Photo Friday: Patterson Bridge

I pass by it almost every afternoon, on my drive home from work. Across the canal, many motorists, cyclists, runners, and pedestrians pass over it, perhaps not even aware that the structure is beneath them.

It's more prominent in winter, when the canal is open to skaters. Those who want to experience the full length of the world's largest skating rink must glide under it and come out again.

I drive past it, along Colonel By Drive, and I notice how the late-afternoon light reflects off the water and illuminates the curved concrete. When the wind is still, the mirrored reflection can be breathtaking. I have seen the bridge, and every time I've looked at it I have wanted to stop the car, pull out my camera, and capture it. But you can't stop on Colonel By Drive: there is no room to pull over. There are few side streets on which to turn, and those are far from where I can see this short overpass.

And so I crossed over, at the Pretoria Bridge, and got onto the Queen Elizabeth Drive, headed into the Glebe. I found parking on O'Connor, near Second Avenue. And from there, I walked back to Pretoria, back along Colonel By, until I came to a spot across the canal from Patterson Creek Bridge.

All for a couple of shots.

There is another spot, further along the canal, that I think would be beautiful in the early morning light. Again, finding a place to park is a challenge, and soon the leaves will change colour and fall. Soon, the canal will be drained in anticipation of winter. So we'll see if I make the shot in time.

But there's always next year.

Happy Friday!