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06/18/2008 11:32:06 PM · #1 |
Local news story, but one that amused me so I took a field trip today. A ship, a cargo ship called the Dockwise was hired to carry 2 cranes for JaxPort's new Asian Shipping Terminal. The only problem was the Dames Point Bridge. The Dames Point Bridge is Jacksonville's only suspension bridge over the St. John's River (and most photogenic of all of Jax's bridges) and is very very very tall. Its only about 2 miles from the cruise line port so cruise ships pass under it many times each day.
Today, Dockwise needed to pass. By all estimates, if the Dockwise passed under PRECISELY at low tide, it should pass with 4 feet of clearance. Low tide today was at 3:45pm so Taylor and I drove up there at about 3:00.
From this shot you can see the Dockwise approaching the bridge. Its not under its own power anymore, there are 2 tugs attached to it for the fine maneuvering. The zoomed bubbles give you a sense of the scale of this beast. In all (at 200+ zoom) I counted 12 men standing around in plain sight. (I'm shooting with 70-200 at full zoom.)
The 3 guys at the very tippy top were the spotters.
... and then the rain started.
We watched for over 30 minutes in the rain while they nudged the ship into place to pass under the bridge. I put a ziplock baggie over my camera, and offered one to the shooter next to me. He refused and tucked his EOS under his soaked t-shirt. What do you think, does he make it?
After all the wait, and in the POURING rain (seriously raindrops big enough to bruise you) we finally see the little guys on the very top of the crane.... no kidding.... reach up and touch the bridge.
Sorry for the quality of the shots, the rain was really ridiculous, but I just had to share. It was so cool to watch such a behemoth lumber along and then with such amazing precision thread a needle like that. Traffic had been stopped on the bridge just in case. Luckily the Dockwise slipped through and Tay & I had a great afternoon. :)
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06/18/2008 11:49:18 PM · #2 |
What a great set of photos. I am sorry that it rained on you, but it gives the images a sort of "Popular Science" from the 50's look. Thanks for sharing.
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06/18/2008 11:54:39 PM · #3 |
| GREAT shots. That's a seriously cool looking bridge too! |
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06/19/2008 12:07:03 AM · #4 |
:) Thanks John & Waddy! If I'd had my way it would have been typical humid, hot and sunny florida day, but instead it was a typical humid, hot, rainy afternoon Florida JUNE day. But it was fun. Tay and I both laughed at how horrid we looked when we finally got back to the car and saw how soaked we were. One day she'll say "hey mom, remember the day...." and I'll love that. :)
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06/19/2008 12:08:38 AM · #5 |
This was very cool! It's not always about technical perfection. :)
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06/19/2008 08:25:55 AM · #6 |
Thanks, Jeffery. I just checked my camera bag.... its almost dry now. :)
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06/19/2008 08:38:53 AM · #7 |
Originally posted by idnic:
I put a ziplock baggie over my camera, and offered one to the shooter next to me. He refused and tucked his EOS under his soaked t-shirt. What do you think, does he make it? |
Well, did he?
Oh! You mean the crane. I was stuck on the guy that was taking the chance on drowning his camera.
Seriously though, great shots and great job of documenting this and conveying what it was like to be there. Like  Sugarpie commented on the last shot, it (that last shot) should be front page news. I bet the local papers didn't run a shot that told the story as well as your did. |
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