Kayak Ad Shoot /  by Dave Hileman

I went to the river to try and see some birds and photograph them, but there I found a crew about to shoot an ad for a kayak company located in Wilmington, NC. They had four crew, one kayak and one model who did not know how to paddle so a quick lesson on how to hold the paddle took place before the launch. They were on the opposite side of the river from my position on the dock where I was with an ad person and the director of the crew. I shot across the river with my long lens. Had a good time. Today’s photos are all with the crew in sight, I will do a few more of just the model and the kayak later.

Another Pair of Manatee/ /  by Dave Hileman

And the mother is in the foreground, her 10 day old baby just surfaced behind her. This was the second of the very young manatee I saw over a few days at Silver Springs State Park. I told the couple in the red canoe as they passed on the main river about the baby and they came to see and added a lot to the photo.

A Little Monkey Business in Florida /  by Dave Hileman

At Silver Springs State Park in Florida you may encounter wild monkeys. The park is one of the few places in the US where they have not only escaped but these have thrived. The group I encountered numbered about 35 and were eating the leaves near the top of the trees or just running and playing. The original group was released decades ago when a man operated a tour here called Jungle Cruise and added these animals. When his venture failed the monkeys were just released. The better story that is told is that they escaped when they shot a Tarzan movie here but that common tale is not true.

They are fun to watch and seemed to avoid people staying off the boardwalk and even when close ignored the people watching.

Woodduck (2 photos) /  by Dave Hileman

This is a beautiful bird and I encountered him while kayaking at the Silver Springs State Park in Florida. He was standing on a small bit of log in a quiet cove. I was the first boat in the water that day and did not even see a second boat until an hour later. It was so nice. So I was with the current here and coasted with my camera ready to about 12-15 feet from the bird and took the shot. He showed no sign of distress so I just stayed a couple of minutes and watched as the female also emerged and settled in the water at the other end of the log. Great moment.

This was the alternative post for Valentine's Day /  by Dave Hileman

This female cardinal is poised. She has put on fresh beakstick, applied a bit of rouge and had her stylist add just a touch of color and, those eyes, they don’t miss a thing. She finds a prominent branch in a good neighborhood with a sunny slant to show off her well-feathered figure and then, coyly, glances over a toned wing while she waits.

Meanwhile, in the second photo, the male cardinal wakes up! Now alert to her high above and thinks “he” has a great original idea. Right!

Fort Clinch /  by Dave Hileman

Since I posted the Sally Port, I thought i ought to post more of the fort. It never saw any hostile action but still served as a defense position for the important harbors. One of the larger of the all brick forts only a few of the bricks were made locally, most came by ship from South Carolina. It occupied briefly by the Confederacy but they withdrew and the Union took control early in the war. Today it is part of the Florida State Park system and has a small museum, a lot of the fort to explore and they charge a modest entry fee. On many weekends there are volunteer costumed guides to answer questions and show some of the life required to man such a fort.

Portrait Project # 11 /  by Dave Hileman

I met Kenneth on a dock along the Silver River in Silver Springs State Park, FL. He was paddling a very small, light weight vessel that was mostly canoe with a touch of kayak. Kenneth was most interesting. He said he was just a hippie gypsy. He is from Vermont where he works a bit each year as a painter to support his travels that he does most frugally. And successfully, he has been to 132 countries. Wow. We talked about places he has seen and the wildlife he enjoys so much. And he lives in his minivan or hitchhikes. Who knew people still did that. I used to hitchhike to work while in high school but even then it seemed less simple then what you read about a few years before that when it was more ordinary. I once picked up an Amish man in Lancaster County, PA who was carrying a huge watermelon. It felt virtuous - not the watermelon.

So after a bit, Kenneth bid me goodbye and paddled off to his next adventure.

All Together Now....awwww..... /  by Dave Hileman

The little nose you see poking out of the water belongs to a four day-old manatee at Silver Springs in Florida. That is mom to the left of her baby and in a protective posture keeping the little one shoreside of her. Some male manatee will occasionally attack the mother to get milk and she defends herself to feed the newborn. I also shot a photo of another manatee about 12 days old when I saw him/her and I will post that photo sometime here. This one was taken from a boardwalk the other I took from a kayak. The ranger was the source for the ages of the newly arriving manatee.

Sally Port /  by Dave Hileman

This is the only entrance to Fort Clinch along the St. Marys River east of Jacksonville, FL The fort was built in the early 1800’s to protect the harbors up river - which now include a major submarine base for the USNavy - but I don’t thing they depend on the fort’s armaments. The sally port was from the old meaning of sally as in bursting forth and would be used to attack the attackers of the fort or for going out on a mission (“sally forth”) from the fort. There are still sally ports today in prisons, for example. A fort’s sally port almost always had a cannon located so if the port was breached by attackers, the first thing they met was a burst of grapeshot from the cannon. This fort usually has a cannon by the flag pole but it was out back getting a repair.

Clearly the educational value of Two Lane Touring is staggering. If you pass the test I offer, after 4 years of viewing, I imagine many prestigious universities would be happy to grant you scores of credits.

Portrait Project #10 /  by Dave Hileman

Meet the artist, Lisa. She and her club of fellow artists were spending the morning at the Kingsley Plantation east of Jacksonville, Florida. I watched a number of them but Lisa’s work was the most compelling to me. She was using pastels to work on a rendering of the house itself. I thought her work was subtle and captured the feel of the place well. She was not really done with her canvas but the group was leaving just a bit after noon, so I did not get to see her finished project. She also belonged to a different arts group with a different media.

Oh, the Humidity! /  by Dave Hileman

“I will never be ready for church with this hair. It is not going to be fixed with a scrunchie that is for certain and I am not sure enough hairspray exits in Florida. What ever will I do, everyone is going to be pointing at me. I can just hear old Mabel, not a feather askew, Anhinga prat on and on about how her nest is better and “did you see her hair today?’ I really wish she would just hang out with the crazy Wood Storks, she would fit right in. But the hair, a new cut? A new hat? That’s it a new hat and I will start a fashion trend and won’t Mabel just be so jealous. Now where is my purse?”

Industrious /  by Dave Hileman

I watched this cormorant gather sticks from one side of the Silver River and fly across over some trees on the other side for a long time. He made a trip about every three minutes and I am glad because it took a few trips before I captured a photo in focus and in frame. He was only about 25/30 feet in front of me flying fast left to right. It could have been both the male and female taking turns at the task or maybe just the female and the male was watching football. It was a beautiful afternoon in the Silver Springs State Park in central Florida and nice to be out in the warm sunshine.

A Few More (five to be precise) /  by Dave Hileman

These are a handful of shots from the CherryLake races 5k, 10k and DUO. Beautiful morning, slightly cool, no wind and several hundred participants.

10k Start

Angie on her way to a win in class.

A DUO runner heading downhill and back to the bikes.

All ages were competing (check next photo)

Sweethearts /  by Dave Hileman

St. Valentine’s Day is upon us. I trust that you have let someone special know how much you care and you plan to spend time with each other. Don’t take days for granted. Even ones that might seem trite or too commercial. Tell someone you love them, better, show someone you love them. Even if you just carve E. S. loves J. L. on a tree. (it is recommended that you use correct initials, those are just instructional.) No not right, carve the old park bench, in a heart of course. Well, maybe neither of those are good ideas but make an effort! Hold hands, walk on the beach, eat chocolate, kiss like you mean it! Or send flowers, walk in a garden, sit by the fire, or listen to romantic music from years ago when you first dated. The point, is to make sure that someone knows you love them. Be creative folks.

Happy Valentines Day.

Photo is from Fort Clinch State Park, Florida, sunset on the ocean.

Portrait Project #8 & 9 /  by Dave Hileman

This married couple, Lee and Nancy, are enthusiastic members of Trinity Methodist Church in Fernandina Beach, FL. I met Lee first as he stood outside the modest building waving to people passing the church, everybody passing the church. He was wearing a great hat too, just like Nancy is in this photo. She and Lee were the people I sought out after the service to learn more about the church and its ministry. What a delight they proved to be and we enjoyed a great conversation about the turn around of this historic congregation that was founded in 1822 as a fully integrated church. As it remains today with Pastor Felix, an energetic and faithful proclaimer of the gospel.

Accomplishment /  by Dave Hileman

These are a few of the photos I took on Saturday at the CherryLake race in Florida. These four are folks crossing the finish line for the 5k. Lots of emotions especially for the first timers who were not sure they could do it. Lots of joy in their feat. There will be more photos this week. Lots of fun there.

Rise Above! /  by Dave Hileman

These are the quarters where the enxlaved men and women lived at the Kingsley Plantation just south of Jacksonville, FL. They are remarkable for having survived so well. There were about 30 in a very large semi-circle 1/2 mile from the main house. Each of them is about 9 by 15 feet, all with a two doors and a single window with no glass. Some have two rooms others one and a small fireplace. The setting appears idyllic but of course it was not. The swamps are just behind the quarters and the work was hard, long and often brutal. Heat and mosquitos were constant companions; the lack of freedom, crushing. Yet people survived and some rose well beyond these terrible circumstances. One young woman, 13 years old, was bought by the plantation owner and he married her, Anna. She ran this plantation and ran it very well. One of her descendants is the women who is married to James (portrait project number 7). You can read about her https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnnetta_Cole. Don’t let where you came from, your history, or your challenges determine your future.