The Beauty of Quesnel Lake

Our CCQL colleague Christine shares her day on Quesnel Lake this weekend.

This also featured on Amnesty International

I'm here on the lake at Mitchell Bay and just had to share with you what's happening outside.

I have never been on Quesnel Lake at this time of year, folks around here talk about how wonderful it is, this week I get to experience it myself.

Its deathly quiet at this time of year! Not many critters around,we've seen lots of rabbit and grouse tracks. The snow is almost gone, either from rain or temperature, its quite nice out, lots of sunshine on the point!

The lake is frozen over which we have only ever heard about. The guys are ice fishing in Mitchell Bay and its surprising how far out they trek to auger the hole and they are catching fish.

The lake ice is really amazing to watch, because it keeps changing colours reflecting the sun, the snow, the ice and the shadows of the mountains! Sometimes when I look across the lake it looks like I can see open water, the colour of the ice is so dark blue. Its like a kaleidoscope, the colours changing constantly all day long. There is a warm water spring on the point and the ice usually doesn't form here, if you listen the lake comes alive with sounds, the closest I could compare it to is a Star Wars battle! I've been told that the ice will start to crack when it thaws, I wish I could be here to witness that!

I'm writing today because from early this morning and for the whole day, if you stop outside and listen, you will hear wolves howling! We can't see them and my guess is they are a long ways off, but what a magnificent sound. And I just wonder why they are howling?

Every time I come to Quesnel Lake I'm overwhelmed with the unspoiled beauty of the Cariboo and wonder what it will be like to live out my days here!