Needles Ferry

Natural Splendour of the Arrow Lakes

/ Peter Klopp / 19 Comments

Wednesday’s Photos

Sunset Walk at the Needles Ferry Landing

After a hot day, it feels good to walk along the beach near the Fauquier-Needles ferry landing. By the way, the ferry ride whether by car, truck, or as a foot passenger is free as all BC inland ferries are considered part of the provincial highway system. On the south side of the terminal, you see a large log boom that contains the lumber that the logging trucks haul out of the nearby forests. When enough logs have been collected, tugboats drag them south to Castlegar to the wood processing plants. I put the photos together into a video-slideshow. Enjoy.

Splendour of the Arrow Lakes

/ Peter Klopp / 15 Comments

Joyful Canoe Ride across the Lower Arrow Lake

My wife and I decided to cross the lake for a photo and video session. We launched our canoe conveniently equipped with an electric motor at the Fauquier boat dock. Our first destination was the mouth of the Whatshan River. It was very turbulent because of the recent heavy rainfalls and the meltwaters feeding the river. So we kept a safe distance. Then we circumnavigated ‘our’ tiny island that I have written about many times on this blog before. We landed at a sandy beach and watched the Needles ferry travelling between Fauquier and Needles. Coaxed by the hot sun, we spontaneously jumped into the lake for a quick refreshing swim. It is not an exercise for timid people. The lake, being part of the Columbia River, is cold even during the hottest part of the summer. I measured 14 degrees C (47 F). We felt great. What a pleasant way to live through the Covid-19 pandemic! Enjoy the video.

Natural Splendour of the Arrow Lakes

/ Peter Klopp / 28 Comments

Wednesdays Photos in a Video

Father’s Day Delight

On Father’s Day my wife and I initiated the beginning of summer with a canoe ride across the Arrow Lake. The weather was perfect and the wind was calm, ideal to cross the lake for the first time in 2020. To make sure we would use the least amount of time, we followed the path of the cable ferry, which was busy with Father’s Day traffic on its half-hour journey back and forth from Fauquier to Needles. To our surprise, the water was warm enough to get in a quick swim. Alas, we had left our swim wear at home. Enjoy the scenery.

Splendour of the Arrow Lake

/ Peter Klopp / 46 Comments

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.

IMG_4349

The Fauquier – Needles Ferry

IMG_4355

Looking East where the Fires were Burning

IMG_4369

Driftwood Sculptures on the Island

IMG_4378

Driftwood Arch

IMG_4399

A Sprinkling of Red from the Rose Hips

IMG_4426

View through the Trees onto the Lake

IMG_4448

Nature’s Sculptures Everywhere

Natural Splendour of the Arrow Lakes

/ Peter Klopp / 36 Comments

Wednesday’s Photos

Crossing the Lake on the Needles-Fauquier Ferry

The Needles ferry is part of the provincial highway system and therefore using it is free of charge. The ferry leaves each side of the lake every 30 minutes from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. After that the ferry is on call during the night. Last week I had to do some shopping in the nearby village of Edgewood. Since it was a brilliant and almost cloudless day, I took my camera with me and captured the following images. As you can see, we are still in the grip of winter. Enjoy!

ferry 1

While waiting for the ferry, I captured the brilliant sunshine upon the lake.

ferry 2

The fully loaded Needles Ferry arrives.

ferry 3

Looking south from the Ferry

ferry 4

The Canada and BC flags against a Cloudless Sky

ferry 5

Looking North with Ingersol Mountain in the Background

Natural Splendour of the Arrow Lakes

/ Peter Klopp / 23 Comments

Wednesday’s Photos

Lakeshore Impressions on a Grey November Day

About 60 km south of Nakusp on Highway 6 lies the small community of Fauquier, where the free ferry takes you across the Lower Arrow Lake. Here at one of the most beautiful locations in the West Kootenays my wife and I have been living and raising our family since 1976. Today I take you down for a stroll along the lakeshore not far away from the popular 9-hole golf course and boat dock.

Enjoy the tour!

Done 15S

 

Done 16S

 

Done17S.jpg

 

Done18S

You can also view my photo stream at flickr.com. Photos are taken mostly from the Arrow Lakes area. Simply search for Peter Klopp under people.