MNR Twin Otters,Six Mile Lake, July 15th

On a quiet Sunday afternoon we were visiting my sister and her son and his family here from Calgary for a visit. The lake was quiet. Then a yellow water plane flew over and circled a few times breaking the silence. It circled again. Then it went in between 2 islands and skimmed the water for only seconds,then took off. Okay,we thought someone in training. But it came back and did it again and again over and over. Then another plane joined that one following it within minutes behind and doing the same thing. Then the phone started ringing,"do you smell smoke" Well not at the moment. But then it came, the faint smell of smoke. We timed the planes and they came in every 3 minutes, one following the other. Skimming the waters surface. A family of loons was getting quite upset,they came in over top of her and her family every time,but landing a ways away. She started moving her 2 wee ones to our side of the lake. The plane had to abort one run as a boat got in the way and flew right over the cottage. I can't beleive boats were actually blocking them. Then they figured it out and moved back. Like come on people. The planes continued on for over 2 hours. It was getting late and sun was setting. It was time to go home. We stopped off were they were flying over near the fire. I got the last 2 runs and the one plane flew directly right over me. It was quite the feeling and exciting. I got some amazing shots and even felt a bit of spray when he went over me. I felt like I could of reached up and touched him. They went home,the ground crew had it under control. It has been quite the summer for these pilots and they seldom got to go home. Fire's everywhere with the extreme heat and no rain. I had the pleasure of locating them and meeting one and talking to the other. Got a tour of the plane and learned alot of information about these twin otters and their pilots. They have some stories to tell. Having delt with a few rescues photographing them in the last few months I can tell you I personally have a lot of respect for these men and woman. They do put there lives on the line,they give their all and they are away in this case for stretches at a time especially when the fires are running rampid like this summer. I was welcomed with a warm smile and a friendly handshake when I arrived at the airport were one of the planes was stationed. I gave them some photos and got the grand tour. To think all this came from a quiet Sunday afternoon at Six Mile Lake on a very hot & dry afternoon when yet another fire got underway.