The city is carved up by the water and geological processes that make for interesting waterways. The False Creek inlet divides the downtown core with the west-end neighbourhoods. The waters in the area are sometimes busy, especially in the summer when tourists descend for all sorts of activities and events. I was in the area the other day, when I had to cross to another part of the city across the water, so I took advantage of the ferry ride to record some of the sights along the way.
Tickets are called aquabucks
There are different styles of 'aquabuses,' and I like these ones because they're more open to the water, plus the camera can be rested on the window frame. For this trip, I decided to test a telephoto lens for the Olympus TG6. It's not the ideal set-up because it works on the zooming-in principle, and this can easily cause motion distortions for close objects, especially when you're on a moving boat, as I quickly found out. I picked an assortment of shots that turned out well and will hopefully give you a general feel for the surrounding environment along the way.
BBQ anyone? I believe this is a boat on which you can cook a meal
This is the base of one of the large bridges that spans across the inlet. Cormorants and other species are a common sight in the underside, where one can see them coming and going on speedy wings.
Keeping an eye on things so they run smoothly
It was a grey late summer day, but the fall colours could already be seen on the trees lined along the shore. Those trees don't need a calendar to tell them when the summer's gone.
Squeezing the last bit of fun. Check out this brave guy with the board attached to his ankle. You gotta be skillful and steady on your feet to avoid collisions.
As always, no waterway is entirely safe from the dreaded pirates hounding the area.
I thought I had seen a siren, but it turned out to be another denizen of the sea who was frolicking in the waves. The seal's head barely poked above the water. At one point, it rose, dove back, and disappeared beneath the waves. I didn't get a chance to photograph the slippery action, and the only evidence is the following photograph.
Swanky living in floating homes. These houses are uniquely situated along the shoreline. They are colourful and sport some interesting architectural designs that seek to maximize the views of the water and downtown core while providing a bit of eclectic maritime fun.
I wonder how difficult is living in a floating home. Seasickness aside, it certainly looks fun with the views of the city. On a summer night, it must be so spacey to look at the dancing lights of the boat, the bridges, the cars, the buildings, and the strange aerial phenomena that make this a lively urban oasis.
I took many shots that didn't pan out because the telephoto lens works best at long distances. The motion of the boat, seesawing waves, made it difficult to focus on subjects that were a little too close, causing them to appear blurry. It was a great learning experience practicing in these conditions. I hope you enjoyed the tour.
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