Thursday was my last night in the house we moved into in 1973. I had an early dinner with my brother and sister-in-law, and I was thinking of going to a pier on the Indian River Lagoon for sunset, but it was overcast and raining, so I started driving to the theater thinking photos were not going to happen. Before getting to the theater, I noticed the sky was clearing to the west, so thought I’d wait and give the sunset a try. About 45 minutes before sunset, the clouds were heavy and dumping rain, but the clearing sky was getting closer. I hoped for something good and started driving the six miles east to the coast. The clouds stayed thick and the rain got harder. Then a golden light came from the west as the sun dropped into the clearing near the horizon, but the rain still fell and the clouds above stayed thick and gray. I got to the causeway over the river, and saw the sky clearing to the north,. Then a rainbow starting to appear ahead. Maybe it’ll be good one.
I parked by the pier, put on a raincoat, gathered my camera, tripod,a cloth to wipe the lens, and my Tilley hat—to cover my camera, not me. The golden sky to the west was looking promising. A fisherman cast his net off the pier and an osprey flew up to a tree to look over the scene.
Melbourne Beach Pier, Indian RIver Lagoon
Turning around, the rainbow was getting more intense. Looking north along the river, the colors were popping.
Melbourne Beach rainbow
The rain continued, the sunlight got more intense, and looking west toward the ocean, the rainbow was complete. I’d try to set the camera, compose, wipe the filter, and make some images. I noticed a woman at the edge of the pier looking at the sunset. Her green umbrella was wonderful. I said I’d send her the image if she’d model for me with her umbrella. She said she was trying to stay out of my picture. I told her she was just what the image needed. She came up to the camera, and I asked her to turn, and she said, “Oh my, a rainbow!”
Double rainbow—and the one drop that got on the filter
Many people from the neighborhood, park, restaurant and bar walked on the pier to enjoy the show. One woman said she’d walked here for twelve years and it was the best rainbow she’d seen.
A couple enjoying the last of the sun
After the sun went down, nearly everyone left the pier, but I was pretty sure the show wasn’t over. In high school, I’d go fishing with my brother on his boat on these waters. We’d set out the nets as the sun was setting and fish long into the night. That’s when I first learned the wonderful play of light on the water as the sun went down. Sure enough, with the sun below the horizon, some clouds started blushing. Or send another way, don’t leave until after the credits. There might be some more treats!
The rain passed, and the day was offering the last of its color.
All the crayons getting used
The rainbow was long gone, the fisherman was still casting his net, the osprey had flown off, and the sky dissolved to blue. I might watch the movie another night.
