Thursday, February 4, 2010

The Southern Ocean: Steeple Jason Island, Falklands

Steeple Jason Island
Canon 7D, 500mm f4L, handheld from the deck of the ship, 1/1250 sec, f8, ISO 200

OK, Alright, I know, I know. It's been awhile since I posted. But I've got an excuse that pardons me at least for most of January. I've been away from the computer for a bit, on a ship, cruising around the Southern Ocean. But, now that I'm back, my hiatus ends here, with this image of Steeple Jason Island, in the Falklands.

(Quick background for new readers or those who don't remember back a few posts when I alluded to this trip: For about month from late Dec to late Jan, I was working as a naturalist/photo guide on a Cheesemans' Ecology Safaris trip to the Southern Ocean. I was one of 14 expedition staff.)

I think I've been putting off posting, despite being back for a week, because I hardly know where to begin. My head is still spinning from the trip, though now more like a wobbling top, than the centrifuge it was a few day ago. My thoughts, and my images from the trip are starting to come together, and I'm ready to start posting...I think.

I wanted to present a written narrative to the trip, but really there was just too much. Images, for the most part, will have to play that roll. (Eventually, the log I wrote for Cheesemans' will be posted on their website and I'll link to it in a future post.)

For the next few entries I'll be featuring shots from the Falkland Islands. We spent three remarkable days exploring the archipelago. It is a wonderful place, full of rugged islands, remote beaches, and seabird colonies. Steeple Jason Island, where this image was made is by far my favorite of our stops, and perhaps one of my favorite places of the trip. 115,000 pairs of Black-browed Albatross nest on the island making it the largest seabird colony in the western hemisphere. It is a landscape of birds.

The image here was made from the deck of the Polar Star, our ship. The sun was just up, the sea haze was defining the ribs of rock on the shoreline, and Black-browed Albatross by the hundreds or thousands were patrolling the sky and water surrounding the island. For a few minutes it was magical. Then the sun rose a bit more, burnt off the sea haze, and the moment was over.

Luckily, the day was just beginning. More on that in the next post.

1 comment:

  1. Unreal, Dave. I am looking forward to reading and seeing more.

    Steven

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