Sunrise on Harwich Port

In a year where most of us were confined to our homes and local towns, any escape was a breath of fresh air. This series of photos is from a morning in Harwich Port, where we were able to take a few days of vacation in late summer. I snuck out at first light in an attempt to find some new material and wound up driving the length of the town from Dennis to Chatham.

At the mouth of Herring Run

Herring Run

First light at Wychmere Harbor

Neel Road Beach - a tiny plot of about 200 feet of public shoreline

An overlooked path at Red River Beach

Salt marsh between Harwich Port and Chatham

A great blue heron stalking

All calm at Pleasant Street Beach in Chatham

Exploring the Zion Narrows

At the farthest end of the Zion National Park road lie the Narrows. Here, the expansive canyon walls close in to their most confined point. There is a 1 mile footpath from the main road to the entrance of the Narrows, after which, you enter the Virgin River and literally hike upstream.

An outfitter in town rents out the necessary equipment - waterproof canyoneering boots, neoprene socks, and a trekking pole. These turned out to be critical in navigating the very cold rushing water that was up to our midsections at times and the loose rocks beneath. We secured our gear the night before so we could get an early start the next morning. Camera equipment brought some additional complexity with dry bags and tripod strapped to my daypack.

Taking one of the first shuttle busses into the park (40 minute ride, 20 minute walk) got us to the Narrows before 8:00AM. There were very few other hikers at this time and the early morning made for great reflected light photography. Long exposures helped to capture the motion of the swift current. The morning air was cool in the shadows and the water was in the low-50 degrees.

This is one of the most unique hikes, as it is in water, the entire length. In some sections such as 'Wall Street' the canyon edges closed to within 20 feet. Other areas required careful selection of crossing points and a bit of floating at times. We ventured about 2 miles upstream in a few hours - finding our way upriver made for slow but fun progress. The return trip downstream was much quicker once we knew our route. 

If you are ever in southern Utah, this is a must-hike!