Lens-Artists Challenge #89: RIVER
“I wish I had a river I could float away on.”
Joni Mitchell
The quote I’ve included with my opening image seems particularly apropos for these troubled times. It’s from the song “River” which has always been among my favorites. Right now I think many of us wish we could just float away from today’s issues. Alas there’s not much chance of that, but at least we can do it mentally, right? The image shows my husband and brother happily casting away on a river near my brother’s home in Colorado. Little did we know on that peaceful afternoon the chaos that would follow a few short months later.
“Love is a river. Drink from it.”
Rumi
In Colorado there are many streams such as the one above, where the crystal-clear water flows between rocky shores before feeding into larger rivers. One of the things I love about visiting the area is that it is so totally different from anything we see here in our low-lying oceanside community.
“There’s hope at the bottom of the biggest waterfall.”
Patrick Ness
At the other end of the world, glorious Victoria Falls follows the meandering Zambezi River in southern Africa. It is considered the world’s largest waterfall at 5,604 feet (1,708 meters) wide. The falls were very impressive when we reached them from a short hike, covering us in mist and making their presence known with a might roar. They were even more incredible from the air where we were fortunate to have also seen them from a helicopter.
“If the earth is a mother then rivers are her veins.”
Amit Kalantri
Here on the Kiawah River, we are always on the lookout for our beautiful river dolphins. In the image above they are in the process of stranding – pushing baitfish to the shore and then swimming onto the shore themselves to chase the fish. It’s a very rare behavior seen only in the rivers of coastal South Carolina and Georgia. Below, they entertain one of our many visitors with their “spy-hopping”, peeking out from below the water to see what’s happening above.
“The care of rivers is not a question of rivers but of the human heart.”
Shozo Tanaka
We’ve done many kayak and motorboat forays on the Kiawah River and it is actually rare that we don’t see at least a few dolphins along the way. They are curious creatures and seem to “enjoy” the company of their human counterparts. It’s a bit more rare to see their stranding behavior but we have been fortunate to have seen it many times as well.
Thanks to Amy for this week’s challenge. Click here to see and link to her original post, and as always please remember to use the Lens-Artists tag. We appreciate all of our followers’ creative and interesting responses to last week’s CHAOS challenge. We sincerely hope everyone is practicing Social Distancing to protect themselves and others from the continuing spread of COVID-19. Stay safe out there and we hope to see you right here next week for Challenge #90.
Love your pictures and quotes, Tina. My favorite though is the first image with your husband and brother fishing! Great memories.😊
Thanks Sylvia, much appreciated. it was a beautiful day
Wow, the Victoria Falls picture is amazing. It belongs in a travel magazine, it would lure anybody there. How lucky you are to have the dolphins on your doorstep, Tina. Such entertaining creatures.
Thanks Wendy – it was amazing. And yes, we are indeed very lucky!
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These images are spectacular! And I also thought of that Joni song too. One of my favorites – and eerily timely now during these surreal times.
Thanks OLU, yes surreal is a good word for it unfortunately
You’re welcome. I am looking forward to “real” once again.
Tina, once again a beautiful gallery and thoughtfully picked quotes. That waterfall image is magical … I can hear the power of it in your image.
Thanks Vivi, it was an amazing experience
Oh I could cast away my troubles fishing with the boys or float along with the dolphins. But I would not drift along the veins of the river that feeds Victoria falls. Tina, thank you for making us think of something else other that the c word.
Ooh, “the C word”. I am DEFINITELY going to adopt that Perpetua. Happy to have helped brighten your day
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Great captures Tina, be safe and healthy with your family!!!
Many thanks Paulo, you too!
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Beautiful images Tina and Colorado looks amazing. It would have been hard to imagine when these photos were taken how quickly things can change. Hope you and your family are safe and well 💜 xxx
Thanks so much Xenia – you be safe too!
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Thank you Tina 💖 xxx
Thank you again for allowing me to include one of your fabulous photos in my latest post on Jordan: https://ohtheplaceswesee.com/2020/03/25/virtual-vacation-to-jordan-is-this-the-new-normal/
I do hope to get there someday to see this beautiful country for myself. But until then, I’m loving sifting through photos in your Gallery!
Stay safe and healthy. I wish I could be sitting under an umbrella on the beach at Kiawah right now!
Rusha Sams
Thanks for featuring it Rusha, the post is amazing. I’ll go back an comment on it in a bit. On a video call right now. T
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Thanks again for your support and contribution. I love the photo you sent. It makes me want to go there right now!
You’ll get there I know Rusha. it’s breathtaking!!
Wow what a fantastic post with absolutely beautiful images!
Many thanks Dave
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Beautiful photos!
Thanks very much RT
Did your husband and brother catch anything while fishing? If they didn’t, I guess that meant supermarket trout for dinner. 😉
When you come to Colorado, the next time in summer, you might want to visit Eleven Mile Canyon. You’ll love the views and the roar of the South Platte River through the canyon. Your husband and brother can fish if they don’t mind scrambling down to the river side. The road bed was used for train tracks in the olden days. The length of the canyon is eleven miles. It dead ends with a dam wall. On the other side of the dam is Eleven Mile Reservoir.
Stay well.
They did but nothing record-setting 😊. Will definitely check out 11 Mile, thanks
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Without rivers, what would we be? Gorgeous images as usual, and I do love the river dolphins. I am not at all envious of that helicopter ride over the Victoria falls….must have been wonderful!
It was indeed A-C. Also did one on Alaska glaciers and on NZ’s fjords. They are fantastic but yes, a bit scary as well😅
Oh, but I do envyyou, you know!
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Beautiful! Curious if the river photo is of the Piedra river? It looks familiar.
Oh no, but that’s a lovely thought! All river photos in the U.S. except the falls in Africa
Now that’s the way to fish 🙂 Great shot of the falls Tina, nice post.
Thanks Andy, I agree. My husband was in heaven 😉
Those river dolphins are fabulous. How lucky you are to have them close by AND to see them!
Absolutely Jude, we treasure them. Thanks
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More spectacular rivers Tina. And the river dolphins are such amazing creatures
Many thanks MM, they are very special creatures
Love the contrast between the Colorado rivers and the Low Country, Tina.
Thanks Ellen – and quite a contrast it is!!
Tina, one word- wow! The Victoria Falls look every inch majestic and the story of hiking up to it and feeling its crushing power, just amazing. This is the closest I’ve been to it so you can imagine my excitement. As for the dolphins, never been close to one either so it’s always a pleasure to see them via your lens.
Thanks Sheetal – Victoria Falls was amazing. Seeing it from both ground level and from above was extraordinary.
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Hi Tina. LOVE :OVE LOVE the Joni Mitchell song you led off with best of all, and your photos are a great fit for the topic. I really appreciate the way you and Amy, Patti and Ann-Christine keep everyone inspired and digging deep into the creative well.
Here’s ,y ;little submission this week
https://babsjeheron.wordpress.com/2020/03/22/beautiful-great-blue-heron-in-the-charles-river/
Best, Babsje
Thanks so much Babsje, especially for the thumbs uq to the team. Much appreciated
You’re welcome. Tina. All thumbs up for all the Lens Artists! Best, Babsje
Thanks Jane – he does love fishing!
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Thank you for your wonderful post, and for your education on river dolphins. Stay well.
My pleasure Michael, thanks, you too.
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Lovely post, Tina. The info about the river dolphins was especially interesting, and I love those Colorado rivers. Thanks for sharing.
Very much my pleasure Dianne, thanks. Somehow I think you may have seen those rivers firsthand.
I love rivers, and your images are gorgeous, Tina! So interesting to see the dolphins in their process of gathering food!
Thanks very much Terri – I have many other images of them stranding but you’d be amazed how fast they rush the shore, grab a fish and slither back into the water. Quite something to see!
Those two opening photos prove that fishing can be a great way to practice social distancing. Those are my favorite photos in your post, so idyllic and serene. I am looking forward to sharing some of my river photos later this week. Stay safe, my friend.
Thanks John. I love Colorado’s mts and streams. So beautiful. Look forward to your post. You be safe too
Sent from my iPhone
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Beautiful river shots, Tina! I especially like the second image of the river in Colorado. I feel like I could almost step into the picture and be right there. Thanks for sharing and stay safe.
Thanks Sue – their rivers are so beautiful and so different vs our little world here in coastal SC. You be safe too Sue, it’s scary out there.
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What an absolutely beautiful place
Thanks very much Colline, glad it caught your eye
Lovely atmospheric images.
Regards Thom
Many thanks Thom
Tremendous shots. I suspect you could do even more posts on this theme and keep us all happy!
Aw, thanks Margaret. I’m such a big fan of rivers and streams 🙂
A lovely calming post, Tina…thank you! And I’ve never seen a dolphin close, so I enjoyed my virtual views. Take care in this most troubled time
Thanks sue, we do love our dolphins 🙂 Glad you enjoyed. You be safe too.
Thanks, Tina!
Great set of photos Tina. I’m sure we’d all like a river to float away on. Just as long as we maintain social distance?
LOL, of course Paulie! Thanks for the visit and comment, glad you enjoyed
The most wonderful river scenes Tina. I am in envy 🙂
Many thank Brian. We are blessed to be surrounded by water – other than during hurricane season of course!
Same here Tina but mine are floodwaters from copious amounts of rain 🙂
Guess we just have to take the good with the bad, whatever it may be Brian!
I don’t complain about the weather Tina 🙂 Does no good anyway just roll with what nature sends my way 🙂
Those dolphin photos are really special!!
Thanks Nora – they are really beloved here on our little island.
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HA! The BLUE album!!! Back in the day I played it at least a thousand times. Great photos too! Love it.
I still play it a thousand time John :-). thanks
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River Power is an awesome shot, Tina, but even better I love that close up of the dolphins. How amazing is that? Enough to take all our minds off our troubles. 🙂 🙂
We wish! Thanks Jo
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So beautiful! And I think it is a good thing that we do not know what the future holds. It better allows us to enjoy the moment where we are. Lovely photos!
Excellent thought on the Lisa, thanks
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Loved “There’s hope at the bottom of the biggest waterfall”. Very appropriate for our current situation! Stay safe!
Thanks Laurel – let hope for positive movement sooner vs later. It’s ugly out there.
That is a beautiful, beautiful post for this theme Tina! I love these photos and enjoy reading the stories of the river runs through it from one place to another.
Wow, what a fantastic view of the Victoria Falls from a helicopter. I so envy you. 🙂
Can’t imagine being so close to these lovely creatures.
They’re much loved around here Amy and seem to enjoy their human counterparts. They spy-hop often to check us out :-). Loved your challenge this week.
Your dolphin photos made me happy! I never tire of seeing them in the waters here. I’ve actually witnessed dolphins doing the stranding in a Georgia creek. I feel really fortunate to have seen such a rare sight. Alas, they were too far away to get a photo.
Thanks Beth. We see them strand quite often here – apparently they come in for the baitfish primarily at tide change. It’s really so amazing isn’t it?!
Yes, it really is. I just love seeing them in the rivers here
I saw a TV show about dolphins stranding….which was totally new to me. They are thinking about making Florida a stay-at-home state. Spring breakers are finally leaving–after their dismay that we closed bars and beaches. Whoever thought it would get so crazy? Stay safe, Tina.
Hi Lois – if it was Nat Geo it was probably ours dolphins. They were here filming. Apparently it’s an example of mammals teaching behaviors to their offspring. Many around us are closing their beaches as well. Such a sad and scary time.
River Dolphins – how cool. I have never seen one! We hope to be at Victoria Falls this summer assuming things go as planned! And of course, anything with Colorado in it I tend to love :-).
Thanks Pam, we truly love them here on Kiawah. Nat Geo came to film them as they were strand feeding and featured them on their series proving that mammals other than humans teach their children.
i am in awe of river dolphins, never seen one.
https://lessywannagohome.blogspot.com/2020/03/horseshoe-bend.html
Thanks Klara. They’re truly awesome creatures, and seem to enjoy interfacing with humans.
Reblogging this to my readers at sister site Poetic Justice
Thanks so much for the reblog Ana.
My 0leasure, my dear
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Hi, Tina. A beautiful, reflective post on the power of rivers to calm us and restore us. Your dolphin shots are terrific. I’ve heard of stranding, but never saw it. That must be quite a sight. They are such clever creatures. Take care and I hope you both stay well.
Thanks Patti. Sounds like you’ll just have to come back for a stranding hunt! You stay well also.
Thanks! You, too.
A lovely meditation on troubling times, so well matched with your images.
Thanks very much Su. Looking forward to the days when we can post and comment without worry.
Great comments and pictures. Everything has become surreal in such a short time.
Please stay well. ❤️
Thanks Toni – you and Jim stay safe as well.