View allAll Photos Tagged Freezing-Temperatures
In sub-freezing temperatures, frolicking around an icy creek can be more fun than sitting in front of the fireplace sipping hot chocolate.
...well, sometimes?
Rock Creek Park
Harford County, Maryland
January 20, 2016
March 28, 2022
An early Spring cold snap gave us one more night of freezing temperatures. The next day was still cold, but warm sunshine melted this ice disk into the stones, shells and driftwood on the deck.
Brewster, Massachusetts
Cape Cod - USA
Photo by brucetopher
© Bruce Christopher 2022
All Rights Reserved
...always learning - critiques welcome.
Tools: Canon 7D & iPhone 11.
No use without permission.
Please email for usage info.
ZD436/48A Harrier GR.9A 1(F) Squadron RAF Cottesmore, Royal Air Force. Ending what turned into a very frustrating day in the mud, snow and freezing temperatures, for the assembled photographers, this Harrier hovered into the sunset a little too high for the best images, still it was a Harrier sunset in the final couple of days of British Harrier operations after SDSR 2010 had swung its axe. This jet is now in storage at AMARG.
Freezing temperatures are expected along the entire east coast of the U.S. tonight. My thoughts today are with the peach and strawberry farmers. Every fruit grower is likely to experience a weather related event in any given year, it's always something to look out for. Fortunately farmers are good at learning from past experiences and rolling with the punches.
Euromaidan (Ukrainian: ??????????, Yevromaidan, literally "Eurosquare") is a wave of demonstrations and civil unrest in Ukraine, which began on the night of 21 November 2013 with public protests demanding closer European integration and culminated in a coup d'etat of the reigning Ukrainian government. The scope of the protests expanded, with many calls for the resignation of President Viktor Yanukovych and his government. Many protesters joined because of the violent dispersal of protesters on 30 November and "a will to change life in Ukraine". By 25 January 2014, the protests had been fueled by the perception of "widespread government corruption", "abuse of power", and "violation of human rights in Ukraine".
The demonstrations began on the night of 21 November 2013, when protests erupted in the capital, Kiev, after the Ukrainian government suspended preparations for signing an Association Agreement and a Free Trade Agreement with the European Union, in order to seek closer economic relations with Russia. Prime Minister Mykola Azarov had asked for 20 Billion Euros (US$27) billion in loans and aid. The EU and Russia both offered Ukraine the possibility of substantial loans. Russia also offered Ukraine cheaper gas prices. On 24 November 2013, first clashes between protesters and police began. Protesters strived to break cordon. Police used tear gas and batons, protesters also used tear gas and some fire crackers (according to the police, protesters were the first to use them). After a few days of demonstrations an increasing number of university students joined the protests. The Euromaidan has been repeatedly characterised as an event of major political symbolism for the European Union itself, particularly as
"the largest ever pro-European rally in history".
The protests are ongoing despite heavy police presence, regularly sub-freezing temperatures, and snow. Escalating violence from government forces in the early morning of 30 November caused the level of protests to rise, with 400,000–800,000 protesters demonstrating in Kiev on the weekends of 1 December and 8 December. In the weeks since, protest attendance has fluctuated from 50,000 to 200,000 during organised rallies. Violent riots took place 1 December and 19 January through 25 in response to police brutality and government repression. Since 23 January several Western Ukrainian Oblast (province) Governor buildings and regional councils have been occupied in a revolt by Euromaidan activists. In the Russophone cities of Zaporizhzhya, Sumy, and Dnipropetrovsk, protesters also tried to take over their local government building, and have been met with considerable force from both police and government supporters.
According to journalist Lecia Bushak writing in the 18 February 2014 issue of Newsweek magazine, EuroMaidan has grown into something far bigger than just an angry response to the fallen-through EU deal. It's now about ousting Yanukovych and his corrupt government; guiding Ukraine away from its 200-year-long, deeply intertwined and painful relationship with Russia; and standing up for basic human rights to protest, speak and think freely and to act peacefully without the threat of punishment.
A turning point came in late-February, when enough members of the president's party fled or defected to lose their majority in the parliament leaving the opposition large enough to form the necessary quorum. This allowed parliament to pass a series of laws that removed police from Kiev, canceled anti-protest operations, restored the 2004 constitution, freed political detainees, and allegedly impeached the president. Yanukovych then fled to Ukraine's second largest city of Kharkiv, refusing to recognise the parliament's decisions. The parliament has assigned early elections for May 2014.
A 35 man (plus guides) trip to the Ukraine exploring Chernobyl, the village, Duga 3, Pripyat and Kiev including Maidan (Independence Square) and observing the peaceful protests underway.
Some new faces, some old, made new friends and generally we were in our elements.
Rhetorical question but did we have a blast? You bet!
Amazing group, top guys. Till the next time!
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A 9 mile hike yesterday morning in below freezing temperatures, and I came to the bottom of a steep canyon where I found this incredibly beautiful 43 ft. high waterfall dropping into this absolutely amazing and intensely colorful and deep pool. This is Deadwood Creek Falls in the North Yuba River canyon. What an amazing place.
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Copyright © Leon Turnbull Photography.
This photo may not be used in any form without prior permission. All rights reserved.
The meteorologist are predicting freezing temperatures for our area this Christmas weekend. It's been years since the temperatures have dropped this low.
O inverno volta a nos casticar no sul do Brasil!
As previsões do tempo nos prometem tormentas, vendavais, neblina, chuva de pedra, temperaturas negativas para o sábado e domingo com geada e, e quem sabe, neve!
------------------------------------------------
In southern Brazil, over a mass of polar air!!
Winter back in their stands in the south of Brazil!
The weather forecasts are promising storms, gales, fog, hail, freezing temperatures for Saturday and Sunday with frost and maybe snow!
A slide scan from my collection of CF-GCV. At the time of photo it was operated by Pacific Western Airlines doing fire control in the Smithers area. The Otter has an amazing and lengthy history as written by Otter historian Karl E Hayes of Ireland.
The second Otter built, CF-GCV, made its first flight from Downsview on 2nd May 1952 and joined
the prototype in the flight test programme, flying as CF-GCV-X. It was used by DHC to certify the
Otter as a float plane. Like the prototype, it had been constructed with a pointed vertical fin, which
caused stability problems and in September 1952 the fins on both these Otters were changed to
what became the standard production fin, allowing the Otter to achieve commercial certification in
November 1952.
In July 1952, GCV piloted by Russ Bannock, DHC's Sales Director, was flown to Goose Bay,
Labrador where it was demonstrated to some of the RCAF's “top brass” and was undoubtedly
instrumental in the RCAF's order for Otters. After the DHC-3 achieved commercial certification in
November '52, GCV continued in use from Downsview as a demonstrator. In August '53 Russ
Bannock flew GCV to St.John's, Newfoundland to demonstrate it to Eastern Provincial Airways (EPA)
and so impressed were they that they bought the Otter. GCV's first task with EPA was on a Canadian
Marconi contract flying out of Goose Bay until the end of October '53. On one occasion, it broke
loose in a gale, damaging the tail. Parts were ordered from DHC, but had to be made specially as
GCV was a prototype aircraft. Trans Canada Airlines had difficulty fitting the parts into one of their
North Star aircraft, but they were eventually squeezed into the aisle between the passengers and
flown to Goose Bay, where the Otter was repaired.
Even though the Otter had been delivered to EPA in August '53, its official sale date from DHC to
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EPA was 18th December 1953 and GCV was registered to EPA on 5th January 1954, based at
Gander. EPA had a winter mail contract from the post office, and the Otter was used on this
alongside the company's Norsemen, Beavers and Cessna 180. The contract ran from January until
April/May and covered the towns and settlements around the island of Newfoundland as well as in
mainland Labrador. During the summer months, the mail was brought in by ship, but with the winter
freeze up of the coastal waters, the mail had to be flown in.
On 20th February '54 Beaver CF-GBD crashed into the mountains on a mail delivery flight to
Parson's Pond and Port Saunders on the west coast. As Marsh Jones writes in his much
recommended book on EPA (“The Little Airline That Could”):”The following morning I departed
Gander in Otter GCV with a load of mail for Flowers Cove. Bill Easton and an aircraft engineer
George Furey came along to assist and survey the damaged Beaver. We landed our mail at Flowers
Cove then flew south to the crash site, located about 200 yards up on a snowy slope from a good
size pond which we called Benny's Pond. We landed and while George Furey was assessing the
damaged aircraft we lugged the mail down a snowy slope to the Otter. After take-off we delivered the
Beaver's mail to Parsons Pond and Port Saunders, then returned to Gander”. The Otter was then
used to fly the necessary spare parts, tools, camping gear, provisions etc into the accident site, and
to keep the camp supplied while the Beaver was being repaired, which took until 9th May '54.
In winter 1955 Otter GCV was again used on the post office mail contract, in the course of which it
encountered some difficulty. Again, to quote from Marsh Jones excellent book: “On 28th February '55
I departed Gander with Rex Clibbery (our Canso captain) and a load of mail for Charlottown and
Black Tickle in southern Labrador. A refuelling stop was made at Roddickton and the first mail stop
was made at Charlottown, at the head of St. Michaels Bay. With excellent weather we proceeded up
the coast to Black Tickle. A circuit was made for ice observation, and as everything looked normal,
we landed heading out the bay along the line of tree top markers. During the turn to taxi back to the
inner bay after landing, the skis broke through the ice and the aircraft settled on the upper struts of
the under-carriage. What a predicament!”
“Black Tickle is completely devoid of trees and my immediate thought was to build a platform over
the area where we had broken through, but what would we use for material? One of the numerous
bystanders suggested that there might be planks in Guy Earl's shed on his fishing premises. I told
the man to bring over all the long planks and poles he could find plus nails and ropes and a block
and tackle. We then unloaded the mail. We ended up with more than enough material and built a
long platform around the nose of the aircraft, on which we erected an “A” frame lean-to over the
propeller hub and a long line going out to a 'deadman' secured in the ice. On this we secured our
block and tackle and before dark we had the aircraft skis well clear of the ice, with planks laid under
them to support the aircraft until, after a night of freezing temperature, the aircraft could be lowered
back onto its undercarriage again”.
“The area where we had broken through had been a large crack in the Bay ice about ten feet
wide which had frozen over. With a light layer of snow it was impossible to see and unfortunately noone
had bothered to mark it as unsafe. The following day, March 1st, was clear and cold and there
was now at least eight inches of hard slush ice under the aircraft. We lowered the Otter onto the
platform and pulled the aircraft clear of the area. On inspecting the aircraft it was found to be free of
damage and after heating up the engine we started up with no difficulty and taxied back to the inner
bay where we secured the aircraft for the night. The weather was not suitable for flight the next
morning, however we utilized the time in returning all the material and gear to Mr.Earl's shed. We
departed Black Tickle in marginal weather on 3rd March and with another refuelling stop at
Roddickton, landed at Gander in mid afternoon”. After that excitement, the Otter continued on the
post office contract until the end of the season.
EPA had also received a government contract to support construction of the Mid Canada Line of
radar stations. It was one of several operators who benefited considerably from the construction of
the radar defences of North America. The Pine Tree Line, Mid Canada Line and DEW Line were,
particularly in eastern Canada, relatively inaccessible by land transport and so the airlines became a
necessity for their construction and re-supply. The revenue generated by these projects was of great
assistance to such young companies as EPA and allowed them to grow both in experience and
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equipment. EPA's contract with the Department of Defence involved two Cansos CF-HFL and CFHGF
and Otter GCV, which occupied the aircraft all that summer of 1955. The Cansos were used
mainly to move petroleum products to the sites where the radar stations were being constructed. In
conjunction with this, the Otter moved general freight, provisions and personnel from the base at
Knob Lake (Schefferville), Quebec. GCV was particularly active, flying upwards of 550 hours that
summer.
1956 saw a similar pattern of operation for the Otter as in the previous year. During the winter it
was engaged on the mail contract, and in the summer based out of Knob Lake on the Mid Canada
Line contract. On 6th July '56 Canso CF-HFL ran short of fuel and force landed on a lake fifty miles
north of Knob Lake. It was located after a two hour search by Otter GCV and 20998, a USAF C-124
Globemaster. The Otter then flew in fuel for the Canso. In November '56, GCV returned to DHC at
Downsview for overhaul and repaint. It was painted 'stearman vermillion red' overall with white
cheatline and black trim.
In the early part of 1957, GCV was extremely busy with a Department of Defence contract resupplying
the Hopedale and Cartwright radar stations in Labrador. On 14th March '57 en route from
Hopedale to Site 206 (Lakehead), the tail ski broke off on landing, causing some damage to the rear
fuselage, which was repaired on site. During the summer of 1957, the Otter was again based at
Knob Lake for POL and construction support of the Mid Canada Line. By the end of the summer the
construction phase was complete and the Otter went back down to Newfoundland. On 31st October
'57 it suffered some damage at Quidi Vidi Lake, St.John's and was repaired on site.
CF-GCV's next posting in spring 1958 was to Frobisher Bay on Baffin Island in the Northwest
Territories, where EPA had received a contract to supply and service a Pinetree Line radar site on
Resolution Island which lay off the southern tip of Baffin Island at the junction of the Hudson and
Davis Straits. Resolution Island, some 180 miles from Frobisher Bay, had a 1,500 foot gravel landing
strip, which made the Otter an ideal aircraft to rotate personnel to and from the radar station and fly
in supplies. On 14th October '58 GCV flew from Frobisher that morning on a supply flight to
Resolution Island and took off in the early afternoon for the return sector, carrying the pilot and four
passengers. It was to be a day of remarkable drama.
While in the cruise, the pilot noticed the oil pressure needle fluctuating and the oil pressure
dropped sharply. He instructed the passengers to put on their life jackets. The situation deteriorated,
with white smoke coming from the engine, which was running rough, vibrating and rapidly losing
power. At this stage the Otter was over Lower Savage Island and the pilot, knowing they were going
down, put out a mayday call and sought a place to land. As the sea ice was very rough, he selected
a small lake on Lower Savage Island and decided to land on the wheels, to maintain directional
control, and to try and put the Otter after landing on the beach. The Otter touched down on the
frozen small lake and rolled for some 300 feet. Unfortunately however the aircraft then broke through
the ice, requiring a very rapid evacuation by the pilot and his four passengers, who reached the
shore with some difficulty. The cockpit was soon completely submerged and then the fuselage filled
with water and sank, leaving only the tail protruding above the ice.
As luck would have it, a USAF KC-97 Stratocruiser callsign “RONSON 29” rapidly came to the aid
of the downed Otter. As major Robert C.Schmidt of Strategic Air Command's 40th Air Refuelling
Squadron/40th Bombardment Wing later wrote of that “remarkable day”: “We had departed Goose
Air Base on the morning of the 14th headed for Thule, Greenland. We were cruising at 15,000 feet
and had just passed 90 miles east of Lower Savage Island when we heard the mayday call and
headed for the island, having received ATC clearance to conduct a search. We made several passes
over the island at two thousand feet and noticed an object sticking out of an ice-covered lake. We
spotted the red tail of the Otter and men waving their arms frantically from a rock adjacent to the
lake. We dropped survival kits and notified Frobisher Bay of the exact position.” Major Schmidt
commended the Otter pilot (“one heck of a fine fellow and an outstanding pilot”) for putting his aircraft
down on the only available landing area in the vicinity.
The historical report of the USAF's 920th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, callsign
“Footloose”, based at the radar station on Resolution Island, also tells what happened, all times
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quoted being Zulu/Greenwich time, the local time being four hours earlier: “At 1635Z Otter CF-GCV
departed Resolution Island for Frobisher Airport. At 1709Z RONSON 29 a KC-97 en route from
Goose to Thule called Footloose Control and stated that the following call had been received from
GCV at 1707Z on 121.5 “Mayday, on fire, landing at Lower Savage Island”. Efforts by Footloose to
contact GCV were unsuccessful. At 1711Z Footloose assumed control of RONSON 29 and first
vector for Savage Island was given. All agencies at Frobisher and Goose were alerted while
RONSON 29 was en route. The KC-97 arrived over Lr.Savage Island group at 1740Z and five
minutes later reported sighting GCV. At 1756Z RONSON 29 sighted five survivors and reported that
GCV was half submerged in the centre of a lake about three miles inland. Terrain was reported as
very rough and rescue by fixed wing aircraft impossible”.
“Footloose requested RONSON 29 to orbit the scene as long as possible and to drop as much
survival gear as they could. At 1800Z Frobisher notified Footloose that they were loading a C-54D
72617 of the 4087th Transport Squadron, SAC, with survival gear to drop at the scene and
estimated off in 30 minutes. At 1827Z RONSON 29 successfully dropped two E-1 kits and sighted
survivors opening them. At 1910Z RONSON 29 reported second successful drop of two E-1 kits
which included notes from Footloose advising survivors of rescue plans. At 1846Z C-54 72617 was
airborne from Frobisher and at 1927Z Footloose assumed control of Air Force 72617. At 1938Z the
C-54 had radio and visual contact with the KC-97 and had sighted survivors. By 1950Z the C-54 had
completed two successful drops. Survivors were now in possession of blankets, food gasoline,
sleeping bags, exposure suits and a radio. By 2009Z RONSON 29 and Air Force 72617 had
departed Lower Savage Island for Goose Air Base. At 2313Z Footloose requested Air Force 72488,
another C-54 of the 4087th Transport Squadron, which is based at Ernest Harmon AFB, Stephenville,
Newfoundland, to attempt to contact survivors when over Lower Savage Island. Air Force 72488
reported negative contact but sighted several flares. At
1247Z the next day (15th October '58) MATS C-118A 33242 arrived over Lower Savage Island after
being diverted from course by Footloose. The C-118 reported successful radio contact with survivors.
They reported everyone was OK but very cold and they had no way to build a fire”.
Rescue came later that day in the form of the US Navy supply ship “Greenville Victory”, a vessel
which already had quite a connection with Otter aircraft, having been part of the Naval task force
which had sailed to Antarctica in 1955 and subsequent years in support of the 'Deep Freeze'
operations. The vessel managed to come to within two miles of the island and then launched a motor
boat with a rescue party. The pilot of the Otter and one passenger were located on the beach and
brought back to the ship for hot soup and biscuits to revive them. The motor boat with the rescue
party then returned to the island, accompanied by the pilot, as they had to make their way inland to
the lake where the Otter was, and where the other three passengers had established a camp. This
was quite a difficult undertaking, as it was by then dark, freezing cold, and the terrain between the
beach and the lake was uneven and treacherous. The rescue party carried battle lanterns to light
the way and also rifles and side arms, as polar bear tracks in the snow were plentiful. On arrival at
the camp, they found the three passengers in high spirits, having made good use of the USAF
dropped survival gear. Before they set off to return to the motor boat, they shone their lanterns
across the lake, illuminating the tail of the Otter, which was all that remained of the aircraft above the
ice. It must have been an eerie scene in the stillness of this very remote spot.
Having trecked back to the motor boat, they sailed back to the “Greenville Victory”. At 0551Z on
16th October, Footloose was advised by Air Force 72674, another C-54D of the 4087th Transport
Squadron, that all survivors were aboard the ship in good condition and rescue operations were
completed. The “Greenville Victory” then resumed course for Thule, Greenland. At Thule the
survivors met up with the crew of the KC-97 which had first come to their help and could even view
movie footage of the incident taken by one of the Stratocruiser's crew. The pilot of the Otter and his
passengers were flown by the USAF from Thule to Torbay, Newfoundland, where they arrived on
22nd October, none the worse for their dramatic experience. The pilot of the Otter that day was Jim
Rowe, who would subsequently lose his life in the crash of EPA Otter CF-MEX (332) in Greenland in
August 1961.
That crash at Lower Savage Island marked the end of GCV's career with EPA, who regarded the
Otter as a total loss “due to submersion and the remote location of the accident”. EPA purchased
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another Otter, CF-LEA (286), to replace GCV, which was delivered on 6th November 1958, and in
the meantime they used Beaver CF-GQU on the contract to re-supply the Resolution Island radar
site from Frobisher Bay. The wreckage of GCV was turned over to the insurers, who sold it to Mr
Frank Ferrer, a US citizen from Miami, Florida but then living in Montreal, who was flying as a pilot
with one of the American carriers who were servicing the DEW Line sites at the time. Mr Ferrer
managed to retrieve the Otter from Lower Savage Island and transport it by ship to Frobisher Bay,
where it was restored to flying condition. On 30th June 1959 a ferry permit was issued for a flight
from Frobisher Bay to St.Jovite, Quebec base of Wheeler Airlines Ltd, to whom Mr Ferrer had leased
the Otter. CF-GCV was registered to Wheeler Airlines Ltd and entered their service.
In July 1959, Wheeler Airlines secured the contract to re-supply the eastern sector of the DEWLine
radar sites, taking over from EPA, and already had a number of Otters working on the contract,
in conjunction with the company's larger aircraft. Its DC-4s flew regular flights from Montreal north to
Frobisher Bay, and the Otters then flew out of Frobisher to the radar station on Resolution Island and
other sites. Otter CF-GCV returned to Frobisher Bay and resumed where it had left off while with
Eastern Provincial, supplying the radar station on Resolution Island. In April 1960 Wheeler Airlines
underwent a major re-organisation. The heavy transport division of the company and all its larger
aircraft were sold to Nordair. The company was re-constituted as Wheeler Airlines (1960) Ltd and
continued with its bush operations. CF-GCV and the company's other Otters were registered to the
new operation, and GCV continued flying from Frobisher Bay.
On 29 June 1960 GCV was yet again en route from Frobisher to Resolution Island, where the
weather was clear except for a fog bank which covered part of the runway. The airstrip at Resolution
was a 1,500 foot gravel strip and was on much higher ground than the surrounding terrain. The flight
was uneventful until the Otter was on final approach from the west to the gravel strip. Severe
downdrafts were encountered at this point, which forced the aircraft below the level of the runway,
requiring the pilot to use take-off power to regain the height which had been lost. The use of this
extra power resulted in increased airspeed that was sustained after power had been reduced up to
the point of touchdown. The touchdown was within the first 200 feet of runway, and brakes were
applied before the tail made contact with the ground. The wheels sank into a soft spot on the runway
and the aircraft pitched forward, coming to a stop when the propeller blades touched the ground. At
this point the tail dropped heavily. The fuselage was broken about ten inches behind the rear door.
The prop blades were bent at the tips, the tail landing gear was torn away and the skin on both sides
of the rudder was bent and buckled. Temporary repairs were effected on site and a ferry permit
issued on 8th July 1960 for a flight from Resolution Island to Montreal, where permanent repairs
were carried out over the winter. That incident ended GCV's career with Wheeler Airlines and on 4th
April 1961 the aircraft was registered to Canavia Corporation of Montreal in connection with its sale
to Pacific Western Airlines, to whom it was registered on 1st December 1961.
Having served all its career up to this point on Canada's east coast, the Otter headed west and for
the next six years faithfully served Pacific Western Airlines, providing a full range of bush services. In
1966 it was based at Fort Nelson, BC on forest fire duties. The Otter was eventually sold by Pacific
Western to Thunderbird Airlines Ltd of Prince George, BC to whom it was registered on 29th January
1968. There was a change of name to Northern Thunderbird Air Ltd on 9th August 1974 but the Otter
continued flying out of its base at Prince George. On 15th October '74 the Otter suffered another
mishap, when it went through the ice of Ominica Bay in Williston Lake, to the north of Prince George.
GCV had taken off from McKenzie with twelve Native Indian school children on board, who were
going to Ingenika. In the area of Ominica Bay, visibility was about four miles, but suddenly light snow
conditions turned into a very heavy snow fall, with visibility reduced to one quarter mile. Rather than
taking a risk with his precious load, the pilot decided to set the Otter down on the ice covered lake
and wait for an improvement in the weather. All was well until near the end of the landing roll when
the ice gave way and the aircraft began to sink in the water, not for the first time in its career!
The pilot quickly removed the wet children from the machine as it sank, and took them to the
shore where a fire was started to warm and dry them. Then he guided them on a two mile hike
through the woods to a logging camp where the children were given a good meal and put to bed.
Thankfully a happy ending for the children, but the unfortunate GCV had almost completely sunk into
the lake and was locked into the ice, with only its tail visible, an eerie repeat of its earlier submersion
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on Lower Savage Island.
The recovery of the Otter was undertaken by Denny McCartney and is fully described in his most
excellent book “Picking up the Pieces”. He describes how, the following January he proceeded to the
lake and with his helpers erected an “A” frame from sturdy logs, which was used with a pulley to
raise the sunken Otter, having first cut the ice from around it. Then the ice had to be cleared out from
inside the aircraft, and the whole aircraft and engine thoroughly checked and made airworthy. Then a
section of ice was carefully checked for security and an airstrip was marked out with small
evergreens as a guide for the pilot in his take off run to fly back to base at Prince George, a flight
made without incident. At the time of this incident, this hard-working Otter had accumulated 12,140
hours total airframe time.
That incident marked the end of its career with Northern Thunderbird Air. GCV was sold to Silver
Pine Air Services of Pine Falls, Manitoba, who sold it on to Walsten Air Services of Kenora, Ontario
in 1976. After six years on the ground and a lengthy rebuild by Northern Servicentre at Reddit,
Ontario C-FGCV flew again on 11th June 1980 and joined the fleet of Walsten Air Services, flying
from Kenora on charter work. It was normally active during the summer months only, flying tourists,
hunters, fishermen to remote parts of the province. During the winter months, it was stored at Reddit,
Ontario. GCV was equipped with Bristol 7850 floats, a type normally used on Beech 18s, one of
which was also in the Walsten fleet. On the Otter, the ventral fin was replaced with two vertical fins
on the horizontal stabilizer, to provide increased stability with the larger floats.
GCV continued to serve Walsten Air Services for many years, and on 19th June 1994 was
involved in a minor incident. The Otter was landing at a lodge at Forest Lake, north of Vermillion Bay,
Ontario when during the approach it struck and severed an un-marked low-level power line which
served the fishing lodge. It landed without further incident. GCV's fifteen years of yeoman service for
Walsten Air Services came to a tragic end on 20th September 1995. That morning the pilot took off
from Kenora and flew to Stewart Lake, some sixty miles west of Dryden, to pick up five passengers
and their equipment. The passengers were all anglers on a fishing trip, all being close personal
friends coming from Cross Plains, Wisconsin. The Otter flew the party to an outpost camp at
Salvesen Lake, Ontario about fifty miles north-west of Kenora. Tragically the Otter crashed during the
landing when it flipped over and became submerged, killing all six on board. The remains of the Otter
were taken to Walsten Air's facility in Kenora.
Still in bed with flu (not great) but decided I was not waiting until the last minute to get my 52/52 shot for this week. When I went downstairs to make a hot drink and let Missy (dog) out I saw my Christmas Cactus and started clicking ... these are the result
CARE OF CHRISTMAS CACTUS
The Christmas cactus has been a favourite house-plant. It's not unusual for a single plant to be passed down from generation to generation because they're long-lived, rather easy plants to grow. But if you want to get them in bloom for the upcoming holiday season, they will need a little special care during the coming weeks.
Hybridization over the past century has resulted in the introduction of many new varieties of Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter cactus. These plants are members of the Zygo-cactus family. Most of which are native to Central and South America. Although these plants are called cacti, they are truly different in all aspects from the common desert cactus with which we are all familiar. These plants, called epiphytes are found in the same environments as orchids. They are most often found in the forks of tree limbs where they grow in decayed leaves and other natural debris that accumulates there. Since they are tropical cacti, their cultural requirements are totally different from true cacti. So here are a few ideas on how to care for them and the steps to follow to get them into bloom for the upcoming holiday season.
In September and October, Christmas cactus plants should be kept in a cool room where temperatures will remain around 50 degrees, give or take a few degrees. Be sure not to expose them to freezing temperatures. It's also very important they be kept in a room where no artificial light will be turned on at night.
Actually the key to getting Christmas cactus to flower during the holiday season, is the proper light exposure, correct temperatures and limited watering. So during the fall months, the Christmas cactus should be placed in a spot where it receives indoor indirect bright light during the daylight hours but total darkness at night. (Much the same exposure you would give a poinsettia except a Christmas poinsettia requires warm temperatures whereas the Christmas cactus needs a spot where the temperatures are cool during the fall months.)
Since the Christmas cactus is a tropical plant it will require watering on much the same basis as any other type of tropical plant. A good procedure to follow is to water the plants thoroughly and then allow about the top inch of soil to dry before watering again. However, during the fall and winter months, the plants should be watered less frequently in order to get them to bloom.
Christmas cactus require about 50 to 60 percent humidity. So it's a good practice to place a glass, vase or tray of water near the plant. As the water evaporates it will provide the humidity the cactus needs. A humidity tray is another method of providing the humidity the Christmas cactus requires. This is done by filling a waterproof saucer with gravel, then adding water halfway up the gravel. Place the pot on the gravel surface.
The Christmas cactus should never be placed near a door that opens and closes to the outside. Likewise, keep it away from heating ducts or near the fireplace or drafty areas.
In late October or early November, make an application of a 0-10-10 type liquid fertilizer. A second application of this fertilizer can be made in February. During the growing season from April through September, fertilize the plants with an all purpose liquid houseplant type fertilizer. The fertilizer you use should have a nitrogen ratio of no higher than 10 percent. Of the three numbers on a fertilizer container, the first number is nitrogen.
How do the professionals get Christmas cactus into bloom for the holiday season? They keep them in cool greenhouses where the temperatures average approximately 50 degrees and where the plants receive between 12 and 14 hours of total darkness each day and watering is done sparingly.
One of the most frustrating things that can happen to Christmas cactus is after the flower buds have developed they drop off the plant. Bud drop can be caused by anyone of several different conditions. Usually it's because of over-watering, lack of humidity or insufficient light.
After The Christmas holiday season, the Christmas cactus should be given about a 30 day rest. Again place it in a cool room and provide limited water. Don't worry if it loses a few leaves or joints and appears weak during this rest period.
This is not the time to pinch, prune or shape a Christmas cactus. The best time is when the new growth begins in March or early April.
Likewise, the best time for re-potting a cactus is in February, March or April. However, keep in mind the plant will flower best if it's kept in a container where it's pot-bound. If your Christmas cactus is given proper care and is placed in the right location, it's not unusual for it to flower several times throughout the year.
My car's windshield.
Enough moisture in the air and freezing temperatures to need to scrape my car's windshield. Snow is forecast for Sunday and Monday. I was hoping to have a snow-free 2024-2025 winter. I haven't had to put on too many layers for the cold, but winter is real.
Canon EOS 650, test
EF 17-40mm f/4L USM
Arista 200, 1:25, 5 minutes, 68°F/20°C
Pakon F135
I found my negatives to be a bit thin this time, with slight brownish tinge and splotches. My Blazinal was opened in November 2023 and is quite oxidized, so it's very dark with sediment. It could be that, but it could also be the fixer. Ruling out the film, because it's from a bulk roll and I've spooled and shot multiple rolls already. The Blazinal is pretty close to the end and I have a new bottle. I'll mix some fresh fixer too.
Several nights of below freezing temperatures and freezing fog have left the trees on the Mendip Hills covered in thick hoar frost and looking spectacular this morning
In the last 4 instalment of my How to shoot the Aurora I have talked about: Background information, understanding forecasts, practising before you go and what to pack. This instalment is going to be my last for a while. If I remember any more tips I will add them at a later date.
The night of the Aurora...
So you have got to your destination of choice, you have checked the weather forecast and chosen a location that should have clear skies, the KP forecast is 2 or above... It's time to go aurora hunting!
When I landed in Reykjavik I hadn't planned on going out Aurora hunting on the first night as we weren't picking our hire car up until later in the week. I checked the forecast and it was KP4, quite a strong activity prediction. We booked ourselves onto an Aurora Tour which cost about £25 each. The benefit of this is that you get an amusing guide that tells you fact and folk stories about the lights and they take you to a spot where they know it will be dark enough to see them. This is great it you aren't that confident at driving in dark/snowy/icy conditions. The downside to this is that every tom dick and harry with a torch on their phone keeps walking past your camera, spoiling your shots!
The aurora starts by looking like a cloud in the distance, using your highest ISO a quick snap will confirm the colour green in the sky. When I noticed the Aurora 'cloud', it wasn’t for another 15 - 30 minutes or so before they properly started, this however may and probably will vary. In this time I was setting the camera up on the tripod and taking a few test shots to get the exposure right. Despite the thousands of photos I have taken over the last few years, getting excited over the Aurora made my composition and general technique suffer! I had to get into the habit of re-checking the focus/aperture/ISO after every few shots as it was far too easy to knock one of the settings and not notice for a couple of precious aurora minutes! Keep your spare batteries in your coat pocket as the freezing temperatures will deplete them quicker and try to keep your gloves on while shooting as changing lenses with cold hands can be dangerous for your equipment!
Looking through the majority of my shots, I seem to have taken the majority at 11mm f2.8 ISO 1600 and anywhere between 5 seconds to 30 seconds depending on the aurora strength. I set my camera on the 2 seconds timer mode so that any vibrations due to me pressing the shutter should have stopped by then, a remote trigger or 10s timer are the best for this, however with the latter you will spend a lot of time waiting for the camera to take the shots rather than taking them.
This might sound obvious, but make sure you look at them and enjoy them too. Don’t spend your whole time looking at the back of an LCD screen!
The last piece of advice I can think of for now is to bring your gear back into the warmth slowly. If you bring it back into a hot room straight away condensation will find its way in everywhere, so instead put them in a cold part of your room first then gradually bring them in.
Most of all have fun and good luck shooting them!
A Kashmiri man paddles to a floating market in the early freezing temperatures before sunrise on Dal Lake in the summer capital of Kashmir, Srinagar India, November 24. In the background, echoing through the nearby mountains, gunshots and fighting could be heard. Kashmir was once a tourist hotspot but now vendors struggle to survive in a place that has seen nearly 1000 civilians killed this year alone and 1,765 wounded in a brutal conflict.
Snoqualmie Falls after a week of sub-freezing temperatures.
A better presentation may be found here.
Sunset at Serra da Estrela. Unfortunately there was no snow, despite freezing temperatures.
Lens: Canon FD 50/1.4
The word pansy has always had a negative connotation when describing someone. It implies that the person is a weakling.
Yet every winter I'm always impressed with how these *delicate* flowers hold up in the freezing temperatures. They are way tougher than most.
So, how is it that this association came to be? We should be calling tough people pansies. That would just make more sense.
Hoar frost (or rime?) coats these small plants along a warm spring outlet in sub-freezing temperatures in the E. Sierra. This image had much more appeal in monochrome, so here is the result. Thank you all for viewing and your support.
DB Cargo Stickered 66182, Crosses Over The Point Work At Ashby Junction, A Mile Or So North of Nuneaton Station, With The 09.15 Trafford Park Euro Term to Southampton Western Docks.
Unfortunately The Sun Didn't Last And Within 30 Minutes, The Mist And Freezing Temperatures Had Returned.
Wednesday 25th January 2017
Chesapeakes are cold hardy dogs. They love the snow, the ice, the freezing temperatures, the slush and mush of it all. Rip longs to go north -- far north.
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Soooooooooo this happened last Saturday, I got myself a new car! I was driving my folks old Honda Accord and It was slowly on its way out. So I sat down ran the numbers and figured I could afford (just barely!) to get a new car. So I'll be poor for the next few years as I pay off this car. But regardless I'd like to think I got a pretty decent deal on it. If you didn't know the Insight is a hybrid so I get to be all eco friendly now with my new hybrid hahaha. And of course I'm loving it, then again I haven't even owned it for a week yet so of course those rose coloured glasses are still on.
I shot this in the underground parking garage in my apartment, I drove around the garage just hoping there was a free spot I could use (most of the spots are made for 2 cars and are shared, like mine is) so I was hoping for an empty one and I found this. An empty single car spot (which I didn't even know we had). So I parked the car, positioned it and started to clean it, since it was still covered in a bit of snow and salt. After cleaning it I grabbed my camera and flash set them up and just started banging off photos left and right as fast as I can because I didn't know if the spot had an owner if when they'd be coming back after all! This photo is a flash composite, I moved the flash around bouncing it off the white walls and ceiling, in the end this shot is made up of 12 photos, 10 of them being flash exposures. The only problem I had with this shot was the damn lights and piping you can see reflected in the windshield. I tried editing them out but I couldn't do it and make it look half decent. Also the way I edited the photo kind of makes it look like I composited the background into this photo, but whatever! I did originally want to do something outside, maybe drive into Toronto to get a shot of the car since it is made for city driving but with the snow and freezing temperatures I decided I didn't want to go through all that trouble. Especially since I'd have to clean the car outside in the cold as well and try to make sure the snow doesn't pile on it. So maybe I'll try something during the summer!
Strobist Info (1 flash, 10 flash exposures combined into one)
Nikon SB-800 firing at 1/4 power bounced off the walls and ceiling.
3x flashes fired from the front, middle, and back of both walls on the side and then on the ceiling, which give us 9 flash exposures.
1x final flash fired right towards the rear wall at 1/2 power
November 9, 2019
Early this morning, I looked out the back window to see ice on the bird bath. This shot is from later in the day, after the ice melted and then refroze as the sun dipped low behind the trees to the West.
It's our first below freezing temperature this season.
Brewster, Massachusetts
Cape Cod - USA
Photo by brucetopher
© Bruce Christopher 2019
All Rights Reserved
...always learning - critiques welcome.
Tools: Canon 7D & iPhone 6s.
No use without permission.
Please email for usage info.
Photographed on a cold morning at my home. We had freezing temperatures a couple of nights.
.IMG_4965
The CP holiday train stopped to host big crowds in Pingree Grove to the east before racing west to its next stop in Byron. Railfans were posted at multiple grade crossings between Pingree Grove and Kirkland waiting for it to pass by. The flags flapping in the wind on the front of the engine made a loud sound.
It was a bright, sunny day but with a very cold wind chill effect and below freezing temperatures.
At one time Kirkland was an interchange point between the Chicago, Milwaukee & Gary and the Milwaukee Road. It was halfway between Rockford and DeKalb on the "Gary Line."
Kirkland is known by Costco shoppers as their private label brand though this small town came first! A CP section crew is based in Kirkland with a trackside office.
This was the first shot I took in the morning after a sleepless & freezing cold night inside an abandoned asylum for the criminally insane. We had made our way into the asylum around midnight & spent a few hours exploring the vast tunnel system, enjoying some beers & Chicken McNuggets. We then set up camp to attempt to sleep. Freaktography & I had brought hammocks, whereas Carlo Paolozza brought several rolls of toilet paper to make some sort of bed. ddoggVlogs had brought a blanket so he was certainly better off than Urbex Carlo. Between security shining lights in the windows throughout the night, below freezing temperatures & the sounds of footsteps & other strange noise, I have to say it was the worst "sleep" I had ever had. It was not long after this shot when things took a turn for the worst when security started opening doors looking for us. The next several hours consisted of hiding, shooting video & photos & eventually our daring & successful escape. What an amazing time!
These three were part of a group of several hundred migrating swallows that were caught in a freak mid-May snowstorm on the Yukon River. Seen here early the following morning, they are huddling on an alder branch with their feathers fluffed up to conserve heat, while sunning themselves in the freezing temperatures. All, or at least most, survived the ordeal, as I saw no dead birds. They moved on the following day, likely heading further north. See below:
p.s. Thanks for the comments everybody. I'm heading north for a few days to try and get out of the constant rain here, and hopefully have the opportunity to take a photo or two before winter arrives.
On our drive through Croatia, an unexpected stop at Rastoke was delightful with some beautiful falls in freezing temperatures. A fitting preview of what's waiting at Plitvice Lakes I suppose :)
Taken on the 4th December 2010. This little Raspberry has withstood snow, well below freezing temperatures, rain and goodness knows what else and it still looks rather wonderful and tasty. One of Nature's heros :-)
Antony Gormley s installation "Another Place" The surf had frozen on the beach in the freezing temperatures.
Framed prints & Canvases available here www.photo4me.com/waymol
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Photographed near the Watson family cottage on Peninsula Lake near Huntsville (in the Muskoka region), Ontario, Canada (230 km north of Toronto)
The ice on our lake is still more than 20 cm thick. But recent rain followed by a bout of freezing temperatures created floating pans of ice that the wind pushed together into vertical folds in the middle of the lake
Nikkor AF-S 14-24 mm f/2.8G ED lens on Nikon D810a camera body
* 35 mm focal length
* ISO 200; 1/640 sec. exposure at f/13
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Belgian Landscapes - Oost-Vlaanderen -
Apart from the nature around the fort inside the fort is an ideal wintering place for bats, it's the most important wintering place for bats in Flanders after Fort Oelegem. This is because the three main demands of hibernating bats are upheld in this fort. There is peace, there is a good (free freezing) temperatures and a large humidity.
By management works is the population of hibernating bats grown to more than 1,200 copies of nine different species. The most numerous kind (about 70%) is the water bat. Particular species are more bat and Geoffroy's bat. Besides also the ordinary whiskered bat, Brandt's bat, brown long-eared bat, Natterer and the pipistrelle observed. Exceptional is there once found a late flyer.
One of the most dreaded phrases in hiking but much better than saying "we're lost". It is also a whole lot easier on the ankles to side-hill in foot-deep powder than on solid ground.
This shot shows Aaron traversing a slope near Panorama Ridge in Garibaldi Park.
This morning, despite the freezing cold of -4 degrees, the sun radiated a surprisingly refreshing warmth. I had the opportunity to capture the rich colors that emerge when the sun graces us with its presence. I chose to experiment with my heavy and old style. FX lens, Nikon 80-200 f2.8, Instead of the Nikon 500mm f5.6 PF, I explored the natural habitat of Charnwood Water, which I visited last week.
My photo targets were gray squirrels, which are accustomed to the presence of humans and my favorite bird species, the Robin. I had to get quite close before pressing the shutter, compensating for the disadvantage of the 200mm focal length. Despite the freezing conditions, I occasionally took off my gloves, aiming to press the shutter in different environments with changing bokeh - background.
Winter, with its freezing temperatures, has special appeal for wildlife photography for three important reasons. First, many species are at their best; resident birds are showing off their vibrant plumage and mammals are donning their thick winter coats.
"I captured some of these moments with my camera this morning, and I hope you enjoy watching these images as much as I did while shooting them."
Best viewed in lightbox - please click on the image or press L.
Do robins puff themselves up?
Male robins will always attack any intruder into their space, occasionally – though fortunately not often – fighting to the death. Both sexes of robins have red breasts and both puff out their chests as a sign of aggression.
Here are some fun facts about Robins, the nations favourite garden bird.
Robins are very territorial and you'll usually only see 2 together when they're mating.
In fact, they're so territorial that they often fight to the death defending their area.
They are very loyal to their food sources. The Robin you see in your garden is most likely the same one each time.
Young Robins do not have red breasts. They are brown and lightly speckled, only growing their red feathers after their first moult.
Its nearly impossible to tell apart the male and female Robin by sight.
They are ground feeding, insectivorous birds; mostly feeding on worms and insects found in freshly turned soil (as well as fruit).
Females often eat the shells of their hatched young for an extra boost of calcium.
Robins (both male and female) have such driven parental instincts that they have been found to feed the chicks of other species.
They used to be members of the Thrush family alongside Blackbirds, Redwings, Fieldfare, Mistle and Song Thrushes, however, they're now classified as as Old World Flycatcher.
Although they may look the same, each Robin has a completely unique red breast pattern.
I hope you enjoy my photos as much as I enjoyed taking them.
Thank you so much for visiting my feed, commenting, adding to your favorites or just browsing.
I appreciate it very much, wish you good luck and good light.
© All rights belong to R.Ertuğ. Please do not use this image without my express written permission. If you want to buy or use it, contact me via Flickr mail. Your comments and criticism are highly appreciated.
Lens - handheld. The aperture is f4.5 - f8 and is full length. All my images were converted from RAW to JPEG.
Thanks for stopping by and looking :)
Bufflehead drake - this has to be one of those portraits that I am most happy with... They're the most skittish ducks I have seen. Before this instance, all I had was their flight shots. After waiting for a few hours in the mud and in freezing temperatures, my fingers were numb when I clicked this one... but when he came closer and turned his head in the right angle towards the sun revealing those gorgeous colors, I said to myself "YES"
This bubbly, fun loving model endured the freezing temperatures for this outdoors fashion shoot!! The results were gorgeous!
just love the freezing temperatures in the park, they make for great icicles. Dripping from a log on Lake McDonald. in Glacier National Park.
SOO Line 1003 powers out of its home siding in Hartford, Wisconsin. After clearing the switch, it'll back up through city and pick up Santa Claus to present to the children after pulling back in. Surely would've been nice to be in the cab that day given the freezing temperatures and occasional snow.
8 February 2021
A hardy soul braving the freezing temperatures of the North Sea in a biting cold wind.
Guemes Channel. Returning to DCI after a day of sea trials.
Smoke haze from the Little Cranberry Lake Fire.
"At the heart of this program is a unique, low-impact sustainable boat that will be among the most environmentally friendly and technologically advanced fishing vessels in the world. This innovative “green” boat is being specifically developed for the Alaska cod hook-and-line fishery. "
bluenorth.com/home/#/fishing/fishing-vessels
"This longliner is specifically developed for the Alaskan cod fishery and is designed by Skipsteknisk AS in Norway. This new ST 155L design has a moon pool in the center line for one fish to be caught at a time through the internal haul station, which is a first in the United States. The vessel will efficiently utilize proteins onboard- the fish wastage that is commonly ground up and discharged overboard. The internal haul station allows for the release of non-target species, as well as the crew to accomplish their work inside the boat without being exposed to rough seas or freezing temperatures and with no more risk of falling overboard during hauling."
dakotacreek.com/project/fv-blue-north-freezer-longliner-v...
Most of the UK is suffering with large snowfalls and freezing temperatures at the moment. We've only had a thin layer that fell last night. It still makes for some nice photography though.
photo rights reserved by B℮n
Auttiköngäs is a beautiful destination throughout all seasons. The Auttikönkä waterfalls are among the most stunning in Finland. The Auttikönkä nature trail, stretching almost 4 km, takes you across the waterfall, through the primeval forest, and towards the rocks. An interesting and diverse nature trail begins at the Pirttikahvila courtyard. Currently, Auttiköngäs is part of the Northern Finnish forest protection program for ancient forests. The main attraction is the 16-meter-high Auttiköngäs waterfalls flowing in a steep, rocky gorge. The name Autti originates from the Sámi word ávzi, meaning gorge or valley. The term köngäs is commonly found in the names of waterfalls in Northern Finland. The water continues its course to the bottom of the gorge in various streams, roaring loudly between the rocks. The nature trail continues through a serene old forest to a hilltop with a view over the Taiga forests. The gorge where Auttiköngäs foam originates was formed millions of years ago by powerful earthquakes that created the fault line through which the river now flows. The nearby Korouoma Gorge is also part of the same fault zone. Since the melting of the continental glaciers ,around 8000–9000 BC, the area has essentially retained its current form. Historically, the Auttijoki River has been a significant trade route. From the late 19th century to the 1970s, the river was used for log floating. Due to the steepness of the waterfall, it was impossible to float logs downstream naturally, so a log chute was built up to the falls. Today, the chute is preserved as a cultural heritage site.
Auttiköngäs is one of the most spectacular waterfalls in Finland, surrounded by the tranquility of the taiga forest. The Auttikönkä nature trail takes you over the waterfall, into the primeval forest, and towards the rocks. An interesting and diverse nature trail begins on the premises of the wooden café-restaurant Pirttikahvila. In Finland, traditional wooden houses are often referred to as "wooden cabins" or "wooden chalets." The Finnish word for a wooden house is "puutalo." The entire area, including the puutalo, is managed by the Nature Services - Metsähallitus. In the restaurant, we enjoyed a delicious reindeer soup made by the owner, Eerikki. According to the owner, the forest is his second home. In Pirttikahvila's catering, you can also find nature-inspired products such as sparkling drinks and homemade jam to take home. The popular Auttikönkää nature trail can be traversed on foot even in winter. Please be aware that especially stairs and hills can be very slippery, as there is no winter maintenance on the route.
Auttiköngäs is in alle seizoenen een prachtige bestemming. De Auttikönkä-watervallen behoren tot de mooiste van Finland. Tegenwoordig maakt Auttiköngäs deel uit van het Noord-Finse bosbeschermingsprogramma voor oude bossen. Het natuurpad Auttikönkä, bijna 4 km lang, leidt je langs de waterval, het oerbos en de rotsen. Het interessante en gevarieerde natuurpad begint op het terrein van het houten café-restaurant Pirttikahvila. Het Finse woord voor een houten huis is puutalo. Het hele gebied, inclusief de puutalo, wordt beheerd door Natuurdiensten - Metsähallitus. In het restaurant hebben we genoten van een heerlijke rendiersoep, bereid door eigenaar Eerikki. De belangrijkste attractie zijn de 16 meter hoge Auttiköngäs-watervallen die in een steile, rotsachtige kloof stromen. De naam Autti vindt zijn oorsprong in het Sámi-woord ávzi, wat kloof of vallei betekent. Het woord köngäs komt vaak voor in de namen van watervallen in Noord-Finland. Het water vervolgt zijn weg naar de bodem van de kloof in verschillende stromen, luid brullend tussen de rotsblokken. Het natuurpad vervolgt zijn route door een vredig oud bos naar een heuveltop met uitzicht over de Taiga-bossen. De kloof waar Auttiköngäs-schuim ontstaat, werd enkele miljoenen jaren geleden gevormd door krachtige aardbevingen die de breuklijn creëerden waarin de rivier nu stroomt. De nabijgelegen Korouoma-kloof maakt ook deel uit van dezelfde breukzone. Sinds het smelten van de continentale gletsjers, rond 8000–9000 v.Chr. heeft het gebied in wezen zijn huidige vorm behouden. De rivier Auttijoki is historisch gezien ook een belangrijke handelsroute geweest. Van het einde van de 19e eeuw tot de jaren zeventig werd de rivier gebruikt voor het drijven van boomstammen. Vanwege de steilheid van de waterval was het onmogelijk om boomstammen stroomafwaarts te laten drijven, dus werd er een boomstamgoot gebouwd tot aan de waterval. Tegenwoordig wordt deze goot bewaard als cultureel erfgoed.
Yesterday morning, I found this female Monarch butterfly lying still on the driveway. I thought she had died, perished from the cold of a rare overnight freeze down Houston way. However, when I looked more closely I could see a slight movement.
Gathering her gently between the palms of my hands, the butterfly was initially placed inside a small plastic container with tissue paper and a small bowl of sugar water. This is where the above 'record' photo was taken. Placed in a sunny spot the container soon warmed sufficiently for her to start moving and indeed feeding from the artificial nectar!
Once she had sustenance, the butterfly was transferred to a much larger box and although there was more sugar water inside, it was decided to try and get her to lie dormant for the next 24 - 30 hours so that no wing damage would occur. With a significant rise forecast in the outdoor temperature, the plan was to then release her.
That is indeed what happened. In a cool but nowhere near freezing temperature, she 'roosted' inside the box, never moving.
This afternoon the Monarch was taken out to a sunny patch in the garden and released, see below. From my hand she first flew to land on a wall and after warming a little, flew higher to some leaves of a tree in full sun, eventually flying up, up and away to take her chances. Good luck and bon voyage!!!!