Bate Island

The forecast was calling for the coldest day in Ottawa in the last 30 years. I don't know if it quite reached that point, but it sure was chilly. At the start of my outing around 8:30 AM, it was -27 degrees Celsius (-35 C with the wind chill). By the time I wrapped up around 11:00 AM, it had warmed to a balmy -21 C (-26 C with the wind chill). I went to Bate Island in hopes that it was shrouded in ice fog. I've been there before in the winter but didn't have those conditions. This time - success! It was one of those days where there were photos everywhere you looked. But you had to be there early as I was. By late morning the fog was already lifting and the coating of ice was falling off the tree branches. Bate Island is situated in the middle of the Ottawa River, with easy access via the Champlain Bridge. It's a small island with the bridge essentially dividing it in two. From the Eastern half, you can see the Parliament buildings off in the distance. The Western half has a view upriver towards the Deschênes Rapids. This morning, both halves were loaded with photo opportunities and I had a great time.