Winter Photography II

Salvaging a deadrise (click to enlarge)
Fuji X-T2, 16-55mm f/2.8 lens @ 15.9mm; 1/550th sec. @ f/8; ISO 200
(So how does a 16-55mm lens make a photo at 15.9mm?  First for me!)

The cold winter day was overcast when I awoke but the people who predict weather said the skies would clear as the day progressed.  Having nothing specifically planned for the day, I thought I would grab the camera and head out to see what interesting subjects I could find in the region.  In other words, one of my favorite things, wander through the back roads and along the shoreline.  I do that every opportunity I get.  One of the places I stopped was this secluded little harbor just off the James River in Isle of Wight County, Virginia.  It is called Tyler's Beach.

Several deadrise workboats are based out of this little protected body of water.  The deadrise is the choice of vessel of the hard working men who are out on the water before dawn fishing for oysters.  It doesn't matter how cold or how hot the day may be, they can't afford not to work if at all possible.  I've met a few of them and these are pretty tough guys.  Some grizzly looking from years of being out on the water every day.

As I drove in, I was surprised to see this deadrise work boat floating as pictured above. The last time I visited in the fall, it was half underwater behind the three moored boats in the background.  Someone obviously refloated it and is try to salvage it.

There were a couple of the oystermen standing around talking and, as I started to make some images, one of them called out to me with a generic question as to why I was photographing the old derelict.  I walked over to him, introduced myself and told him that I photographed as a hobby.  He introduced himself and we had a very nice conversation. It turns out he refloated the old vessel and was going to salvage it.  He said someone had purposely sunk it last year and left it to rot.  In the image above, the boat used to sit moored behind the three boats in the background.

I made a few more images of this boat and some others, both derelicts and intact workboats, then yelled out to him goodbye and I wished him good luck.  All in all, a nice experience and I've now made a friend among the fisherman.  Making friends with this man is like depositing money in a checking account to be available for a future withdrawal.  He may be of help to me in my future photographic endeavors.

Thanks for looking. Enjoy! 

Dennis A. Mook 

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