Skip to content

Harris and Birchwater combine talents for new aviation book

108 Mile photographer Chris Harris and Sage Birchwater of Williams Lake have begun their project, Fly Over: The Aviation Legacy of the Cariboo-Chilcotin Coast
12898100mileWEB_ModelAirplaneShowCN11_016
Photographer Chris Harris

One of British Columbia's most gifted nature photographers is teaming up with a richly talented British Columbia historical writer to chronicle the history of aviation in the Cariboo-Chilcotin Coast region.

108 Mile photographer Chris Harris and Sage Birchwater of Williams Lake are the perfect combination for their project, Fly Over: The Aviation Legacy of the Cariboo-Chilcotin Coast.

The book will be photo-driven and saturated with aerial images of the region, and Harris promises it will surprise and delight those who see it.

Shooting for the book started in 2011, with much of it done from the cockpits of planes, flown by the pilots whose stories will be told.

Harris expects that all of the photography will be finished by the year's end and the book will be on the shelves by Christmas 2012.

It will be much the same format as his recent books, Motherstone and Spirit in the Grass. It will be rich with photography and factual information, with the added attraction of personal stories of many of the region's colourful bush pilots who have left their mark on B.C. aviation history.

Harris says he's not certain what the finished product will look like, but he's confident in the method he uses to produce his books.

"It's a process and exploration. I like meeting new people, and travelling always reveals something totally unexpected. I've learned to trust that process and it has never failed me."

Harris says Birchwater was a natural choice as the author.

The former longtime staff writer with the Williams Lake Tribune has interviewed many of the pilots over the course of his career and has developed a talent for historical writing.

"There are some amazing stories," says Birchwater. "The Cariboo naturally lends itself to rugged individuals."

Among the South Cariboo pilots who will be mentioned in the book are Nick Christianson, Willy Trinker, Raymond Fletcher and Brian Motta.

Gideon Schuetze of Williams Lake, who Birchwater considers to be a flying legend, shares his accounts of learning to pilot a plane at the little known Dog Creek Airport.

Birchwater has eight published books to his name, the most well known being Chiwid, which has been listed in author Alan Twigg's book, The Essentials, 150 Great B.C. Books & Authors.