Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Pipe Dreams

I took a ride the other morning over to South Portland along the water. I was looking to take some photographs of Portland from across the water. I found myself among the oil storage tanks that line the Route 295 bridge. Looking down next to a short walkway, I noticed a stack of piles rolling into the water. The oily smell was a bit sickening, overwhelming at times. I didn't stay long. It reminded me of the times we walked among the buildings of the paving company at the end of Bishop Street, at night. The smell of the tar was sweet at first, but after a while it began to make you ill. We didn't stay there long.
I'm not staying here long today either.
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11 comments:

  1. KateSeptember 10, 2013 at 6:42 AM

    I haven't had a whiff of tar in ages; but it was one of the "pleasures" of childhood.

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  2. TexWisGirlSeptember 10, 2013 at 9:23 AM

    oil. gas. greed. pollution. *sigh*

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  3. SharonSeptember 10, 2013 at 9:38 AM

    Sounds like a photo opportunity gone wrong.

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  4. Sharon CreechSeptember 10, 2013 at 11:12 AM

    I know that smell ... and how quickly it becomes overpowering. . .

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  5. HalcyonSeptember 10, 2013 at 12:55 PM

    The photo is very nice. Glad it doesn't come with the smell. :)

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  6. ButchSeptember 10, 2013 at 7:44 PM

    Took my first photo class last night and the instructor gave us an assignment for next week. You have posted on the 4th, 5th, 8th and today that assignment....lines with purpose, simplicity, and a focus. Now all I have to do is come to Maine and find your spots. Nice work.

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  7. Sketchbook WanderingSeptember 10, 2013 at 9:43 PM

    I had to accept that SP is a city of industry because of it's location. Recently I was struck by the number of tanks visible from 295, Yikes!
    You looked directly at this aspect when you took this photo. When living right next to it, it's easy to ignore ..unless, like me, you're allergic to the fumes...it's one of the reasons I moved away. SP has a great new grass roots organization, Protect South Portland, it's in response to the tar sands issue. But, even with this oil/gas industrial stuff, I'll always love SoPo...

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  8. RandySeptember 10, 2013 at 9:44 PM

    These did make for a nice shot.

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  9. Yogi♪♪♪September 10, 2013 at 10:36 PM

    I worked a couple summers as a roustabout in a little oilfield town in west Texas. When I first got there, the whole town stank ("the sweet smell of sour crude" I was told) but then a week later or so it seemed to be a lot better. Turns out that hydrogen sulfide kills your sense of smell. The town stank just as bad, I couldn't smell it.

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  10. AnonymousSeptember 11, 2013 at 1:44 AM

    nice post thanks for sharing
    infant costume

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  11. UnknownSeptember 14, 2013 at 9:22 AM

    Amazing how something so common and uninteresting makes for such a great shot! Kudos to the photographer.

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