Aeroplanes Sailing Over Okanagan Lake

This article from the July 29, 1915, edition of the Penticton Herald reports on persistent sightings of mysterious aerial craft over Okanagan Lake. Despite public ridicule, several credible witnesses reported seeing brilliant lights in the night sky. The primary account provided is that of Mr. R. A. Pease of Cote Otchard. On a Sunday night in July 1915, at approximately 11:30 p.m., Mr. Pease and his foreman, Mr. R. Graham, observed a brilliant light in the sky, positioned high above or behind Kelowna to the southeast. Using field glasses, they observed the object moving perceptibly. Mr. Pease attempted to notify Mayor Jones, but the mayor was away at his summer camp. Mr. Pease continued his observations until 1:30 a.m., noting that the object moved generally in a southwest direction, occasionally swooping and diving approximately fifty feet before rising again. He explicitly rejected the possibility that the object was a celestial body. Upon checking again at 3:30 a.m., the light remained visible, eventually appearing over the Westbank Indian reserve. Mr. Pease reported hearing a distinct buzzing noise, consistent with an aerial motor or propeller. By 5:30 a.m., the light was no longer visible. The article concludes by noting that the mystery remains unsolved.