Birds Eye View

After long consideration I finally succumbed to a sale price over the summer and purchased a drone. Though my flying time has been limited by weather (both wind and rain), and a busy schedule, I been able to have some fun with it. Seeing things from the air brings a whole new perspective to my photography.

While I primarily wanted to be able to capture some of the interesting water drainage patterns that I could see on Google Maps from the air, it has also provided new angles for landscape photography as well as interesting views of some of the many little fishing harbours around the region. 

For instance, I don't think it is possible to get the Lunenburg Academy, the town, and the harbour in the same frame without seeing it from the air.

The old Lunenburg Academy in the foreground of the old town at the harbour in the background.

In the case of this image taken at Blue Rocks, the camera needed to be positioned directly over the water and to be slightly raised to capture clouds reflecting on the calm harbour water with the setting sun on the horizon.

The fishing harbour at Blue Rocks on Nova Scotia's South Shore.

Crescent Beach, which connects the LaHave Islands to the mainland, is a narrow and flat sand dune which doesn't have a lot of relief - there are only so many photos to take from ground level. Seeing it from the air allows the camera to see both the front and back sides of the beach, and better shows the islands in the background.

Crescent Beach from the mainland end looking out towards the LaHave Islands on a foggy day.

Nova Scotia has many small fishing harbours along its coast, and for years I have visited them (and in some cases revisited many times) for the interesting photos they provide. Seeing them from the air is providing me with all sorts of new imagery.

Fishing Wharf on Bush Island in the LaHave Islands. 

Government Wharf on Bush Island in the LaHave Islands.

For this image of Fisherman's Reserve, it certainly wouldn't otherwise be possible to capture all the various wharves and fishing boats and still get the setting sun in the same frame.

Sunset at Fisherman's Reserve on the eastern side of Three Fathom Harbour on the Eastern Shore of Nova Scotia. 

Coastal features as well come alive when seen from the air. I especially love the contrast between the yellow seaweed and the green grass on this rocky point in the LaHave Islands, especially when surrounded by the dark calm water reflecting the cloudy sky.

Rocky shore in the LaHave Islands on the South Shore of Nova Scotia. 

Hemeon Brook flowing through a beach at Western Head near Liverpool, Nova Scotia.

I'm always fascinated by waves and surf at the beach, and seeing them from the air provides a new way to capture a full set of waves and their interactions.

Incoming surf at White Point Beach.

Intricate drainage patterns are fascinating when seen from the air, and these were one of my primary targets when thinking about buying a drone in the first place. I have therefore spent much time scouting out potential locations through the satellite imagery available on Google Maps, and have visited several promising locations through the summer and fall of 2025. The Bay of Fundy shoreline is one of the better places to find this sort of scenery.

Mud flats near Windsor, Nova Scotia.

Mud flats west of Truro on the shore of the Bay of Fundy.

Mud flats near Debert, Nova Scotia.

The Eastern Shore also has several promising locations, like this salt marsh in Lower East Chezzetcook.

Salt marsh in Lower East Chezzetcook on Nova Scotia's Eastern Shore.

These images and more can be found on my Smugmug website. I look forward to being able to continue investigating Nova Scotia from the air over the coming year!

Final Voyage of CCGS Hudson

Commissioned in 1964 as Canadian Survey Ship (CSS) Hudson, she was the first dedicated hydrographic and oceanographic vessel built for Canada and served the Canadian Oceanographic Service until 1996 when she was transferred to the Canadian Coast Guard fleet to become CCGS Hudson. I have photographed this ship many times over the last 25 or so years.

Hudson transiting the narrows of Halifax Harbour at sunrise in March 2007.

A scan from film, probably in either the late 1990s or early 2000s.

Hudson returning from sea in April 2016.

Hudson in July 2021, fresh out of refit and looking like new.

Despite a recent refit that was intended to extend the ship's life until replacements could come online later in this decade, one of the ship's two electric motors that drive the ship suffered a catastrophic failure and has been deemed not worth repairing. The ship will therefore be retired and returned from St. John's, NL, to Halifax on her one remaining motor on what was her final voyage under her own power.

I managed to catch her return from the Macdonald Bridge this past Monday, January 24. She was escorted for at least a portion of her voyage by CCGS Sir William Alexander, who preceded Hudson and saluted the latter using her firefighting monitors, and the lifeboat Sambro and an inflatable also escorted her into the harbour.

 

Sir William Alexander showing off her firefighting monitors.

The first view of Hudson from the bridge.

Sir William Alexander leading Hudson.

Sir William Alexander leading Hudson.

CCGS Sir William Alexander.

Hudson with the escorting RHIB and lifeboat.

Hudson about to pass under the bridge.

Lifeboat Sambro.

With Hudson now gone, the Canadian Coast Guard will have a large gap in their research fleet until her replacement comes online.

For more coverage of Hudson's return, see Mac Mackay's Shipfax blog.

Aerial views of HMCS SACKVILLE in refit

HMCS SACKVILLE's current refit is still ongoing, and the Dockyard's submarine maintenance shed provides some interesting views of the ship from above. The usual views from the mezzanine look like this:

There is also a higher platform (that is not always accessible) that is used to access the overhead cranes, which provides an aerial perspective of the ship:

This seemed like an interesting position to have Gary Reddy, the ship's Commanding Officer, pose for a photo. 

The ship is a bit messy, being in the middle of this refit, and we are hoping to get a second set of photos from this position when the refit is completed (and the decks a little tidier).

The refit is progressing well, despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and about 25% of the hull plating has been cladded with new steel plating to date.