Please Leave the Storm Drain Behind
I went by the storm drain (I check it out several times a week for photo ops) last week at high tide and Nickel Brothers had their barge snugged up beside it having just loaded a house from James Bay in Victoria, destined for Orcas Island in Washington State. This is a shot of the storm drain, you just have to look for it harder than usual. The lighting was pretty difficult, so I opted for bracketing and an HDR treatment.
Had I known this was going to happen, I would probably have come down earlier to shoot some timelapse, as I did before in my own neighbourhood. You can see that video in my post There Goes the Neighbourhood as well as learn more about this fairly common activity of moving houses rather than just crushing them for the landfill.
Technical Details: Canon EOS 5Dmkii, Canon 16-35mm/f2.8 lens a 16mm/f2.8, ISO640, edited in Lightroom and Photomatix, +/- 2.0 E.V.
.
burnt embers 
Pingback: House Underway | burnt embers
Pingback: Moving House | burnt embers
Wow! Dramatic shot!!!
LikeLike
Thanks Mark – there is lots of drama in these house moves, but when combined with such a sky and an active ocean, it all adds up.
LikeLike
For someone from this side of the pond, this is not what “moving house” normally brings to mind. However, I suppose it can be cheaper than rebuilding and it does leave a clear site behind for someone else to develop.
For more information on the barge, check out https://forms.otc-cta.gc.ca/sins-cvis/navire-ship_eng.cfm?ShipID=800201.
LikeLike
Hi Patrick – it seems particularly useful method for wood frame houses – brick is another matter, though it can be moved I think it is trickier. And heavier.
Thanks for the link, I should have looked that up. Interesting to see the barge draws over 10 feet of water – it must have been partially grounded. I bet it was a rising tide when the loaded the house, or maybe the weight of the house lifted the beach end off the gravel. I didn’t know that coastal barges came in lengths of around 200 feet, I would not have guessed this one was quite that long. No wonder the house looks small – it most certainly came off a lot half the size of this barge (and probably smaller than that).
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for the storm drain photo! You know how I am about that drain…
LikeLike
I know that you are nearly as bad as I am when it comes to that drain. Wasn’t that our first stop after I picked you up from the ferry?
LikeLike
Yes, it was the first stop! And i’m looking forward to further visits to the drain when I come back.
LikeLike
Well thank goodness they didn’t take it to Orcas Island.
LikeLike
I know! I’d have to track it down….
LikeLike
Worse places than Orcas to go looking…
LikeLike
That’s a good point. Maybe we need to go storm-drain hunting in the Orcas, just in case…
LikeLike
Well, they need to get past San Juan Island first, so perhaps we should stop by there, it would be my preference anyway. I think they have a good dive shop or tour there. Certainly some excellent diving there. Just to keep all travelling parties happy, and in case the drain sank along the way and divers are needed to find it.
LikeLike
It is starting to look like our next visit up your way will last for months! I guess we need to see how long we can stay on a tourist visa.
LikeLike
Yes. That sounds good. We might need to replace the fold out couch with something more welcoming…
LikeLike
If we stay long enough to complete the to-do list, we’d surely wear out our welcome at your place, and you might re-think that axe-murderer thing…
LikeLike
Always interesting to revisit gory crime scenes real or imagined – if you are a forensic scientist or novelist.
LikeLike
Awesome image! Good job.
LikeLike
Thanks Rob! It was quite the sight, and I happened to have my wide angle zoom with me, the right tool for this job.
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a shot. I didn’t think a ship that big could get that close to the shore.
LikeLike
Hi Ken – it is a very high tide (with a 12 foot tidal range in these parts) and the beach and underwater profile drops quite steeply along this beach. Even so, it takes a pretty shallow draft to get in this close.
LikeLike
Lovely sky and balance of light. This is not what storm drains are built for and I am surprised they can get away with it.
LikeLike
Well, they are beside the storm drain without actually touching it – about 1 yard off of it. You can see it in the water movement, though it is totally submerged. They did have to take out some of the guard railings next to Dallas Road in order to move the house down onto the barge. I missed that part, it would have been interesting to see the whole operation.
LikeLike
That must one monster barge; the house looks so tiny.
LikeLike
Hi Yvonne – it really is big isn’t it? I have other photos which will show up here, some from a distance as it leaves, and the house looks tiny even from the side (so it is not just the effect of a 16mm lens).
LikeLike