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A 2012 Fall Day along the Ottawa River

Fall is still lovely here and I’m enjoying the cold, crisp air after all the humidity this summer. But the true perk of the season is the stunning fall foliage.

On a beautiful fall day, we headed to the Ottawa River—cooler temperatures by the water usually bring the best fall features, including interesting clouds and vibrant tree colours.

We started on Bate Island, halfway between Ottawa and Gatineau, on the Ottawa River. While the trees weren’t as colourful as I had expected (still green in October!), the sky was amazing and there were several rock sculptures standing on the shallow water, similar to the ones in Remic Rapids a bit further. We also spotted a flock of geese, kayak enthusiasts (the water must have been super cold!) and about a hundred squirrels chasing each other and being generally too quick for me to even attempt to snap a pic.

Our second stop was Lemieux Island, off Mecanicsville. From there, we had a good view on Nichols Island, Young Island, Bell Island and Fury Island—small islands that are off-limits but are no doubt bird sanctuaries.

Finally, we stopped in Gatineau, Quebec, by the famous Museum of Civilization. This spot offers one of the best direct views on Parliament Hill and Ottawa, across the river, and for once it wasn’t crowded—we had the place to ourselves.

Downtown Ottawa from Bate Island
The Ottawa River from Bate Island
The Ottawa River from Bate Island
Two Cyclists Taking a Break, Bate Island
Kayaking Lesson on Bate Island
Geese on Bate Island
Geese on Bate Island
Caught in the Wire, Bate Island
Geese on Bate Island
Sculptures on the Ottawa River, Bate Island
Cloud Reflection in the Ottawa River, Bate Island
Fall Colours on Lemieux Island
Fall Colours on Lemieux Island
Fall Colours on Lemieux Island
Parliament Hill from the Museum of Civilization, Gatineau
Reflection in the Museum of Civilization, Gatineau
Alexandra Bridge from Gatineau
The Parliament from Gatineau
Downtown Ottawa from Gatineau
Painting the Sky?
36 Weeks Pregnant Belly, Gatineau
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Zhu

French woman in English Canada.

Exploring the world with my camera since 1999, translating sentences for a living, writing stories that may or may not get attention.

Firm believer that nobody is normal... and it’s better this way.

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