Tag Archives: bateau

Slo-mo rowing

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The slow motion effect on the phone is cool, but I rarely have any real use for it, However, on a recent recovery walk after the latest round of chemotherapy, I saw some of the University rowing team practising on the Union Canal near Harrison Park. So I nipped up onto the bridge and switched into slo-mo mode to capture this:

Vid - Slow Motion Rowing

Apart from the interesting visuals, the sound is also slowed down, so turn the volume up – you can hear passing traffic, birds, the splashes of the oars, but all slowed down, and about halfway through the ding, ding, ding of a passing cycllist’s bell, but here deepened and drawn out by the slow-mo effect, giving an unusual sound.

The Moon and Venus, Dancing in the Heavens

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Walking home from my first day of work of 2025, frigid but beautiful winter’s night, amazingly clear skies, even over the city. Above the Union Canal, which was rapidly icing up, a large, bright, crescent Moon, with an incredibly bright Venus shining right next to it.

The Moon And Venus Danced Among The Heavens 01

As I was coming from work, I didn’t have my tripod with me, so I improvised, setting the timer on the camera, then resting it on the edge of the old, stone bridge over the canal to steady it for a longer exposure, and crossed my fingers. And while it isn’t as good as with the tripod, given it is a makeshift night shot, it’s not too bad:

The Moon And Venus Danced Among The Heavens 02

And this was the view looking east – you can just see Jupiter in the sky above the buildings at the end of the canal in this one, just right of centre:

Union Canal, Winter's Night 01

And a wee zoom in closer to the old Leamington Lift Bridge, and the cold waters starting to freeze over:

Union Canal, Winter's Night 03

As ever, click on the links to see the full-sized versions on the Woolamaloo Flickr stream (now north of 28, 000 photos on there!)

The Raft Race Returns!

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Last weekend saw the return of Raft Race and the Edinburgh Canal Festival for the first time since before the Pandemic years. I was at the very first Raft Race, taking photos back in 2007 (I hadn’t realised how long ago it actually was until I looked back at those photos and saw the date taken).

Edinburgh Raft Race 2022 02

It started as a fun Raft Race, with people building wacky designs (sinkings were common and still are – part of the fun!), and over the years evolved into the local Canal Festival. We had a warm, sunny weekend for it (you can’t take the weather for granted for outdoor events in Scotland, even in summer!), and a lot of folks turned out to welcome it back. I met several friends to watch it, two of whom had never been to it before, so this was all new to them, which of course made it more fun.

Edinburgh Raft Race 2022 07

Despite the warmth and sun, it was very, very windy – this wee raft was the only one I saw with a sail, which I imagine was as much for decoration as anything else originally. But with the strong wind, and fortunately for them, in the correct direction for the race, they scurried along at a great clip! Lucky!

Edinburgh Raft Race 2022 09

Edinburgh Raft Race 2022 011

It’s not the Raft Race until someone ends up in the drink!!!

Edinburgh Raft Race 2022 013

Edinburgh Raft Race 2022 015

This chap in costume, with the recumbent bike approach to his design, was going great guns, handily ahead of the others… until it broke down and he was trying to fix the pedals and chain as the others caught up and passed him. They all got big cheers anyway.

Edinburgh Raft Race 2022 017

Edinburgh Raft Race 2022 018

Edinburgh Raft Race 2022 021

Edinburgh Raft Race 2022 022

As you can see, it was a pretty busy day, and everyone was having fun, cheering on the rafters. I think we were all just enjoying being able to hold these events again after the last couple of very difficult years.

Vid - Edinburgh Raft Race 2022 02

Vid - Edinburgh Raft Race 2022 01

Fiddling Below The Bridge 02

There was also live music – this lady in the pic above was playing her violin under the stone arch of the old bridge over the canal at the bottom of Viewforth, which gave amazing acoustics. Others played by the side of the canal or even on passing boats!! Insert pun here about performing Handel’s “Water Music”!!!

Water Music

Making Music 01

Making Music 02

As ever, if you click on the pics you can view the larger version on the Woolamaloo Flickr photo stream.

Row, row, row your boat

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Arriving early for work I had a few minutes to go grab a coffee and have a walk along the Promenade at Portobello. Gorgeous autumn morning, cool but beautiful autumnal light on the Firth of Forth, when I spotted the sailing and rowing club folks out in the lovely old skiff Jenny Skylark, having an early morning row, so I snapped off a few shots before I had to head into work:

The Jenny Skylark on a Morning Row 01

The Jenny Skylark on a Morning Row 02

The Jenny Skylark on a Morning Row 03

The Jenny Skylark on a Morning Row 04

A vry different scene to a month or so back when the haar had settled on the Forth – I saw the rowers out in the skiff, but only dimly, moving through the sea mist just off the shore at Porty, and managed to get these pics, very different weather from the other pics!

Rowing in the Haar 02

Rowing in the Haar 01

Time for launch

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Down on a pretty overcast, cloudy Portobello this afternoon, and saw the handsome wooden skiff Jenny Skylark being prepped for launch:

Time to Launch 01

Time to Launch 02

And there she goes, slipping into the waters:

Time to Launch 04

Time to Launch 06

Time to Launch 07

And off she goes, rowing out into a pretty misty Firth of Forth (you can just see one of the larger islands vaguely through the haar in the background):

Time to Launch 09

Time to Launch 010

As they rowed further out I took one more shot – the sea and the mist were blending into one another so much that they started to look the same, as if the boat were rowing out into a blank, white dimension…

Time to Launch 011

Meanwhile I found some of their compatriots pulling their skiff along the Promenade on wheels to get it ready for launch (either that or this is some bizarre new boat-car hybrid):

Boat Car

And on a non-related note, I spotted this bizarre sculpture on the beach – quite creepy looking thing, isn’t it? Blair Witch Beach Project, anyone??

Blair Witch Beach