By Vladimir Brezina
Ailsa’s travel-themed photo challenge today is Twist. Just in time for the Fourth of July!
These were last year’s fireworks (more photos are here). We’ll see what tonight will bring!
Here‘s another kind of Twist, in response to The Daily Post’s Photo Challenge, which also had Twist as its theme only a month ago.
Posted in New York City, Photography
Tagged Fireworks, Fourth of July, New York City, Photography, postaweek, postaweek2014, Travel, Twist, Weekly Photo Challenge
By Vladimir Brezina
Yesterday in the early evening a line of strong thunderstorms rumbled through New York City. This happens often in the summer and the sight can be awe-inspiring. But I was working all afternoon in a windowless room, and later, when I got to a window, it was too late to discern much. The building was already submerged in thick green fog. Lightning flashed and thunder cracked directly overhead.
What to do under those circumstances? Let’s go to the video replay!
And from where better to observe the arrival of the storm over New York Harbor and the Manhattan skyline than the Statue of Liberty?
Posted in Nature, New York City
Tagged EarthCam, Manhattan, New York City, New York Harbor, Statue of Liberty, Storm, Webcam
By Vladimir Brezina
Vlad in action (photo by Johna)
I am often asked how I take my kayaking photos. What camera do I use? Am I not worried that water will damage it? And how do I manage to keep those pesky water drops off the lens?
So, here’s a brief answer.
Posted in Kayaking, Photography
Tagged Camera, Kayak Photography, Kayaking, Optio W, Pentax, Photography, Waterproof Camera
By Vladimir Brezina
This week’s Photo Challenge is Contrasts.
Spot the kayak in these photos—
The first set of Contrasts was here.
Posted in Kayaking, New York City, Photography
Tagged Barges, Contrasts, New York Harbor, Photography, postaweek, postaweek2014, Sea Kayaking, Ships, Weekly Photo Challenge
By Vladimir Brezina
This week’s Photo Challenge is Contrasts.
Beauties and beasts—
Seen at the 2013 Coney Island Mermaid Parade, the 2011 Carnegie Hill Halloween Spooktakular, and the 2012 Spooktakular, respectively.
Another set of Contrasts is here.
Posted in New York City, Photography
Tagged Contrasts, Halloween, Mermaid Parade, New York City, Photography, postaweek, postaweek2014, Weekly Photo Challenge
By Vladimir Brezina
Last Sunday, the current was predicted to ebb through the morning, then flood in the afternoon. Perfect for a paddle south, through New York Harbor out to sea!
But then where, exactly? Round Staten Island? Or to Sandy Hook? But we’d been there just two weeks before…
This summer, we’ve been hearing a lot about whales. By all accounts, whales have been positively frolicking about, just outside the harbor. A whale-watching boat, the American Princess, has reported sightings almost every day. And many of these sightings, of feeding humpbacks as well as pods of bottlenose dolphins, have been off the Rockaways, just a mile or two from shore.
So that’s where we decided to paddle on Sunday.
In the event, we didn’t see any whales. (The American Princess didn’t either, that day.) Perhaps fortunately, neither did we see any of the great white sharks that (we read later) were present in that same area at the same time…
But it was a great ocean paddle nevertheless. Here are a few photos—
Posted in Kayaking, New York City
Tagged Ambrose Channel, New York Harbor, Photography, Sea Kayaking, Whale, Whale-watching
By Vladimir Brezina
The Summer Solstice occurred this morning, so we in the Northern Hemisphere are now officially into Summer. Happy Summer, everyone!
(Or, of course, to those in the Southern Hemisphere, Happy Winter!)
And, very appropriately for the occasion, Ailsa’s photo challenge this week is Shine—
(Cape Cod Bay, Massachusetts, 2011. Story and more photos here.)
Posted in Nature, Photography
Tagged Photography, postaweek, postaweek2014, Shine, Solstice, Summer, Sun, Travel, Weekly Photo Challenge
By Vladimir Brezina
Ailsa’s travel-themed photo challenge this week is Shine.
Moonshine, inside and out—
Posted in Nature, Photography
Tagged Moonlight, Photography, postaweek, postaweek2014, Sea, Shine, Travel, Weekly Photo Challenge
By Vladimir Brezina
This week’s Photo Challenge is Between.
From last year’s Coney Island Mermaid Parade. (Story and many more photos are here.)
This year’s Mermaid Parade is on June 21st—tomorrow!
Posted in New York City, Photography
Tagged Between, Coney Island, Mermaid Parade, Parade, Photography, postaweek, postaweek2014, Weekly Photo Challenge
By Vladimir Brezina
Summer’s here—it’s high time to make our summer paddling plans!
And, as in the last four years, those plans absolutely have to include the Blackburn Challenge—our favorite open-water boat race. It’s 20 miles around Cape Ann, Massachusetts. All manner of human-powered boats take part—canoes, rowboats, dories, kayaks, surfskis, outrigger canoes, dragon boats, stand-up paddle boards—making for a fun day out on the water and afterward on the beach.
Last year, we raced in the Blackburn Challenge, then spent another two days paddling leisurely around Cape Ann.
In eager anticipation of this year’s trip, we’ve been looking over the photos from last year…
Posted in Kayaking
Tagged Blackburn Challenge, Cape Ann, Kayak Race, Massachusetts Sea Kayaking, Photography, Sea Kayaking, The Dry Salvages
... kayaked the waters around New York for more than 15 years in his red Feathercraft folding kayak. He was originally from (the former) Czechoslovakia and lived in the U.K. and California before settling down in New York. He was a neuroscientist at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City. He died in 2016.
... is a kayaker and technology researcher at Nemertes Research. She's an erstwhile engineer, particle physicist, and science fiction writer. She was born in California and has lived in Italy, Norway, Hawaii, and a few other places. She currently resides in New York City.
 | Johna Till Johnson on Where We Like to Land on Sandy… |
| Canada to Key West P… on “A Bizarre Boating … | |
 | Eunice Miller on A Meditation on Gratitude |
 | Harry on A Meditation on Gratitude |
| Johna Till Johnson on A Meditation on Gratitude |
| Harry Itagaki on A Meditation on Gratitude |
 | Love is still the an… on Travel Theme: Signs |
 | David McLean on Where We Like to Land on Sandy… |
 | davidloh24 on Endless Reflection |
| Paddle Log: North Mo… on Circumnavigating Monomoy | |
 | Brian on Long Island Kayak Circumnaviga… |
 | Andi the Slime on Yellow |
 | Mark S on The Dry Salvages |
 | Dudi on Everglades Challenge, the Days… |
 | Francie Chew on The First Leg! |
Wind Against Current 