I was there today and it is Bear Swamp Hill at 4.9 miles away. I have proof and will post it in my Trip Report.
Guy
Pine plains on 539 after the fire
- Thread starter Boyd
- Start date
I was there today and it is Bear Swamp Hill at 4.9 miles away. I have proof and will post it in my Trip Report.
Guy
All,
Early this morning my wife, Jessica, and I headed out to the location Boyd took his photo’s, and to check on the Lawrence Line stones that were directly impacted by the fire. Not really to check on them, just to see how exposed and what it looks like without the vegetation.
We first visited Boyd’s photo location and stood on the washing machine and photographed and videotaped the area.
I then set my GPS to the Forked River Mountains and faced the hill in the distance that Boyd saw, and my GPS was off almost 90°. So I then switched my GPS to the landing gear at Bear Swamp Hill while still facing the hill and it pointed in that direction. Looking over the map after returning home I am certain it is Bear Swamp Hill. The Forked River Mountains are on the other side of 539 in the direction of the FAA tower which was almost 90° to the right of me.
Our next stop was Lawrence Line stone #12. This area was in the heart of the fire...completely burnt.
http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10007/normal_aaf.jpg
Sphagnum Moss.
I feel really bad for those that lost their homes, but fire in the pines is wonderful for the plants. Check out these pine cones in three phases of opening. My wife was fascinated that all of the pine cones in the burned area were open, and the insides were as red as normal. The seeds were exposed and in many instances on the ground.
Directly in the center of this photo is Lawrence Line Marker # 11.
http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10007/normal_aae.jpg
Unfortunately, Jessica found the remains of a turtle that did not escape the fire. We left him alongside the #11 marker when we left.
Again, in heart of the pines away from any road.
And my wife said that if she had found this earlier, she would have been able to put the fire out
We visited Waretown for a few minutes and stopped at the Woodshed on our way home for an very early lunch.
Guy
Early this morning my wife, Jessica, and I headed out to the location Boyd took his photo’s, and to check on the Lawrence Line stones that were directly impacted by the fire. Not really to check on them, just to see how exposed and what it looks like without the vegetation.
We first visited Boyd’s photo location and stood on the washing machine and photographed and videotaped the area.
I then set my GPS to the Forked River Mountains and faced the hill in the distance that Boyd saw, and my GPS was off almost 90°. So I then switched my GPS to the landing gear at Bear Swamp Hill while still facing the hill and it pointed in that direction. Looking over the map after returning home I am certain it is Bear Swamp Hill. The Forked River Mountains are on the other side of 539 in the direction of the FAA tower which was almost 90° to the right of me.
Our next stop was Lawrence Line stone #12. This area was in the heart of the fire...completely burnt.
http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10007/normal_aaf.jpg
Sphagnum Moss.
I feel really bad for those that lost their homes, but fire in the pines is wonderful for the plants. Check out these pine cones in three phases of opening. My wife was fascinated that all of the pine cones in the burned area were open, and the insides were as red as normal. The seeds were exposed and in many instances on the ground.
Directly in the center of this photo is Lawrence Line Marker # 11.
http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10007/normal_aae.jpg
Unfortunately, Jessica found the remains of a turtle that did not escape the fire. We left him alongside the #11 marker when we left.
Again, in heart of the pines away from any road.
And my wife said that if she had found this earlier, she would have been able to put the fire out
We visited Waretown for a few minutes and stopped at the Woodshed on our way home for an very early lunch.
Guy
A short movie. Quicktime Plugin needed.
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/teegate1/WarrenGroveFire.mov
Guy
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/teegate1/WarrenGroveFire.mov
Guy
Well Guy, when you're right you're right. I looked through my photos again and pieced together a Q&D panorama and now realize that the hill I saw was to the West instead of the North as I originally recalled. So I went back to the photos I took of Bear Swamp Hill when I was at Spring Hill the other day and made this composite: http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10294/bs_hill.jpg
The profile looks about right, but of course I was looking from the North at Spring Hill and the East at Warren Grove. Looking at the map, you're right about me being 90 degrees off! (see attached).
The FAA tower is very prominent from that hill in Warren Grove: http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10294/DSC_0224.JPG although I couldn't recall where it was in relation to the distant hill that I saw.
Nice work Guy, and some fascinating pix and narrative from you as always!
Attachments
The diameter of the front of the lens is roughly 2.5". It's a relatively slow lens at full zoom however, f5.6 (it opens up to f4.5 at the wide end of the zoom). However it's one of Nikon's VR series, which stands for "vibration reduction." This helps a lot on a long telephoto, I was able to take those photos handheld without a tripod, which would have been nearly impossible without some form of image stabilization.
I was going to start a thread of my trip and photos today, however I'll just add to this one if that's OK. If it's a problem, let me know. These are shots from an area off RT-72. I've never seen so much of a charred looking scenery in my life. If you look closely at one of the pictures (there's a 2nd one right after it in zoom-mode), you'll see that there's still hot-spots out there. After snapping some photos, I used what water I had to pour on the area that was smoking. In another photo you'll notice that someone must of had a clam-bake in the woods, days before the fire.
For more pictures from my day today, click the link below.
http://s146.photobucket.com/albums/r267/this_is_nascar/Wharton%2005-19-2007/
If someone could identify the old foundations pictured in CIMG0925 thru CIM0932, I'd appreciate it. I believe I was by Lake Oswego when I stumbled across it.
For more pictures from my day today, click the link below.
http://s146.photobucket.com/albums/r267/this_is_nascar/Wharton%2005-19-2007/
If someone could identify the old foundations pictured in CIMG0925 thru CIM0932, I'd appreciate it. I believe I was by Lake Oswego when I stumbled across it.
I believe they are from the cranberry operations there at one time. You missed the "tower" foundations on the other side of the road. Steve found them a while back. At first I thought it was a lookout of some sort, but I am now thinking it was water. There is a pipe coming out of the ground nearby.
Thanks for the photo's.
Guy
Just got back from my outing,i will post under trip reports as i have been to various places today.Great photos from both of you,thanks for sharing,my trip report is all verbal as my camera is out for modifications,the ir lens is being removed for astrophotography,report will follow after i eat dinner.
Guy, that photo of the three pine cones is excellant. A classic that someone will surely borrow to tell the tale of serotinous cones.
Boyd: Are you sure that washing machine wasn't spinning when you took that photo of Forked River Mountain?
Just kidding. Your photos are awesome.
Boyd: Are you sure that washing machine wasn't spinning when you took that photo of Forked River Mountain?
Just kidding. Your photos are awesome.
Boyd: Are you sure that washing machine wasn't spinning when you took that photo of Forked River Mountain?
LOL... obviously I was disoriented because I thought West was North! A little while ago I found an antique compass (says "ENG DEPT USA 1916") in a box of my Dad's old stuff. Guess I should get in the habit of bringing it with me in the future
I took a ride out to Rt539 today also.
I turned down a short road on the east side a little before Boyd's spot.
I think his cover is blown:
A little down on the west side:
This is the east side just across from where Boyd took his shots:
Then on to the west side:
Ended up on Bombing Range Rd near the entrance of the base. A shot looking away:
Steve
I turned down a short road on the east side a little before Boyd's spot.
I think his cover is blown:
A little down on the west side:
This is the east side just across from where Boyd took his shots:
Then on to the west side:
Ended up on Bombing Range Rd near the entrance of the base. A shot looking away:
Steve
There are cars all over that area. Here is an Audi Fox with another car in the distance that was burned.
I have to say that I am really disapointed when I go to the news sites, or any site for that matter, to look for photo's of the effects of the fire. The one site with the best photo's is right here! Steve, Boyd, and Nascar deserve that credit.
Guy
I have to say that I am really disapointed when I go to the news sites, or any site for that matter, to look for photo's of the effects of the fire. The one site with the best photo's is right here! Steve, Boyd, and Nascar deserve that credit.
Guy
You all deserve credit. Very nice stuff. I hope you guys go back every 6 months to do some before and after shots. That is the real deal.
Those pictures are awesome Steve. Guy, I'd expect most abandoned cars found out there have been stolen and were take for a joy-ride, until they couldn't go any further. It's amazing to see, with all the normal growth now burnt away, how much junk has actually be throw around out there. It's a shame for sure.
Those are some amazing photos. Thanks to everyone! I feel like I was in Westhampton! I love the contrast between the burned areas and the non burned ones.
It really amazes me how much the pine plains of southern NJ remind me of the ones in WEsthampton. I really need to go down there and visit. I would've loved to have seen it before the fires.
It really amazes me how much the pine plains of southern NJ remind me of the ones in WEsthampton. I really need to go down there and visit. I would've loved to have seen it before the fires.
Excellent work, as usual you've captured something that should leave a lasting impression on the viewer. It is a sadness that this does not express the shear beauty of your normal work but the stark contrast and reality of what has occured here.
G.
G.
We took a trip down there ourselves yesterday to survey the damage. I'll post photos later if my camera worked the way it should. We looked around the bombing range and then ventured into the Stafford Forge area. What a day. We were filthy by the time we got home! The scope of the fire isn't something I was prepared for. From the bombing range road, the view was not what I expected. I guess I knew it was a big fire, but...it was a BIG FIRE!
Something that strikes me about your photos, Boyd and Behr, is that they look like they were shot in black and white, and later colorized. The actual landscape is pretty much the same in person, the whole world is black and white. Another thing that struck me, as it did some of you guys, is that the fire has revealed a lot of garbage. And it seemed to me that the fire has also revealed some of the secrets the pines are holding. (including all those seeds scattered over the blackened landscape from the burnt cones). We spotted markers and cars and even a boat that we wouldn't have seen otherwise. The pines are naked!
Something that strikes me about your photos, Boyd and Behr, is that they look like they were shot in black and white, and later colorized. The actual landscape is pretty much the same in person, the whole world is black and white. Another thing that struck me, as it did some of you guys, is that the fire has revealed a lot of garbage. And it seemed to me that the fire has also revealed some of the secrets the pines are holding. (including all those seeds scattered over the blackened landscape from the burnt cones). We spotted markers and cars and even a boat that we wouldn't have seen otherwise. The pines are naked!
That was certainly my impression the first time I visited and it was a gray cloudy day which made it even more striking. But I went back again to the area West of 539 today and spent a few hours hiking around on and off the roads - I look like I was rolling around inside a bag of charcoal!
Today there was a vivid blue sky with dramatic white clouds, and my impression was different. This just might be my new Favorite Place; it's spectacular out there - like walking through the desert. Once you get off the road there is less trash and it almost seemed like the place had been purified or renewed by the fire. It's going to be really interesting to watch things grow back in the months ahead.
I took about 2GB of photos, will post some after I go through them. There were lots of birds everywhere and I saw a little lizard scurrying around. Managed to get a nice sunburn to remind my of my visit, but it was well worth it!