Last Friday was about the perfect morning at one of my favorite spots for shooting life along the Ohio River. It's along West Virginia state Route 2 below the Merritts Creek connector. On the navigation charts, it's near the Dogham Bend Light on the West Virginia shore at Mile 302. There's almost noplace to pull your car off the road. But at one of the few spots where you can, it's a straight view up to old Lock and Dam 27 at Mile 201.
Blue-gray clouds hid the morning sun. The temperature was just right for short sleeves and no air conditioning.
This particular morning, I was there at 7:30 a.m. as a boat pushing loaded coal barges rounded the bend. The boat was the Jincy. It had left the Gallipolis locks at 3:40 a.m., meaning it was doing about 5 3/4 mph downstream.
Until the boat came closer, I couldn't hear its engine, but I could hear the sound of barges crashing through water.
A good morning.
