July 05, 2009
Bugs, Mink on Deer Lake Canoeing Afternoon
We got the canoe out for an afternoon on Burnaby's Deer Lake. It was a great day and we did three or four circuits of the small lake, often stopping in the lily pads to check out the wildlife. We saw lots of dragonflies, damselflies, moths, fish, waterfowl, and even a young mink bopping along the shore.
Metrotown towers to the southwest.
A flotilla of Canada Geese.
A dead stickleback?
Sure looks like a mink -- I had to severely crop this photo taken from a distance with my teeny Canon SD780IS - wish I'd had my S5IS or my DSLR!
May 17, 2009
Canoing Fraser River at SEP 2009 Workshop
About 70 streamkeepers signed up for a canoe trip down the Fraser River to cap the SEP 2009 (BC Streamkeeper) Workshop, out of around 300 people attending. It was a gorgeous day for a paddle and we had a great time. We put in near the Mission bridge, and took out up Kanaka Creek, with a stop for lunch along the way.
The putting-in point near the Mission bridge.
Me in front, with my wife Yumi behind me, and Naomi from Campbell River.
Heading downstream.
Catching up in a bit of friendly competition...
Cool water, blue skies - a gorgeous day for a paddle.
Working up a sweat!
Looking east down one of most productive salmon rivers in the world, with Mt. Baker barely visible on the horizon.
Heading up Kanaka Creek to the landing site.
It was a great day with a fantastic outing with wonderful people. Thanks to all of the organizers and sponsors!
September 07, 2008
Canoeing, Camping Lightning Lake
We finally got away for our first camping trip this year! I'm zonked so I'll add to this later, but here are a few photos....
Osprey on a perch.
Osprey in flight.
Loon in the morning mist.
The above shots were taken hand-held in a moving canoe at my Canon S5 IS's maximum telephoto of 432mm (35mm equivalent). Not bad, though I wouldn't want to blow them up to 8 X 10s :-). They were taken within about 30 minutes of each other, showing how fast the light can change in the morning in the mountains.
September 01, 2008
Canoeing Deer Lake
We didn't get away this Labour Day weekend, but today we did at least get the canoe over to Deer Lake, just a ten-minute drive from our place in Burnaby. As we were paddling along something was bothering me, and it wasn't until we got to the far end that I figured it out -- we'd forgotten our life jackets! Dangerous and illegal....
We got back to the beach, and I zipped home to pick up the jackets. Then we did two more laps of the small lake -- I guess it was good we hadn't gone too far from home :-).
The lillies were covered with thousands of little insects.
June 22, 2007
Canoe Shakedown Cruise
53 weeks -- yes, over a year -- since we got our canoe, we finally took it out on a shakedown cruise on Burnaby's Deer Lake. It's hard to believe where that year went. I was so busy with work and school, and it just sat in the garage gathering dust.
Today we cranked on the roof rack, strapped the canoe on, and drove the ten minutes to Deer Lake. When we got there the sunny blue sky was overshadowed with ominous black clouds, but it's a small lake so we headed out anyway. It was great fun slipping along watching the wildlife -- so much more approachable in a canoe than on foot.
Three-quarters of the way around the lake the wind began to rise, so we headed back to the beach and called it a day after less than an hour on the water. It was probably best to take it easy anyway, as I'm sure we used muscles that haven't been in action for years.
I'm looking forward to getting out on the water more often!
Getting set up on the goose-poop strewn beach.
Yumi in the prow.
And me in the stern.