow that practically begs to be captured. So, let’s dive in one frame at a time.
The Wharves: A Display of Color and Character
Setting Day on Grand Manan
If you know me or have followed my work, you’ll know how much I love capturing wharves—the textures, the colors, the stories they tell. I was lucky enough to be on the island close to Setting Day. Now, as someone who grew up in a fishing village, I had no idea that’s what this important day was actually called. Talk about learning something new!
Loaded with Lobster Traps
Wandering down to the wharves, camera in hand, I was taken aback by the explosion of color that was there. Stacks of lobster traps formed intricate grids, their surfaces crusted with layers of salt and sea, showing off their history.
I've seen lobster boats ready to head out before but nothing with this much colour. Bright, massive balloon-like buoys hung from the sides of weathered boats, splashes of yellow, orange, and red transforming these hardworking vessels into unexpected works of art. The whole scene was alive.
Bursts of Colour Everywhere
Fisherman patiently waiting on mother nature’s cooperation.
Stacks of Colorful Lobster Traps
Coiled Fishing Ropes hanging off the side of the boat.
Buoy or Party balloons?
Finding Dory
Swallowtail Lighthouse: The Crown Jewel
The Crown Jewel of Grand Manan
No visit to Grand Manan is complete without photographing Swallowtail Lighthouse, the island’s iconic crown jewel. Perched on a dramatic cliff, this lighthouse stands guard over the vast ocean and its passing vessels. Visiting during the off-season, when the crowds have dispersed, gives you the luxury of time to frame that perfect shot.
A word of caution—the wind was so strong that day, I found myself hesitating to descend the steep stairs and cross the bridge to get there.
At one point, the gusts were so intense that I resorted to going down on my behind. But despite the shaky knees and my fear of heights, it was worth the hike.
Ferry Heading Back to the Mainland.
