The camera is suspended from the line, which is attached to the kite, creating a bit of a shock absorber. A battery powered servo rotates the camera rig every 30 seconds and snaps a picture. Winds can blow the camera around, so we use a fast shutter of at least 1/400 second. It takes about 12 mph of wind to lift the rig. On this day, we had 15-20 mph and the kite shot up like an elevator with almost no coaxing. The view is of the Congressional Cemetery on Capitol Hill. It is a 35-acre burial ground with about 55,000 “residents.” The river is the Anacostia, a tributary of the mighty Potomac. Big thanks to kite wrangler Rasheed Willis for his exceptional work on this project.
Looking east at the end of day you can see the upper bend of the Anacostia. That building is DC Jail.
This shows the road that goes south east toward the Anacostia River. You can just make out the 11th St. Bridge.
The camera rotated toward the setting sun and these beautiful flares were a lovely accident.
Some of the orange trees in the foreground are Cherry trees which really colored up this year, perhaps becuase of all the rains.
This shows the hills of Anacostia across the river of the same name.
If you follow the line down to the ground…you will see the kite operator frantically trying to bring the rig down to the ground. In 20mph winds…that thing wanted to stay aloft!
This totem pole was set up as a native american tribute to 9/11. Camera was only about 80 feet off the ground in this shot.
Whoa…gotta catch the rig before it smashes into one of those stones!
A dangerous privateer in these waters: Pride of Baltimore II
The 10 pounders flamed in our direction and grapeshot whistled overhead, missing our rigging and splashing harmlessly to the lee. The nimble scow jumped to life as we heeled her up and darted under the big schooner’s bowsprit.
Our only hope was to sail under the deck guns and launch the grappling hooks. The jackanapes aboard the so-called Pride of Baltimore would get a proper DC drubbing, hand to hand!
As we crossed under the foresails, Karen swung the treble hook overhead in lazy loops, cowboy fashion. Just as she was letting fly, a manatee surfaced from the depths and bumped the bilgeboards. A miss on the first toss as the iron and rope fell to the waves! Continue reading Like an Apparition, the Big Privateer Opened its Gunports→
Jeff is an activist sailor who likes to stay busy. No trouble with that this Saturday as the shifting winds required constant trimming and the currents were just fierce after five days of rain following Hurricane Irene. All this was a bit funny because when we put up the sails at 7:30 it looked like we were going to be paddling the boat more than sailing…ha!
Snatched from his crib at a young age, friend and cycling legend Mike Snuggles insists he was stolen away and nurtured for several months by a mythical creature, half woman – half seal, known as the Selkie.
It’s a tall tale rooted in fact and festooned with fantasy, befitting a tormented soul whose past is as murky as the depths of the two rivers that join at nation’s capitol.
Irish lore has it that Selkies are friends of ancient fisherman, beautiful creatures who could be tamed and wed when they slithered on land and shed their sealskin exterior. Continue reading Search for the Elusive Potomac Selkie→
Two million years ago, a glacial finger scraped a 12 mile valley out of a stream bed and when it retreated, water filled what is now Lake Owasco. It may be one of the least known of the 11 finger lakes in the middle of New York State, but from where I stand it is the best for sailing thanks to lower hills and less chop than surrounding lakes like Skaneateles and Cayuga.
What's for breakfast?
Winds in 2011 were consistent for the two weeks we were able to spend on the water. Our dog Mike didn’t get to see much of us many of the days, but he seems to be getting up in age perhaps appreciating a slower pace. Certainly he was enjoying the bed on the sleeping porch.
If you watch the video through, you see the extended righting moment that explains why these overpowered boats don’t go over more often. Special thanks to Karen’s cousin Valerie for the video work!
