I grew up in central Alberta. In 1980 I was 11 years old so I didn’t really understand the significance of the eruption of Mount Saint Helens. My wife and I tried to visit there in about 1998 but there was low fog and rain so we just had to imagine what it would look like. Last week we decided to meet some friends there and ended up seeing it on a gloriously sunny day and here are a couple of the shots from that day.
Tag: sky
Attack of the Frigate Birds
These creatures are called Frigate birds. They are swarming around the carcass of a stingray trying to get their fair share. I think this shot is reminiscent of The Birds by Alfred Hitchcock. These birds are very interesting. Despite the fact they feed mostly on fish, they cannot swim or take off from flat surfaces. They catch fish by flying low to the water and scooping them up from the surface. They can actually fly for more than a week at a time.
Mexican Beetle
It is hard to take a bad photo of an original Volkswagen Beetle. They have at least as much character as any other car out there. I am probably influenced because I grew up in the era of Herbie the Love Bug. In fact one of my childhood memories is of actually seeing a bug painted in Herbie colors on the way home from seeing “Herbie Rides Again” in the theater in about 1975. Now I’m just babbling…
Mukilteo Lighthouse #2
This shot of the Mukilteo Lighthouse is from the waterside looking back towards the town. The morning fog was just lifting to reveal the sun which made for some very unique lighting.
If you are ever in Washington near Everett, make sure that you visit Mukilteo and Whidbey Island.
Cattails on a Frosty Morning
I found these cattails (along with the machine) while out for a photo-drive this morning. I really like the colors and the amazing lighting.
Rad
This is the front end of a 1936 (or so) Yellowstone White Model 706 tour bus that has been restored to tour people around the park. The grill and bumper has a cartoon-like appearance and seems to be smiling (to me anyways).
After the Fire
After spending a few days at Yellowstone National Park the kids were getting geysered (sp?) out so I set off on a whirlwind tour of the Norris Geyser Basin by myself. On my hike to the basin I passed through this area burnt by the fire. It was quite eerie walking through it but the sky was incredibly blue which made it a great day for pictures.
Great Fountain Geyser
If you have ever been to Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming (and a little bit in Montana) I’m sure you have seen Old Faithful and the Grand Prismatic Spring. Hidden off on a side road is a geyser called the Great Fountain Geyser. It only erupts about every 12 hours and it is not very punctual. It could erupt between say noon and 3 o’clock so many people just drive right on by. My family and I decided to wait for it because we were told that it is spectacular. After about 2 hours of waiting it finally started to erupt and we were not disappointed. This is the eruption in early stages against a stormy sky.
Rialto Beach
My family and I took a trip out to the Washington coast and ended up at Rialto Beach. The sky was so amazing. As usual the picture doesn’t do justice to the actual scene.
Flying Solo
I took this photo while waiting rather impatiently for the Great Fountain Geyser to erupt in Yellowstone Park. After all the waiting for the geyser, I think I actually like this shot better than any of the geyser shots.
