A Bad Day With A Camera

Smoke Above

The smoke that persistently clung to the ground for most of the day dissipated and then we were treated to a strange sight: A large cloud of smoke streaming overhead in the sky. It was so large that I thought it was a storm at first. Nope. It was forest fire smoke coming in from the west.

Harbinger of doom, Johnson’s Island, Wyndham Carseland Provincial Park, AB, 2024-07-24 (S23)

I got the image of the smoke above the canola crop directly across from the entrance to Johnson’s Island at Wyndham Carseland Provincial Park in Alberta. It was pretty clear and easy to breathe at ground level, but it looked like what was squatting above us could easily come down at any moment. It was unnerving.

Streamers in the sky, Johnson’s Island, Wyndham Carseland Provincial Park, AB, 2024-07-24 (S23)
Jekyll and Hyde, Johnson’s Island, Wyndham
Carseland Provincial Park, AB, 2024-07-24 (TG-7)
Forboding, Johnson’s Island, Wyndham
Carseland Provincial Park, AB, 2024-07-24 (S23)
Floater, Johnson’s Island, Wyndham Carseland Provincial Park, AB, 2024-07-24 (S23)

When you’re on the water at Johnson’s Island, you are on a slow moving portion of the Bow River. This makes getting pictures more challenging because you’re constantly moving and turning. By the time I had the camera up and was composed on what I wanted an image of, my paddle board was turning away from the subject.

The darkest hour, Johnson’s Island, Wyndham
Carseland Provincial Park, AB, 2024-07-24 (TG-7)
Paddling into the sun, Johnson’s Island, Wyndham
Carseland Provincial Park, AB, 2024-07-24 (TG-7)

The image at left was taken on land and only needed a single try. The image at right took nine attempts. The ripples coming in from the left side of the frame are from me turning my paddle board yet again so I could get the image with the tip pointed directly into the sun. When I finally got the image I realized I had drifted farther down the river than intended.

Smoke on the water, Johnson’s Island, Wyndham Carseland Provincial Park, AB, 2024-07-24 (TG-7)

Yesterday was the first time I was on the water by myself on my board. Before this I have always had my daughter with me and sometimes my wife as well. My heart condition is such that it really freaks them both out to have me on the water alone. This evening was worse. I was on a river which meant moving water and there was an extreme smoke hazard hovering above. I occasionally watched the smoke touching down around me but not near where I was. That was freaky as hell.

‘Dem sexy legs, Johnson’s Island, Wyndham Carseland Provincial Park, AB, 2024-07-24 (S23)

I tried to play it safe. I actually took my phone out on the water with me in a protective case with a lanyard to wear around my neck, I had a safety whistle, and a plan for what to do if I got into trouble. I even had a waterproof LED flashlight in my safety kit for signalling in case I was stuck in the water or on the shore after dark.

There was a family in an RV picnicking and I also spoke to them before hitting the water. I told them I was solo and asked if they heard me blowing the whistle could they please call 911 because it meant I was in serious trouble. They said no problemo.

I was left feeling intimidated, Johnson’s Island, Wyndham Carseland Provincial Park, AB, 2024-07-24 (S23)

The sunset itself was interesting. I couldn’t see it directly, but there were two or three minutes where the large smoke arch drifting overhead went from a sickly orange to a prettier pink colour. Then the colour faded out and that was it for anything interesting to take pics of, so I packed up my board and headed home.

GPS Track 2024-07-24

My GPS track for the evening looks wonky because I was trying to stay within sight and earshot of the family in the RV. The log says I paddled 2.7 km, but I bet it would have been 3.5 km or more on still water. It takes twice the work to go the same distance on moving water. It was flowing down from the top (north) and then to the left (east).

Lost my train of thought, Wheatland County, AB, 2024-07-24 (S23)

I was lucky enough to dodge the smoke last night, but I wasn’t completely in the clear. One of the benefits of living in a smaller town is you don’t spend a lot of time at red lights. Well, I hit every single one on my path last night. AND I managed to get held up by one very long train crossing the highway five minutes out from Carseland, AB. That rural traffic, I tell ya.

Cameras used were my OM System Tough TG-7 and My Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. I tagged each image in the caption to identify the camera used.

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© 2024 Sean D. McCormick

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