John Andrews Photography

2011-09-18T07:42:00.000-07:00

The Gatineau Air Show in September is put on by Vintage Wings, where they showcase their entire collection of vintage war planes, most of them flying. This year the RCAF Snowbirds were on hand and it was truly and amazing show!

Avro Lancaster

Hurricane and Spitfire

Mustang and Kittyhawk

The sound of eight Rolls Royce Merlins was sensational!

Corsair in Royal Navy colours

Hurricane on take-off

Intruder bomber

Harvard trainer aerobatic team from southwestern Ontario

Canadair 215 Waterbomber

P-40... the loud end.

P-51 D Mustang

Yaks in formation. One painted in Japanese colours, to look like a Zero.

P-40 office

A pair of Yaks

Corsair pre-flight check

Hawker Hurricane in desert camo

P-40 Kittyhawk

Spit flyby

Unreal Sabre and Spitfire... five years difference in technology.

F-86 Sabre flyby

Spitfire on takeoff

Rare Lysander

P-51 D and a P-40

Spitfire warming up, F-86 Sabre rolling on to the apron, P-40 Kittyhawk to the left, Hawker Hurricane to the right, and in the background, Snowbird Tudor and Harvard Trainers...

Amazing to see a Fairy Swordfish on the tarmac.

Punta Cana Pix

2011-03-12T19:40:00.000-08:00

Beach maintenance

You gotta love the Caribbean Sea.

Sun, sand, surf and mountains.

Sunrise

Palapas on their side.

Ma Blonde at la plage.

Ahhhh....

This 'flea market' was about a half hour walk down the beach.

New Year's Day at Mud Lake

2011-01-01T16:05:00.001-08:00

With a warmish 3C temperatures and a light, misting rain, Nanc and I decided to bring in 2011 with a hike around Mud Lake, on the south shore of the Ottawa River. Typically with our hikes, we barely saw anyone else, and despite the rain and fog, some decent pix could be taken.

Living up to its name, the mud on the bottom of the lake can be see through the ice.

The forest canopy provided some protection from the drizzle and made for a good wind break too.

We were greeted by a group of black capped chickadees who were tame enough to fly right up to you and even land on your hand.

Two submerged trees.

This erratic boulder is about seven feet tall and amusingly adorned with graffiti.

A chickadee eating out of Nancy's hand while another waits his turn for a bite.

Interesting fungus on a birch tree, about 10 feet off the forest floor.

Low lying fungus on a pine.

We were thrilled to see two different types of woodpeckers on this hike. We saw a hairy wood pecker but he proved too elusive to get a decent shot. However, this pileated woodpecker was going for it on this tree for a good five minutes.

From the Rockies to the Gatineau Hills - a journey across Canada

2010-11-21T16:06:00.000-08:00

Moving Nancy from Cochrane, AB to Ottawa required a drive of 4,000+ kilometers from the prairie that is only kilometers from the Rockies, across the prairies of Alberta, Saskatchewan, the transition from prairie to the Canadian Shield in Manitoba and then we were only half way home. The drive across Ontario would be the other half of the trip along the now two lane Trans-Canada Highway that has a speed limit of a measly 90 km/hr.

We did the trek in four days with Nancy's two dogs. The trip was seamless and just a joy, despite driving about 1,000 km a day.

Big sky land never gets boring.

The Trans-Canada in Alberta is arrow straight, but it was never boring.

Fossil fuels and wind power... the tide is turning.

Grain elevators are a Canadian prairie icon and the old ones are just a joy to see, particularly the ones in not so great condition.

A land feature in Saskatchewan. I think it was the only one.

The main east-west rail line follows the Trans-Canada, so it's never too long before you see another train.

There are a surprising number of abandoned buildings visible from the TCH.

The brackish lake near Chaplain, SK, which is a stopping ground for millions of migratory birds that we never see anywhere else in Canada.

Salt being 'mined' from the area around Chaplain. At first I thought it was snow, it looks so out of place.

Yet another abandoned house.

Golden fields in Saskatchewan.

The grain elevator you see coming into Moose Jaw, SK.

All these pix were taken while moving, so excuse the odd blurring.

Yet another abandoned farm.

Big sky, golden fields of fall and a train. Perfect prairie shot from Manitoba.

The change into Ontario was dramatic. Land of rock and lake.

The Sleeping Giant evoked some childhood memories since I was born in Fort William, ON.

Rock walls every where.

The north shore of Lake Superior reminded me of Cape Breton, NS.

One of the many bridges that span the many lakes and rivers in north western Ontario.

If you miss this turn, you'll be in Superior.

The land around Sudbury has changed dramatically from when I was a kid. Rather than the moonscape of old from the acid rain, it's now abundant with white birch and I would say just about no other species of tree.

A lot of the last let was driven at night and while Ontario is beautiful from stem to stern, the rocks and lakes do get to look the same after a while. All in all, an epic journey across Canada.

Parc Omega

2010-10-09T15:29:00.001-07:00

Charlotte and I went to Parc Omega near Montebello, QC last month and drove through to see some wild life. It's a pretty good game park and you really can get up close and personal with the animals, so long as you stay in your car.

Fall Colours, 2010

2010-10-09T14:22:00.000-07:00

Thanksgiving weekend in the Ottawa valley, peak weekend for the fall colours.

Alberta in September

2010-09-18T08:52:00.001-07:00

This month I went out west again and we did a road trip to Waterton National Park, near the Montana border. We also popped into Banff as well. I don't normally like to be in my shots, but Nanc shot this one of me at our first destination, which is self explanatory.

Looking south east from the jump

The jump...

A marmot scurries across the ledge of the jump.

Looking north east.

Looking up at the escarpment.

Verga spotted enroute to Waterton.

Prince of Wales Hotel, Waterton, AB.

Looking south into Montana.

Magpie on the roof of a car in the hotel lot.

One of four deer catching an early morning nap in a baseball diamond in Waterton.

Early morning Merganser.

Power station and water tower for the Prince of Wales.

Town of Waterton, AB.

Red Rock Canyon, in Waterton National Park.

Rock face overlooking Lake Minnewanka, the largest lake in the Canadian Rockies.

Upper Canada Village

2010-09-06T14:31:00.001-07:00

Upper Canada Village.

Nova Scotia, July 2010

2010-07-31T14:04:00.001-07:00

Nova Scotia is an amazing province that I'd never been to, until July 2010, when Nancy and I took a trip down there. We covered the province stem to stern in 10 days. So many special places that are so different from any where else I've been in the country. Canada's Atlantic Playground province indeed!

This is Hall's Harbour, on the Bay of Fundy - home to the highest tides in the world.

Just amazing that the tide completely goes out, leaving fishing boats on harbour floors.

Looking into the harbour from about 10' under water, if the tide was in.

The 'beach' when the tide is out. I would say Hall's Harbour also has some of the brightest sunsets in the world. It was insanely bright!

Then down to Yarmouth, with lots of fog.

Of course there are lots of fishing boats in Yarmouth.

The light house in Yarmouth.

Fishing boats awaiting high tide.

Fishermen put their boats anywhere close to the water.

A wreck in the Yarmouth harbour, with a white bath tub on it.

Nancy relaxing in a warm spot at White Point Beach Resort, near Summerville.

Summerville beach, close to an amazing restaurant called The Quarterdeck with the best dishes ever!

Historic Lunenburg harbour.

Tall ships in Lunenburg harbour.

The wheel house of a former fishing schooner that's at the Marine Museum in Lunenburg.

A real dory shop!

The Bluenose II, laid up for refitting is in Lunenburg harbour, but well away from the public's eye. We searched it out and poached some shots of the proud lady.

Red beach on Cape Breton's east coast, near Ingonish.

View from the point at Neils Harbour, Cape Breton Island.

The town of Neils Harbour.

Sadly, at Neils, I found this dead seal. We drove down the road a bit and found a Park's Canada display on birds. When we told the PC person about the dead seal, she said she was going to go to Neils to cut the head off, as she'd been wanting a seal skull for her educational talks. Too funny.

In the land of light houses, this is the one at Neils Harbour.

The Cabot Trail looking south west to Chedicamp.

The Baddeck light house on Bras D'Or lake.

Peggy's Cove as shot from near the SwissAir 111 memorial spot.

Big waves on a calm day at Peggy's.

Light house at Peggy's Cove. Very difficult to get a clean shot with no tourists in it.

So we went back at night and I got this. We got there later than expected after a local artist invited us into her home for beer. Gotta love the east coast.

Peggy's Cove harbour

A clock from the Halifax marine museum, frozen at the exact time of the huge blast in the harbour in 1917 when the SS Mont Blanc and the SS Imo collided and created the largest man-made explosion pre-atomic detonation.

The CGS Acadia in Halifax harbour, as part of the marine museum. This ship was used to chart most of Canada's east coast and also used as a training vessel.

Alberta and British Columbia

2010-06-26T17:58:00.001-07:00

Barrier Lake, AB near dusk with drizzle

Clouds and the road around Barrier Lake, AB

Drops on needles in Kananaskis at dusk

Banff peaks and clouds

Elk in Banff. Note the velvet on his antlers

Night sky in Kananaskis Country

Pink sky, peaks and low clouds in Alberta

Sunset in Kananaskis Country

Kananaskis River getting to sunset

Sunset with some lovely colour

Hoo Doos south of Invermere, BC

The stream flowing down from the top of the Paint Pots, which are a natural source of ochre which was mined and shipped to paint factories in Calgary, in the old days.

Top of the Paint Pots

Marble Canyon, where it drops about 70 feet straight down. Note the forest fire destruction from about three years ago.

The landscape around Marble Canyon is devastated and yet, new growth is all around. What amazed me is that the forest fire area around the canyon consumed literally hundreds if not thousands of hectares.

Marble Canyon

Natural hot spring near Invermere, BC

This pool was about 20C, and 20' X 40'. Spectacular!

Pehto Lake, Banff National Park, AB

Close up of the north end of Pehto Lake

Close up of the south end of Pehto Lake

Crowfoot glacier

The infamous Three Sisters, as viewed from Canmore, AB

Heli-tour of the Rockies and the Columbia Ice Fields

2010-06-23T13:00:00.000-07:00

So when Nanc offered to take me (and her daughter) on a heli-tour of the Columbia Ice Fields, how could I say no? It was a monumental day of epic proportions and given that you can only say WOW so many times, we became gobsmacked! I hope you enjoy these shots.

Looking down the Athabaska glacier, towards the Ice fields Parkway and the Ice Fields tourist center.

The start of the Saskatchewan River

The Saskatchewan glacier

Abraham Lake, a man-made lake just east of the Columbia Ice Fields and the start of the heli-journey.

Gatineau Storm clouds

2010-06-05T19:29:00.001-07:00

A dramatic sky in the north so I grabbed my Nikon and drove to Champlain Lookout in the Gatineau Park and took a load of shots of the clouds and sun playing a game of chess.

Flight to Toronto

2010-06-05T08:26:00.001-07:00

\Had to go to Toronto on business this past week, and of course I had my camera handy...

My Bombardier Dash 8, compliments of Porter

Rideau River bend, south of Manotick

Belleville, ON

Trenton Air Force Base

Presqu'Ile Provincial Park

Sand/gravel mine on the north shore of Lake Ontario at Victoria Beach, west of Trenton, ON

Scarborough's Bluffer's Park with the Scaroborough Bluffs prominent.

Toronto Beach water filtration plant, east of Victoria Park Ave. I used to live in an apartment immediately east of this plant.

Toronto's Beaches Park to the right, Ashbridges Bay Park to the left.

The Leslie Spit, with Tommy Thompson Park

Toronto skyline with Toronto's Algonquin and Centre Island forefront.

Toronto Island, Center Island and Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport

Toronto Skyline from the tarmac

Shadows...

The original island airport control tower, built at the start of WWII and soon to be restored. The island airport was founded as a training ground for commonwealth and allied pilots through the war.

Leuty Lifeguard station, Kew Beach.

Enjoying a hot day on the water.

Gasping for wind...

Cooling off at the beach.

Stormy tower from my hotel balcony.

Waiting to return to Ottawa, note the United Nations Dash 7 in the foreground.

May 2-4 weekend

2010-05-23T10:39:00.001-07:00

The May 2-4 weekend is a long weekend in Canada and here are some shots from my wandering around Ottawa and the surrounding area. Nice to shoot in shorts and a T-shirt and drive around with all the windows down, sunroof open and the stereo blaring! This sets the mood for fun shooting.

Parliament hill viewed from the Hull side of the Ottawa River.

Dog in the Ottawa River near the filtration plant

Islands near Remic Rapids, Ottawa River

Decommissioned rail bridge over the Ottawa River

SS Pumper resting in Kars, ON

Fields and big sky, south of Ottawa, ON

Carp, ON Airshow 2008

2010-05-09T14:32:00.001-07:00

The Carp Airshow was one of those gems at a small air strip where the planes can fly really low, including the jets. This day a storm was closing and the last few manouvers by the Snowbirds were under very dark skies. Many of the passes of the planes were well under 2,000 feet altitude, some were practically skimming the tree-tops.

Veradero and Havana, Cuba, December 2007

2010-05-09T11:49:00.000-07:00

Courtney and Garrett's wedding, Ottawa, July 2009

2010-05-09T11:05:00.000-07:00

Toronto, April 2009

2010-05-09T10:39:00.001-07:00

Bluffer's Park, Scarborough, ON

Toronto's distillery district:

Alberta trip, October, 2009

2010-05-08T16:38:00.000-07:00

End of the season, Lake Louise, AB

Me with a Clark's Nutcracker in my hand, somewhere between Banff and Jasper.

Moraine Lake, AB

Mountain Sheep in Kananaskis Country, AB

Banded Peak, AB

Banded Peak, Kananaskis, AB

Near Elbow Falls, AB

Elbow Falls, AB

Elbow River, AB

Elbow Falls, AB

Bragg Creek, AB area

Kananaskis, AB

Athabaska Glacier, AB, as part of the Columbia Ice Fields

Those dots are gigantic tourist buses that drive onto the glacier.

South end of Pehto Lake, AB

Pehto Lake

Moraine Lake in Banff, AB

Glaciers that feed Moraine Lake

Lake Louise, AB

Alberta trip, January 2010

2010-05-08T15:39:00.001-07:00

Funky ice effect in Policeman's Creek, Canmore, AB

More funky ice

Bow River, Canmore AB

Bow River, Canmore, AB

Sunshine Village Ski Resort, Banff, AB

Standing on the continental divide at approx 9,000 feet above sea level. Mount Assinaboine over my right shoulder.

Looking across the valley from the Continental Divide, Sunshine Village, AB

Snowy Owl near Calgary, AB

Canmore, AB

Alberta, January 2010

Various shots

2010-05-08T14:54:00.001-07:00

Ottawa at night:

Niagara Falls:

Niagara, 2009

Niagara coming out of the mist

Base of the American falls

Bridal Veil Falls, Niagara Falls, NY

Glass hydro insulators, Rideau Ferry Antiques, July 2009

Near Buckhorn, ON

Montreal, July 2009

Mississauga Lake, Buckhorn, ON

The view of the summit of 'Little Whiteface' as viewed from the main summit of Whiteface Mountain, Lake Placid, NY

Looking up at the Whiteface summit from Little Whiteface

Stoney Swamp, just south west of Ottawa, ON

The channel in Lake Ontario between Millhaven and Amherst Island, Ontario

Barn on Amherst Island

Ottawa arboretum

Mountain Sheep in mid-jump, Kananaskis, AB

Wharf remnants across from the fort at Prescott, ON

Prescott, ON dock

Wakefield, QC covered bridge

Gatineau River, Wakefield, QC

Covered bridge south of Wakefield, QC

Mississauga Lake, near Buckhorn, ON

Mississauga Lake, ON

Near Buckhorn, ON

Ottawa - arboretum and tulips, May 2010

2010-05-08T14:34:00.001-07:00

The start of the Tulip Festival and poking around the Ottawa arboretum and Bate Island

Okay, this is unrelated...

Beaver Lodge

Manotick and the Rideau River, May 2010

2010-05-08T13:27:00.000-07:00

Today was a wet and cool morning, so with nothing planned, I rolled out of bed, got dressed, grabbed my camera gear and headed out to see what I could shoot.

Watson's Mill, Manotick, ON

Misty Island, Rideau River

Rideau Lock just south of Ottawa

Lock house and lock cranks

Reverse angle

Misty pigeons

Rusy lock gears, Rideau Canal south of Hunt Club.

Neighbour's garden

Hard-core fishing, Rideau River, Manotick with Watson's Mill on the left.

Dam door gears, Manotick, ON

Canvas wrapped wooden pulley, Watson's Mill, Manotick

Top of the same wooden pulley

Antique 'dolly' and mill gear