A Bad Day With A Camera

Bow River Float 07

As Britney Spears is wont to say, “oops I did it again.” It was a warm Sunday, the fall colours were popping, and the river was calling. I talked my kid into letting me drop my car off at McKinnon Flats and then proceeding to Policeman’s Flats, just south of Calgary, Alberta, where she sent me packing down the Bow River.

Off to a good start, Policeman’s Flats to McKinnon Flats, Bow River Float, 2024-10-06

I did my usual setup with the emergency kit in the front, cooler with food, drinks, and snackies at the back, and me in the middle. It was a warmer day so I decided to forgo the drysuit, which I would have cooked in, and wore my 3/2mm wetsuit instead. I look more than a bit dorky in it, especially with the new helmet I purchased for additional safety.

The Coupe de Ville ready for
launch, Policeman’s Flats,
Bow River Float, 2024-10-06
The Adventurer, Policeman’s
Flats, Bow River Float,
2024-10-06
Houston we have liftoff,
Policeman’s Flats, Bow River
Float, 2024-10-06

I honestly don’t care if I look dumb or about the wrapped sausage look from the wetsuit showing off the gut I still have to lose. The important bit is that it triples my functional and survival times if I go into cold water. I have more time to get to shore and it takes longer for hypothermia to set in. I can literally live with that. Especially since this was another solo run. I tried, but could not find anyone to join me this time.

Here’s a painfully long video showing me getting everything onto my board so I am ready to leave. I think the only bit I missed was where I clip my mobile phone to a tether that is attached to the paddle board. My daughter guest stars as the person who hands me things.

Old homestead, Policeman’s Flats to McKinnon Flats, Bow River Float, 2024-10-06
Possible T. Eaton House 01, Policeman’s Flats
to McKinnon Flats, Bow River Float, 2024-10-06
Possible T. Eaton House 02, Policeman’s Flats
to McKinnon Flats, Bow River Float, 2024-10-06

I found the trip to be very challenging photographically. A lot of the water was rough enough that I didn’t want to be slinging a camera around and kept my hands firmly on my paddle most of the time. I did spot a neat old homestead complete with windmill and what I think is an old T. Eaton Catalogue house with some additions made to it.

The Dork Cam, Policeman’s Flats to McKinnon
Flats, Bow River Float, 2024-10-06
Damn the torpedoes, Policeman’s Flats to
McKinnon Flats, Bow River Float, 2024-10-06

My new helmet had a habit of sliding off to one side on this trip, which made some of the video … interesting. And unusable. The safety glasses that stay on when you dump are not only ugly, but hellishly uncomfortable. Now I know why Zenni only charges $39 for them – they are not worth more. I found the wetsuit to be surprisingly warm and comfortable, even in a stiff breeze after the sky clouded over, so that was a win.

There’s gold in them thar hills, Policeman’s Flats to McKinnon Flats, Bow River Float, 2024-10-06
Curve ahead, Policeman’s Flats to McKinnon Flats, Bow River Float, 2024-10-06
Clouding in, Policeman’s Flats to McKinnon Flats, Bow River Float, 2024-10-06
Hunched back, Policeman’s Flats to McKinnon Flats, Bow River Float, 2024-10-06

I have been gravitating to shooting panoramas for the past couple of years and made them when I could on this journey. The light was against me as we’re reaching that time of year when the sun hangs low on the horizon and seems to foul every shot.

I did shoot a lot of video of the trip, but less than half was usable between the Crap Cam sliding off-kilter along with my helmet, and my bumping it up too high when trying to make adjustments to my helmet. I have since fixed the straps and tightened the camera mount. Everything is a learning process.

Onward ho! Policeman’s Flats to McKinnon Flats, Bow River Float, 2024-10-06

The first half of the trip was warm and sunny, then the clouds rolled in with a hint of mammatous in them. No rain, thankfully.

Burst of colour, Policeman’s Flats to McKinnon Flats, Bow River Float, 2024-10-06

I did try to get some closeups of the fall colour, but only had one shot turn out well enough that I liked it. This turns out to be hard to do with a wide-angle lens from somewhat rough moving water!

Everything went smashingly well up until the end when it went, er, splashingly well instead. I made the mistake of coming in too slowly to shore where there is fast moving current ripping past calm water. The moment the nose of my craft hit the slow moving water, the rest of the current swung my back end around and dumped me. It was my own damn fault, I should know better by now.

The good news is that I was back up on my feet in a moment and the wetsuit worked as intended, I wasn’t that cold in the water. The tethers kept my stuff from getting lost or swept away. If you’re going to biff it, do it fifty feet from where you’re parked. Having an audience is a bonus!

TG-7 GPS Track 2024-10-06
GeoTracker Map 2024-10-06
GeoTracker Stats 2024-10-06
Spot X GPS Track 2024-10-06

I travelled just shy of 23 km on this outing, which took three hours and eleven minutes. Longer if you count the time needed to dry off! I’m not sure why the Spot X GSP track is so imprecise when it is set to ping every 2.5 minutes, I’ll have to look into that.

The splash landing at the end notwithstanding, it was a great run and I look forward to doing it again, hopefully with some company next time.

Images from my OM System (Olympus!) Tough TG-7 and Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. The two images of me by my board and on the water are courtesy of my daughter and her Samsung S22 phone. Videos are from my Akaso EK-7000 action camera, a.k.a. the “Crap Cam” which it most certainly is.

Next Post

Previous Post

© 2024 Sean D. McCormick

Pinterest
fb-share-icon
FbMessenger
Reddit
Follow by Email
RSS
Copy link
URL has been copied successfully!