The Lakes District

We have found an area in B.C. that just won't quit!

Endless numbers of lakes with fish that just refuse to stay off your line, miles of back roads that seem to go on forever amidst lakes and rivers and mountians, and recreation campsites with nearly a soul in them until we arrive with our truck, camper and trailer in tow loaded with the tools of the campers trade...kayak, canoe, zodiac, dual sport bikes, mountain bikes and fishing gear.  The Lakes district that lays between Smithers, Babine Lake and south to Oosta Lake including Francois Lake and too many lakes to mention by name really is an outdoors persons dream.  We spent some time in this area last year and loved it so much we came back again this year.

We have seen an amazing amount of wildlife this year...and more bears than ever, and some a little too close for comfort.  The abundance of rain has laid a carpet of wild flowers that is amazingly colourful. Though the wild berries are just starting to ripen they are promising to be as bountiful as we remember from last year! and this years, once again thanks to more rain, lots of boletus and oyster mushrooms and even giant puffballs.  And fishing!!!what can I say Ken has been lucky on the lakes and has even smoked a few rainbow to perfection (so he claims).

The weather so far this year has not quite lived up to the warmth of last year with quite a bit of rain but starting TODAY the weather is beginning to get better...right Mother Nature?

While spending time at Bear Island Rec Site on Babine Lake we had the opportunity to watch a cow moose swim with her calf across to Bear Island where she left it for the days while she continued to swim back and forth, from the island.  She left every morning and came back every night.  We thought maybe she did this because it was safer for the calf on the island as there was a mother grizzly and three calves spotted in the area around our campsite.

Yes, we have had lots of rain, but it made for beautiful rainbows.

Just one sample of the many fish Ken has been catching, a Lake Trout or Char.

Bear Island out in of our campsite on Babine Lake on a rare sunny day.

Ken digs a drainage ditch beside our camper otherwise we may have floated right off of terra firma and into the lake.

Houstson's biggest fly rod.

Al and Linda with her son Scott and family, in Smithers.  A quick game of Mexican Train before dinner.

Kingfishers, friendly neighbours during our stay at Francois Lake West Rec Site.

During frequent paddles on Francois Lake I was able to get as close as 9 or 10 ft from a doe that always hung around the same area.

Quite often while paddling, beavers would circle my kayak checking us out, they are very curious.

While Ken is fishing I'm paddling with the locals.

This is just the biggest of the giant puffballs we found...

And yes, we did eat some of them.  Sliced and fried in a little butter with salt and pepper.

I could include a hundred of these, just another beautiful sunset over Nadina mountian, taken from our campsite on Francois Lake.

Can you see the bird walking on the lily pad?

Likely

This wasn't the first time we had been to Likely and it won't be the last.  As long as Chris and Carl have their charming little cabin in the woods we will continue to visit (as long as they will have us) and love it.  We arrived in Likely to a solid week of rain, some light but some torrential downpours with thunder and lightning free of charge.  It was a good thing Carl had a full supply of fire wood so Chris and I could stay warm and cosy while the guys persisted fishing, biking and just doing things that guys do outdoors.  One day while Chris and I were inside, gazing longingly outside wishing the rain would stop, a wolf walked through their yard, posed just long enough for us to get a good look and grab our cameras (but not long enough to to actually turn them on and take a picture) before disappearing down over the bank.  

When, at last, the sun came out we all ventured outside taking in a little fresh air with a few more bike rides and just enjoying the peace and quiet of the area.  Moose and sandhill cranes both frequent the grassy marsh which Chris and Carls place overlook and we were lucky enough to either see and/or hear them during our stay. What a great place they have and Ken loves the great beer they make!

Chris and Carl's little gem of a get away.

Brake lights where flashing when the first view of Quesnel Lake came into view on a ride over Spanish Mountian and Abbott Creek.

It's all fun and games until someone gets a flat tire!

There are a few very large old growth trees left up in the Cariboo.

And speaking of large...Wayne caught a 8.5 lb Lake Trout and Ken's came in just under at 4 lbs but both  were delicious.  Wayne and Brenda had us over for a fish fish fry that we all enjoyed (along with a few of our (Brian and Sandy's) Montana Margaritas.

Did I mention how beautiful the view of Quesnel Lake was from Spanish Mountian?

On the road again

We have packed up the rig and are on the road again, headed north in B.C.  First stop, Adams Lake to camp and fish a little with Ken's brother then off to Kamloops to visit with Joe and Kathryn ( not to mention other friends from LBH (life before Heather).

Unbelievable, on a day ride around Adams lake Ken discovered huckleberries, the beginning of June is a little early.

Albas Prov. Park had a great hike along a creek, that drained into the Shuswap Lake.

Stukemapten Lake, located between Adams Lake and Shuswap Lake on the Humamilt Lake forestry road, was as calm as come-be.

Ron (Kens brother) and family met us, with his boat, while we where camped at Bush Creek on the Adams Lake.

Kathryn shows off the 'before' product of dinner the first night of our stay at their place.

And we all enjoyed the 'after' yummy creation...how much pizza is really too much?

A goose family strutting their stuff at Duffy Lake rec site, above Kamloops, where Ken and Joe tried their hand at fishing and Kathryn and I kayaked and walked around the lake.

A visit to the B.C. Coast-Vancouver

After arriving home and getting organized for a week or so we hopped on the KTM and took a trip to Vancouver to visit Ken's sisters.  Sheri in Vancouver and Joanne and Bruce on Bowen Island.  We had a warm evening at Sheri's that was just perfect for a rooftop BBQ and the next day Sheri and I enjoyed a hike to Quarry Rock.  It was also perfect weather for a jog around the sea wall.

Off to Joanne and Bruce's on Bowen where we totally enjoyed being pampered, staying in their guest studio and eating and drinking way to much.  I wish I would have taken more pictures..their beautiful garden, Killarney Lake, book sales and...the chickens.

The full moon from Sheri's, Ken's sister, rooftop patio at her apartment in downtown Vancouver.

Sheri and I did a hike to Quarry Rock at Deep cove, along with about 100 other weekend warriors.

A great view of Deep Cove with Vancouver in the background.

Vancouver can be really beautiful if the weather is nice.

Lavender in Joanne and Bruce's garden.

The lovely garden view we enjoyed over margaritas on the deck on Bowen.

Snug cove on Bowen Island our landing and departing point.  It is always nice to visit the B.C. Coast.

Something's Fishy

Even though this winter season in the Baja will not go down as one of the best ever for fishing we did have our moments and believe me they were bigger than ever before.

Ken and Al Larson brought in a rooster fish just off Juncalito Island.  

While out on my kayak, paddling around Dansante Island, I stopped to look at the reef fish when a school on Jacks surrounded my kayak and continued to circle me for at least 10 minutes.  I don't know if they were trying to figure out what I was but they sure weren't scared.

A Grey whale out front of our beach was putting on a really big show, slapping it's fin and tail, and breaching.  Ken and I just happened to be going out in the zodiac and got an up close and personal show.  At one time we thought we might get slapped if we didn't get out of its way.

Sy and Jan took Ken and I out on their fishing boat, and lucky me, I brought in a 32 lb Yellowtail.  it put up a pretty good fight and the next day my arm was a little stiff.  It was all I could do to hold it up long enough to for the photo.

No really!  I needed Ken to help we carry it back to our camp.  We smoked some and froze some to bring back home to make sushi and sashimi.

Ken was not to be out done...a few days later he caught a Yellowtail while fishing in the Zodiac, jigging with a dead sardine on a light rod and tackle.  He wasn't expecting to catch a Yellowtail, let alone one that big, but it was a fine fish and smoked up nicely.

I know, technically not a fish but I got the chance to paddle with a Whaleshark.  It was somewhere between 10 and 15 ft long and as gentle as a lamb.

Lots of fun on the water this season!!!

Lopez Mateos, a whale of a time

One of the things you have to do when you come to Baja is see whales.  Ken and I have done that many times, by ourselves in our Zodiac (last year was amazing, more whales out in front of our beach than ever before), we have also gone out with Mexician friends in Puerto Chale on the Pacific side.  When friends John and Sue Frank and Al and Val Larson came down for a visit ( our second set of visitors this year) we decided to rent a ponga out of Lopez Mateos in Magnelana Bay and go to see the female Grey Whales with their calves.  2000 pesos per boat was a small price to pay to an experience of a lifetime.  Who gets to actually pet a baby whale??? Ken and Al did.  The whales seem to want to interact with the people on the pongas.

Really a experience of a lifetime.  If you are in this area you have to do it!

Val, Al, John, Sue, Ken and I chartered a ponga and captain to bring us out into Magnelana Bay to see the Grey Whales with their calves.

Although they are not nearly the biggest whales around, it is no doubt that they are pretty darn big.

We got close look at a grey calf and it got a close look at us.

I was a little early snapping the shot.  Ken got a chance to pet the calf..."the skin was much smoother" than he thought.

A mother with a calf riding on her back.  She will lift the calf up out of the water so we could pet it.

See...I told you!

A calf under water heading to one of the boats for a little attention.

And away they go, side by side.