A FEW PHOTOS FROM UPPER VANCOUVER ISLAND.

 We've been enjoying fine weather here on the north Island.  A bit of smoke has moved in but there's no smell and no discomfort.  John, my brother in law, and I have gone geocaching three times already and Aileen has been getting some quality time with her sister.

Spotted this slug at the Eve River rest area.

Spotted this slug at the Eve River rest area.

Pearly Everlasting flowers.

Caught this eagle flying by.

Great Blue Heron on the breakwater.

Misty morning.

Misty morning.

Alert Bay in the mist.

Alert Bay is a Unesco Heritage site so the Seabourn Odyssey #9 spent the day there.  It is a small cruise ship carrying just 425 passengers.

Anne's Fuchsia.

Curious Robin.

Alert Bay is directly across from our campground.

Killdeer.

Crow.

The southern tip of Alert Bay.

HERE’S WHERE WE HAVE LANDED.

 

We lucked out and were on the next ferry so just under three hours sitting in the terminal.  We spent the night at my brother Charlie and Sheila’s then moved up to Alder Bay RV Site which is just south of Port McNeill.  We are booked in here until September 6 when we will head back down Island and decide whether to head home or wait it out longer.

My cousin Steve who has lived near Port McNeill for years and who I visited most times we came up passed away last Thursday.  Aileen and I had a nice visit with Steve just a few weeks ago when we were last here.  He was 85.

ABANDONED THE HOMESTEAD, GOT OUT OF DODGE!

We decided after lunch  yesterday to try to get away from the smoke.  Even with making a quick trip to town we were hooked up and gone in about 2 1/2 hours.  Of course, now we're finding we forgot a few things but, oh well.  Driving through Keremeos was spooky, it was 4 o'clock but it was like night had fallen.  All the fruit stands were glowing with their lights on and automatic lights were on everywhere.

We spent the night in Manning Park and it was still smoky but less so.  This morning we were on the road by 7:30 and arrived at the ferry terminal at 10:30.  Now we wait to see which ferry we can catch, sounds like the 3:15 which is running quite late.

We are heading back to the north Island and hope the smoke stays away. 

THE FIRES ARE GETTING CLOSER.

 We now have a fast moving fire that is less than 12 kms away and the evacuation alert has been expanded so it is now at the Okanagan River on our park's edge.   We will be gathering some essentials together in preparation just in case.

The sun at 8:15 am yesterday.

Ashes on the BBQ cover.

Ashes on the flowers.

Things were looking up this morning for a minute.

Then 20 minutes later.

At 3 pm this afternoon the closest fire is getting larger.

The young osprey are flying now.

The young osprey are flying now.

The young osprey are flying now.

The young osprey are flying now.

Steller's Jay.

Steller's Jay.

Steller's Jay.

THE SMOKE HAS MOVED IN.

 A couple of fires near Keremeos have greatly increased their size and volatility sending lots of smoke our way.   It began the night before last with a smoky sunset.  Yesterday and today the smoke cover is so thick we seldom see the sun.

Grasshopper in Aileen's flowers.

Grasshopper in Aileen's flowers.

A bumblebee getting settled in for the night.

Mother Osprey and a demanding eaglet.

Uh oh, Mom's had enough and decides to leave.

Now she's perched at the top of a tree looking back.

A female eaglet, none have left the nest yet.

A female eaglet, none have left the nest yet.

My first view of the roiling smoke.

Smoky sunset.

Smoky sunset.  That's the male osprey.

Smoky sunset.

Smoky sunset.

Smoky sunset.

The neighbours brought us some Santa Rosa plums so we made jelly.

THE GENERAL AND I WENT FOR A RIDE-PART 2, UP THE MOUNTAIN.

Turkey Vultures circled me a couple of times.

Turkey Vultures circled me a couple of times.

Small-flowered Forget-me-nots.

Looking down on the Similkameen Valley.

Looking down on Twin Lakes.

Looking down on Highway 3A between Olalla and Kaleden.

Looking way down to a ranch east of Olalla.

Interesting lichen on the trees in this area.

A pair of old cabins being reclaimed back into the earth.

Not a great photo but all the white is Scotch Thistle down.