The hike
Our friends just over the hill from us invited us to hike their new plot of land them closed on a few days ago. It's situated way back along a private lake and from the lake, the land holds a run off stream that, as it starts approaching the river, takes several severe, sheer drop offs causing the most spectacular waterfalls. As the land around here is more than just really rocky with bluestone, the course of hike was mostly over these amazing, huge boulders of tumbled and shattered bluestone with the water cascading in and among the rock. Then we[d come to a sheer cliff about 30 feet tall and have to navigate ourselves down and around until the land leveled out a bit for further walking. In all, there were three major waterfalls, each over 30-40 feet high with smaller pools and dams of water or more modest waterfalls in between. We hiked the afternoon away, finding abandoned bear-dens and while we didn't see any, I was sure we tumbled over several suspicious timber rattler dens. All this was just a few miles from our house and it makes the amazing quality of the land and why we're so crazy about being here all the more evident to us.
The short of this story is, however, that over every waterfall, through every stream, over every slippery moss-covered rock and down every sheer cliff, I was snapping photos left and right, traipsing through water and under falls, just snap, snap, snapping away and then Jeff, standing firmly on flat ground next to one of the streams, wants to take a picture so I hand the digital camera to him...and he fires off one picture before suddenly dropping it into a pool of water. A POOL OF WATER! I swear you could see the little puff of smoke when the memory stick and inner-circuitry fried as it sank to the bottom. So, alas, no pictures and no more camera. I do have to say though, that for the blubbering idiot I am when something like that usually happens, I was so into the groove of the area, it just rolled off my back. "Shit happens," I said and meant. Of course, the idea that a new digital camera in my hot little hands helps, but overall, it's still all good.
Beau!
Don't give up on the camera. You'd be surprised. Sometimes they can survive water. Don't try to turn it on. Just let is dry out for several days.
Also, the pictures on the memory card should still be there...so dry the card off and put it in a reader. You may still have pictures.
John,
thanks for the information. I actually care more about the memory stick then the camera and between the two, would rather have it survive than the camera. I'll take your advice and see what we can come up with.
Beau, I've gotta say I admire your attitude. I know I would have probably thrown myself into the puddle of water ... not to retrieve the camera, of course, but to drown myself and my misery.
If the photos survive, post some. I'd love to see this nature stuff I've heard so much about.
P.S. Damn it ... I meant POOL of water. Not PUDDLE. Although of course I suppose I could drown in a puddle too. It'd make for a more entertaining obituary as well.
I like to pretent I am a country boy, but I am from BROOKLYN. One of these days, you really have to take me on a hike and show me what a Bear and Rattle Snake Den looks like. I was told I have both of them on my property!
You're such a better person that I am. I would have had a stroke.
P.S.--Guess that makes up for the Amex bill for the comics huh?
Bite your tongue, John. One has NOTHING to do with the other. What I owe Jeff is kept on a completely seperate, unrelated list. Hush your mouth. You're suppose to be supporting me.
Thinking of you so much and so fondly. Best of luck with your writing project.