Lab Tanks
More from the Friday Harbor laboratory. This shot is in the main lab, and these tanks were freshly cleaned out for Open House weekend. I have seen them with all manner of beasts in them – whatever is being studied. Sharks were a common inhabitant when I was young, but not a place where you can keep the Houdini of the ocean, octopuses. You have to wonder why the need a quarantine room, I am supposing some kind of living organism studied that could not get loose in this environment, or a bacterial agent useful in some experiment that had to be handled carefully. Or, more likely a cold cupboard for wide-mouthed bottles of beer.
I remember when this lab was built in the early 1960’s – it ripped quite a hole in the sides of the rock and forest and was a bit of a shock, even to a child. Now it has melded into the landscape and has the look of always being there. You can see another view of it in one of last year’s posts here, it is really a very interesting building.
My dad was very patient while I took these shots. I am not sure he realised he was in them – that is one of the things about a 24mm lens, you are in view even if it is not pointed at you.
Canon 5Dii, Nikkor-N 24/2.8 lens, ISO800, ~f5.6, 1/250th, edited in Lightroom and then Topaz Clarity.
burnt embers 
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Great photo; love the reflection in the water!
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Thank you Lynn! I like it when reflections show something that is not otherwise within the frame.
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Yes Melinda, I do read his blog. The Friday Harbor Labs are a special place for our family. The lab have always welcomed visitors from other countries and we have many friends on San Juan Island. I first went there in 1961 and realized it would be ideal for my sort of work but we lived in Alberta at the time. In 1968 we moved to B.C. and found a house close to the Washington State Ferry terminal in Sidney B.C., so it is just a short hop across the water to Friday Harbor.
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Hi, thanks for replying. I have quite a few more FHL shots that will slowly make there way to the blog.
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I can tell from the other Friday Harbor posts on this blog that it is a special place for your family. I expect that seeing these posts brings back a lot of good memories!
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I love these views of things I’m likely never going to see in person, especially environments like this that I find interesting. I doubt if dad would be displeased with this photo either.
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Hi Ken. If you time your visit for the right weekend (this was the weekend before Memorial Day but I am not sure if it always that weekend) then there is an open house and the public are welcome to visit many of the labs to see what is being done by the scientists. I am hoping he likes this shot. It is one of about 4, I might put out another one sometime. There are two tanks side by side and they make an interesting view.
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Very nice reflections in the tank! And a lot of interesting things to look at all through the shot. Does your dad read the blog? Or did you already tell him?
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Hi Melinda. There are lots of interesting things to look at – I only noticed the Quarantine sign in the photo, not while I was taking the shot! My dad does read the blog, but I did not warn him about this. I am hoping he does not mind.
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