Author: Kathleen

We hiked the Bolen Bluff trail for the first time in at least four years. Last November we came for a week, without a tow car which limited our visit to those places in the park itself within walking or hiking distance, and remembered why we used to visit so often. Due to Hurricane Irma, which passed by in September of that year, the prairie and even the road U.S. 441 remained at least partially flooded. Exactly a year later, we came again.

The wet summer this year kept a lot of the prairie flooded. Our hike at Bolen Bluff came to an abrupt stop within a hundred feet of entering the prairie. The trail ahead looked flooded, and we did not see a way around. In spite of that, the beautiful day encouraged all kind of bird and insect life. Unfortunately, one of the insects, the mosquito, proved the most bountiful and for a change they swarmed Karl rather than me.

We stood and watched as a Great Crested Flycatcher, several Blue Jays, Sparrows, Palm warblers, and a juvenile Red-headed Woodpecker (with the brownish/black head) flew back and forth between the trees on either side of the trail. We did not see the wild horses or bison, though we did see signs on the trail that the horses went through recently.

The mosquitoes limited our time standing still to observe. We walked back to the car, and decided to go on to the La Chua trail on the north end of the Preserve.

From our Dolphin Cruise aboard Odyssey Cruises. Part 1 just before this.

 

We took a wonderful two-hour dolphin cruise, including a 30 minute stop on Anclote Island, with Odyssey Cruises in Tarpon Springs. Our photography club decided to do this outing, and we decided to go.

The 10:30 a.m. trip started with an introduction to the area by the boat’s naturalist, a certified Florida Master Naturalist, including history and nature. We love hearing commentary and presentations from our fellow Florida Master Naturalists since we know the time and effort, and continuing education, it takes for that certification. The trip out along the river took us by the working fishing boats, the marinas, and the businesses. Sometimes it feels like tourist country when you visit, but this is a working town.

We arrived at the tip of Anclote, and the boat drove up on the beach. Sea birds rested everywhere on the spits of sand, suddenly all taking off and landing again. A variety of gulls, skimmers, pelicans, and others crowded the area. Many people sought out shells, I walked and took some photographs and just marveled at the difference just a short boat ride out. After 30 minutes we boarded again, and set off back to the dock.

The captain and the naturalist both told us to look out for dolphins. Naturally, they cannot guarantee a sighting.

About half way back we saw them. A family of dolphins, four by our count, swam around and played. One swam on her back, we saw a tail wave, and enjoyed the sight (taking photos of course) for quite some time before we needed to head back.

I carried my Canon 7D with the 24mm – 70mm lens. I had the 100m – 400m in my pack but decided to go with what I had on the camera. More of the dolphin shots appear in the next blog post.

I pass this tree and bench often, walking along the trail to the left of the tree. This time I noticed the bench next to the tree, just waiting for someone to sit down to rest, or contemplate, or like me change the lens on the camera.

The histogram on this shot, as done, showed near perfect. I adjusted a little to the darker edge, just my preference.

The salvinia growing over the water made this very much a green on green landscape. We noticed that the wetlands area along the boardwalk seemed brighter earlier this year. Usually we wait until the cypress drop their needles for this kind of light, but not this year. I asked around if anyone else noticed and most said yes, they noticed too.

We discussed and and wonder if the damage, or clearing out, that occurred last year when Hurricane Irma blew through in September resulted in this more open view. No one can say for certain of course, but those of us who saw the downed trees and branches after the event surmised that as the probable cause.

The British Soldier lichen (Cladonia cristatella) showed mostly green or brownish tops on this section of tree. I shot this in the early morning, a slightly overcast morning, using the macro on a zoom lens. The lighting and the angle make it look very much like its own world.

This Saturday, October 27 starting at 8:30 a.m. we lead our second and last hike for the Fall season. The good news: Fall weather arrived finally so the weather should co-operate. Our first Autumn hike last month felt more like August.

If you find yourself near Brooker Creek Preserve in Tarpon Springs, FL, please join us. The last hike was fully booked and everyone had a wonderful time.

I almost stepped on these two as Karl and I started our hike. Karl noticed them and stopped me. I took several shots and since they didn’t move I went in for a closeup. I used the Canon 24 – 70mm, my go-to lens and the one on the camera. I didn’t have time to switch to anything else.

I look this shot lying down on the concrete, extended to 70mm. As I shot, they noticed me, looked, and then turned away.

It was a bit rude of me to interrupt a moment like that I guess!

 

I took this photograph of a chestnut vendor in Hyde Park London in 1989 with my Nikon FE, fully manual and either Kodak or Fuji film in the lowest ISO I could find. The rain provided the softness of the focus, giving the entire scene the look of the early romantic period of photography. We scanned it several years ago along with others of that era of our work.

Two weeks ago I purchased film for the first time since 2004, when I discovered that my trusty Nikon FE (due to an unexpected spray of salt water and a cleaning that didn’t work) no longer functioned. Karl convinced me at that time to try the then new digital SLRs and bought a Canon 20D for my birthday.

Just this week our favorite independent camera store, and actually the only one left in the area, emailed those of us on the mailing list asking for working classic film cameras for consignment. My beloved Nikon FE made the list, as did Karl’s still working Pentax K series, the one I intend to begin using again. We tried to sell these numerous times and no one including this vendor would take them on consignment. Why are they suddenly back in the spotlight? The younger photographers want to use film.

Digital remains my primary camera, and I don’t see that changing. But I slowly plan to re-integrate film. We will see how that works and I hope in the next few months to have something worth posting here.

Looking northwest toward the Gulf as Hurricane Michael passed by offshore

We stood outside and looked at the color of the sky over the Gulf, the swirling colors from the rising sun reflected on the storm’s cloud trail, and the trees blowing in the strong wind. We awoke to early to rain, and immediately checked the storm’s path to make sure it still remained offshore and heading north. The rainbow extended from our neighbor’s house, in the photo above, across the sky, interrupted in places by cloud cover.

The sun didn’t last long. Within a short time the darkness returned, the wind picked up, and it started raining. The long arm-like rain cloud trails of Michael would pass over us all day long.

We knew what the Panhandle was experiencing. We evacuated for Irma just 13 months ago, one day before the mandatory evacuation notice for our neighborhood. For more than 24 hours, we didn’t know if we still had a home. We were very lucky, no flooding in spite of our proximity to the Gulf and minor damage to a fence.

We vacationed in the Florida Panhandle for many years when we lived in Hendersonville, TN in the early 1990s. We often visit and camp there now that we have been residents of west central Florida for decades. Looking at the news footage, we saw not just the damage but recognized many of the places.