This Week's Walks - Fox Mountain

 

We've hiked along the ridge on Fox Mountain a couple of times this week, enjoying the views down across the lake.

This Week's Walks - Scout Island

 Took our usual walks around town.  At Scout Island Leo got a few good photos of birds on their migration south.

Savannah Sparrow

I like this moody photo of a young clay-coloured sparrow

Heron hiding in the reeds

Osprey fishing in the lake

Still lots of cedar waxwings about 

Starting to see some colour in the foliage.

First trip on the Horsefly River of the Year

 

Wow! It's the first time we made it out to the Horsefly this year and it's already late August.  But the Horsefly was at flood levels into July (our friend Glen's daughter flipped his raft at Fast Eddy in July) and later we were travelling and busy. 

But Leo sold one of his kayaks to our friend's son so that spurred us on to get on the water.

The water was at a perfect level, still high for August.

Leo and Kelly had a blast trying to surf the wave at Fast Eddy in our inflatable.

And even went for a swim.

Paddling back upstream after capsizing

We had such a good time we're going again this week and have talked a few more people into joining us.

So Long SweetTopaz

 

Leo pretty much sold our travel trailer without letting me know. We've discussed buying a newer trailer, and it's had its issues but before I knew it, he'd put an ad on Kijiji and we got a ton of replies.  The first person who came to look at this morning bought it.  I guess we should have priced it higher.

Lots of memories in that trailer.  I'm sorry to see it go.

Back Home Again

 And back to the usual routine.

Leo at Otter Point, Scout Island

We walked around Scout Island one evening.  You can see many of the shrubs have been damaged by long term flooding.  The water levels have finally dropped enough so we could cross the bridge to the far island for the first time since early spring.  The gnats were really bad, not biting but getting in our noses and mouths.

We went for a paddle on the lake with Wolfred and his newly purchased kayak.

Camera foggy, not the weather

And our regular Sunday walk in the creek valley.  

The levels in the William's Lake River are finally starting to drop but Leo was still able to paddle it this week.  Usually the level is too low by the end of May.

A Few Days in Smithers

 

We spent two days at my mother's house in Smithers.  One afternoon we went paddling on Lake Kathleen with Syb and Dave.

We explored the creek that drains the lake.  It's always fun sneaking down a narrow creek.

Stole this one off Sybille's Facebook.

If you test drive a boat from Aquabatics, the local kayak dealer, you can launch from a small dock on the creek near the shop and paddle up the creek to the lake.

We came across some loons.

Boya Lake to Smithers

 

The next two days were driving days. On our drive from Boya Lake to Meziadin Lake Provincial Park we saw 8 bears along the side of the highways, mostly mama's and Cubs feasting on clover.  There was some concern about gassing up with a trailer in tow and most of the first nations communities closed to visitors, but in the end it was no problem getting to Dease Lake and then to Bell II.  It turned out the Iskut gas station was open even though there were barriers on the roads leading off from the highway.

Meziadin Lake where we camped was busy but not full, we found a spot for the 3 of us together at the very top, furthest away from the lake.

The next day we saw 3 more bears and a coyote.  We stopped in New Hazelton to use the sanidump at the info centre and picked up bread and pastries at the excellent Skeena Bakery, where they train people with disabilities.

We stopped one more time at Moricetown (oops, they're called Witset now) for a group photo before we parted ways.

In the background they are betting salmon at the falls