I’ve complained before that the JetRangerX is just not a good-looking helicopter. I have seen a few of them around here over the last couple of years and one example has shown up a few times in a glossy black livery with a dragonfly style marking on the fuselage. The cool paint does enhance the look of it a bit. I still don’t think it looks good, but this is as good effort to improve things.
We visited Whatcom Falls a while back and, at the time, the water levels had been quite low. I had been thinking about heading back when the water would be flowing more but hadn’t got around to it. Then, Nancy and I were up in Bellingham for something else and, as we headed home, I make a quick detour to stop off at the falls. They are so close to the parking lot, you can really make a ten-minute stop if you want.
The water was definitely flowing strongly. The falls were flowing hard, and the water was also running through the spillway on the other side of the footbridge. I did go around the top of the falls to see the river flowing in and also take a look at the flow as it headed over the falls. It was very energetic, and I am glad to have taken the side trip. 
Here is some video of the falls.
When we headed to the UK we departed from the South Satellite at SEA. It is the location used by most of the international operators. We got there in good time so I had a chance to watch some of the other flights arriving and departing. Here is a selection of shots of the airlines that came and went while we were there (including our jet to the UK).
When going on a safari, there are animals that will be the ones many people will want to see most. Lions, elephants, maybe rhinos will be top of the list. I am not saying I didn’t want to see those because I clearly did but I have a fascination with hippos and seeing them was very high on the list of things I wanted. Thankfully, we had plentiful opportunities to see them in various locations.
I knew that they were one of the more dangerous creatures, but we never got in any situation where they were a direct worry to us. They tend to come out at night and feed before retreating to the water in the morning to stay cool and away from any predators. Therefore, many of our sightings were when they were in rivers. However, this wasn’t always the case. We would see them wandering on land, heading through marshy ground and even asleep on the land. I should note that one hippo we saw asleep on the land was showing signs of attack with wounds across its body so this may have been out of character.
We came upon one river that had loads of hippos in it. We watched then for a while and then, as some of the other trucks pulled out, our guide moved us up into the dead end where they had come from. This brought us in to sight of another big group of hippos way closer in. It was amazing to see so many of them together.
What was the shot I wanted? It had to be the mouth. Hippos yawn and show off their large mouth and the huge teeth. I so wanted to get that shot. One hippo was in the water looking straight at me and I was just willing it to yawn but it didn’t oblige. However, I did get some more distant shots when the full yawn was happening so that was really great. They are such excellent creatures and, considering that they are vegetarians, ones that need to be treated with great caution. What a treat.
Autumnal weather can make for unpredictable conditions when photographing anything but especially planes. I was up at Paine Field for the NASA flying but was pleased to see that a Falcon 20 was also due to make a stop. This was an IFL Group aircraft making a short stop before heading off again. The clouds had been rolling through, but they parted just before the Falcon showed up. We had great light on it as it landed.
Conditions didn’t stay great and, by the time it taxied back out to depart, it was not so good. Not terrible by any standards but certainly not the lovely light we had for the arrival. It’s rare that I see a Falcon 20 being used for personal transport these days but the fact that they still have a good role for freight usage means we get to see them around still which is welcome.
This pond in Washington Arboretum was so covered in weed and undisturbed by wind, the weed looked almost like a solid surface. There was not a ripple on the pond. While you know that there is no strength in this covering, it looks so like something could walk across it. Thankfully, I didn’t feel inclined to test it.
Delta has gone in for the A321neo in a big way. They are taking delivery of them at a pretty steady pace. That doesn’t mean you get them everywhere as some types get focused on regions that others don’t. For a while, we didn’t see too many of the neo jets up this way but that seems to have changed now. I am seeing loads of them if I am around SEA these days. Here is a selection of shots of their jets that I have taken in recent months.
We were walking through the city checking out areas that we didn’t normally go to when we worked in Town during our visit last year. Our route brought us up to the Royal Exchange. It is a really cool looking old structure but one that has been adapted to modern uses. The inside is some pretty high end retail and we weren’t buying whatever they were selling. However, I did love the look of the place. It was also quite funny because I bumped into an old work colleague that I knew from Seattle (who has moved back to the UK). Not what you expect in a city the size of London!
The trip to the UK early this year included a quick trip to Kemble or Cotswolds Airport as it is also known. Near the tower, they have a couple of preserved airframes that harken back to the time that this was a Royal Air Force base (including it being home of the Red Arrows). One of the gate guards (okay, they aren’t near the gate, but you get the idea) is a Folland Gnat. I don’t know whether it is a genuine ex-Red Arrow or just painted to look like one, but it is cool either way. It is the tiniest of jets. I wonder what it was like ferrying one across the Atlantic as they did for a tour.
The other airframe is a Hawker Hunter. This is a classic aircraft and one that continues in use to this day. It is a trainer version with the side-by-side cockpit arrangement and in a grey paint job that I am not familiar with them having used in service. Either way, another great looking jet and something cool for any visitors to check out.
While walking through Washington Arboretum, we passed where a couple of trees had been taken down. It looked like it had been done very recently because the remains of the trunk where it had been sawn off still looked very fresh. The texture of the cross section caught my eye and I figured a view straight down with the light from the side picking out detail was the best angle.
