Last night for a change of pace I decided to get out of the city and go take some photos in Stillwater. Little did I know I would barely get to downtown Stillwater to get a couple of shots of the lift bridge. I decided to stop by Sunnyside Marina, fully expecting the gates to be locked. I was hoping to get some pictures of the new Hwy 36 bridge. What I found was so much better.
Give me shelter with a smoke stack.
Not only was the gate unlocked, but it was totally empty. I was free to wander about for as long as I wanted to.
No boats here today.
I spent most of my time on the fuel dock.
This gas pump has to be from the 50s.
There was all kinds of stuff to take pictures of. I actually forgot to take photos of the new bridge while I was there.
The night sky was so beautiful out there in the middle of the river. Because I'm smart I got down onto the ice for one picture, then decided it was probably a stupid idea.
My stupid idea photograph.
After I got done taking photos I was sitting on the dock taking in the view. I remembered that I had been here before a long time ago with a friend whose family had a yacht here. I remembered how amazed I was at how busy the marina was. There were hundreds of people servicing boats and bringing carts of beer and soda and ice to various boats. It occurred to me that last night I was sitting in the same place on the same dock 30 years later in the middle of winter with nobody around. I could still see them all running around me though. It made me smile. That was a fun day of boating, swimming and picnicking on a sand bar.
One lone car.
Then I went and got my shot of the lift bridge and went home. All in all I would say it was a good night of shooting and some memories-people I haven't thought about in a long time.