Three Views

Finally, we got some rain!  Though mostly not from Hurricane Joaquin, which turned east before getting as far north as the Potomac.  Regardless, the rain was quite welcome; the river is running high, brown, and fast. The asters and goldenrods are perking up, too.

Don’t forget to go to the Three Views page to see the same views in from earlier this year.  The change in river level from early September is dramatic.

October 5, 2015 
54 F at 9:17 am; partly cloudy

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9:28 am EDT  24mm  f/9.0  1/160sec  ISO 200

Billy Goat B trail, east end, looking southeast across a narrow channel toward Vaso Island


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9:39 am EDT  30mm  f/9.0  1/160 sec  ISO 200

Billy Goat B, mid-way between trailheads, looking upstream (more or less northwest) with Hermit Island on the left.


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10:12 am EDT  30mm  f/9.0  1/500 sec  ISO 200

boat launch ramp near Old Angers Inn, looking downstream and more or less south

Three Views Delayed

The intersection of rainy weather (finally!) and obligations unrelated to hiking and photography means that it might be a few more days before I can get out to take photos for Three Views.  And depending on how strong hurricane Joaquin is when it passes near or lands in the mid-Atlantic area, one or two of those spots could be flooded for awhile.  It’s going to be an interesting weekend, weather-wise.

Joaquin

This looks a lot better than last night’s map, which showed the storm moving right up the Chesapeake Bay.

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Here’s a still-life of a blade of Chasmanthium latifolium (a native grass) in flower, just because.

Three Views

Nine photos of each are on the Three Views page.  Compare this month’s to last and see how low the river has gotten.

September 2, 2015 
77 F at 9:14 am; overcast

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8:39 am EDT  28mm  f/7.1  1/125 sec  ISO 320

Billy Goat B trail, east end, looking southeast across a narrow channel toward Vaso Island


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9:51 am EDT  31mm  f/9.0  1/200 sec  ISO 320

Billy Goat B, mid-way between trailheads, looking upstream (more or less northwest) with Hermit Island on the left.


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10:48 am EDT  40mm  f/9.0  1/250 sec  ISO 160

boat launch ramp near Old Angers Inn, looking downstream and more or less south

Three Views

Weather’s been a little drier, a little closer to normal for July, though the river seems to be running a bit high for mid-summer.

Go to the Three Views page to see the same views in from earlier this year.  The month-to-month changes are not as dramatic now as they were early in the year, but the progression is still interesting.

Technical note: these photos were taken with a full-frame camera; the previous ones with a crop sensor.  The effective focal length is about the same.

July 31, 2015 
72 F at 8:30 am; clear

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8:46 am EDT  24mm  f/7.1  1/160sec  ISO 800

Billy Goat B trail, east end, looking southeast across a narrow channel toward Vaso Island


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9:29 am EDT  24mm  f/8.0  1/160 sec  ISO 200

Billy Goat B, mid-way between trailheads, looking upstream (more or less northwest) with Hermit Island on the left.


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10:25 am EDT  24mm  f/8.0  1/200 sec  ISO 160

boat launch ramp near Old Angers Inn, looking downstream and more or less south

Three Views

The pictures from early June were taken after 4 days of rain.  The pictures for the end of June were taken two days after record-setting rainfalls (1-4 inches) across all the Potomac River watershed upstream of Great Falls.  National Airport got 2.75 inches.  So far, this has been the second-wettest June on record.

The place were I stand to take the Billy Goat B mid-way picture was underwater, and the place where I stand at the boat launch ramp was mere inches away from the water.

Remember to visit the Three Views page to see the same views in from earlier this year.

June 29, 2015 
68 F at 8:47 am; clear

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9:08 am EDT  18mm  f/8.0  1/125sec  ISO 200

Billy Goat B trail, east end, looking southeast across a narrow channel toward Vaso Island


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9:39 am EDT  18mm  f/8.0  1/400 sec  ISO 200

Billy Goat B, mid-way between trailheads, looking upstream (more or less northwest) with Hermit Island on the left.


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10:48 am EDT  18mm  f/8.0  1/250 sec  ISO 200

boat launch ramp near Old Angers Inn, looking downstream and more or less south