Close Call.

I got a last minute call from Jason telling me he and a friend (Jeff) were going to run the falls during the snow storm. Virginia side. Cool. I'll be there. They made one pretty wild run and decided to climb the rocks (that's right, in the snow!) and have a second go of it. The series below documents a little too much excitement on that second run.

Jeff going over the upper falls.

He gets caught in a hole or "reversal."

 

He's been pushed over to the opposite side. Still under. Trying to right himself.

Here he rights himself very briefly. Jason enters from the left. Tries to get to Jeff.

The current is strong. Pushes Jason away from Jeff who is once again upended.

Jeff finally extricates himself from the kayak. Hidden from view, he clings to the rocks..

You can see Jeff as he sticks his head above the rocks, looking for his kayak.

Finally, Jeff makes it to his feet to watch his kayak float away.

This entire event spanned just a little more than a minute. But it seemed to last a lifetime. Very helpless feeling up on that overlook. Surprised I kept shooting. I stopped briefly looking around for Rangers or someone to call out to. There was no one. So I continued to shoot. All the while I could hear someone saying, "Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit!" Turns out that was me. Scary stuff.

I got to talk to Jeff when he made his way onto shore to retrieve his boat. He was pretty wiped, but OK. Laughed about it. Then he jumped back in the kayak and went over the lower falls, the BIGGER falls!

And here's a shot of that.

 Craziness, I tell ya!

Far out.

Have a drink on me.

A good drink in a good pub with a good friend. Is there anything better?

Cheers.

Cecelia.

"There is something pleasurable in calm remembrance of a past sorrow." --Cicero

*Brrrr*

Tonight's forecast: 19 degrees F. Possibly some snow. The high temp for the next few days won't make it out of the twenties. Snow expected over the weekend. Upper Midwest is getting hammered with tons of the white stuff and temps 20 below! Northeast, not looking much better.

Yep... thinkin' about the summer.

Then and Now # 2.

On September 17, 1862 just outside of Sharpsburg, MD a 12 hour battle between Lee's and McClellan's armies raged. Nearly 100,000 men engaged.  23,000 perished. 12 hours. 23,000 dead. Lovely.

Below is a photo taken by Alexander Gardner, one of Matthew Brady's many charges traveling up and down the east coast with huge cameras and portable dark rooms making photographs of the carnage.

I found myself up there today and thought it another opportunity to add to my Then and Now series. (Since this is only the second one can I really call it a series yet?)

The trees behind the church in today's photo are mere saplings compared to the original, and there is the obvious telephone pole and electrical wires marring the view. However, the foreground isn't nearly as cluttered as the original. So there's that!

Peace.

Loggerheads.

On the east coast of Florida in the month of August the Turtle Patrol is busy... very busy. Loggerhead turtle nests are still popping up overnight, and the indefatigable scientists and volunteers that monitor them are found each morning doing the work that needs to be done. Looking for new nests and for signs of escaped hatchlings. Digging up and counting hatched and unhatched eggs.

This threatened species returns every year despite the continued massive build up on the shores of this southeastern coastal State. Lights have been blacked out, nests are staked and dated, volunteers stroll the beach keeping a watchful eye. Mindful that maybe 1 in 10,000 will make it to adulthood, they too return every season to give the little buggers an assist.

Despite all the dangers, the obstacles, the turtles come back. The Turtle Patrol's buggies are constant reminders that something special is taking place along these shores. Female loggerhead tracks can sometimes be seen early in the morning, before the crowds and high tides arrive. And if you're really vigilant.. and lucky!... you can even catch a glimpse of a few hatchlings!

Loggerhead hatchling.

Tracks to and from nest.

Turtle Patrol.