Sunday, August 30, 2020

The Federal Cedar at the Nicholson Dock

 After getting pictures of the Cuyahoga, I decided that I wanted to see how far my drone would go.  I figured that might be useful information for the future.

The Federal Cedar was docked at Nicholson.  I think she was coming in from overseas because AIS reported her origin as Port Weller.  I think AIS keeps the last port they visited, so it wasn't her origin.
I couldn't fly my drone too high because of the wind.  It was starting to pick up while I was there.  This was about as far as I could go.  I think there may be a way to set my maximum distance but I don't want to go out too far because I don't want to lose it.  Anyway, still made for a pretty cool picture.

 

The Cuyahoga Passes at Sunrise

 So I was supposed to meet my dad in Port Huron so that I could show him my drone.  He had something else come up but I was up by Algonac at that time, so I figured I might as well stay up there and get more ship pictures.  However before doing that, I saw that the Cuyahoga would be passing Detroit around sunrise, so I headed there first.

She was almost at the bridge when I arrived.  So I didn't have much time for shots.
She was heading from Sarnia to Ashtabula (or at least that's what AIS said).  I think she may have stopped in Sarnia for fuel and then continued on her way.
I wasn't particularly happy about shooting into the sun, but I like the way the pictures turned out.  Especially after doing a little post processing on them.
Even though this was is kind of washed out, I do like it.
So then I took my drone up.  We had some pretty nasty thunderstorms on Friday and it was still windy.  My drone started to yell at me when I took her too far up.
But I was able to get it more towards the middle of the river.
I kind of like this one.  Again, I wish I wasn't shooting into the sun.  She is getting something from the Westcott.
The Westcott pulls away.
The Cuyahoga continues onto Ashtabula.

 

 

Friday, August 28, 2020

The Water Tower From the Air Again

 Since it was on the way home, I figured I would try to get some pictures of the water tower again.

With the sky clouded over, the subdued lighting was actually pretty nice.
It was petty windy when I got my drone up higher.  It was giving me warnings that it was too windy.  I was getting afraid it would get carried away, so I brought it back.
But I had to try a couple more views.
 As I was bringing it down, I noticed this puddle and I liked the reflection.

The Wolverine at the Barton Dam

 It wasn't long before the Wolverine appeared.

I'm gonna have to try this again.  I'll have to get here earlier next time, because I would like to try to get the dam in the picture.  The only problem being is that there is some separation between the dam and the track.
the Wolverine getting closer.  Although I'll have to admit this is pretty nice scenery.  There are a couple other places I might have to try to get a picture.
It gets closer yet.
 This is about the position I wanted to get it in Ypsilanti.

The Barton Dam from the Air

 So I figured I would try to catch the Wolverine at Barton Dam tonight.  I wasn't sure if I would make it in time.  If I didn't make it in time, I figured I would get some pictures of the dam. 

It's a pretty cool looking dam.  With those windows, it looks almost like a cathedral.
I'm not sure how many pictures I have of this dam but it was nice to get some from different angles.
I have to figure out if there is way I can set the drone to a slower shutter speed.  Would love to have the falls blurred.
Anyway, I just moved around the dam.  I tried to be careful, I didn't want to have an accident with my drone.
I think I'm gonna have to do this again.
Looking from top down.  I might have to get higher and see if I can get some straight down shots.
I kind of like this shot.
And one more.

Thursday, August 27, 2020

Whereupon I Catch Five (FIVE!) 757s

 I'm trying to re-establish my tradition of going to the airport on Thursday nights.  With many of the airplanes returning from their COVID induced rests, it is getting busier but still not where it it was before.  I used to be able to catch Air France and Royal Jordanian on Thursday nights but I have a feeling that is not going to happen until more normalcy returns.  I knew that I would be able to catch the Fed Ex and UPS 757s but I was not expecting the others.

One of the 757s I was not expecting was this 757-300.
It was coming in from Minneapolis and it went back to Minneapolis.
The clouds were pretty cool and it was threatening thunder storms today but those never materialized.
This particular plane is affectionately known as the flynig pencil.
Mainly because it is so long and narrow.
I wasn't sure if I would make it in time for this plane but I did.
It is the Fed Ex 757.
It was coming in from Memphis.
And I think as I type this post, it is returning to Memphis.
An American Airlines E145 coming in from O'Hare Airport.
An A220 arriving from Dallas Fort Worth.
I will have to admit, this plane is growing on me.
It is a pretty nice looking plane and I hear it is really nice on the inside.
Beacon!
Anyway it is pretty cool looking.
One more shot.
A Spirit Airlines A321 arriving from Orlando.  I liked the clouds in the background.
Another angle of that plane with a beacon shot.
An A319 coming in from San Diego.
A United Airlines E175 from Newark.
This plane has a tail number of N313DN and it's rather appropriate it is coming to the 313 from Atlanta.
And the UPS 757 arrives from Louisville.  While it comes from the west of the airport, it normally arrives on the eastern runway because that's where it's terminal is.
I'm not sure which livery I like better.
Actually I think this one looks better than Fed Ex.
While I think the Fed Ex livery is cleaner, this is cooler.
And coolness wins in my books.
A Delta A320 arriving from JFK.
It was followed by one from Boston.
And another 757.
This one was arriving from the City of Tampa because it couldn't arrive from Tampa Bay without floats.
the clouds were pretty cool tonight.
And it was cool to see so many 757s tonight.
Now if only I could see the Blough again.
A CRJ-900 coming in from Columbus.
Another 757 with a cool cloud backdrop.
This particular one was coming in from the Land of the Mouse.
Actually, I think Orlando is the world of the Mouse.
Anyway, this was my fifth 757 tonight.
And one more shot because I got the moon in the shot.