Okanagan Summer Trips
Okanagan Lake, Vernon, BC.
A Heatwave, Forest Fires, and a Wedding
Two Trips to Vernon, Summer of 2021
Although we now call Vancouver home, we lived in Vernon, in the Okanagan, for twenty-two years and consider it our second home.
We make several trips to Vernon every year. Sometimes for photo jobs, sometimes to play tourist in our old stomping grounds, and always to see our friends.
It has been difficult summer in the interior this year with heatwaves and forest fires and especially Lytton, BC, was hard hit where almost everything burnt to the ground. The Whiterock Lake Fire was getting too close for comfort in Vernon.
A 3,000 hectare controlled burn took place near Vernon BC on August 30th in an effort to control the White Rock Lake fire.
Our hearts go out to everyone who lost their homes this summer and are thankful for the firefighters battling countless fires throughout the province.
We clearly recall the fears of forest fires as we lived on the outskirts of Vernon near the forest line. 2003 was a particularly bad year and I remember patrolling the neighborhood in the middle of the night looking for signs of fires. It was with knots in our stomachs we followed the events this year.
Our first trip to the Okanagan was for the July long weekend and on our drive to Vernon, we got out of the car for a quick break in Kamloops and the thermometer read 47 degrees Celcius / 116 degrees Fahrenheit.
It was indeed quite frightful. We quickly realized we would not last long if stuck in the sun and wondered what the world has come to.
Another controlled burn took place on August 30th near Vernon BC in an effort to control the White Rock Lake fire. This photo was taken at Davison Orchards.
Not All Doom and Gloom
Despite heatwaves and looming forest fires, life goes on in the Okanagan. People have seen it all before but from what we understand, it has never been as detrimental as in 2021.
For our July long weekend visit, the heatwave persisted for the first couple of days but then it cooled down slightly and Vernon was not yet affected by the forest fires at this point.
We spent about a week with our best friends, Dagny and Philippe, and enjoyed the great company with dinners on the Fanfani deck and at Intermezzo, Vernon’s best restaurant.
At the peak of the heatwave our friend Philippe spent one hour in the morning and one hour in the evening watering his garden and even with his efforts, the plants still looked like they weren’t going to make it.
Despite the fact that we just got a new bike carrier for the car, we decided against bringing the bikes as it was just too hot to venture out for any kind of exercise. Instead, we headed to the beach.
Ellison Provincial Park
One of our favorite spots near Vernon is Ellison Provincial Park. We have spent countless hours here camping, hiking, or swimming at the coves of Okanagan Lake.
The excellent campground is located high above the lake and pathways will lead you to one of two coves. A rich trail net gives ample opportunity for hiking and exploring the area.
For the July long weekend, we spent a late afternoon at Ellison. We brought snacks and went for a refreshing dip in the lake. I was testing a wide-angle zoom lens, The Fujifilm XF 8-16mm f/2.8, and ended up doing a short hike on the cliffs overlooking the lake. For more photos from Ellison Park and my lens review:
Swimming from the rocky shores of Okangan Lake at Ellison Provincial Park
We had a quick visit with our friends Calvin and Christine and tried out the new margarita blender machine gizmo that Calvin got for his birthday.
I only had one but it was very tempting to just continue into the evening. We also had a quick visit with our friends at Silver Star, Ross, Amanda, Bernie, Sattu, and Russell.
Later in the week, we paid a visit to Kelowna with a quick stop at the Upside Cidery where we met up with the bride and groom-to-be, Myanna and Pearce. Upside Cidery is located near the airport and we enjoyed excellent pizzas, ciders, and live music. Excellent spot.
July rain clouds approaching over Okanagan Lake in Vernon, BC.
We managed to squeeze in another cidery, the BX Press Cidery & Orchard which is located very close to where we used to live.
We met up with Heather and Jess, their two young kids, and several other family members. The BX Press Cidery is a quaint experience indeed with an outdoor live stage with excellent entertainment. This is definitely a great stop if you are in Vernon.
Second Vernon Trip, Late August, Early September
I was leading this post talking about the forest fires which started affecting Vernon soon after we left from our July long weekend stay. In the days leading up to our trip in late August / early September, we checked the news to find out if it was okay to return.
It was very important for us to make it back to Vernon as we would be celebrating Myanna and Pearce’s wedding. Myanna is the daughter of our friends Dagny and Philippe and we have known her since she was born.
By now Emma, our daughter, and boyfriend Simon had joined us from Denmark and the car was jam-packed full.
You think we brought enough stuff?
Airbnb in Coldstream and Wedding Prep
We stayed in a wonderful Airbnb on Sarsons Road in Coldstream. It was a well-appointed two-bedroom cabin and from the outside sitting area, we had an amazing view of the valley.
Emma had taken on the duty of making the cake for Myanna and Pearce’s wedding. It was great to stay near Dagny and Philippe’s as we could make trips over when help was needed for wedding prep.
Dagny and Philippe were hosting the wedding in their backyard and as the week went by the garden turned into a wonderful venue with tents, lights, and a bar, in a meticulously maintained backyard.
Vernon preparations underway for Myanna and Pearce’s wedding
Coldstream Bike Ride
I have ridden my bike through the Coldstream area several times in the past. I got a chance to do it again in the late afternoon light one day. This ride became more about taking in the scenes with the camera than about exercise.
It is truly wonderful to come back to this laid-back part of Coldstream with orchards, horse stables, old trucks, and railway tracks.
As I biked I realized the many spots where I could recall past events, photoshoots, or memorable experiences.
Apple orchard in Coldstream, BC, Canada
Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park Hike
While Di and Emma were on baking duty, Simon and I escaped for a couple of hours to Kal Lake Provincial Park for a hike. This is another spot where we have spent countless hours hiking or going to the beach at either Jade Bay, Juniper Bay, or Cosens Bay.
This was Simon’s first visit to the park and it was a pristine day with hardly any wind, meaning Kalamalka Lake was almost like a mirror.
The highlight of Kal Park is usually when you climb to the top of Rattlesnake Point. The combination of the lone tree sitting on the edge with the view down the valley has to be in my top ten spots in the world.
Taking in the view at Kalamalka Lake
The Wedding
The wedding went without a hitch. Mik, our son, flew in from Vancouver and joined us for a couple of days. We had nice lunch at Carrs Landing and as a family, we toured around Vernon, reminiscing, drove by our old house, did a short hike at BX Falls, and paid another visit to the BX Press Cidery which was so wonderful.
Mik was in charge of the video for the wedding while I had a few photography duties myself. I was, however, not the official photographer and merely helped out covering “the guys” getting ready before the ceremony.
The ceremony took place along Okanagan Lake in Kopje park in a very idyllic setting. And the remaining part of the day, evening at Dagny and Philippe’s in the backyard. It was a moving, fun, and memorable day for us all.
The Byskov at Myanna and Pearce's wedding
Okanagan Wrap Up
After I finish typing this post we will be packing the car again. We have one more Okanagan trip on the agenda for 2021. Dagny turns sixty on September 24th and we wouldn’t miss it for the world.
I will also be at Silver Star with my old friend Russell to photograph more hotel rooms and vacation homes. Our winter tires are on the car already and we are ready to roll.
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The photos in this article are made with a Fujifilm X-Pro3. Lenses: XF 14mm f/2.8 R - XF 18mm f/1.4 R LM WR - XF 35mm f/1.4 R - XF 8-16mm f/2.8 R LM WR (links to my camera and lens reviews). Editing was done in Capture One Express. I have used of Fujifilm film simulations in some of the photos.
