elbelbelb2000
Freeze Play in Washington, D.C.
From the photoblog on 1/07/2010.
I saw this man playing with a soccer ball on the frozen water of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C.
Here's the story...
I was photographing the area around the Lincoln Memorial. I looked toward the Washington Monument, but what caught my attention was a small figure moving on the ice. Sure enough, it was someone running on the frozen water of the Reflecting Pool.
I approached closer to get a better look. The man with the soccer ball kept running toward one side, would kick the ball hard against the edge of the concrete, wait for the ball to come back to him, and continue in the opposite direction. He had a way of minimizing the impact of his weight against the thin ice below. He would sort of glide, kind of like a skater, across the surface of the ice. He was methodical in his approach, carefully avoiding the suspect areas of the Reflecting Pool where the ice appeared to be too thin. Dribble, slide, kick. Dribble, slide, kick.
I kept watching (as did many others), wondering why this man chose to exercise in this fashion. I thought: could I do the same? How thick is that ice? If the picture in today's entry is any indication, the ice wasn't the same thickness or density throughout. There were holes in the ice. Deep cracks. A small Arctic adventure was unfolding for all to see. So, naturally, I kept watching...
And do you know what happened next? As the man approached closer for his third run (by my count) around the Pool, he lost his balance, and one of his legs fell through the ice! He tried quickly getting out, but in his attempt, ended up getting his other foot in the frozen water (which was about knee high). What astonished me the most was this: there was a group of young students on a tour walking around the Reflecting Pool. They were also paying attention to this man. As soon as he fell into the water—and I couldn't believe what I heard next—they started jeering, clapping their hands, and laughing out loud. It was absolutely unbelievable. Here was a poor chap who needed help getting out, and these students were taking delight in this man's misfortune (I will let the reader decide whether this man brought upon his predicament on himself).
It took the man about five attempts to successfully get back on solid ice, and after he got up, he continued forward, gently kicking the ball forward, running after it, kicking it again. It's as though he tried to shake off what just happened to him. But I stood looking, and thought: he must be freezing.
I don't know if this man has played around this way before, how much training he's had, or whether he's an Eskimo used to the freezing temperatures. He did appear resilient in his efforts (in getting himself out of the water and pressing forward with his exercise).
The question for the reader is this: should he have been playing around on the icy water of the Reflecting Pool in the first place? And also: since he fell through the ice, was that consequence deserved? Do you think he knew the dangers of hypothermia? How would you have reacted and what would you have done?
On another note: If you're a fan of the cold and adventure stories, I highly recommend reading Jack London's short story "To Build a Fire". It's one of my favourite short stories.
Freeze Play in Washington, D.C.
From the photoblog on 1/07/2010.
I saw this man playing with a soccer ball on the frozen water of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C.
Here's the story...
I was photographing the area around the Lincoln Memorial. I looked toward the Washington Monument, but what caught my attention was a small figure moving on the ice. Sure enough, it was someone running on the frozen water of the Reflecting Pool.
I approached closer to get a better look. The man with the soccer ball kept running toward one side, would kick the ball hard against the edge of the concrete, wait for the ball to come back to him, and continue in the opposite direction. He had a way of minimizing the impact of his weight against the thin ice below. He would sort of glide, kind of like a skater, across the surface of the ice. He was methodical in his approach, carefully avoiding the suspect areas of the Reflecting Pool where the ice appeared to be too thin. Dribble, slide, kick. Dribble, slide, kick.
I kept watching (as did many others), wondering why this man chose to exercise in this fashion. I thought: could I do the same? How thick is that ice? If the picture in today's entry is any indication, the ice wasn't the same thickness or density throughout. There were holes in the ice. Deep cracks. A small Arctic adventure was unfolding for all to see. So, naturally, I kept watching...
And do you know what happened next? As the man approached closer for his third run (by my count) around the Pool, he lost his balance, and one of his legs fell through the ice! He tried quickly getting out, but in his attempt, ended up getting his other foot in the frozen water (which was about knee high). What astonished me the most was this: there was a group of young students on a tour walking around the Reflecting Pool. They were also paying attention to this man. As soon as he fell into the water—and I couldn't believe what I heard next—they started jeering, clapping their hands, and laughing out loud. It was absolutely unbelievable. Here was a poor chap who needed help getting out, and these students were taking delight in this man's misfortune (I will let the reader decide whether this man brought upon his predicament on himself).
It took the man about five attempts to successfully get back on solid ice, and after he got up, he continued forward, gently kicking the ball forward, running after it, kicking it again. It's as though he tried to shake off what just happened to him. But I stood looking, and thought: he must be freezing.
I don't know if this man has played around this way before, how much training he's had, or whether he's an Eskimo used to the freezing temperatures. He did appear resilient in his efforts (in getting himself out of the water and pressing forward with his exercise).
The question for the reader is this: should he have been playing around on the icy water of the Reflecting Pool in the first place? And also: since he fell through the ice, was that consequence deserved? Do you think he knew the dangers of hypothermia? How would you have reacted and what would you have done?
On another note: If you're a fan of the cold and adventure stories, I highly recommend reading Jack London's short story "To Build a Fire". It's one of my favourite short stories.