The fog lay thick on the St. Clair River yesterday, at times completely obscuring the view across the river. The far side was there yet was invisible, activities which were underway inaudible. These pilings added one of the few senses of proportion and perspective to be found.
This ferry and the Walpole Island Ferry between Ontario and Michigan have been largely idled by ice since the middle of January. It’s been a harsh winter and the Canadian side of the St. Clair River has been clogged by ice. These ferries are convenient and important links for residents and visitors on both sides of the border and their idling has meant inconvenience for the people and significant loss of revenue for the companies operating the ferries.
I captured the Daldean working in the channel yesterday, prior to the ferry reopening today.
After fruitlessly scanning the treetops on both sides of the St. Clair River I looked up at the right place at the right time to capture this eagle around 1/2 mile away. Am very pleasantly surprised I even got it in the frame at that distance, at very high digital zoom, with a handheld camera. The camera is a Fuji FinePix S1600.
I went down to the St. Clair River in search of Bald Eagles recently sighted there. While searching I took this photo across the river to the US. I’m estimating the distance at 1.1 kilometers or 7/10 of a mile. Not bad resolution for a handheld camera.
Faye and I went for a drive this morning. We found ourselves driving on St. Clair Parkway at the same time the US Coast Guard Cutter Alder made its way slowly downriver.
A cool thing about living near the Great Lakes, in the middle of North America, is seeing lake freighters large enough to be oceangoing ships steaming past.
The St. Clair River, linking Lakes Ontario and Erie with Huron, Michigan, and Superior, is a great place to see lakers. The channel is about a mile wide so you can get pretty close.
The 740-foot-long Baie Comeau is a new addition, being commissioned last summer. Here she is downbound for Quebec City. I timed my lunch at work to take a few photos, including this one.
previouslytexan 