It was a grey and stormy morning–a neoclassic nor’easter. Wind coming at us straight from Greenland made the high tide even higher, but not tidier. It was the kind of morning when a second, or third, cup of coffee sounds like a good plan. On the other hand, if you have film developer still running through your veins from 50 years ago, the more harsh the conditions the more you feel the need to go out and see what’s what. As one of my heroes, Robert Capa, noted, if your pictures are no good you’re not close enough. Of course, he did die in Viet Nam when he stepped on a landmine.
Such was the case this morning in Annisquam, Massachusetts. I watched the waves for a bit and said, “I gotta get out there.” That was met with a resounding, “Don’t go out there on those slippery rocks!” I figured, better do it now before I’m too old. Others were thinking, “He’s too old to be doing this shit.”
Using my hand-held weather station, I clocked the wind at a steady twenty mpg, making the wind chill factor thirty-four degrees. Perfect. About 150 photos later, here are some results. I’m busy thawing my fingers, now.
Witt’s End 