Here comes Spring in Cincinnati

Above: A panoramic photo of the 'Big Mac' Bridge. Mount Adams is on the left and Newport is on the right

When Spring Break rolls around, I generally decide not to go on a trip. I don't like being away from home for a week during the semester only to come back more tired than I was before I left and a lot of work to catch up on. I thought about doing a trip for a few days during the break so that I could still have some time to relax or work at home, but with the end of the semester and graduation coming up, it was the last thing on my mind this year.

The first day or so of break was hard because many of my friends went on trips (which I'll admit has made me wonder why I didn't try planning my own). However, I was kind of happy to be home when I saw pictures of the flooded Ohio River online and thought it would be cool to see it for myself.

I visited the river at Saywer Point Park and Yeatman's Cove with my boyfriend, Kyle, and his aunt and uncle (Cherie and Lee, respectively). We went last Sunday when the weather was beautiful and clear. I think it was even in the upper 60s too. We really couldn't have picked a better day to go.

Of course, since the weather was nice, we weren't the only people there. There were many cars parked along the street by U.S. Bank Arena and in lots nearby. Lucky for us, we got a great spot along the street as someone was leaving. I remember being amazed at how many people were around to see the river. It was a pretty impressive crowd that wasn't there for a specific event.

Top: Serpentine Wall

Bottom: Serpentine Wall, The Purple People Bridge and Newport on the Levee (I sit at the bottom of the Serpentine Wall for the WEBN Fireworks in August, exactly where the right flagpole is in this photo. That spot is at least 15-20 feet below the water level in this picture)

On the day we visited, the Ohio River was at its highest stage since the last major flood Cincinnati had in 1997. It was just less than 58 feet and flood stage is 52 feet, so it was pretty high. However, this is nowhere near the level of the 1937 flood when the river was nearly 80 feet high, almost 30 feet above flood stage. However, the pictures of Serpentine Wall are crazy to look at, considering there are tons of steps below these flagpoles.

Below are more photos I took of Sawyer Point Park and Yeatman's Cove.

After visiting this area, we decided to walk along part of the Purple People Bridge to get a better view. It was even more impressive looking from there.

If you still have time, I recommend visiting the river before it gets too low or looking up the photos online from this past weekend. Several people I follow on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter had tons of photos and many in areas that I didn't get to see. I recommend 365 Cincinnati (one of my favorite blogs) and Coney Island, who took some great photos. Or, if you have any photos of your own, share them in the comments section below. One area we drove past but didn't really see was Smale Riverfront Park. It was completely flooded in some spots of the park, including the new section they are trying to finish before the All-Star Game this summer.

I'm hoping this flood doesn't stall that project or any businesses along the river for too long. Flooding can be a terrible and serious thing, and the repercussions from this may be felt for a while. But I have to say, this was really fascinating to witness.