Day 15 ~ Saturday 5th September, 2015 OOAK Begins

OOAK BEGINS!!

This is why we are here in Canada – can't believe it is actually starting – WHOOOHOOO !!

So our alarm didn't go off!! lol It was at 5.43am when I heard a door shut loudly in our hallway and I opened my eyes and shouted…. You know how the beginning to 4 Weddings & A Funeral goes right? Yeah, well, it was EXACTLY like that!!

Steve had time to check FB only to find the message about meeting at 5.45am!! I was literally screaming at him to get off the bloody computer and get ready! Poor Steve.

We were dressed and down in the foyer in literally 5mins. Timothy Poulton the fearless leader of the OOAK crew is notorious for leaving on time and he WILL leave without you if you are late…. And we didn't want to be left behind!! Not exactly how we wanted to start our first day but eh, you get that (we wont miss the alarm again tomorrow morning!)

So, as we suspected, it was rainy, and very cloudy and we doubted we'd see any real sunrise. But we will made our way to 2 Jack Lake, and we all waited, but alas no colour. But still – it was great to be out at that time of day with our new OOAK friends seeing in the morning of a new day.

I learnt that Timothy is married to Jeanie Little's daughter, who is writing a book about growing up with Jeanie!! I can't wait to read it!! Awesome!! (for those internationals who don't know who Jeanie Little is, she is Australia's version of Phillis Diller) – an Aussie Treasure if ever there was one!

On the way into Banff for coffee, we spotted an Elk – a Buck too!! Where was my 200mm lens?? Back on the bed in the hotel of course – with no time to prepare anything in our frantic effort to leave this morning, we grabbed our bags and left….. leaving the best lens behind. Never mind – Steve gave me his camera with the wrong lens and I jumped out of the car to get a little closer. YAY – Elk 1 !!

After coffee in Banff everyone decided since the weather was dreary, it would make the perfect time to visit Johnston Canyon (yes folks, we did this yesterday!) LOL….. but still, it didn't matter. We were there by 8.30am. It was drizzly – not enough to annoy you, but enough to make you very wet in minutes.

Our local OOAK Photography guide, Chris Calacott navigated us up the canyon and then took a hard right up close to the Upper Falls, where everyone scaled their way down a cliff face! Honestly, I wasn't going to do it. I know what I am like and I knew my limits. But Will from Port Macquarie grabbed my hand and navigated me down, down, down, into the Canyon! What a guy – Thank you Will!! You'd be asking yourself why Steven wasn't helping me – well, he was off with Hannes from Margaret River taking the scenic route and they had totally disappeared from the group – even after 10mins of waiting, they didn't show, so off we continued.

OMG – I was so proud of myself having scaled the rocks to the bottom of the canyon cave – WOW – so stunning, and the waterfall was epic!!

We did have a little bit of drama down there. There is such a thing as photographers etiquette, where you take the shot and move on and don't stay in other photogs way for long – but if you need to, ask if it is ok. Everyone is polite enough to let you do what you want…. BUT, we had these two people who were right in front of the waterfall (they had already been there quite some time) - and they were taking the LONGEST selfies known to man… with a crappy point n shoot and barely a tripod – I mean, really…. What were they doing for so long?? After a good 15mins of 16 of us waiting, waiting, waiting, things got a little heated. Lots of yelling and screaming went on.

Once the dust settled, the OOAK gang got our shots.

Finally Steve and Hannes showed up as we had all left…. But I showed them the way and Steve got his shots. And would you believe the two idiots were STILL there demanding the space to themselves. This is one of the busiest destinations in the area and they still didn't “get it”. Ahhh well….made for an eventful morning! We won't forget that in a hurry.

Sarah, Chris, Hannes, Steve & I left in the same car and we headed back into Canmore (the others left earlier and went into Banff). Chris took us to have Bagels!! So I ate my first real Bagel and it was great! The shop was going OFF – it was the place to be.

The rain had really set in. Clouds very low and it was looking like a day to be indoors. So we all had a few hours to go back to our rooms and relax and shower and update blogs etc!

At 5.30pm we are meeting in Chris's room for a “Post Processing” session. He will edit some of his photos from today to show us how to stitch Panorama images together and his post processing techniques.

Only Tim & Sarah along with Jimmy are going off in search of sunset at Moraine Lake. Honestly, if there was a remote chance it would be any good, we'd be there…. But the radar is saying snow fall, and the clouds are so low as it is – we figure being dry and warm is better, especially when we've both been so sick. (thats our excuse)!

After our PP course, we will head into Canmore for some dinner to Boston Pizza. I can see it being a late night again. But our bags are packed and ready for whatever tomorrow holds in store. The weather is still forecast for crappy rainy weather and it should clear by Monday/Tuesday for us to head back down the Icefields Parkway! YAY !!

ELK: 1

SQUIRREL: 2