Two women in bright saris splashing in water
Coast & seascapes,  Lens-Artists,  People,  Rivers,  Themed galleries

Gallery: enjoying water in motion

When you put your hand in a flowing stream, you touch the last that has gone before and the first of what is still to come.

Leonardo da Vinci

And when you find the source of the noise it is the sight of that movement that will hold you captive, whether you want simply to watch, or to plunge into the moving waters. No wonder Sofia has chosen ‘water in motion’ as the theme for our Lens Artists challenge this week.

I have posted plenty of images of waterfalls, fountains, waves, rivers … even rain … in the past. So I wondered, what could I do a little differently this time? My feature photo, taken in Kerala, gave me an idea. Let’s look at the different ways we get pleasure from the motion of water. Splashing in falls or fountains, enjoying waves at the beach or surfing those same waves, perhaps even taking a walk in the rain …

Line of people walking up through rapids

Dunns River Falls, Jamaica

A popular tourist activity here is to climb up through the falls; I preferred watching on and taking photos.


Expansive series of waterfalls with a small boat in the spray

Iguazu Falls, Brazil

At the much larger Iguazu Falls you can take a boat ride right up into the spray, great fun if you don’t mind a drenching!


Group of teenagers in long waterproof coats being drenched in spray

Man in waterproof coat walking through spray

Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

My husband didn’t especially like the amount of spray at the very full Victoria Falls, but he braved it to get some photos


Woman standing behind a waterfall


Couple with an umbrella decorated with images of the Eiffel Tower

Street with puddles and lined with old houses, with a couple with an umbrella

Children playing in water spouting from the pavement


Children playing in a fountain

Man surfing in  the waves off a beach

Guiones Beach, Costa Rica

The waves of the Pacific Ocean are a big draw for surfers.


Man riding a horse by the sea's edge

Kotu Beach, Gambia

Late afternoon is the perfect time to have fun riding by the edge of the sea.


Two people sitting in a canoe-type boat with a man standing and paddling

Man on a paddle board at sunset

61 Comments

  • Annie Berger

    Fabulous round-the-world shots, Sarah! we’ve never been to Jamaica but close friends are there now for their 10th trip so guess we should make it there, too, one day. Like you, I’d be on the sidelines looking at those steadier on their feet than they! Loved the Niagara Falls shot – when we were there about 20 years ago, they doled out bright blue raincoats! Also loved the Kerala shot of the happy girls- we were there for just a few days in mid-March of 2020 before having to evacuate because of Covid and hightail it home! I keep thinking we’ve been to lots of places but I suspect you’ve git us beat by a mile. How many countries and territories have you visited?

    • Sarah Wilkie

      Thank you Annie 😊 If you do decide to go to Jamaica let me know – we stayed in a fabulous little family-run B&B in Ocho Rios, so much better than the all-inclusive resorts that are the norm there! The food was wonderful (we ate dinner with them most evenings), the garden beautiful and our hosts couldn’t do enough for us. It’s not cheap but you’d love it!
      According to my TravellersPoint map and stats, where I’ve recorded all my trips to date, I’ve visited 79 countries 🙂 How about you?

      • Annie Berger

        Thanks for the info on Ocho Rios place you stayed at sounds lovely! I’ve been to 92 countries and 23 territories so far. Would love to make it to 100 of the former. Will get 4 more in with our upcoming Asia trip but I’m having more femur surgery the day after we return in mid-June so that’ll delay us from traveling for a bit! I’d really like to tour far more of Africa like you have but not sure that’s in the cards given my precarious health. Don’t count me out quite yet, though!

        • Sarah Wilkie

          You’re well ahead of me in countries visited (I’m ‘only’ on 79!) and I’m betting you’ll make the 100, especially if you’re soon going to hit 96 😀 I do hope that surgery goes well and you’re back on the road soon afterwards. My OR recommendation would be a great place to go for some R&R while also ticking off another country, as Elise looks after her guests like family!

  • SoyBend

    I liked your picture of the people walking up Dunns Falls. It looks sort of treacherous so I can see why you didn’t attempt it. I also liked the horseback rider in Gambia picture.

    • Sarah Wilkie

      Yes, that falls climb did look a bit treacherous and also sort of gimmicky, if you see what I mean? The Gambia horse rider was a lucky shot, he just happened to be passing when I went out on to our hotel balcony!

  • photobyjohnbo

    Sarah, I enjoyed seeing your take on the challenge. It’s the first response I’ve seen where the focus is on people enjoying (or not) the power of water. I especially like the joy expressed in the opening photo. I also know the feeling about getting soaked at Niagara Falls. At first, it’s unique… then it’s annoying. >grin<

    • Sarah Wilkie

      Thank you Teresa – those kids were having such fun and it was one of the first times I’d seen that sort of fountain just set in a pavement. Now you find them everywhere!

  • Alison

    Another great gallery! I like the one of your school friends, fancy going to America with school. We had a week in Clevedon.
    Have you scanned all your old photos, I’ve done some of mine but it’s such a time consuming project.

  • grandmisadventures

    Great water pictures. My favorite though is the line of people holding hands up the waterfall. That would be me, holding on tight so I didnt slip and fall while still wanting to experience it 🙂

  • Anonymous

    Ah, so great – as usual! Your opener is stunningly happy and the walking in the waterfall extremely unusual – never seen anything like it! But maybe my own mood fits the Lucca image best. But, of course they are all wonderful.

    • Sarah Wilkie

      Thank you very much ‘anonymous’ 😊 Walking behind waterfalls isn’t so uncommon in Iceland, I’ve seen people do it in various places (but always opted out myself for fear of damaging my camera or, worse, falling in!)

  • Anonymous

    Really nice job, Sarah! Thanks for bringing me back to the “Smoke That Thunders”. I was there in the dry season, so the spray wasn’t as intense as when you were there. I really liked the opening shot with the joy on the faces of those two ladies.

    • Sarah Wilkie

      Thank you 🙂 The spray shouldn’t have been quite this intense when we visited but they’d had a particularly wet season and the river was still very full.

    • Sarah Wilkie

      I can’t say that I remember any details from so long ago, only how wet it was! But we must have done, as I’m sure we didn’t pack wellies for the trip 🙂

  • Ingrid

    What a wonderful collection of images from around the world. The image from Dunn River Falls made me chuckle. What a sight that might of been should the lead climber slip, they’d all slide down like dominos. 🤣 Great collection of photos depicting the challenge perfectly.

  • Heyjude

    The girls in Kerala are having so much fun! But among your many delightful photos the one that I love the most is Lucca – such a lovely shot in sepia.

    • Sarah Wilkie

      Thank you Jude 😊 I enjoy ‘fiddling’ with that Lucca shot and I’ve made several versions over the years! This one was created with a ‘bleach bypass’ filter which removes much of the colour, but it owes its sepia look as much to the lovely old buildings there as to anything else 🙂

  • Anonymous

    That header shot just makes you smile straight away. We did climb the falls in Jamaica, great fun if a little hairy!

  • Sofia Alves

    As always, Sarah you have a special eye for people and this post is wonderful. Favourites? The first one is probably one of the best photos that you’ve shared with us. I love the movement and happiness. Your old slide is priceless!

  • margaret21

    Oh fab! What a great idea to show how we all have a relationship with water, much of it joyous and energised – as summed up so beautifully in your very first photo.

    • Sarah Wilkie

      Thank you Margaret 😊 I’m rather fond of that first photo. We were on our way from the coast to the tea growing area around Munnar and the road crossed a bridge over this waterfall where some people were picnicking and enjoying themselves. I asked our driver to stop and we walked back to try to grab some photos of the falls. All the people there were so happy to be photographed. The young lads started showing off and posing, while these ladies smiled and splashed extra hard for me 🙂

    • Sarah Wilkie

      Yes, I spotted that! I’m trying to recognise the face but she wasn’t a particular friend of mine and I can’t recall her name or anything about her 🙂

  • Tina Schell

    Loved your approach this week Sarah. The raincoat kids from long ago cracked me up and I loved the climbers in Jamaica. I’d forgotten about the spray as we walked at Victoria Falls because it paled a bit vs our helicopter ride over the falls. But that and the Okavango were both fond memories for me so thanks especially for those! My favorites this week were your umbrella images, especially the second one. Although catching the umbrella with all of the Eiffel Towers on it was pretty cool 😊! Really well done.

    • Sarah Wilkie

      Thanks so much Tina 😊 I’m glad the Okavango and Victoria Falls shots brought back some good memories. When we were at the latter the spray was far greater than it should have been at that time of the year as the falls were fuller than usual.

  • Anonymous

    Love this post Sarah! The umbrella in Lucca and the kids in Sibiu wer great! Sibiu has undergone quite a transformation since I visited in 2007

  • Wind Kisses

    A fun look at the theme, Sarah. The da Vinci quote reminded me of the time I used to sit on the Madison River, Yellowstone, at the end of everyday, with those same thoughts. It is true.

    You are right on with the sound of water captivating us. Many a hike we could hear those falls you talk of in the distance. No turning back until we see them.

    I loved your view of Lucca, and chuckled at your school friends. And…interesting at Dunns River Falls. I was thinking, since they were all holding hands, if one was going down they were all going down together. lol. Maybe funny as long as no one got hurt. I am sure it was a great ramble for all of them. And great photos from you.

    • Sarah Wilkie

      Thanks so much Donna 😊 The hand-in-hand climb at Dunns River Falls is a big tourist ‘must-do’, or at least certainly was when we were there some years ago, but you’re right – I wouldn’t want to be next to someone who slipped!

Do share your thoughts, I'd love to hear from you! And please include your name in case WP marks you 'anonymous' - thank you