Another year has ended, and we look forward to a new year with new beginnings. This year's video of the Detroit River has no narration after about two minutes into the video. Why? Well, this year I thought I'd let the video speak for itself. 😀 Happy New Year!!
We've all been through some tough times due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but we hope for better days. Here's the annual Belle Isle Detroit River video. Sorry for the background noise of the wind. I purchased a microphone that was supposed to help reduce the annoying wind, but it decided to stop working. Ugh.
Belle Isle 2022
This is how it goes sometimes with technology! I hope you all have a wonderful 2022!
The tradition continues! Detroit Video Daily is back on Belle Isle to shoot the annual Detroit River video on New Year's Day. This year's video has some footage from two freighters on the river. One thing that hasn't changed is it was cold!
Two Freighters
The timing of the video was right to watch two freighters on the Detroit River. The first boat was the Algoma Strongfield, and it appears in the video with the Ambassador Bridge in the background. Later I noticed the Kaministquatraveling down river. The boats pass each other, but it was in a spot where I couldn't get a good photo.
Once again DVD is happy to welcome in the New Year with a video shot on Belle Isle in Detroit. A short video of the Detroit River this year and some nice photos to go with it.
Well, even if I'm not updating this blog as frequently as before, one thing stayed consistent and that's the annual Detroit River video on New Year's day. Here are some photos and the video. Enjoy!
New Year's Day 2018
Happy New Year!! Another year has passed and that means it's now time to share the annual Detroit
River video! This year the video was shot using an iPhone app called Clips. The Clips app allows you to add photos to the video clip, so you will see some still photos mixed in. It's a useful app for creating quick videos from your iPhone. And with the cold weather in Detroit it worked out quite well!
Happy New Year to you! As in years past the video camera gets rolling on the first day of the new year and a video of the Detroit River is the subject. This year with a 26 degree temperature there was no fooling around scoping out a new site on Belle Isle to make the video. Pretty much drove over the bridge to our wonderful State Park, quickly parked and got the camera rolling.
On Belle Isle the Detroit River
The Video
While this year's video didn't break any new ground, I felt that was a good thing because there is comfort in familiarity. However, you probably have noticed that during the past year there have been fewer posts to this blog, and that's not a comfortable thing for me. So let's look forward to 2016 and more posts from Detroit Video Daily. I hope the coming year is a great one for you!
First a very happy New Year to all the Detroit Video Daily readers and video watchers. I appreciate all of the comments and kind words about this blog that I received in 2014. As many of you know the tradition has it that a video is shot of the Detroit River on the first day of the new year, and you'll be happy to know the tradition continues. However, in year's past the video has been shot near the Belle Isle bridge (MacArthur bridge for those that want to be formal.) This year needed a change.
South Fishing Pier
So this year I went out near the South Fishing Pier on Belle Isle and shot a quick minute long video. Quick because as in previous years, it was bone chilling cold. And there was a stiff wind to add to the frigid temperature.
Icy rocks at the foot of the Detroit River
Why?
I'm glad you asked why change the location? I decided that as Detroit has gone through a lot of changes this past year, DVD needed to make a change too. I think that new things need to be tried in 2015. Our city needs to continue to rebound from bankruptcy (and other problems), and part of growth is change. This year hopefully things will continue to get better in Detroit, and DVD will continue to bring to light some of the things that get overlooked by the mainstream media. Or just some things that I find interesting living in Detroit. Looking forward to a great 2015, and I hope you are too!
Happy New Year to all! Yes, this post is coming late in the day on New Year's Day 2014, but as they say better late than never. And yes, the tradition continues and the annual video of the Detroit River has hit the YouTube channel. Of course no need to go there the video is embedded at the end of this post.
Snow and Cold
New Year's Day and Detroit found itself in a snowfall of close to six inches. However, when I shot the video it wasn't the snow that was the problem. It was the cold. The kind of cold where after shooting the minute long video my hands were in a numbing cold induced pain. I jumped back in the car and quickly got the heat going again. The roads circling around Belle Isle had been plowed but because of the constant snowfall they were still kind of slick. So the usual trip around the island was cut short, and I headed back over the bridge.
View looking toward downtown from Belle Isle
A Look Back
No looking back in the post this year. Although I will say that the Tigers provided a lot of excitement in the city, and we all want to see them back in the World Series in 2014 but with a different outcome. All I can say is DetroitVideoDaily is looking to the future and will keep bringing you things I discover or find interesting in the city.
Closing Notes
If the audio in the video is a little hard to hear at the end of the video, it was because of the bitter cold! I really needed to get back to the car. Also this year I included the trip over the bridge to Belle Isle and the return trip mainly because I liked the glow of the lights, and because in the near future there will be a toll stop as Belle Isle has been turned over to the State of Michigan to run it as a state park starting February 2nd.
The Detroit Riverwalk has many great attractions, and one that sometimes escapes the public eye is Gabriel Richard Park. The park has an awesome plaza that is a perfect spot to relax and watch the river flow by. Located across from Belle Isle on East Jefferson Ave. the park is near the old Uniroyal site and isn't yet fully connected to the Riverwalk. But don't let that stop you from paying a visit. Here's a link to a Google map to help you find your way. -- Side note: the photos and video in this post are from this past September (the reason for the green grass and leaves on the trees.)
Well maintained pavillion
Labyrinth
When you visit make sure you spend some time at the Adcraft Labyrinth that is part of the Riverwalk. It's a good spot to enjoy the peacefulness of the area.
View from the Labyrinth looking east
Labyrinth looking west toward downtown
Fountain and Pavilion
When you're closer to the pavilion there's a nice fountain to keeps things cool. The pavilion has some tables and chairs to relax or eat your lunch while you take in the view of the river.
Fountain at the pavilion
Cut out in the wall looking toward E. Jefferson
The River
And let's not forget the river. The Gabriel Richard Plaza is at the foot of the Detroit River and you can get quite close to the water if you don't mind stepping on a few rocks.
Couple of swans enjoying the day on the river
Video Tour
Here's the video that shows the park in more detail.
Have you visited the Detroit Riverwalk? What is your favorite part? Leave a comment and let me know.
I took the following photo on New Year's Day and thought I'd post it before filing it away in the DVD archives. The color of the sky was impressive and made for an interesting reflection. It was a nice quiet end to the first day of 2013.
Happy New Year to all of the viewers and readers of Detroit Video Daily! I decided to head back out to Belle Isle to shoot a video of the Detroit River as I had done last year. Who knows maybe a tradition is forming?
The Future
This year there is no reflection. It's not to say that nothing much happened in Detroit this past year. Indeed quite a lot happened with one of the highlights being the Tigers making it to the World Series. Unfortunately, they didn't play well, and we're now looking forward to the 2013 season. And that's what this year is for me, and many others in the city, a look forward for better things to come. I had a great 2012, and if you click around in the categories on the right side you'll see some of the things I've been up to. But I'm excited for the new year and learning and experiencing new things.
The Video
The video is a quiet look at the Detroit River, and if it weren't for the family of ducks, there wouldn't be much action, if you want to call a few ducks swimming "action" :) So sit back and enjoy a minute of peace from a quiet cold New Year's Day, and I hope 2013 is a year full of success and happiness for you!
In the quest to capture a boat on video, I realized how little I knew about boats. I did know however, to visit BoatNerd.com to check the passage schedule of boats going up and down the Detroit River. I learned of the site from the blogger over at Michigan Exposures. After checking the schedule I headed over to Belle Isle near the Dossin Museum to go boat watching.
Freighter on the Detroit River
Names
But, what are these huge boats that glide effortlessly down the river? Are they barges, ships, freighters, vessels? How about "self-unloading bulk carrier"? The boat on the following video is the Tadoussac from the Canada Steamship Lines, and on the spec sheet she's called just that, a self-unloading bulk carrier. The ship can carry and deliver cement, iron ore and coal. And in case you're wondering she's 730 feet in length.
Enjoyable
Okay, so it may not be for everyone, but boat watching on the Detroit River is actually an enjoyable activity! You have time to hang out, soak up some sun, watch the sea gulls and just relax as the river flows by. So I guess that makes me a Boat Nerd, lol. By the way, it struck me that this type of boat watching is the antithesis of the roaring hydroplanes that I witnessed earlier this summer.
Well, what about you, anyone else like to watch the freighters? Where do you go to watch the ships pass by? Leave a comment and let me know!
