Tour of Virginia, Maryland and Delaware
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讀萬卷書    行萬里路

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氣勢非凡的大瀑布國家公園,得天獨厚,水量充沛,不盡大江滾滾來,如萬馬奔騰,壯闊
雄奇,蔚然大觀,粗獷美麗,疊瀑大觀,層層疊疊, 此消彼長, 峭岩陡壁,怪石嶙峋,
鬼斧神工般的奇景令人驚歎!

Spectacular Great Falls National Park as viewed from Overlook 3. This national park is located at 9200
Old Dominion Dr. (Hwy 738), McLean, Virginia, USA 22102. It is on the Potomac River at the border of
Virginia and Maryland and is about 17 miles northwest of Washington DC.

Map: Click here for interactive Google Map showing location of Great Falls National Park
奇構異形,雄健剛毅,怪岩奇突多姿 ,遠近高低各不同, 形態萬變, 曲折迂迴,絕美造
極, 轟然下瀉, 千條飛瀑萬條澗,飛瀑落處,泛起潔白的水花, 層層疊疊的瀑布, 咆哮
著傾瀉而下,遠觀近賞,或從不同的角度去細細品味,都引人無限的遐思, 令人讚嘆造物
之奇。

Zoom in on the central portion of the fantastic Great Falls.  The Potomac River builds up speed and
force as it falls over a series of steep, jagged rocks.  When it reaches the Great Falls, it drops 76 feet
into a canyon called Matter Gorge. The pools under the great falls are about 25 feet deep.

Even before you exit your vehicle in the parking area, you’re greeted by the sound of thundering
water. You’ll feel the power of it before you can see it. There are three overlooks for visitors to take in
the grandeur of the most spectacular and steepest fall line rapids of any river in the eastern United
States.
飛流直下,氣勢洶洶,崎嶇起伏,險峻雄偉,磅礴和雄渾, 氣象萬千, 風景絕佳。

Zoom in on left side of the Great Falls. There are so many gorgeous images of the jagged beauty and
water falls within the big picture for photographers to zoom in one at a time.
大江傾瀉而下,聲勢如萬馬奔騰,許多造型特殊大大小小的奇岩異石,都有它獨特的型
態線條, 山水有靈,有著寬廣豪放之美。

Zoom in on the right side of the Great Falls.

Three overlooks give different views of the Great Falls. All three overlooks are within a five to ten
minute easy walk from the Visitor Center. Overlooks 2 and 3 are handicap, wheelchair and stroller
accessible. But overlook 1 is rocky, requires some scrambling on big rocks and is more challenging,

On Friday, September 20, 2013, we drove from New Jersey going south to Washington DC to attend
a wedding on Saturday, September 21. After the wedding, we did not drive straight back to New
Jersey. Instead, we spent two days to enjoy leisure sightseeing, wildlife watching and photography
on our way back to New Jersey. We toured Great Falls National Park on Sunday September 22,
2013. We also toured Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge in eastern Maryland and Bombay Hook
National Wildlife Refuge in Delaware on Monday September 23. We also enjoyed the famous crab
dinner on Sunday night in a waterfront Crab Deck Restaurant at eastern end of the beautiful
Chesapeake Bay Bridge with fantastic view of Chesapeake Bay.
咆哮湍急, 傾瀉而下入谷底,河水浪花飛濺,氣勢粗獷強悍,驚天動地,震人心魄。

在停車場遠遠便聽見陣陣低沉的轟鳴,未見其影,先聞其聲,知道驚心動魄的大瀑布
已經快到了。

Zoom in even more on the thundering water falls.

Potomac River is the second largest watershed feeding Chesapeake Bay.
大瀑布以排山倒海之勢直瀉大潭, 入潭之水迸發出急雨橫飛,聲震如雷,氣勢粗獷強
悍, 在太陽光的反照下形成奇幻彩虹。

A faint view of rainbow over the water falls.

The Visitor Center and Visitor Parking Lot are located at the north end (Dead End) of Old Dominion Dr.
(i.e., hwy 738) about one mile north of junction (traffic light) of Old Dominion Dr. (hwy 738) and Hwy
193 (Georgetown Pike).
溪中凝碧潭,誰言潭內無虯龍, 出沒於波濤間。

Left side of the great falls.
在馬里蘭州那邊懸崖上觀瀑平台欣賞大瀑布風景,也一覽無遺。

Another Overlook across the river in Maryland side. It is located within Chesapeake & Ohio Canal
National Historical Park on Maryland side.
Three kayakers were navigating the rapids, paddling the turbulent white waters below the great falls. Riding
the power of the Potomac.
洶湧湍急的河水,在此形成壯觀的瀑布,飛瀑直下,衝激巨石,濺起白色水花,如雷霆
萬鈞、萬馬奔騰,震撼了所有的遊人,令人產生敬畏之心。

Awesome power of the falls.

Map: Click here for detailed park map of Great Falls National Park

Map: Click here for map of hiking trails in Great Falls National Park
驚濤拍岸,氣勢磅礡。

The Great Falls National Park is among the world's premier kayaking sites. The extremely challenging vertical
drops at Great Falls are meant for only highly experienced kayakers. In fact, the falls are so challenging that
members of the U.S. Whitewater Sladom team have practiced here.

Video of kayaking over the Great Falls, through Matter Gorge and more can be seen at the following
YouTube website:

http://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAHpVtWe-pc
站在觀瀑平台 #2,縱觀宏偉壯麗的大瀑布全景,令人嘆為觀止,真可謂世界奇觀。

Overlook #2 at Great Falls National Park is handicap, wheelchair and stroller accessible.
觀瀑平台 #3,依欄杆向下觀望,這天成奇景,瀑布全景盡收眼底。

Overlook #3 at Great Falls National Park is also handicap, wheelchair and stroller accessible.
觀瀑平台 #3 的右邊,瀑布全景盡收眼底。

Right side of Overlook #3 at Great Falls National Park is also handicap, wheelchair and stroller
accessible.
Overlook #1 at Great Falls National Park is closest to the Visitor Center, but is very rocky and challenging. It
is not handicap, wheelchair or stroller accessible.
A spider hanging in the air along the hiking trail to one of the Overlooks.
大水滾滾而來, 場面震人心魄,處處是奇石美景,激起飛濺的浪花,而且石邊每每形成
漩渦,峻急奔暴,奔騰直下,大浪翻滾,氣勢磅礴的大瀑布, 動人心魄,天地間透著靈
氣,千奇萬秀, 一景多變,移步換形,實為天下一絕,讓人生出無限刺激,久久難以忘
懷,久久難以平靜。

The magnificent great falls as viewed from Overlook #1.

Scenic George Washington Memorial Parkway: I heard that the George Washington
Memorial Parkway going along the Potomac River between Washington DC and Great Falls National
Park is beautiful, especially during autumn foliage season. This scenic parkway has several Scenic
Overlooks with fantastic views if you are going northbound. It is the prettiest road in Northern
Virginia for you to be immersed in nature.
魚鷹展翅飛翔,英姿威風無比鋒利的腳抓銀鉤緊抓著剛從水面獵獲好大一條魚。

On Monday morning September 23, 2013, we came to tour Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge in
Eastern Neck Island in northeastern Chesapeake Bay in eastern Maryland.

As soon as we crossed the wooden bridge and entered this national wildlife refuge on the Eastern
Neck Island Road, we saw immediately this osprey in action carrying a big fish in its talon coming to
land on the top of this roadside telephone pole.
魚鷹攜帶獵獲的大魚至電線桿上啄食。

The osprey landed on the top of the pole with the big fish under its talon.

Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge is located at 1730 Eastern Neck Road, Rock Hall, Maryland, USA
21661.

Map: Click here for interactive Google Map showing location of Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge

Map: Click here for detailed park map of Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge.
魚鷹在電線桿上啄食大魚, 好好享用大餐。

The osprey stayed on the top of the pole busily eating the fish.
Wow! Also at the entrance on Eastern Neck Island Road, we saw this great blue heron (大藍鷺).
神鵰展翅飛翔,英姿威風無比,一生瀟灑鳥中王。

Going south on Eastern Neck Island Road about quarter mile into this national wildlife refuge at
Tubby Cove kiosk and parking area with Tundra Swan Boardwalk on the right side, we saw two or
more majestic bald eagles flying in the sky.
Last time when we visited Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge on April 8, 2007, we saw a bald eagle in
flight carrying a big fish in its talon as shown on the first picture on my web page at:

http://www.shltrip.com/Bald_Eagle.html

Therefore, this quarter mile on Eastern Neck Island Road just south of the entrance of this national wildlife
refuge is a very active and interesting area for bird watchers. This short stretch of Eastern Neck Island Road
is surrounded by Tubby Cove, Eastern Neck Inlet (Narrows), Flying Pan Cove, Calfpasture Cove and
Chesapeake Bay. There are also many terns diving from mid air down into these coves and bays to catch fish.
It is an ideal area for bald eagles, ospreys, terns and great blue heron to catch fish and for bird watchers to
watch these fishing birds in action.
At the Bayview Butterfly Trail on western shore of the island, we saw another great blue heron in flight over the
water.
One of several beautiful butterflies on the Bayview Butterfly Trail.
Many beautiful flowers on the Bayview Butterfly Trail to attract many butterflies.
The 4.3-mile Chesapeake Bay Bridge as viewed from the Overlook Deck on Bayview Butterfly Trail. Visitors
can enjoy fantastic panoramic view of Chesapeake Bay from this Overlook Deck.

Picture: Click here for a better picture of this magnificent Chesapeake Bay Bridge as seen from the Sandy
Point State Park
There are also quite a few turkey vultures on trees or flying in the sky in this national wildlife refuge.
In the winter season, huge number of various kinds of waterfowl, ducks and swan winter in all these coves,
inlet and bays surrounding this island national wildlife refuge.
姿態很優雅高貴的白鷺。

We arrived at Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge in eastern Delaware in late afternoon of Monday
September 23, 2013. We saw many beautiful egrets and other birds in this national wildlife refuge.

Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge is located at 2591 Whitehall Neck Road, Smyrna, Delaware, USA 19977

Map: Click here for interactive Google Map showing location of Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge

Map: Click here for detail park map of Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge
At the northern end of Shearness Pool in Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge, there is an egret rookery
with about hundred of egrets congregate in several groups in that area. It is an interesting area for bird
watchers to watch and to photograph many egrets in action.
Large bed of beautiful yellow flowers in Bear Swamp Pool in Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge. Again,
my camera could cover only a small portion of the fantastic view.
Huge number of shore birds about hundred yards away in Raymond Pool and Shearness Pool. When I
zoomed in for close up view of these shore birds, the camera could cover only a small portion of the huge
group.
Many shore birds in Raymond Pool and Shearness Pool.
Many shore birds in Raymond Pool and Shearness Pool.

In addition to standing on the pool, huge number of shore bids are also in tight group performing fantastic
dancing and swirling in their own magnificent feathery waves and ballet in the air. As the flying group bank in the
air, the light is absorbed by their dark backs, then reflected by their bright bellies, the group flow and turn
together with such uncanny precision as to make one think they are a single organism. Such awesome sight of
air acrobatics of huge number of shore birds is very exciting and inspiring to bird watchers.
夕陽輝照下,在蘆葦大草原飛翔的大藍鷺。

Great blue heron in air over the marsh at sunset time.
Two of many cormorants in Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge.
Four more cormorants.
菊黄蟹肥的秋天,肥大壯實的好蟹,膏肥脂滿, 大快朵頤。

When we drove through little towns on eastern shore of Chesapeake Bay, there are big banners
hanging high across the street indicating "Crab Feast Festival".

On the Sunday evening September 22, 2013, we stayed in the Holiday Inn Express which is a
waterfront hotel on Chesapeake Bay in Kent Narrows at the eastern end of the Chesapeake Bay
Bridge. We enjoyed watching many birds and beautiful Chesapeake Bay from the hotel room window.

We enjoyed crab dinner at the waterfront Fisherman's Crab Deck restaurant at 3116 Main St,
Grasonville, MD near the Holiday Inn Express hotel. The restaurant waiter came with double layers
of heavy duty brown paper as the table cloth and gave everyone a wood hammer (instead of nut
cracker). There is a big roll of paper towel on each dinning table. So, everybody in the restaurant
were using the wood hammer ponding on the crabs on the dinner table. It was fun to enjoy the
authentic blue crabs dinner from Chesapeake Bay with Old Bay Seasoning that tasted salty and
slightly spicy.  The customers can enjoy the crab dinner either outdoor on the deck near the water
or indoor. We also saw some water fowl on the Chesapeake Bay while we were "working" on the
crabs.
Our dinner table looked like this after we finished enjoying the crabs and the corn.
大瀑布國家公園 再加 好蟹大餐, 飽了眼福,也飽了口福,真是讓人心滿意足啊!

The dinner table next to us looked like this with much bigger pile after they finished enjoying the
crabs.
A few more pictures of hundred of egrets in action in Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge.
開車沿路欣賞鄉村田野風光,享受那特有的田野的芬芳, 令人心曠神怡。

After enjoying spectacular Great Falls National Park, crab feast dinner on Chesapeake Bay waterfront,
countryside scenery in eastern Maryland and Delaware, watching and photographing so many exciting birds
in action in Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge in Maryland and in Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge
in Delaware, we were very happy with this 2-day tour. The sun was going down and it was getting dark. So,
we drove from Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge back to New Jersey on Monday evening September
23, 2013.
奔瀉下大瀑布後,江水在這裡轉了兩個大彎,才依依不捨地向東流去, 看流水悠悠,看
那流水一去不回頭, 日夜流長,滾滾浪花, 湍急灘險, 江浪掀滔, 浩浩蕩蕩奔流入
海,勢不可回的一去不返,凸顯出大河的雄壯。

After dropping 76 feet at the Great Falls, the Potomac River flows into the 6.5-Mile narrow canyon called
Matter Gorge which is a stunning cliff-lined gorge. Hiking is a common activity with many trails along and near
the gorge. The gorge is also a popular rock climbing attraction as the cliff heights and terrain lend themselves
well to top rope climbing. Whitewater kayaking and canoeing is also very popular within the gorge. Mather
Gorge is the site of the annual Potomac Whitewater Festival. More pictures of Matter Gorge can be seen at
the following website:

http://
www.nps.gov/media/photo/gallery.htm?id=1D2F880E-1DD8-B71C-078BF70D3D3D8CB5
High Water Marks pole at Overlook 3 with markers showing how high the floods reached.

Mather Gorge is the narrowest section on the lower Potomac River. Mather Gorge funnels the entire Potomac
River into a 100-yard narrow canyon. Floods occur after a major event upstream in the Potomac's watershed,
such as heavy rain, a rapid snowmelt, or remnants of a hurricane. Mather Gorge creates a narrow chokepoint,
through which all of the water must flow on its way downstream. The flood water starts backing up at the mouth
of the narrow Mather Gorge, and fills the basin behind it. Eventually, the entire Great Falls disappear under the
major flood water. The markers on this pole show how high the historical major floods reached.
雄健體魄,鵰來神速如疾風, 殺氣騰騰。
More shore birds in Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge.
Zoom in on an egret on tree.
More egrets at the rookery.
Another great blue heron at Bear Swamp Pool.
西塞山前白鷺飛,桃花流水鱖魚肥。