The morning after the Blizzard of ’26, I headed to Scituate Harbor for sunrise and high tide. I had a simple goal: catch what remained of the storm’s energy and put my new Nikon Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S a proper field test.
On the way to Scituate Town Pier, I paused at a familiar stretch of stilt houses dusted in snow. The long end of the 100–400mm pulled them tight together. The compression gave a scene I’ve photographed before a slightly new perspective.
At the pier, the wind was still gusting and the tide running high. Even the fishing fleet looked different under a coat of ice. The Mary Elizabeth sat frozen at her slip, more glacier than boat.
From there I moved toward Cedar Point and Old Scituate Light, where waves broke hard against the granite blocks of the breakwater, sending spray into the cold air. The lighthouse was covered in wind-driven ice. It showed how strong the blizzard winds had been overnight.
It felt like the storm hadn’t fully let go of the coast. At 400mm, the churning Atlantic felt close, pressed right up against the harbor’s edge.
I only learned later, after I was home and watching the news, that a travel ban had been in place for Plymouth County and had just been lifted. Apparently, I had timed it well without knowing.
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