Wednesday, July 4, 2012

More Fraser River
























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   Our weekend drives take us to some curious places. On Saturday, we set out with only the vaguest of plans...to explore lengths of the Fraser River as it finally starts to recede after recent floods.

Since our favourite way to spend rainy days is tooling along in the car with the music cranked, we set Sirius radio to the Bluegrass station and chewed up the miles effortlessly.
 After the inevitable stop at Starbucks for chai tea lattes, we soon found ourselves in Matsqui, standing ankle-deep in yet another washed-out park.

 Once again, warning signs were being ignored, though not in the numbers we encountered last week in Langley.

 Local wildfowl are loving the wet weather. Canada Geese have happily taken over the former picnic grounds, and a stately Great Grey Heron picked his way delicately through the new wetlands, not seeming to mind our quiet presence.







The arrival of a rowdier set of visitors, however, gave him reason to flee.
 Under the steel girder bridge that crosses the river into Mission, we checked out  the water gauge with its measure of previous floods.




 Of course, we crossed the bridge into Mission and continued driving. One can never go home the same way one has come, after all!
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Remembering earlier visits, we made our way to Stave Lake, a hydroelectric reservoir where the now-decommissioned generating station acts as a visitor centre.
 From inside the gift shop, I could see a tiny boat on the sparse riverbed below that I wanted to photograph, but could not capture  it through the wired windows.




Although it was almost closing time, the staff cheerfully gave us permission to make our way down to an outdoor viewing  platform. To my delight, we were allowed to descend, unescorted, down steep stairways,  passing banks of huge, yet silent, turbine engines. 


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I stopped to take a few quick shots as we flew past. I have no idea how any of these machines operate, but their sheer bulk and bold colours definitely captured my photographer's eye.


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Stave Lake itself was fenced off, a necessary deterrent to incautious people like us who might proceed in spite of the risk involved.
(It may not surprise you to learn that we did manage to find a small chink in the armour.)
                    Eventually, we settled a while to watch ducklings get their bearings on a nearby pond,until a fresh cluster of showers convinced us it was time to wend our way homeward.

I am submitting this post to Weekend Reflections...do stop by to see what others have captured in their lens...



13 comments:

foszae said...

that historic flood gauge is fascinating. the amazing things you find when you guys wander...

Lynette Killam said...

Hey, thanks Jules! Guess we'll always be wanderers...:)

Katy Cameron said...

Oh on that first bit with the path going downhill to the water, you really want some kind of sledge that would float after you flew down the hill, don't you? Loving that wee fishing boat that you broke in to photograph too ;o)

Pat said...

Lynette, you seem to find beauty everywhere, even in flooded parks and decommissioned hydroelectric plants! In our area there is also occasional flooding and people also sometimes ignore the warning signs, then end up with their cars in deep water.

Happy trails to you, as Roy Rogers, the old TV cowboy would sing at the end of his TV show.

Sherry Blue Sky said...

I love going on these excursions with you......lovely photos, especially of the tiny boat on the mirror-like river. Kudos for getting out and about on a rainy day when one would be tempted to curl up under a blanket and flick the remote.......

TexWisGirl said...

nice to see the high waters since we're receding again in the texas summer heat/drought - not as bad as last year, but...

i like all the 'ducks in a row' :)

Malyss said...

I've never seeen a flood; How impressive..Your pics are so interesting and powerful!

Malyss said...

PS is your background picture taken at the Cliffs of Moher (Ireland) ? I've been there, such an incredible place. And , as Austen heroin, I'm Eleanor Dashwood! :o)

James said...

Nice shots and great reflections!

My name is Riet said...

Wow, your photo´s are amazing, great reflections .That is a beautiful country.
I am going to follow you.

Anonymous said...

What a summer this has been! The birds are enjoying all that water where you live!

The monsoon rains have just arrived in Colorado - what a difference a few days can make! :)

Wishing you a great weekend,
Zuzu

EG CameraGirl said...

I'm amazed by all the water when so much of the U.S. is so dry!

I like taking drives when the destination is a bit vague. :)

Kay L. Davies said...

I've just caught up on your posts about my favourite river, the mighty, muddy Fraser. I've been out to the coast again, and was quite ill before I went and after I got home. Doctors don't know why, but I insist they keep on trying to figure it out.
I'd forgotten about your predilection for going where angels fear to tread, even though I read and commented on you and your dress in the flood waters. I hope you don't get arrested on one of your photo-seeking trips behind warning signs.
Thanks for your comment on my blog. You're right, I loved your tugboat ballet post.
Maybe next time I come out, you and I and Maria can have tea again!
K