The River From The Heights

I wanted comparison shots of the Ottawa River from winter into spring, and happened to be up on Parliament Hill one afternoon in mid-March. This view looks towards Gatineau. Ice was starting to break up beneath Nepean Point and the Alexandra Bridge.

Coming west gives us a view upstream, where the water was working on breaking up the ice. There is always a channel of the river open through the winter passing beneath the Portage Bridge, which can be seen at the main channel illuminated by the sun. As winter ends, that channel of water wears away at the ice downstream.

A shift in perspective gives us the Ottawa shoreline beneath the Hill, with the Supreme Court looming over the river.

And this is a view back to where we started, showing the dark waters making more progress against that ice.

Now then, for a contrast, here are more recent shots, taken a week ago yesterday, late in the afternoon. I started at the Summer Pavilion, both outside and inside.

Then I moved along the pathway to take in views of the bridge, Nepean Point, and the National Gallery of Canada. The ice was gone, and the remaining snow was in shaded spots. Tomorrow I'll show you the view from over at Nepean Point.