OpSail 2012

I wandered down to the riverfront with my camera late yesterday in hopes of capturing a few images of the Tall Ships that have arrived from all over the world to participate in OpSail 2012. This extravaganza happens once a decade or so and the ships spend a few days in each of several ports along the East Coast.  

Unfortunately, I missed the Parade of Sails when all of the Tall Ships display full sail from the Chesapeake Bay to the Elizabeth River and then by power on in to the harbor. I witnessed this in 2000 and it was quite a spectacle. There were so many people at the waterfront yesterday that I was unable to get any great photos of the ships. I could not find the Cuauhtemoc, a 270' Barque from Mexico, but will try to locate it on Sunday.  Here are a few pics of "parts" of the big boats and not so big boats.

El Arte Abstracto

Securing the sails

Bow of Tall Ship Juan Sebastian de Elcano -Spain

 Stern of Juan Sebastian de Elcano - 370'

Norwegian Monster  -the very top of HNoMS Thor Heyerdahl -Norway

Black and White

Today (Sunday) was cold, gray and misty - a perfect day for a few colorless photographs. I found a street downtown, with few people to get in the way, and captured these images. Digital photography is amazing. You have a choice of color or black and white without having to change the film.  And no time spent in a darkroom or sending to a film processor. Sweet!

is this tree really as tall as a 25-story building?

the library window

lion heads and fleur-de-lis

someone mutters and the street lamp gutters...

...and a bit of color

Urban scenes II

I know... this is not Mérida, but it's all I have to work with at the moment. 

30 days and counting!

Stars and Stripes Reflected

Sacred Heart Catholic Church
Ghent, Norfolk, VA

St. Paul's Episcopal Church and Graveyard

St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Downtown, Norfolk, VA
Embedded cannon ball fired by Lord Dunmore, 1776

Reflections I

Reflections II

P.S. Double click on the images for a closer look.

Urban scenes I

A sample of my latest photo project... Urban Churches

Tower, St. Mary of The Immaculate Conception Catholic Church
Downtown, Norfolk, VA

Entrance, First Presbyterian Church
Ghent, Norfolk, VA

First Baptist Church
Downtown, Norfolk, VA

Christ & St. Luke's Episcopal Church
Ghent, Norfolk, VA