In No Special Order:

All of these photos are enlarged upon at Pat's Pond. I really enjoyed my photo-blogging on the Riverfront. Broke my heart to cull out the majority of some sixty photos. I usually am ruthless, but the Riverfest comes only once a year. Next year's events will be different. None of Saturday's moments can ever be truly recreated and relived, except in memory, so my photos are more precious than my usual blogging.

I really am looking forward to next year's Riverfest.

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Little Pond

Sign up for Kids' Derby

Kids' Fishing Derby is slated for July 30, 2005. Contact Nickle Creek Bait Shop at 734-9233. Fishing is a local resource that's readily available and inexpensive. The Good People at Nickle Creek can teach the children to make it safe and affordable.

Osprey afficionados

Team Osprey had an informational booth. From where we walked we could see the Osprey tower and nesting platform in the distance downriver.

Curious chat

Perhaps she's a battlefield nurse, and he must be a scout or (gasp!) a renegade. Otherwise I think this would be a most unusual group of people during the time being reenacted.

Native American Placenames

Elmira is recognizable on the map only by placement through the rivers and creeks. After all, "Elmira" is not the native American name.

Boarding sight

Weathered side must've been the usual roadside view, back in the day. Trolley tracks still break up our roads, showing themselves especially during the pothole season in Spring.

The Elmiran II

If you live in Elmira, New York, you are indeed familiar with "The Trolley" that plies our streets during festivals and weekends in Summer. It's also popular with couples for their weddings.

Ammo box

The caisson goes rolling along... A real caisson with a real ammo box, lovingly restored.

Arrowhead chart

Essentially arrowheads we are likely to find here in Upstate New York. Ivan's booth had amazing items.

Riverfest. The Boaters

Welcome to Riverfest 2005.

Elmira, New York. The following are presented in no particular order, and do not represent all of the participants. Not by any means. The weather turned bright and sunny. Yours truly had to escape the heat.

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Little Pond

Family Day on the Chemung

If I hadn't known about the Riverfest, this would have been the first clue. While families often ply the river in kayaks and canoes, it is rare to find two or three together, in any time period.

Water channel

Straight line here is a channel of water. These channels are also under the surface, and can kill. Note that everyone in the boats wears a lifejacket.

Water intake site

Note the water intakes. They make for a good meeting spot.

Staging site

A gathering of canoes and kayaks waiting for further instruction? People shouted back and forth, making plans for landing.

Wind-propelled boat

This fanboat (?) is a curious-looking craft for our area. It shuttled up and down river during the event.

Long, low ride

Kayaks are strikingly sleek and seem to glide along the water with almost no rowing needed.

Green framed view

The launch is close to the Walnut Street Bridge, and looking upriver is limited by all the greenery.

Kayak rainbow

Colorful kayaks made the launch area festive. Many people waded and brought their dogs to escape the heat.

Cloudy skies keep things cool

The first few boaters came trickling around noon. It was still very cloudy, making everything look cool and springlike.

Array of lifejackets

River safety is always the last word. Never saw so many lifejackets. Glad to see them, too. Safe boating is more fun for everyone involved.

Riverfest 2005

This was our first Riverfest with the new boat launch. This launch was blogged in Pat's Pond earlier last month. So now it's official.

Visited with lots of folk during the morning hours of the festival, but left when the sun came out. I must assume the thing was a hit despite the gorgeous day. Nice day gets sunny, grouchy lady takes her camera and goes home.

So the photos above were taken between 11:30 and 12:30 pm.

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Little Pond