Finding a Faery By Accident

I was on a spelunking adventure forty feet beneath the ground, snapping pictures in the darkness.

- Curt Hansen

We were exploring the 150-year-old, hand-dug water canals that were once used to power the mills of industry. There was an eerie feeling in the damp air. It was especially pronounced when we all turned off our flashlights. We listened to the sound of darkness. These tunnels now only carry storm drain water. But once they powered all of the sawmills, textile mills, and the world’s largest flour mills in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

I was walking in ankle deep water that once would have washed me away. We came with rubber boots, ladders, and lights to reach the farthest areas possible. After we explored the main canal to the end, we climbed up to explore an offshoot tunnel. One observation I made was that there was no sign of life in this tunnel. No rodent tracks, no bugs, no sign of anything living here. I was surprised, and concerned about this. It made me wonder if bad gasses were present down here. But there was a light breeze coming through, so it eased my concern.

This tunnel led us to three more canals. Two had running water in them that we crossed on shabby bridges. The other one was dry, and spectacular in color from the sandstone walls. Before we explored this canal, I took some pictures. This is when I captured my first real faery photo. I did not know I had done this until I reviewed the pictures later on my computer. This ignited an extreme desire in me to find out what I had actually photographed. At the age of 59, I was quite surprised to learn that real faeries do exist. Six years later, I now believe in many things I cannot see. Including the wind…