Author Topic: From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah  (Read 1893 times)

Bryan

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From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah
« on: October 09, 2024, 03:32:57 AM »
I've been working on a site in Cosmopolis, Washington.  You may think with a name like Cosmopolis that it's a large cosmopolitan metropolis, it's not.  I've been staying at a hotel in the neighboring town of Aberdeen, there are no hotels in Cosmopolis.  On a nice evening after work I grabbed my camera and went for a walk on a path behind the hotel.  The path was along a river with a lot of old remnants of the logging industry.  Going down the bank to take a picture I thought to myself, these banks are quite muddy.  Then it dawned on me, this must be the Wishkah.  If you're not familiar with the band Nirvana, they have an album called "From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah" which came out a few years after Curt's death.  Curt Kobain grew up in Aberdeen and his home was just a few blocks from the river.  I've learned that he spent a lot of time hanging out under the Young Street Bridge which is not far from my hotel.  He actually slept under the bridge when things weren't going well at home.  Their song "Something in the Way" is about the Young Street Bridge.  There's a memorial park there dedicated to him.  I think this is the biggest tourist attraction in Aberdeen, there were two other people there when I visited it. 

One thing I learned about the Wishkah river is that it was named by the Chehalis tribe that is local to this area.  The word Wishkah is an adaptation of the Chehalis word hwish-kahl which means "stinking water".  I didn't notice the smell but I can see how it could get ripe.  Where the river runs through Aberdeen and meets up with the Chealis river there's a lot of tidal influence from Grays Harbor and the Pacific Ocean.  The muddy banks are exposed during low tide. 

Zeiss Ikon Super Ikonta 531/2 with Kodak Tri-X 400 Developed in Rodinal 1:50.

In Memoriam by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

This is probably where Curt slept.
Under the Young Steet Bridge by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

Young Street Bridge
Young Street Bridge by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

A view up stream.  There are a lot of pilings along the shores of the Wishkah and the Chehalis rivers from the logging industry.  I assume they floated logs down the river and tied them off on the pilings.  That was pretty common practice in the Pacific Northwest. 
Wishkah River by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr
« Last Edit: October 09, 2024, 03:38:19 AM by Bryan »

Bryan

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Re: From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah
« Reply #1 on: October 09, 2024, 03:37:24 AM »
These are down stream from the memorial park, just before the confluence of the Wishkah and the Chehalis rivers.

Old Pier on the Wishkah by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

Old Northern Pacific Railroad Swing Bridge by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

I'll share more photos next week.

Indofunk

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Re: From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah
« Reply #2 on: October 10, 2024, 08:23:02 PM »
I have (more appropriately, "had") an all-brass Nirvana cover band, so this is all fascinating to me! 😁

Bryan

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Re: From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah
« Reply #3 on: October 11, 2024, 10:04:22 PM »
I have (more appropriately, "had") an all-brass Nirvana cover band, so this is all fascinating to me! 😁

I thought you'd like it.  One thing that I have taken from this is that Curt didn't have a very good upbringing.  Poor mill town going through rough times and not a great family life.  Obviously that greatly influenced his music. 

Indofunk

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Re: From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah
« Reply #4 on: October 12, 2024, 07:20:46 PM »
I have (more appropriately, "had") an all-brass Nirvana cover band, so this is all fascinating to me! 😁

I thought you'd like it.  One thing that I have taken from this is that Curt didn't have a very good upbringing.  Poor mill town going through rough times and not a great family life.  Obviously that greatly influenced his music.

Yeah, most people only know about his rockstar period, but that only lasted 5 years, and he didn't even have a great time then. The rest of his life objectively sucked 😕

Bryan

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Re: From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah
« Reply #5 on: October 17, 2024, 02:21:52 AM »
Leica IIIf with Summitar 5cm f/2 on Adox HR-50 developed in beer.

Kurt Cobain Guitar Statue by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

Muddy banks at low tide.
Muddy Banks by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

Shopping cart in the mud exposed at low tide.
Shopping Cart in the Mud by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

Breakwater Seafoods by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

More to come.

Bryan

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Re: From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah
« Reply #6 on: October 23, 2024, 11:54:25 PM »
More mud.  Zeiss Ikon Super Ikonta 530 with Fujifilm Acros II developed in beer.

Mud and Pilings by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

Net fishing for salmon at the confluence of the Wishkah and Chehalis rivers.  Probably Quinault tribal fishermen using gill nets.  Everyone else has to use a pole.  Chehalis River bridge in the background, U.S. Route 101.
Net Fishing by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

Old Northern Pacific Railroad Swing Bridge over the Wishkah River.
Steel Swing Bridge by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

Bryan

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Re: From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah
« Reply #7 on: October 30, 2024, 10:33:24 PM »
Last one.  Zeiss Ikon Super Ikonta 530 with CatLabs X Film 80 developed in beer.

Wishkah Sunset by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr