The Wandering Photographer

1812 Privateer Replica Sails the Great Lakes

Stern view of the Privateer Lynx docked at Frankfort, MI.

 One of the great thinks about Historical milestones is the chance to attend various reenactments and replicas. The coming 200th anniversary of the War of 1812 is no exception. I previously wrote a post about the 1812 Militia Muster at the Greenfield Village in Dearborn, MI. Today I'm going to introduce you to the replica ship the Privateer Lynx.

The original Lynx received a letter of marque from President Madison. The letter allowed the Lynx to trade with the allied and neutral countries of Europe in support of the American war effort. The Lynx was armed, largely for self-defense. You can learn more about this replica and the original privateer here.

The Lynx was armed with 4 six pounders (cannon) and 4 swivel guns (shown here).

One of the great ways to get remembrances of the ship is to take photos of details of the ship. Concentrating on rigging, flags, bells and ropes presents a great feel for the ship.

Note that the flag has only 15 stars and it has 15 stripes. This was the second official flag of the United States and remained so until 1818, when the flag reverted to 13 stripes and 5 stars were added to represent the states admitted between 1792 and 1818.

Detail of the ship's rail and lines.

Lamp in the area immediately below deck

As you can see from the detail this is a working vessel.

As you can see some of the jobs on board are as dangerous as they were 200 years ago. Imgine climbing this rigging while underway.

If you get a chance, be sure to check out any War of 1812 reenactments or replicas in your home town.

© 2011 Tim Marks

The War of 1812 Militia Muster

Always photogenic, military encampments and battle re-enactments are a fun way to learn history and get some great pictures for the photo album. We are likely to see many Civil War battles re-enacted over the next four years in celebration of the 150th anniversary of America's nation defining conflict.

Another war, oft forgotten, is soon to celebrate it's 200th anniversary. In 1812 the fledgling United States again went to war with Great Britain over a myriad of disputes. I had the opportunity to attend an 1812 militia muster at Greenfield Village. Greenfield Village is a living museum that is part of the Dearborn Michigan attraction "The Henry Ford."

Part of every re-enactment are soldiers dressed in the uniforms of the era. The military of the early republic still retained the colorful military style of earlier years. The bright colors were often necessary for the troops to recognize friend from foe.Especially in the "fog od War."

Imagine this smoke multiplied by hundreds of soldiers.

The re-enactment included weapons demonstrations, crafts and a fashion show. This gives the observer a good idea of what life was like. somewhat simplistic but a great starting point.

Firing a mortar in 1812 required a crew of five to six men.

Men's civilian fashion very much mimicked military dress.

Women's fashion began to evolve and become "less proper" I can here the dad now "you can leave the house dressed like that!"

The War of 1812 has been often ignored. It was important and widespread however. Detroit was surrendered to the Canadians without the firing of a shot. The new Americans attacked and ransacked the city of York, Upper Canada (now Toronto), while the British attacked the District of Columbia, burning the White House before they left.

If you get a chance to visit a re-enactment of an encampment do it, and don't forget your camera.

© 2011 Tim Marks

Lake Superior Beaches

Walking along the beach is a favorite activity of folks in the Great Lakes region. There are no better beaches to walk than those along Lake Superior.

Known to the native Ojibwe as Gichigami, Lake Superior is the largest freshwater lake in the world with a total area of almost 32,000 sq mi (82,500 sq km). The lakes beaches range from sandy to rocky and are often fronted by cliffs of copper bearing rock or sandstone.

Most of these pictures were shot along the beaches of the Keweenaw Peninsula in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

Shot during a hike on the Hunter's Point Trail at Copper Harbor, MI

Further along the same beach at Hunter's Point. As you can see the beach is made up of small stones rather than sand.

Just a few miles down the coast the beaches are very different.

A walk along any beach is bound to be photographically productive.

The Superior shore is dotted with numerous picturesque lighthouses.

There is no better way to end a day of hiking and photography than to sit on the deck of your motel and watch the sun set over the Lake.

© 2010 Tim Marks all rights reserved

Photo Friday: Wrestling a Cannon in Quebec

Earlier this week I presented some photos of Canada Day in Quebec City.  Today I have a fun scene that we came across as we were walking back from La Citadelle de Quebec.  We came across this row of old cannons that once protected the city.  As you can see a young boy and girl (his sister I presume) are showing their climbing prowess while their mother looks on.  The Citadel was built between 1820 and 1850 and currently houses the Royal 22e Regiment, an official residence of the Governor General of Canada and an extensive military museum.

Have a good Labor/Labour Day weekend everyone!

Thanks to Debbie of Delicious Baby for organizing Photo Friday and spreading such wonderful images across the Web.

© 2009 Tim Marks all rights reserved

Canada Day in Quebec City

Monday I showed off some of my pictures of Quebec City back in 2004.  The day we were visiting happened to be July 1^st, Canada Day.  Canada Day (formerly Dominion Day) is the celebration of the enactment of the British North America Act in 1867.  This act combined the British Colonies of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and the Province of Canada (including what are now Quebec, Ontario, and the western provinces and territories) into a united country.  Newfoundland and Prince Edward Island were added later.

In the province of Quebec that unity is still controversial and Canada Day draws demonstrations.  There are a number of groups, political and otherwise, in Quebec that advocate a number of governance scenarios, from complete independence to sovereign association to keeping the status quo.  I’m not going to get into the issues here, I just wanted to show some of the protests I saw on Canada Day in 2004.

Nikon D1x, Tamron 24-135mm f/3.5-5.6 @ 70mm, ISO 125, 1/320 @ f/9

As we came around the corner we encountered a large group of pro-independence protesters.  The protesters were noisy but not violent and included men, women and Children of various ages.

Nikon D1x, Tamron 24-135mm f/3.5-5.6 @ 135mm, ISO 125, 1/250 @ f/9

The protesters were surrounded by police but as you can see the police were not decked out in riot gear and did not appear to be interfering with the protest in any way.

Nikon D1x, Tamron 24-135mm f/3.5-5.6 @ 135mm, ISO 125, 1/160 @ f/9

This picture shows a, seemingly, more militant protester.  He wears an armband with the initials (MLNQ) of a radical separatist group.  Again, the protest was completely non-violent. 

Nikon D1x, Tamron 24-135mm f/3.5-5.6 @ 36mm, ISO 125, 1/250 @ f/9

In an interesting juxtaposition, a Canadian Armed Forces Band came down the street.  The police slowly moved the demonstrators away for the road and as the band passed, the music blended with the cacophony of protest from the demonstrators. 

People here in the U.S. tend to forget that we are not the only nation with a long and glorious history of free speech and protest against and in favor of our governments.

Come back for a “cute” Quebec photo on “Photo Friday.”

© 2009 Tim Marks all rights reserved

Wandering & Photographing Quebec City

Last week I presented some of my pictures from our 2004 trip to Newfoundland.  On the way we stopped for a couple of nights in Quebec City, QC.  What a wonderful city it is!  One of the oldest cities in North America, Quebec City, or Ville de Quebec in French, was founded in 1608 by Samuel de Champlain and was intended to be a commercial outpost to facilitate trade with the old world.

Nikon D1x, Tamron 24-135mm f/3.5-5.6 @ 56mm, ISO 125, 1/500 @ F/9

For a student of history, the most interesting part of Province Quebec’s second largest city is the fortified section of the city known as Vieux-Quebec (old Quebec).  Old Quebec is the only remaining walled city in the Americas north of Mexico and has been designated a UNESCO world Heritage site.  This view of the Old Quebec skyline gives a good idea of what the old city looks like.

Nikon D1x, Nikkor 12-24mm f/4 @ 18mm, ISO 125, 1/320 @ f/9

Buildings dating to the 18^th and 19^th century set on cobblestone roads are a common site in Old Quebec.

Nikon D1x, Nikkor 12-24mm f/4 @ 24mm, ISO 125, 1/200 @ f/9

Brightly decorated shops, cafés and homes line the streets giving the old town a European feel.

Nikon D1x, Tamron 24-135mm f/3.5-5.6 @ 100mm, ISO 125, 1/250 @ f/9

While walking down the street, the bright reds and yellows of this café attracted my attention.  Scenes like this one can be seen all over the old sector.

Nikon D1x, Tamron 24-135mm f/3.5-5.6 @ 62mm, ISO 125, 1/320 @ f/9

Dominating the Old Quebec skyline is the luxurious and very expensive hotel, Le Chateau Frontenac.  Originally built by the Canadian Pacific Railroad it opened in 1893 and is now owned by the well known Fairmont chain.  

Quebec City is one of those places on my return-to list.  It is steeped in the history of Canada and the exploration of the Northern United States.

Wednesday I will present some images that display some of the controversy that shrouds Quebec and Canada, a different take on a Canada Day Celebration.

© 2009 Tim Marks all rights reserved

Photo Friday: What a Difference a Day Makes, Signal Hill, St. John's Newfoundland

Boy, what a difference a day makes.  After a 2000 mile drive, including five hours on a ferry and a good night’s sleep, we awakened to a fog shrouded St. John’s, Newfoundland.  We decided to go ahead and do some sightseeing anyway.  We made our way up to Signal Hill and its iconic Cabot Tower at the entranced to the harbor.

Nikon D1x, Tamron 24-135mm f/3.5-5.6 @ 30mm, ISO 125, 1/250 @ f/9

Here is a view of Cabot Tower hidden by the fog.  We spent some time inside the tower talking to the Parks Canada rangers and learning about the hill and tower.  It was here in 1901 that Guglielmo Marconi received the first ever transatlantic wireless transmission (the Morse code for the letter S sent continuously).  

When we departed from the tower and returned to our car, we found a man holding a television camera marked with the logo of the Canadian Broadcast Company (CBC).  It seems that he noticed Dominique’s bright yellow Pontiac Aztek with the Michigan License plates and wanted to interview us.  He asked if, after driving so far, we were disappointed about the weather.  Of course, we told him that we were having a great time and that we knew that Newfoundland weather was unpredictable and changeable (we’re used to that here in Michigan).

Nikon D1x, Tamron 24-135mm f/3.5-5.6 @ 24mm, ISO 200, 1/160 @ f/14

The weather did change and the next day we went back and re-toured the historical site.  We had a chuckle with the ranger when he told us he had seen us the night before on the news.  Unfortunately we hadn’t gotten a chance to see the news that night and missed our TV debut.

Thanks to Debbie of Delicious Baby for organizing Photo Friday and spreading such wonderful images across the Web.

© 2009 Tim Marks all rights reserved

Newfoundland Whale & Puffin Tour

One of the things that many visitors to Newfoundland do is to take some kind of Whale and Puffin watching boat cruise.  In that way we are no different.  You can always see the whales from the beaches and cliffs along the coast, and you can get fairly close to puffins in a few places (Cape Bonivista is one) but a cruise adds the fun of the boat ride to the wildlife viewing.

Nikon D1x, Nikkor 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR @80mm, ISO 200, 1/640 @ f/9

So we signed up for the Gatheralls Whale/Puffin Cruise out of Bays Bulls, NL.  The cruise goes out to the Witless Bay Ecological Preserve for a, fairly, close up view of the puffins and many sightings of humpback whales while en route.

Nikon D1x, Nikkor 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR @400mm, ISO 200, 1/1000 @ f/5.6

There are three species of puffins.  The birds shown here are Atlantic Puffins and can be found in abundance near Maine, Newfoundland & Labrador and Iceland (they are actually considered a delicacy in Iceland). 

Nikon D1x, Nikkor 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR @400mm, ISO 200, 1/640 @ f/5.6

As they flew around our boat I couldn’t help but thinking they looked like Black & white footballs (the American kind) with wings.  I have no idea how those small, rapidly moving, wings can hold up those fat little bodies.

Nikon D1x, Nikkor 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR @165mm, ISO 200, 1/640 @ f/9

One the way out to the puffin’s island we encountered numerous Humpback Whales and I was able to get a few pretty good images.  You get a glimpse of the whale’s back as it begins to surface.

Nikon D1x, Nikkor 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR @135mm, ISO 200, 1/350 @ f/9

As it begins to dive up comes the tale and the “classic whale image” is yours for the making.  We did get the opportunity to see one of the most spectacular whale watching experiences, a full breech.  The whale leaps into the air and falls back to the water with a massive belly flop.  Unfortunately while the experience was exhilarating, it was far too distant for any good pictures.  Maybe next time!

You can see some of my other Canada posts here.

© 2009 Tim Marks all rights reserved

Fort Point Lighthouse at Trinity Bay Newfoundland

Today starts a week of three blog posts about photographing Newfoundland, Canada.  In 2004 we drove from Michigan to Newfoundland for our vacation, a journey of about 2000 miles.  This eastern most Canadian province is an island of wonderful landscapes, quaint villages and some of the friendliest people we have met.

Some of the best photo ops on Newfoundland are its myriad lighthouses that mark the entrance of most the harbors and points on the island.  One of those lights can be found at Admiral’s Point at the entrance to Trinity Bay.

The current Fort Point Light (also known as the Admiral’s Point Light or Trinity Light) was built in 2003 and is an active aid to navigation.  The first light at the location was built in 1871 and updated in the 1920s.

Several old cannons can be seen on the grounds honoring the light station’s history as a site defending the entrance to the bay.

Being so new, only a year old when these pictures were shot, this is one of the province’s prettier lights.  The rocky hill upon which it stands makes for dramatic photos.  This one was well worth the drive over from the town of Trinity.

Come back on Wednesday for some images I made while on a Whale/Puffin viewing tour.

©2009 Tim Marks all rights reserved

Photo Friday: Detroit – Ontario Underground Railroad Memorial

Nikon D300,  Nikkor 12-24mm f/4 @ 14mm, ISO 200,  1/250 @ f/11

In the years leading up to the Civil War, Detroit was the last stop on an arduous and dangerous journey to freedom for many people.   The Underground Railroad was a secretive web of brave Americans who dedicated their lives to helping slaves escape captivity and make their way to freedom in Canada.  Detroit was an important “station” on the way.

Nikon D300,  Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5 @ 27mm, ISO 200,  1/200 @ f/10

On October 20, 2001 two memorials, by artist Ed Dwight, were installed on the banks of the Detroit River, one in Detroit (Hart Plaza) and one in Windsor, Ontario.  The purpose of the installation was to remember and memorialize the slaves and “conductors” of the Underground Railroad. 

Nikon D300,  Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5 @ 55mm, ISO 200,  1/125 @ f/10

The sculpture on the Detroit side shows nine slaves and a conductor, the conductor is pointing toward Windsor and freedom for the slave family.

Nikon D300,  Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5 @ 56mm, ISO 200,  1/160 @ f/10

The Sculpture tugs at the viewer’s heart and expresses feelings of fear, uncertainty, hope and freedom.  The mother protectively hugging her child is particularly moving.

I have not had the opportunity to go over to Windsor to see the other portion of the memorial but I plan to soon.

I am honored to have one of my images of the memorial on display at the Bean & Leaf Café in Royal Oak, MI during the months of August and September.

Thanks to Debbie of Delicious Baby for organizing Photo Friday and spreading such wonderful images across the Web.

© Tim Marks all rights reserved