Splendour of the Arrow Lake

Wednesday’s Photos

Exploring the Island across the Lake

In the late 60’s BC Hydro flooded the valley after building a dam to provide some control over the fluctuating water levels of the Columbia River. The stretch between Galena Bay in the north and the town of Castlegar in the south is known as the Upper and Lower Arrow Lakes. But BC Hydro’s main purpose was to generate electricity. Thousands of people were forced to leave their land along the lake shore. The island, which my wife and I canoed to, was once connected to the land on the opposite side of the Columbia River.  Before the dam was built, the island was rich farm land with an orchard and a farm on it. As you can see, two weeks ago the forests nearby were still burning with a lot of smoke in the air. We are grateful for the rain, the end of the wildfire and the clean air we can breathe again. Enjoy the photos.

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The Fauquier – Needles Ferry

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Looking East where the Fires were Burning

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Driftwood Sculptures on the Island

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Driftwood Arch

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A Sprinkling of Red from the Rose Hips

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View through the Trees onto the Lake

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Nature’s Sculptures Everywhere

46 thoughts on “Splendour of the Arrow Lake

  1. Beautiful, Peter! If the photo looking east was a sunset, one would find it amazing, knowing that the colours are from fires, dampens the spirit a bit. I am glad to here that the fires are out now. Fires are such a terrible threat for people and wildlife.

    I remember you writing that the area burning was “only” the size of Denmark. I can’t start to fathom how vast Canada is, if that is an “only”. I can read the figures on Wikipedia, but that is very abstract. Denmark is just a tiny speck on the map …

    Liked by 1 person

  2. Wonderful photos! The smoke certainly makes for dramatic photographs—but otherwise, it is very sad and scary. You really have a great eye, Peter. Your photographs are truly works of art.

    Liked by 1 person

  3. I agree, this is a wonderful album. The second shot, with its wavy patterns and bronze tones, could be a silkscreen print. And I like the way you framed a shot with the driftwood. Hurrah for nice fresh air and an end to the fires, too.

    Liked by 1 person

  4. Thank you, Peter, for your wonderful photos and it was interesting to hear the story behind the place as well. Your photos of the driftwood were magnificent, really showing off their natural beauty.

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