Carrying an appropriate registration as part of the Ketchum Airways fleet though still in the basic colours of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Tied up at a Lake Hood dock. Delivered new to the RCMP in 1954 as CF-MPP. Sold to Ketchum Air Service in 1987 as N234KA. Acquired by Kenmore Air Harbor of Kenmore, WA in 1993 and converted to PT-6 turbine power. Joined Harbour Air at Vancouver, BC in 2002 as C-GHAR. After a different mark of PT-6 had been fitted, entered service with Harbour Air with fleet number 308.

First flew in 1967 as CF-VQI and spent over twenty years bush flying in Quebec. Joined Temsco at Ketchikan in 1989 as N19TH. Acquired in 1994 by Soloy Dual Pac Inc, where it operated as N5010Y, then N32910, acting as a testbed for the certification of a Twin Pac powerplant comprising two P&W PT-6As. Converted by Ketchum in 1997 to a Vazar Turbine Otter, N342KA. Purchased by Pro Mech Air in 2005. Sold to Liard Air in 2009 as C-GNNP. Destroyed, together with two other aircraft, in a tragic Liard hangar fire at Muncho Lake, BC, in 2011.

Passing the mouth of the Channel from Lake Spenard to Lake Hood. Delivered new to BC Airlines in 1954 as CF-HGX. Exported to Alaska from Gynn Bay Logging Ltd, Campbell River, BC, in 1989, becoming N727KA with Ketchum. Reregistered N836KA in 1994 and repainted in full Ketchum Air Service colours. Destroyed in a sadly fatal accident in September 2006 when operating with 20 Whiskey Mike LLC. While flying through a narrowing pass 32 miles east of Farewell Lake, Anchorage, in rapidly deteriorating weather conditions, impacted cloud covered mountainous terrain.

Flying low over the Channel from Lake Spenard to touch down at its Lake Hood base. Built as an L-20A for the US Army, delivered in 1959 as 58-1984. Began its civil career in 1976 as N67678. In 1994 became N345KA of Ketchum Air Service. Joined Seawind Aviation of Ketchikan in 2005. Severely damaged in August 2007 due to a sadly fatal takeoff accident at Traitor's Cove, while returning tourists from a bear-watching expedition. In difficult wind conditions, the aircraft stalled and descended into heavily wooded terrain. A post accident fire destroyed the aircraft's main cabin and fuselage.

Seen over Lake Spenard, heading towards Lake Hood on a Ketchum Air Service flight. Delivered new to the Union of Burma Air Force in 1961 as UB658. Served with Ketchum for a little over three years from the spring of 1990. Destroyed in an accident at Nikabuna Lake, Alaska, in August 1993. Engine power was lost in the climb out due to fuel starvation. A forced landing was made on a small pond, where the aircraft overran the water into woodland and caught fire.

Later with another operator it had an accident landing in Dodger Channel BC on 31 Jul 2007. It was reported that it would be repaired but I have no update on that.

To Liard Air Oct 2009 as C-GNNP. Destroyed in a hangar fire 17 Jan 2011.

Delivered to the US Army June 1959 as 58-1715, Otter number 333 was struck off strength December 1976. Registered to the Civil Air Patrol's Pacific Region as N5352G until January 1980, it was refurbished in Canada as C-GBNJ and flown by Parsons Airways for the next nine years. It was sold to Ketchem Air Service as N567KA (note non-standard hyphen) and here in Vancouver for servicing. Flying in Alaska with several airlines re-registered as N336AK, it receiving a Texas Turbine conversion in 2003.

Lake Hood, situated right next to the international airport of Anchorage, must be one of the world's busiest seaplane bases. I spent a very enjoyable afternoon just sitting here, feet dangling in the water and the camera at hand, with all sorts of seaplanes speeding along every few minutes. Pictured here is Otter N234KA, which was still a "real" Otter back then. It was converted to a Turbo Otter during the 1990s, and became C-GHAR in 2002.