29 March 2014 Death of My Camera

We started our day by finally getting a great view of the eagle we had been trying to spot for weeks. It was a glorious sighting on a wet day. We wanted to visit the Jamestown Audubon Center and find the Ranger Rick series of caches there. After stopping inside to hunt information for a puzzle cache and look at the exhibits, we made our way to the grounds. The rain had stopped, so I took my camera as we set off on the trails. It was a bad mistake.

We made it through the first caches with no rain. Then it started. I usually put my camera in my waterproof raincoat and that provides enough protection. In normal rain, it would have have enough. In the day's intense rain, it wasn't.

We knew this was a big year for tundra swan migrating through the area. We've seen them before at Chapman State Park, but the sheer number at the Audubon was surprising. It was a mix of tundra swan, geese, and ducks on the drained pond area.

I kept looking for skunk cabbage, a sure sign of spring. I finally spotted some about half way through our walk.

The death of my camera happened soon after this image. There's only so much water a camera can accept. It was a tough day on the trail as I lost a companion who had been with me for many, many miles.