I love driving around a new area, finding the special visual places. I've actually done this whether by foot, mountain bike, Jeep or boat since I can remember.

In the first month of moving here to the St George peninsula I took a right off the main road and another off of that, and stumbled on this amazing structure. It's next to a similarly interesting stone house. I have no idea what purpose either served or when they were last used. 

The property would make an incredible wedding/event venue if it weren't for the whole 'in the middle of fuck-all nowhere' aspect. Come to think of it I strongly suspect that's exactly what happened here. Ah well.

Since finding them I lost the track, taking my wife down one dirt road after another hoping to show her my amazing find. Yesterday, wouldn't you know it, she was at the grands with le bébé and I was left to my own devices. Went exploring and there they were.

Ha! Gotta love serendipity.

[and great light]

This is from November, 2017. That would put it after the 'big boat' was damaged in the marina explosion, and before I bought an ocean view condo in, well, Ocean View, VA.  :)
At the helm is friend George, who blasted into the marina one afternoon in a big motor cruiser, and went on to a 53-some foot Amel sailboat in PR. Understand they are back in the States now...somewhere in Florida.
He and his wife took us in for a couple of nights right after the explosion, as we were not allowed back onboard for many days while the investigatory teams did their forensics.
Loved the Fingal. Great sailing characteristics. An old one-lunger Bukh diesel engine that didn't like to start in cold weather.
Down-below was spartan, and in the end it wasn't worth the complete refit she would have needed. But, she had a fantastic spirit and we always felt safe even during 11:30PM sails out to the bridge tunnel and back after work. She's in new hands now, down in Florida last I knew. Sorry to say she looked worse for the wear, but hoping the new owner will bring her back.

Apologies to Bill Bryson for the intentional reference, but that's how it's felt out here on the peninsula lately...as if you're deep in the dark primordial woods. The freezing temps have been replaced by a cold rain and everything is soaked. Gorgeous to see, but look out for the unseen patches of ice beneath the surface!

This image was made in Sept, 2006 with a Canon PowerShot S70. Coming up on twelve years ago. 28~100mm lens, 7MP, not bad at all. At that time I was smack in the middle of the transition to digital. By then I'd sold the two-body, five-prime lens Canon F-1 motor drive 'photojournalism' outfit; the two-body, three-prime Hasselblad studio kit; and even the 4x5 Toyo and Leica M3. However, pro [full-frame] digital gear was still way too dear. Think $10k, $20k. $30k for a body and lens dear. Yes, yes. I had that much in total in the other gear and yes, you can spend that today on a spartan Leica SL or Phase1 setup. But, I wasn't supporting myself with photography since I'd also unloaded the film business, so pocket cameras were all could consider. One barely affordable option was a crop-sensor camera, but I just couldn't get my head around it - how do I buy lenses...for what they do on the short-term crop body or their eventual use? And, when will that be? I'd love to hear from anyone who threaded that needle successfully. But for me, it meant pocket digital cameras with tiny sensors. The advantage though, besides price, was their portability. I probably had a camera with me far more often than I would have had I stuck to the big guns. [this was pre-iPhone days don't forget]  :)