Welcome to our blog!

Here you'll find all sorts of news, information, photos and stories behind many of the photos that we've taken over the years. You'll also find announcements of upcoming promotions that we'll be offering for purchasing prints and gifts from our photos. We'd encourage you to subscribe to our blog so that you'll be the first to know and see what's going on along our Carolina and New England shores.

As always, please feel free to contact us via our Contact Page with any questions, concerns or suggestions!

Happy Browsing - Gerry & Pat

 

IMGP1501-croppedJinx CreekSunset settles over Jinks Creek, OIB

 

 

 

Biking the Island ~~ Sunset Beach

March 06, 2024  •  Leave a Comment

Biking the Beach

If you're a beach lover, you're certainly in the right place if you're along the Grand Strand or Brunswick County! It's not just about laying out in the sun and sand soaking up suds! You can actually enjoy the beach, the scenery and get a bit of exercise to boot! All beaches are not built the same though! One of our favorite pastimes is hopping on our cruisers and wandering along the shore. We've biked every beach from Huntington Beach State Park up to Oak Island but today is to tell you about our favorite: Sunset Beach, NC.

Let's talk a little about why we think it's the best! There are a mulitude of reasons so here we go:

  • Sunset Beach is a relatively quiet beach. Yes, it gets crazy busy in the summer but it's tolerable.
  • While there isn't a ton of parking, what's there is FREE, all year long (at least for now anyway!)
  • Since it's not overly crowded, you can combine biking the island itself and the beach.
  • As for the island/shoreline itself, it is by far the best beach to bike. At low tide it is the widest beachfront of all of the area beaches and the sand is virtually rock free and quite hard sand making for a very pleasant ride.
  • The island is just a bit over 4 miles wide so it's a very easy ride to navigate from end to end and back.
  • For approximately 2 miles along the western end of the island, there are NO structures at all....just the pristine beauty of Bird Island where you'll be able to visit the famous Kindred Spirit Mailbox and bike to the far west end to watch all the boats navigate the Little River Inlet out to the Atlantic. You can also stop adjacent to the mailbox to hike the Bird Island Nature Trail which leads you across the interior of the maritime forest on the island and back again to the shore. 
  • Sunset Beach is one of the only beaches all along the coastline that allows bicycles year round!
  • Don't own a beach cruiser? There are a couple of rental agents nearby.

If you'd like a glimpse as to what a typical ride might be, take a look at the route of a recent ride of ours just below.

 

 

Want a glimpse of some of the sights and views along the way? Check out the slide show below with some shots from our ride. Many more to see by visiting our Sunset Beach Gallery.

Any questions, comments, etc, please feel free to contact me or comment below. Thanks! -- Gerry

 


Sailing the Vineyard

August 26, 2023  •  Leave a Comment

On my recent trip to Marthas Vineyard to visit family, I had the wonderful opportunity to sail nearly half way around the island  from Vineyard Haven to Menemsha aboard the sailing vessel Mia. It brought a whole new perspective to some of the spots on the island that I had seen before but not from this vantage point. It also brought into focus just what it takes to captain one of these beautiful vessels and maneuver it through changing waters dotted with multiple other boats large and small enjoying their day out in the Vineyard waters. I certainly would never be up for the task!

I'll take you out into the waters via the photos I was lucky enough to get along our way. With winds blowing and boats rocking, it was a challenge holding steady for photos but thanks to great Ricoh technology, I managed to have a reasonable amount of success. Even on such a clear & bright sunny summer day, in many cases I had to push ISO to >1600 in order to shoot fast enough to minimize blur.

I'll start of with 3 photos of the boat herself so you'll get a good idea of how spectacular our little voyage was. 

For each and all of the photos, please click on the thumbnail and you will be redirected to the gallery where you view the image full size as well as purchase the image (or any other on my website) in a wide variety of formats from reprints, calendars, coffee mugs, canvas prints and so much more!

 

 

 

The BIA

305651218_966419364073487_5764087387987927502_n305651218_966419364073487_5764087387987927502_n
 
305860847_165712722707666_765518331215419267_n305860847_165712722707666_765518331215419267_n

302059126_182734614159921_576815831437491880_n302059126_182734614159921_576815831437491880_n

 

The Route

sailing with tsailing with t

We started our day at the Vineyard Haven Marina, where the MIA is moored when she is not out on the water. The harbor was just abuzz with activity as one would expect for a lovely summer afternoon!

 

Sights in the harbor in Vineyard Haven

 

IMGP3161IMGP3161 IMGP3166IMGP3166 IMGP3167IMGP3167
IMGP3170IMGP3170 IMGP3169IMGP3169 IMGP3163IMGP3163

While boarding and preparing to get underway, we were graced by the beauty of some of the finest boats around, which included the Schooners Alabama and Shenandoah, both part of the Black Dog Tall Ship group. Both of the beauties are available and certified for coastal cruising not more than 20 miles from a harbor of refuge. Please check out their website for more details.

A few years back, we were so very fortunate to be in the right place at the right time to spot the Alabama up in Provincetown where she was preparing to depart on her voyage back to the Vineyard. How beautiful she was after raising her sails and setting her course!

 

The Schooner Alabama - One of the Black Dog Tall Ships

 

IMGP1756-EditIMGP1756-Edit IMGP1743-Edit-2 cropped for 8x8IMGP1743-Edit-2 cropped for 8x8

 

We made our way slowly out of the harbor bearing in mind all the heavy traffic and the shout outs by the harbormaster to the misguided boaters ignoring the no-wake markers in the harbor. Be in on the road or thew water, there will always be those who feel safety rules do not apply to them, but that's a story for another day!

We followed the route under sail out into the sound that mirrored that of the Steamship Authority into Woods Hole. Two of my favorite lighthouses were along our path and finally within distance to get a couple good shots. The first (on the left) is West Chop Lighthouse which protects the west entrance to Vineyard Haven and on the right is Nobska Light with sits atop the bluff in Falmouth, overlooking the sound.

 

Lighthouses in the Sound

 

IMGP3177IMGP3177 Nobska wideNobska wide

 

We continued on a heading seemingly to Woods Hole but of course we were headed that way merely to keep the sails up and the wind on our back! To make our way to Menemsha, we turned our course more south, southwest, into the wind and on diesel power. As we turned, we crossed path with one of the most beautiful boats on the planet: a Grand Banks Yacht!

IMGP3184IMGP3184

 

We sailed south/southwest along the northwest facing edge of the island, an area I had never seen before and an area which is dramatically different from the rest of the island: heavily wooded and steep facing hills and sand leading down to narrow and rocky beachfronts. You can see from the photos below the terrain you're dealing with along the shore, the stairway from nowhere, the rocky beach and the homes cliffside.

 

IMGP3195IMGP3195 IMGP3187IMGP3187 IMGP3199IMGP3199

 

Continuing along the route provided us with some spectacular views of the sheer cliffs and the multi-million dollar homes perched along the dunes and hidden in the vegetation. To drop a couple names, the homes of John Kerry & Martha Stewart are along this stretch of waterfront.

 

IMGP3196IMGP3196 IMGP3190IMGP3190 IMGP3185IMGP3185

 

One of the more memorable and historically significant sights along the way is this tall, iconic spire rising 45 ft towards the sky. 

"On the craggy northwestern coast of Martha’s Vineyard, a roughly 45-foot chimney rises above the shoreline like an oversized maroon candle on a rubbly birthday cake. For mariners, that chimney in the sleepy town of Chilmark has long been a marker for plotting courses across Vineyard Sound. For decades, it was the most visible aspect of 18 overgrown, seldom-visited acres." Courtesy thetrustees.org

The Brickyard was one of the earliest brick-making operations with much of their production going to help build the city of Boston. Please take a few minutes to read about the significance of the Brickyard here and here. Thanks to the Trustees for keeping the history alive and allowing the public to witness it as well!

IMGP3188IMGP3188

 

What Gilligan would be foolish enough not to provide snacks for the 3 hour tour, the 3 hour tour!

IMGP3204IMGP3204 IMGP3202IMGP3202

 

If you don't know where you came from, how will you know where you're going?

IMGP3203IMGP3203

Coming up on our destination: Menemsha Harbor.

IMGP3207IMGP3207

 

Coming up to Menemsha, the beach, the harbor and waters around were abuzz with summertime activity. There are few places quite so captivating and idyllic as Menemsha, It has maintained its historic fishing roots, albeit, significantly diminished. It is the 'go to' place for sunsets across the beach where, on any given early evening, you'll be parked at one of the last remaining drive-in theaters, showing repeats of the same nature movie night after night....but not one of them ever being the same.

 

IMGP3212IMGP3212 IMGP3213IMGP3213 IMGP3208IMGP3208
IMGP3209IMGP3209 IMGP3214IMGP3214 IMGP3201IMGP3201

 

Once into the harbor, it is a feast for the eyes; sensory overload! The beauty of this harbor and the postage stamp town cannot be described or understated. 

 

IMGP3215IMGP3215 IMGP3219IMGP3219 IMGP3218IMGP3218
IMGP3220IMGP3220 IMGP3223IMGP3223 IMGP3224IMGP3224

 

Once we disembarked, it was time to hit the market and prepare for dinner and wander around 'town' before hitting the pavement back to Oak Bluffs. If you've ever spent any time in Menemsha, you'll know that your first and usually only stop for fish and seafood is, of course, Menemsha Fish Market. Great fish, great prices and service that will astonish you! The $20 lobster roll ain't too bad either! Our menu, for the second night in a row, was of course lobster! (among other delicacies)

 

IMGP3227IMGP3227 20230805_18435820230805_184358 IMGP3226IMGP3226

 

A short walk around town and across the harbor reveals a plethora of hidden treasures and photographic opportunities galore!

 

IMGP1895-2IMGP1895-2 IMGP1899IMGP1899 IMGP2640IMGP2640
IMGP2641IMGP2641 IMGP0381IMGP0381 IMGP0380IMGP0380
IMGP6374IMGP6374 IMGP6373IMGP6373 IMGP2643-2IMGP2643-2

I hope you've enjoyed our little sail around the horn  and if you haven't visited this neck of the woods, I hope that this photo tour will provide you with the incentive to get out to the island.

Gerry

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 


Trumpet Flowers -- Flowers with a Buzz

August 17, 2023  •  Leave a Comment


The Mills of Pawtucket, RI

May 25, 2023  •  Leave a Comment

 

The Mills of Pawtucket and the Power of the Blackstone River

 

Living in New England for most of my life, I was witness to or had good knowledge of how our area contributed to the great American Industrial Movement. The region was blessed with mighty rivers that contributed more than just the power to the mills and factories that were the backbone of New England.

I grew up along the Connecticut River valley where paper and textile mills dotted the 200 mile stretch of the river. One of the areas prominent brewers, Hampden/Piels Beer was located right on the river in Holyoke, MA, just a short drive from my home. The Merrimack River in Eastern Mass which flowed through Lawrence and Lowell was home to some of the finest shoe factories. The Blackstone River split Mass in half, flowed through Rhode Island and down to the Long Island Sound. It was home to the first cotton mill which was only a few miles from where we lived, but never bothered to explore its history until we moved South and made a visit back North. I was amazed and delighted to see what I saw and was able to capture. The architecture is simply stunning and the restoration of many of the buildings helps keep the history alive!

Here's a little background on the mills and a slide show of many of my photos. I hope you enjoy. You can view all the photos in their gallery here.

 

                                

                         

 

pawtucket mills


Westport, MA ~~ Fishing & Farming for Centuries

May 09, 2023  •  Leave a Comment

Tucked away on the Southern Mass coastline and adjacent to the Rhode Island shore sits an idyllic little town called Westport, MA. Westford Point sits, sheltered on the East Branch of the Westport River creating a safe harbor for what began as a whaling port and still continues as a viable fishing village.

On a recent trip up North to visit family, I decided on a half day trip down to Horseneck Beach which I hadn't visited in decades! As I got closer to the beach, I noticed a small harbor filled with boats and made myself a mental note to try to find a way down along the river to get a closer look. When I finished my walks and photographs down at the beach, I started to make my way back home and lucky for me, I had no trouble finding my way down the dead end road and arrived at the Westport Shellfish Department. I was astonished at the beauty that I saw all along the quiet road down to the water. With camera in hand, I strolled up and down Main Rd in awe of the beautiful 18th century ship captain's homes and their back yards along the river. 

Here's a slide show of the homes along Main Rd. I'll follow up with photos of the fishing fleets that called Westport home.

 


The Gingerbread Houses of Oak Bluffs

January 13, 2023  •  Leave a Comment

In all the years that I've been going to the Vineyard and driving right through Oak Bluffs, the only time I've taken the time to notice any of the gingerbreads is when I've been driving along Beach Rd or photographing Christmas lights at Ocean Park. I knew there was an entire community nestled back in town but just never took the time. This trip I vowed I would wander around with the intent of not just seeing the houses but photographing them at Christmastime. 

A little background on the 'Hansel & Gretel' houses and the community: it was a group of Methodists who held religious retreats and meetings on the Islands back in the 1800's and at the time, they camped out mainly just in tents. As the attendance grew, so did the need for better and more permanent accommodations as well. 

The original cluster of 500 cottages was initially known as “Cottage City,” until the name was changed to Oak Bluffs in 1880. The storybook design is actually an architectural style called Carpenter’s Gothic which was very popular at the time. As time went on,  these individually decorated cottages, painted with bright and vivid colors with candy-like pillars and ornaments, became known as the “gingerbread houses.” 

There are currently about 300 of these houses in the "campground," the cottage museum at the entrance, and the Tabernacle at the center of the complex where meetings and religious activities take place and where it is rumored that Larry David will occasionally surface. The big event of the year is Grand Illumination Night which began in 1869. The campground and the cottages are decorated with paper lanterns transforming the area into a magical fantasyland!


Just below you'll see a sampling of the utter cuteness of the gingerbread homes taken a few days after Christmas. Click on each one to view full size in the gallery. If you are interested, any of the photos can be purchased in many formats and you can purchase a digital download for just $2 which affords you unlimited, non-commercial use.

The Gingerbread Houses of Oak BluffsStep back into another time at the Campground in Oak Bluffs where 19th century homes sitting just a few feet from each other still line the streets of this little Hansel & Gretel community. The Gingerbread Houses of Oak BluffsStep back into another time at the Campground in Oak Bluffs where 19th century homes sitting just a few feet from each other still line the streets of this little Hansel & Gretel community. The Gingerbread Houses of Oak BluffsStep back into another time at the Campground in Oak Bluffs where 19th century homes sitting just a few feet from each other still line the streets of this little Hansel & Gretel community. The Gingerbread Houses of Oak BluffsStep back into another time at the Campground in Oak Bluffs where 19th century homes sitting just a few feet from each other still line the streets of this little Hansel & Gretel community. The Gingerbread Houses of Oak BluffsStep back into another time at the Campground in Oak Bluffs where 19th century homes sitting just a few feet from each other still line the streets of this little Hansel & Gretel community. The Gingerbread Houses of Oak BluffsStep back into another time at the Campground in Oak Bluffs where 19th century homes sitting just a few feet from each other still line the streets of this little Hansel & Gretel community. The Gingerbread Houses of Oak BluffsStep back into another time at the Campground in Oak Bluffs where 19th century homes sitting just a few feet from each other still line the streets of this little Hansel & Gretel community. The Gingerbread Houses of Oak BluffsStep back into another time at the Campground in Oak Bluffs where 19th century homes sitting just a few feet from each other still line the streets of this little Hansel & Gretel community. The Gingerbread Houses of Oak BluffsStep back into another time at the Campground in Oak Bluffs where 19th century homes sitting just a few feet from each other still line the streets of this little Hansel & Gretel community. The Gingerbread Houses of Oak BluffsStep back into another time at the Campground in Oak Bluffs where 19th century homes sitting just a few feet from each other still line the streets of this little Hansel & Gretel community. The Gingerbread Houses of Oak BluffsStep back into another time at the Campground in Oak Bluffs where 19th century homes sitting just a few feet from each other still line the streets of this little Hansel & Gretel community. The Gingerbread Houses of Oak BluffsStep back into another time at the Campground in Oak Bluffs where 19th century homes sitting just a few feet from each other still line the streets of this little Hansel & Gretel community. The Gingerbread Houses of Oak BluffsStep back into another time at the Campground in Oak Bluffs where 19th century homes sitting just a few feet from each other still line the streets of this little Hansel & Gretel community. The Gingerbread Houses of Oak BluffsStep back into another time at the Campground in Oak Bluffs where 19th century homes sitting just a few feet from each other still line the streets of this little Hansel & Gretel community. The Gingerbread Houses of Oak BluffsStep back into another time at the Campground in Oak Bluffs where 19th century homes sitting just a few feet from each other still line the streets of this little Hansel & Gretel community. The Gingerbread Houses of Oak BluffsStep back into another time at the Campground in Oak Bluffs where 19th century homes sitting just a few feet from each other still line the streets of this little Hansel & Gretel community. The Gingerbread Houses of Oak BluffsStep back into another time at the Campground in Oak Bluffs where 19th century homes sitting just a few feet from each other still line the streets of this little Hansel & Gretel community. The Gingerbread Houses of Oak BluffsStep back into another time at the Campground in Oak Bluffs where 19th century homes sitting just a few feet from each other still line the streets of this little Hansel & Gretel community. The Gingerbread Houses of Oak BluffsStep back into another time at the Campground in Oak Bluffs where 19th century homes sitting just a few feet from each other still line the streets of this little Hansel & Gretel community.