The Changing River Through Seasons

I have a tradition of coming out to the Portage Bridge twice a month to photograph the Ottawa River as it flows downstream. I select a spot on the bridge where the border of Quebec and Ontario pass through, with Gatineau on the left and Ottawa on the right. Landmarks in these shots include the Alexandra Bridge, Kiweki Point, the National Gallery, Notre Dame, Parliament Hill, the Supreme Court, and Victoria Island.

I start off with this shot taken in mid-January on a snowy day. Due to the strong current coming downstream from the Chaudiere Falls, the Ottawa River does not fully freeze over for this stretch.

This was a few days later in the month.

I took this shot in the second half of February on a cold day.

Before the end of the month, I returned.

I was back here in early March.

Later in the month, the spring thaw was well underway, with the last of the ice down below Parliament Hill and Nepean Point. The river was turbulent.

When I next showed up a few days past mid-April, the turbulence continued.

A few days later, I returned again.

I came back in the first half of May, and this was the view.

Late in May, it was a moody day on the river.

I returned in the first half of June.

And to close out the post, here we are a few days ago, on the tail end of a hot spell.