Welcome to Pactola Reservoir, uphill from Rapid City, South Dakota, and supplier of precious water resources for that region of the Black Hills. At this nippy time of the year, a solid drought had locked up the lake...in many ways it was far less picturesque, and yet...and yet, by taking the time you could find the 'neat' pics and viewpoints...
The ice donned a mottled sheen, providing a constant groaning and cracking that only large ice sheets can create in the heating of the day, contrasted with the cooling of the night...
...ice fishermen ventured with great caution upon the cracked surfaces...and the reflective surface in the shadows made for nice frozen blue tints...
I chose these pics because of the drought gripping much of the Southeast right now...river and lake levels are extremely low, stranding docks and boats...obviously, Pactola had issues of its own that superceded our current low levels...
Even with the boat ramp stranded in the upper right, above, there was still an interesting perspective to be photographed from the ramp itself (below), visible only in such low-water conditions...
Needless to say, the lake has rebounded...such is the nature of Nature, especially bodies of water...their temporary emptiness taking its immediate toll on tourism and water usage, but ultimately returning to a more stable level in due time...
Of course, that left plenty of shoreline to be explored....and wonderful driftwood textures to photograph for posterity's sake...
...not to mention the Birch bark of a fabled native tree, curling in the wintry sun along the shore...
...or weird melting holes thanks to heat-keeping value of the rock...kind of a weird looking picture with the relative melting going on...
Or, by turning to the side away from the drought, you could catch one of the giant evergreen boughs defracting the specular shaft of sunlight...perspective is everything.
As I've said before, there is always beauty to be found...it's as close as being right under your nose at virtually every turn...
The ice donned a mottled sheen, providing a constant groaning and cracking that only large ice sheets can create in the heating of the day, contrasted with the cooling of the night...
...ice fishermen ventured with great caution upon the cracked surfaces...and the reflective surface in the shadows made for nice frozen blue tints...
I chose these pics because of the drought gripping much of the Southeast right now...river and lake levels are extremely low, stranding docks and boats...obviously, Pactola had issues of its own that superceded our current low levels...
Even with the boat ramp stranded in the upper right, above, there was still an interesting perspective to be photographed from the ramp itself (below), visible only in such low-water conditions...
Needless to say, the lake has rebounded...such is the nature of Nature, especially bodies of water...their temporary emptiness taking its immediate toll on tourism and water usage, but ultimately returning to a more stable level in due time...
Of course, that left plenty of shoreline to be explored....and wonderful driftwood textures to photograph for posterity's sake...
...not to mention the Birch bark of a fabled native tree, curling in the wintry sun along the shore...
...or weird melting holes thanks to heat-keeping value of the rock...kind of a weird looking picture with the relative melting going on...
Or, by turning to the side away from the drought, you could catch one of the giant evergreen boughs defracting the specular shaft of sunlight...perspective is everything.
As I've said before, there is always beauty to be found...it's as close as being right under your nose at virtually every turn...
3 comments:
Nice nature shots !! good way to escape and remember what beauty is all about .. Thanks Bob !
Very cool for you to post the Aggie Marching Band (yesterdays post), on your blog hopefully that will be availbale on website to you soon, You've got soul brother !:)
Aggie ladies : Nicole, Dashawn, Lisa and Monica .. Have a Great Day!
Thanks, folks! Just might have to go watch the ending of "Drumline" again to get my blood pumpin'!!!
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