A Dry Period

russelljtdyer

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Mar 4, 2010
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A couple of times a year the canals in Milan (in the Naviglio neighborhood) are dry, either from lack of water flow from the moutains, or because the locks are closed upstream to drain them. It would be an excellent opportunity for the city to clean the trash out of the canals, but they don't.

For a few years now I have thought it would be interesting to climb down into one of the canals to take pictures of the restaurant barges stuck in the mud. Today, I finally did it. These are some of the photos I took with a Lumix GF1 camera and a Zeiss 35mm f/2 Biogon M-Mount lens.

Maybe some others can add their shots of such dry periods, mud flats, or the like.

russelljtdyer-milan-canals-20110226-rangefinders-1.jpg


russelljtdyer-milan-canals-20110226-rangefinders-2.jpg


russelljtdyer-milan-canals-20110226-rangefinders-3.jpg


russelljtdyer-milan-canals-20110226-rangefinders-4.jpg
 
Yes, it was a mess. I forgot to mention that it didn't smell too good either. Also, it was a pain trying to climb back out. The wall is over three meters high. I tried squeezing my foot into some openings and grabbing the bricks, but they started coming loose. I eventually found a cinder block and moved it to where there was a drain pipe a few feet up. The two of them gave me a couple steps up to be able to pull myself up without dropping my camera. It was a bit unpleasant of a task taking these shots, but I'm glad I finally took them--rather than be irritated with myself every time I put it off and then miss the chance.
 
Maybe you should make a photo documentary about it to get the local authorities' attention.

Nice pics btw, and commend your courage to climb those slimy walls. :D
 
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