Turned Around
Attention to decay
I was sitting on the top deck of the tour boat, waiting for the tour to start. Everyone was taking out their phones and cameras, getting ready for departure from the dock. Everyone else was looking towards the river and towards the castle. Except me. I was looking at a forgotten and run-down corner of the marina on the other side of the boat through my telephoto zoom lens, and I was probably happier about it than everyone taking in the castle.
What caught my eye first was an old dock in a forgotten corner of the marina, looking ready to fall into the water. The dock’s angle as it came off the shoreline formed a natural diagonal. The old, weathered boards were worn, their texture showing their age. The fact that it was at the Alex Bay Marina meant it was once relevant.
Then I started looking at what else was nearby.
Another old dock sat next to this one. A sign on the end said no trespassing. It wasn’t collapsing like the first one, but I still don’t think I would walk on it. It looked like a lot of birds hang out there, though. So even if it would hold my weight, I still wouldn’t walk on it. I played with that composition for a bit before moving on.
I zoomed in further and saw ducks camped out on a small platform beside this dock. Weeds growing on the rotting boards told me how long it had been since it was used.
A small building sat near the shoreline, with a Rest Room sign still on the door. The siding was worn and falling off. An old hose reel was still attached to one wall. You could imagine what it had been like, but like the rest of this area, it had obviously not been used for a few years. Just as I pressed the shutter release, a gull passed through the frame.
We started moving away from the dock; it was time for the tour. I turned away from the old corner that had kept my attention, and looked towards the river. As we were pulling away past the yachts moored at the next dock, I finally looked at the castle across the river that everyone else had been looking at.
✅ Where to Find Me
You can find more of my work on the web at: Simmons Photography
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