Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Gowganda Views 2016

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The third supermoon of the year was on Dec 13/16

This must be some kind of record to have 3 Super Moons in one year, although this one was supposed to be a bit smaller.  When the moon was coming up it was in the scattered cloud, finally there was a good  shot.  Enjoy.

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Here are some pics from today.

The lake pretty well froze over yesterday morning, last night it was quite cold which will add some inches to the ice.  I can't see any open water as far as I can see.

Winter walk into Montreal River above Burke Lake

Lots of water coming down the river for this time of year. Walked in from Edith Lake Rd down a trail where the old Hydro Plant is.

On the way back to the trail I was walking along the edge of the river and spotted these icicles all lined up like a comb. Don't know how that happened.

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First winter storm

That's what I said the white stuff is here, started last night and is still coming down.  Even shoveled the driveway around noon but it just kept blowing around.  Here's the proof.

The night before supermoon

Looking at the weather conditions for tomorrow I though I should take some pics tonight. 

If tomorrow pans out I will be there.

Sunset, a couple of days ago

Yesterday at 5:30pm the sun was just setting since the time change

A couple of pics for today

The weather yesterday and today have been pretty good, forecasting another couple of good days too.

Hedlund marsh 

Burke Lake into Edith Lake

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Found a new viewpoint

Found a new viewpoint just past the Bouche Rd. on the south side of the highway a large hill with a small patch of rock at the very top.  Took me about a half an hour to get up there thru a lot of fallen trees and brush but it gets better as you get higher.  The scene to the east is clear right to High Bluff hill north on East Chown Rd.

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Last nights Northern Lites

These past couple of days the Northern Lites have been around and expecting to have more tonite.  There have been several eruptions from the sun lately.  Here is one from last nite.

Todays colours

Can't look out the window without not wanting to take pics of the colours.

More fall colours

Here are some pics from yesterday, the colours are starting to fade.

A couple of fall pictures along the highway

Here are a couple of pics I took west of Gowganda.

Last nites Aurora's from the mine site

Their is a solar storm right now that has some good Northern Lites keep your eye to the north for tonite and maybe again tomorrow.  Here are a couple from last nite around midnite.

More northern lites

Timelapse looking down to Post Office

Here is a pic of the Aurora taken at 3:00 AM Tuesday

I had a heads up on this one from the Weather channel saying their was a burst of activity on the sun so be ready for some Northern Lites.  All in all that's about all there was to it low on the horizon.  This is looking down toward the Post Office.

A couple of timelapse at Penassi camp and one short one at Rankin Lake

Yearly canoe trip 2016 back to Rankin Lake

Trip to Rankin Lake and back.  Last time we paddled right up to Matachewan.  Trying to do a more leisurely trip this year with some more fishing.
Left from the Wapus Landing then into Montreal River into Metikemedo Lake up to Penassi Lake where we camped a couple of days on the west shore were there was a moose camp with chairs, fire pit and a good place to pitch the tent even an outhouse. After that a couple of rapids and back on the Montreal River to Rankin Lake.  At Rankin Lake we had to get out of the canoe as there was very little water for 50m.  Hit the beach with wolf tracks, moose tracks and bear tracks and set up for a couple of days.
A few pics of the Rankin Lake we stayed for a couple of days and fished catching some bass and Pike.

The large hill behind Brian is the Elmer Lake Conservation Area.

Some of the sheet lightning from a couple of nights ago

This was captured on my GoPro left sitting in the window taking a picture every 30 seconds.  There were others but not as good as this one.

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Trip to Hedlund marsh to photograph the floating bridge

The Hedlund marsh is west of Gowganda on highway 560 about 5km on the north side of the road.  There is a culvert crossing the road where the creek runs down to Gowganda Lake.  Years ago there was a wood bridge that crossed the marsh.  Later on the road was straitened and graveled, now it is asphalt.  Here are some pictures of the road bridge and bits and pieces of a small wood bridge going north up towards MacIntosh Lake.  Nearby is a log cabin that is claimed to be owned by L.O. Hedlund back around 1920 where he prospected.

Looking for Aurora Borealis and getting the Milky Way

Last nite was supposed to be good for the Aurora, but staying up to 4am none were found instead,  you have a picture of the Milky Way.  Looking south down the lake.

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Farming on the Clay Belt

Coming home from shopping a couple of days ago and looking at all the farmland in its glory.  More land is being cleared all the time.  Somedays you go past a scrub bush and the next day it is cleared and ploughed.  The land is very fertile and crops are everywhere.  Lots of the fields have tile drains as the land is wet.  Anyway here are some pics I took on the way home.

 

Some clips of ATV trip today

Out for an ATV trip to Obushkon Lake up the mine road.  Joy Saunders, Mike and Sharon and Gord, all neighbours.

Rainbow on Canada Day

Late in the afternoon this rainbow was in the eastern sky

 

Some blueberries starting to show

After a couple of frosts in June I am not seeing many blueberries yet.  These were down by Single lake on rock facing the west.  There were a lot of blueberry plants here but few with any developed berries. Will keep updating in July.

Burke Lake Hydro Electric station 1914

Back in 1914 there was a power station at the top end of Burke Lake. The water from Gowganda Lake was carried by a wooden pipe 20" in diameter made of wooden staves and held together by steel rings.  This provided electric power to the Miller Lake-O'Brien mine.  Some of the remains of the concrete platform is still at the top end of Burke. Here are some pics and an old pic of the station.

 The old pic is from Temiskaming Treasure Trails by Peter Fancy   Volume 8

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