Travels to Antarctica

To the Bottom of the Earth
“So, why Antarctica?” a fellow passenger asked us one night at dinner.

This isn’t a question I expected to be asked by someone else who chose to spend their Christmas vacation on a ship exploring Antarctica.

Mark Twain said it best,
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

Ushuaia
Our voyage to Antarctica began on December 21st at 6PM as we left the docks from Ushuaia, Argentina. Google Map

Ushuaia is a beautiful little area located on Tierra del Fuego and considered to be the world’s most southern city. This harbor city looks as though it has been taken from a Norwegian travel magazine’s page. The wooden homes are cheerfully painted in bright colors with snow capped mountains providing a backdrop. Before boarding our ship we enjoyed browsing in shops tailored around the transient tourism traffic and sipping some tea at the local pubs. Like in most of Argentina, the main dish in Ushuaia is beef steak, but we decided to save that pleasure for our return and opted for a hamburger Argentina style. Argentineans prefer adding a fried egg, cheese slice, and ham to this popular American dish.

Setting Sail
Even though air travel has lost the excitement it once held, sea travel still holds a little romance. Once we cleared customs and enjoyed a short walk down the dock, we were greeted at the gangplank with a hearty, “Welcome aboard.” Our home for the next ten days was aboard the Ocean Nova. Information on the Ocean Nova

In the harbor, our good ship looked liked a small toy, but its small size would allow us to travel between icebergs and explore deeper into Antarctica. Our vessel was built in 1992, but was refurbished in 2006 with a glass-enclosed observation lounge on the top deck. The lounge provided everyone a place to relax and a perfect location to receive our daily briefings. When the seas were rough, Jim and I found the lounge to be great for inducing sea sickness, but in calmer waters it was a good place to enjoy the spectacular panoramic views it afforded.

Once everyone was aboard, the ropes were untied, the anchor weighed, and we were sailing through the Beagle Channel towards the open ocean. A crew member mentioned this evening would be the last complete dark night we would experience before we returned nine days later.

The Drake Passage
Before leaving on the trip it never occurred to me to check out the travails involved in crossing the Drake Passage from South America to Antarctica, but at dinner that night I soon discovered this topic was the main conversation point. As we later learned from our captain, the Drake Passage is capable of having hurricane proportion waves and wind. On one particular voyage the previous year, the waves crested at 100 feet high and for their safety the entire crew along with all the passengers were commanded to remain in their cabins. Even though many on our trip wanted such a nautical adventure to add to their travel war stories, I was very happy that it did not come to pass.

You Tube video on the Drake Passage

The Drake Passage is named for Sir Francis Drake who in 1577 lead only the second expledition to circumnavigate the world. The weather in the Drake is formed by the cool, humid, sub-polar conditions from Tierra del Fuego mixing with the frigid, polar Antarctic conditions.

It took over 48 hours to cross the Drake Passage. Along the way each voyage member was given a bright yellow parka with the tour company’s name, Quark, and their logo emblazoned on the front. These heavy jackets were to be used for our daily excursions once we reached Antarctica. We brought our own different color outer gear which made it easy for us to identify each other in the golden horde. When everyone was walking around with their identical yellow parkas, we coined the term “Quark Penguins” to describe them.

We were also issued some rubber boots. These knee-high rubber boots served several purposes. First, they helped keep you dry when making wet landings from the Zodiac rafts on the shore which entailed debarking in the water to wade ashore a short distance. They also kept your trousers from getting wet. Also, to preserve Antarctica’s pristine condition and prevent spreading any invasive infections on the boat, these boots were thoroughly cleaned. Upon re-entering the ship, each client and guide were required to step into a soapy solution which had a brush attached to clean from the boots all the accumulated penguin guano and move into a required rinse soak tub.

During the two- day passage there were also lectures on Antarctica flora and fauna, geology, and history. I attended the talks when I could, but often found that resting in my bunk and listening to music was the best way to pass the time and avoid getting sea sick. We were encouraged to get up and walk around to find our sea legs. I must admit it didn’t seem like my sea legs would ever appear on this excursion, but for a while until they did, at least I had an excuse for my normal clumsiness. When possible I enjoyed watching the sea birds. The most fascinating birds to watch were the Wandering Albatross with their eleven foot wingspan. These large birds would swoop alongside the ship and glide between the waves using the waves’ motion to push the air under their large wings helping generate lift to keep them aloft.



South Shetland Islands
Close to 6:00pm on the third day we finally heard the announcement on the speaker “Land Ho” as we first sighted land. We had reached the South Shetland Islands. Google Map

We were told by the exhibition leader we were fortunate to have good winds at our back which decreased our passage time. With the extra time, the guides announced after dinner they would take us on our first landing at Barrientos Island. After two days on a rolling sea, I was more than happy to know I would soon be putting my feet back on solid ground.

There are eleven main islands comprising the South Shetland Islands. One of my biggest surprises on the trip was each location’s uniqueness. I expected everywhere to look almost the same; black and white with lots of rocks, snow, and ice. The South Shetland Islands shattered those preconceived notions. These islands have the warmest and wettest climate in Antarctica which helps to explain all their green moss and algae. Because their climate is relatively mild in Antarctic terms, these islands were used in extensive sealing operations in the 1820s and later from 1910-1931 for whaling. So, it is very common to see old, dilapidated, wooden whaling boats in ruins along their coastline.

The Landings
The most difficult part to going ashore is getting ready. We would wait in our cabins for the speaker announcement that the Zodiac inflatable boats were ready. Then, it was all about timing. We would put on our additional 2-3 clothing layers, rain pants, parka, hat, mittens and scarf, and last but not least, a personal flotation device before putting on my camera bag. Then, feeling like the Michelin Man, I would waddle down to the lower deck carrying my boots (we were asked to not wear our boots in the hall to prevent the floors from being worn and soiled). When we timed our departure correctly we only had to wait a few minutes to board a Zodiac. When we did not, we had to wait in line over heating from all the cold weather gear we were wearing. Each Zodiac holds around ten passengers and once loaded would only take a few minutes to reach the shore.

Once we made it ashore we were given a short briefing on where we were allowed to walk, some possible activities, what there was to see, and the time to catch the last Zodiac to the ship. Flags were placed showing the pathway for us to take to preserve the terrain and to mark boundaries not to cross as some areas had on-going scientific wildlife studies occurring and they did not want human contact to disrupt the natural environment.

The Penguins
When I returned home, the first thing everyone asked was “Did you see any penguins?” My set reply is “Only about half a million.” Even though we saw seals, sea birds, and whales on our voyage, penguins were the most numerous species we encountered.

Just as polar bears are only found in the Arctic, penguins are only found in the Antarctic. Scientist’s believe penguins are in the Antarctic simply because it has no land-based predators. . So, penguin chicks have a greater chance to reach adulthood here.

We were there during the nesting season. A few baby chicks were just beginning to hatch. I don't claim to be an avid bird watcher, but these birds are very fun to watch. Between their constant waddling, stealing rocks from other nests, and loud calls, they were the trip’s comic relief.

We were always told to stay at least five meters from any nest and penguins always had the right of way. However, the penguins did not quite grasp the five meter no-contact zone and often approached right up to you. Since no single country owns it, Antarctica's official population is Zero and there are only very few people as seasonal researchers inhabiting its vastness. So, penguins have no innate aversion or fear for humans. They are very curious to see other larger creatures and will waddle right up to check you out. Once they’ve had their curiosity fulfilled, they simply waddle off to where ever they are headed.

Penguins live in the water, but come ashore to mate and give birth. The penguins do not just reside on the shoreline. They are hearty little creatures who walk several hundred meters away from and a long way above the shoreline to find exposed rock to make their colonies. Penguins typically establish dense colonies on any snow and ice-free slopes on islands and the peninsula. Competition for nesting sites can be fierce and the older more dominant birds tend to stake nests in the colony’s middle where they are better protected from marauding skuas who are large birds who swoop in to steal eggs and snatch hatchlings.

On their way to and from the ocean, each colony carves their own little super highways in the snow moving from the nest to sea and back. The paths are so well worn they are like little trenches, so at times you can only see the penguin’s upper half as it moves.

There are seventeen kinds of penguins. We mainly saw three different penguins: Chinstrap, Gentoo, and Adelie. On our first outing, a single Macaroni penguin was nestled in with a large chinstrap colony. The Macaroni penguin acquired its name because it has striking yellow-orange tassels originating in a broad band across its forehead meeting right between their eyes. Although Macaroni penguins are the most abundant in the world, we only saw a few in different places.

After the Macaroni penguin, the Chinstrap penguin is the second most abundant penguin. They are mainly concentrated in vast colonies along the coasts on the South Orkneys, South Shetlands, and South Sandwich Islands. Penguins in this species are easily recognized by the narrow black feather band which extends from ear to ear just below the chin and cheeks resembling a "chinstrap", hence their name.

The most common penguin we saw was the Gentoo penguin. This makes sense because the Gentoo has the widest distribution range from all the penguins, but their most significant populations are concentrated on the Antarctic Peninsula and sub-Antarctic islands where we visited. Gentoos are larger than the Adelie and Chinstrap species and are distinguished by conspicuous white patches behind their eyes

The small Adelie penguin is the world’s most Southern nesting bird and are the smallest penguins in the Antarctic. The Adelie penguin is the stereotypical penguin. With its white 'tuxedo shirt' front, and the white ring around its very blue eyes, this bird has a handsome, yet comical appearance. Named after the wife of the French explorer Admiral Durmont d' Urville, the Adelie is also the most commonly studied of all the penguin species. In winter, Adelies stay at sea, resting in groups on pack ice and icebergs.

For a really neat video showing how clever penguins are, check out this video on You Tube called One Lucky Penguin

Deception Island
Jim and I both had our own favorite locations on the trip, but Deception Island was a mutual favorite.

Deception Island is the largest of the South Shetland Islands and possibly the most incredible island on the planet. It is one of the few places on Earth where vessels can sail directly into an active volcano. It’s most recent volcanic eruptions occurred in 1956, 1967, 1969, 1970, and 1992. The name comes from the fact that from a distance it appears to be an island with sheer cliff shores, but that is “deceiving” because upon closer inspection the island reveals a small opening into its safe harbor.

The natural harbor has been used since the 19th century as a protection from storms and icebergs as well as a whaling station in the early 20th century. At one time it was estimated 6,000 partly butchered, large, putrid cetaceans floated in the bay. Today it is a stop for most Antarctica trips. You can still wander among the old buildings and imagine what life must have been like here 100 years ago. As a photographer I felt like Ansel Adams exploring an Old West ghost town.

At times the volcanic activity can heat the water temperatures in the bay to as high as 70°C (158°F). In the 1920-1921 whaling season, volcanic activity in the caldera caused the ice cold sea water to boil which stripped the paint from the whaling ships’ hulls. However, the water was nowhere near that temperature during our visit.

During our visit, the gentle, wide volcanic beaches and calm harbor enabled the opportunity to take a “Polar Plunge”. So, Jim and 32 others enjoyed a once in a life time dip in the Antarctic waters. For you Seinfeld fans, Jim described this swimming adventure as “Extreme shrinkage”! Even though the ocean was very cold, it looked like all the swimmers had a great time. Everyone taking the “Polar Plunge” received a certificate from the expedition, but to you receive this honor, full immersion was required. Anyone who tried returning to shore without a wet head was commanded back into the frigid water to submerge fully before being allowed to come ashore where they were welcomed with a dry towel.

Christmas Day
To say we had a “White Christmas” is a little silly, but it truly was white as far as we could see at Neko Harbor. Google Map

This harbor is named after a whaling ship called the “Neko” which used this harbor in the early 20th century. The Antarctic peninsula is only 30 miles wide at this point. Our excursion at Neko included a short strenuous hike to a lovely view point. Once everyone reached the vantage point on the ridge, we sat quietly and listened to the glacier across the bay speak to us as it moved.

At that evening's debriefing, we were told the conditions were perfect to see some Orca whales. Right before we enjoyed our wonderful goose Christmas dinner, this prediction came true. Everyone grabbed their cameras and ran on deck hoping to get just a few shots before the small pod vanished.

Orcas are very intelligent sea mammals. They live and roam in pods and use their collective knowledge and skills to survive. This video from You Tube shows how orcas teach their young to hunt for seals in the Antarctic.

Christmas evening concluded with hot spice wine on our ship’s upper deck as a heavy snow began to fall. It was almost magical.

The Highlight
The next morning our expedition leader awoke us over the speaker with this announcement, “We have now entered expedition travel. The Ocean Nova is at its southern most point this season. We are lucky to have clear blue skies and calm water to enjoy the Penola Strait.”

We had just reached 66 degrees South latitude meaning we had ventured to almost 30 miles from the Antarctic Circle. Once we looked out the window it was as if we entered a new world. For the first time my spirit and senses really felt Antarctica. It is impossible not to have expectations and preconceived notions about a place you have seen pictures and read about since childhood. I now felt I found the Antarctica from my dreams. Snow peaked mountains adorned a harbor with dollops of snow everywhere you looked. It looked like a land built for a snow princess.

Roald Amundsen, the Norwegian who lead the first team to reach the South Pole, describes it best: Glittering white, shining blue, raven black in the light of the sun, the land looks like a fairy tale. Pinnacle after pinnacle, peak after peak-crevassed, wild as any land on our globe, it lies unseen and untrodden.

After breakfast we went on a Zodiac cruise to explore this magnificent land of snow and ice. As the Zodiacs moved around icebergs large enough to dwarf our ship and among all the ice flows, each Zodiac appeared lost inside its own world. As we navigated the ice filled ocean it was like we were with Star Trek’s Captain Kirk boldly going where no man has gone before. Our only contact with each Zodiac was the occasional chatter over the crew member’s radio. Our Captain Kirk was Aaron from New Zealand. His keen listening skills heard the very faint sound of a whale blowing to breathe in air. To our great wonder we soon found ourselves sharing this hostile environment with a minke whale up close and personal as it crossed under our Zodiac and surfaced several times within a few meters. Before returning to our ship we enjoyed watching some Adelie penguins resting on ice flows. With their short little bodies and ice blue eyes,
these little guys are just too cute for words

Camping
We were very lucky and the absolutely beautiful weather starting on December 26th stayed with us until we left the Antarctic. Not wanting to temp fate, the crew decided to take advantage of the beautiful weather and have us camp one day earlier than planned. Our camping spot was in the Argentine Islands located close to Vernadsky Station. Google Map

Maintaining research in Antarctica is expensive, so in February 1996 the British closed its Faraday Station which it maintained for almost 50 years. By international treaty Antarctica is a protected area, so to maintain its pristine environment, no man made objects or structures are allowed to remain in place. They must be dismantled and removed down to the very last nail leaving the environment completely natural.

To spare themselves a huge removal expense, the British Antarctic Survey sold their station to The Ukraine for a whopping $1 with the contract conditions stipulating the Ukrainians conduct the same research started and conducted there by the British. This is the station where scientists discovered the first hole in the Earth’s ozone layer.

Upon ownership transfer in 1996, the Ukrainians renamed it “Akademik Vernadsky Station” and the Ukrainian Ministry of Education and Science now owns and operates Vernadsky Station.

Prior to the 1996 handover, the British were going to build a new pier for their station. However, the year they planned to install it, the winter weather was so horrible, it was impossible to work outside to construct the pier. Instead of sitting around for six months with nothing to do, the station’s residents used the construction materials & tools to build a bar on the upper floor. Since then, Vernadsky Station has been home to "Antarctica’s best bar”.

Having visited it and imbibed the now obligatory vodka shot, I must state it is quite nice. Right next to Antarctica’s best bar is the “World’s Southernmost Gift Shop” which I can say I visited and have the photo to prove it. For a free vodka shot, female visitors are encouraged to take off and trade their bras to be tacked to the walls. There were quite a few brassieres tacked to the wall, so I guess some ladies really wanted a vodka shot.

Before we left we mailed ourselves a postcard from the outpost. We were told postcards are held until later in the Antarctic summer, then they are taken back to The Ukraine in a large batch before they begin making their way to addressees via the normal post. This delivery process was said to take 6 to 9 months. However, to our great surprise, the postcard arrived in just over a month. Evidenly, the Ukrainians improved their postal service.

After touring Vernadsky Station, the crew members located a very small island for us to camp for the evening. By the time we found our camp site and everyone erected their tents it was well after midnight, but the sun was just barely touching the horizon. Inside the tent there was still enough visibility to read a book easily without any artificial light. The guides provided all campers a sleeping pad and a sleeping bag, but most people found the camping to be a cold expereince and did not get much sleep. However, everyone was very thankful for the clear weather with no wind.






Final Stops
By the time we reached our last two major destinations, the trip already exceeded my highest expectations, but both Petermann Island and Port Lockroy greatly added to my enjoyment.

Port Lockroy was Jim’s second favorite place on the trip. This British Outpost was as cute as a British biscuit tin. The wooden structures are painted in chocolate brown with hot red outlining the window frames. Every structure was surrounded by Gentoo penguin colonies. I was almost surprised that we didn’t find a penguin nest on their porch as they nested on every other flat inch on the grounds. As we did at the Ukrainian station, we mailed a postcard to our home to see how long it takes the British mail to travel from Antarctica. (This postcard arrived one week before the one from Vernadsky Station which is amazing when it traveled almost 14,000 miles in barely four weeks!) Google Map Before we left this unforgettable location, our ship’s catering crew served a once in a life time barbeque on the upper deck to enjoy the warm sun, clear skies, spectacular scenery, and cerulean sea.

Petermann Island is located just below the narrow Lemaire Channel. I think it was the most picturesque place we visited in Antarctica. Huge panoramic granite peaks surround the area with giant icebergs reflecting sunlight providing various blue shades to the scenery. Visiting here on a such a sunny, warm day provided an incredible experience and made an indelible impression etched in my memory. Google Map

As we sailed back through the narrow Lemaire Channel most crew members and passengers were outside on the observation deck enjoying the view. Google Map The water was still perfectly reflecting the razor sharp peaks jutting straight out and above the water. The Lemaire Channel is one mile across at its widest and a half mile wide at its narrowest point. It was an unforgettable toast goodbye. Antarctica seemed to be sending us a loud and clear messsage not to forget its many natural treasures and unspoiled beauty.

Two days later and ten days after our initial departure, we landed back in Ushuaia with not only a greater understanding of, but also with a much deeper appreciation for the great Antarctic land at the bottom of the Earth.

To view my favorite Antarctica images, go to: http://www.ginalrodgers.com/travelgallery.htm


The Trip's Route

Antarctica Facts:

- Antarctica is 8.6 million square miles in size making it the Earth's 5th largest continent which is about the size of the United States and Mexico combined. - Antarctica comprises 10% of the Earth’s land surface.
- During the winter Antarctica's size doubles when sea ice forms extending its mass.
- 99% of Antarctica is permanent icecap, contains 90% of the Earth's ice, and 70% of the planet's fresh water.
- In some places the ice is over 3 miles deep (almost 16,000 feet thick).
- The icecap was formed by snow accumulation over 100,000 years.
- The largest Antarctic iceberg was larger than Belgium.
- It is the coldest place on Earth. The lowest temperature recorded is -128.6 F on 21 July 21, 1983. - 80% of the sun’s heat falling on the Antarctic icecap is reflected back into space.
- Antarctica is classified as a desert as it only receives 5 cm (2.5 inches) annual precipitation.
- Antarctica is the highest continent because of its thick ice layer. Its average height above sea level is 7,546 feet.
- Antarctica is the windiest continent. Its maximum recorded wind speed is 200 mph.
- There is no sun for 182 days during the winter.
- The official human population is Zero. In 1961 all countries claiming territory on the continent signed the Antarctic Treaty making it an official scientific research station.
- Its penguin population is estimated to be 75 million.
- 90% of all its wildlife live on the Antarctic Peninsula.

New Year’s Resolution

At some point, almost everyone has made New Year Resolutions. They don’t always work, but I have found they help me establish a goal which allows me to focus on it in the New Year. My 2009 Resolution is to update my Blog monthly and hopefully even more often. I plan to use my Blog to communicate about my travel and photography experiences. I hope you will find these updates to be both informative and sometimes entertaining.

Feel free to post comments.

My Chance Encounter with Sir David Frost

In the summer of 2007, Jim and I were traveling across Russia on the Trans Siberia Railroad from Vladivostok to St. Petersburg. One major stop was Moscow. We got up early to go to Red Square and the Kremlin to enjoy them before the crowds arrived. The Moscow River runs adjacent to the Kremlin’s high brick walls and towers. To get a different perspective in our pictures showing the Kremlin and St. Basil’s Cathedral as well as boats plying the river, we crossed a bridge. On our way we saw an English speaking gentleman with an entire film crew at the bridge’s center. We were already hassled by the local police and security people for taking photos with a tripod in this area, so we were curious not only to know who this person was, but also why they were not getting harassed like us.

To our great surprise the English speaking gentleman was Sir David Frost. We stood and watched as he taped the introduction to his upcoming television show in which he was going to interview Academy Award winning actress Helen Mirren for her role in “The Queen” and the last Soviet Prime Minister Mikhail Gorbachev. From his introduction we learned Helen Mirren was in Moscow because she recently learned about her family’s Russian ancestry and he also planned to speak with Gorbachev about the “new” Russia.

With the new upcoming film “Frost/Nixon” based on David Frost’s historical interview with President Nixon due in theaters on 26 December, I thought this would be the perfect time to post my images of Sir David Frost in Moscow.

Travels to Namibia

Namibia: Sand and Safari


Jim and I had a truly marvelous time in Namibia and a few days in Cape Town, South Africa. I'm sitting here listening to my African Music CDs while I type already longing to return. As I told a person that I met on the trip, once you get Africa in your blood, it is there forever.


By far, Namibia is the best African country we’ve visited. The country is so remarkable that it hardly felt like an exotic adventure. It is very easy to see why Angelina Jolie & Brad Pitt love this country. Even though we were in Africa’s youngest country, it was more like a long road trip in Southwestern America. We could drink the water, every bathroom in the whole country is spotless (even at gas stations & public camp sites), and even though most roads are gravel they are in excellent condition as we were able to travel them at 70mph most of the time.


Landscape and Background
The best way to describe Namibia is like our Southwest although it is much larger (it is as large as California, Oregon, and Washington combined, or twice California’s size). It has a huge desert, small rocky mountains, and either tall golden grass or short thorny shrubs covering the landscape. (Over 90% of all plants in Namibia have long sharp thorns.) In the very dry desert area close to the Skeleton Coast there is a rare desert plant called “welwitschia mirabilis”. It can live up to 2,000 years. It grows on the ground, but looks a little like a palm.


The flat topped Acacia tree found throughout most of southern Africa looks like Mesquite trees found in West Texas. Although it is quite large, Namibia only has 2 million people who are mostly located in its northern part where the most water is. We drove for hours without seeing another vehicle and most vehicles carried tourists like us.


Most tourist come from South Africa or Europe (mainly Germany since it was German colony up until WWI and is well known there). The only Americans tourists we ever met or saw were at the airport and locals were quite surprised, but delighted when we told them we were Americans since they don’t see too many of us there. Everyone speaks English since it is taught in the schools along with Afrikaans which is a legacy from the South Africa’s long occupation and is derived from Dutch. The African descendants also speak their local tribal language. Two guides on the trip were Bushmen or San people descendants. Their language is comprised of various clicks. It is very interesting to listen to them speak.

Transportation
Our vehicle with the pop-up, roof top tent was fantastic! Once the tarp cover was removed all we had to do was pull it up and Presto- our tent was ready to go.


Each morning we were packed and ready to go in 30 minutes. The truck also came with a built- in refrigerator, sleeping pads & bags, gas stove, and cooking utensils. Camping has never been easier. We were also surprised out how nice our campsites were. Each one had a top notch area to rinse out pots, very clean bathrooms, and showers with hot water. Some sites also had a built in patio complete with chairs, electric outlets and a light. For these luxurious campsites we only paid $20 a night.


Three Trip Highlights


Sand
The first was visiting the gigantic red sand dunes at Sossusvlei in Namib-Naukluft National Park. We were lucky to be there on 3 good days when the temperature was never very hot with little wind. We had a great time hiking in the dunes and taking many pictures. It is incredibly beautiful, stunning landscape. In the mornings and late afternoons it had a very Zen- like feel with the simple curved lines and long shadows on the sand. In one area we needed to use 4 wheel drive in the deep sandy road. Jim thought I should experience driving in this desert terrain. An understatement is I wasn't very good and almost got us stuck.

Safari
Our next favorite highlight was Etosha National Game Park. This was our 4th African safari trip and without a question the best we ever experienced. The abundance of wildlife is outstanding and few visitors make it incomparable to other African national parks.


We were in the park for less than 5 minutes when a French woman stopped her vehicle to tell us where to view 2 female lions. From that point on we never went very long without viewing some wildlife. Two things we will never forget had to do with elephants. One day we wanted to pass a bull elephant that was taking his time walking down the road. The bull charged us, but thank goodness Jim was quick at getting us into reverse quickly which was good because the vehicles there are right hand drive like in Britain so the shifting is a little different. But the story doesn't end there. Once we were finally able to pass we had to return down the same road 10 minutes later. It is true an elephant doesn't forget because when the same elephant saw us coming down the road he charged us once again flaring his ears, rearing his trunk, and letting out a trumpet blast letting us know his true feelings toward us. Once again Jim hit reverse and got away quickly.


The other unforgettable sight involved us going down a road once which we had never been lucky at sighting animals. Jim thought we should give it one more try even though I said it was fruitless. I’ll never outlive this remark since it turned out to be a great decision. It was late in the afternoon and we sighted only our 2nd rhinoceros about 40 yards from the road lying in the grass. Mindful while in Africa to keep your head on a swivel because as you are looking to your front, something may be approaching from the rear, Jim turned to see a huge elephant herd emerging from the bush. There were about 50+ female elephants and their young for approaching a small watering hole for their late afternoon drink and mud bath. As they passed directly in front of us and close by our vehicle, it was an incredible site. Each adult female elephant was very upset at the rhino for lying so close to their path. They all flared their ears and stomped the ground at the rhino as they passed. The rhino’s only reaction was to flutter its ears as if it couldn't be bothered.


For us the joy of being able to travel at our own speed and to spend as long as we wished at each watering hole and not be rushed about by a guide made this safari unforgettable. Combine this ability with few tourists and more zebras and giraffes than we could count and we had a great safari experience. One day we even saw 30 giraffes at the same water hole which was amazing as giraffe are only generally seen in small groups. Plus for the first time ever we saw many giraffe spread their front legs into a V so they could drink from the pond. It will be hard for us to ever return to the heavily touristed areas in Kenya or Tanzania where most vehicles contain 4-6 occupants and you compete with 100s of other tourist vans to see the same animals.


Wild Cats
The last highlight came with our 2 visits to areas working hard to save the cheetah from extinction. The first is called the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF). It was established by a woman named Dr. Laurie Marker from Oregon who felt enough wasn't being done to save the wild cheetah from extinction. With only $15,000 she moved to Namibia in 1990 and started talking to local ranchers in Namibia to learn why they shot cheetahs and how she could help prevent this action. She now conducts daily workshops with locals to educate them on why cheetahs are important to the eco-system, how farmers/ranchers can co-exist with cheetahs, and why it is in their best interest to do so. She is also does extensive research on this animal at her facility. If you have any interest in this animal you might want to check out their website. http://www.cheetah.org/.


While there we actually met Dr. Marker who gave us a private tour in which she allowed us to meet and pet a pair of 3 week old cubs she was treating. The cubs had been orphaned after a rancher had shot their mother. Meeting Dr. Marker was incredible and very inspirational. I hope to inspire some teachers at my school to use curriculum her organization has put together for teachers to educate children about cheetahs.


After visiting CCF we went to another wild cat conservation site called AfriCat. This organization is run by a local Namibian family. The owners’ father was once a cattle rancher, but when their parents retired they decide to turn the ranch into a place that would work to save both leopards and cheetahs. It was interesting to see the 2 approaches. In some ways they are very similar, but in others very different. AfriCat works a great deal with a catch and release program. CCF works more on preventing ranchers from ever capturing or killing wild cats. We spent the night at this facility and were given the opportunity to see cheetahs and a leopard. Our guide was surprised by how friendly the cheetahs were on our visit. During our guide’s 30min. talk about AfriCat, the cheetahs sat only inches from our vehicle. I was sitting in the very front and often thought at any moment one of the cats was about to jump right in my lap. I did not realize until later that I had the plastic container full of their meat tidbits sitting at my feet. During the feeding one cheetah did jump on the vehicle’s hood for a mere second which even surprised the guide. Too bad Jim and I weren’t able to capture this with our cameras. The next morning we were able to view 2 lions that live on the premises. Most of us heard them roaring all night long while we tried to sleep. AfriCat has about 10 leopards at their facility fitted with radio collars. Each morning a guide takes the guests on a hunt trying to track a leopard using a radio signal. For two hours we listened in vain to faint beeps that led us on a wild goose (or leopard) chase, but we eventually tracked down a female. She had just killed a baby oryx and was so well hidden and camouflaged in the brush we would have never found her without the tracking device. Although it was thrilling to see the leopard, it was heartbreaking to see the mother oryx emerge wandering and crying to locate its young who the leopard killed, but in Africa from death comes life. If you would like to learn more about AfriCat go to http://www.africat.org/.
Both CCF and AfriCat are great organizations. I only hope that their work will be successful and they will be able to save these great cats from extinction. Additionally, I thought it was quite appropriate my big pet cat Minnie joined me on my desk as I typed this section on cheetahs.


Final Thoughts on Namibia
While in Namibia we also visited a petrified forest, saw some ancient San drawings, and stayed in the small town where Angelina and Brad had their first child.

We don’t normally follow the news while on holiday, but while waiting for dinner one night Jim picked up the local newspaper in a small town to see what was happening there and right there on the front page we found out about Brad and Angelina’s twins.


Additional Images
If you are interested in seeing more images from our trip to Namibia and to see a few images from Cape Town, South Africa go to: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lambdaman/sets/72157606510543228/
This website also offers additional information about Namibia and its wildlife.

Photo Journalism

I have always loved pictures in National Geographic. As a child I also enjoyed Look and Life magazine. Just like the photos in these magazines, I want my photos to have a photo journalistic style and to tell a story. Even when I photograph my clients I want the pictures to depict their true self.

A favorite website of mine is http://www.photoworkshop.com/ . Each month they publish an online magazine called Double Exposure. I was very pleased when a photograph I took last Sept. at West Point was selected as a runner-up in their photojournalism challenge.

You can check out the article and my image at the following link.
http://www.doubleexposure.com/DEChallenge_PJ.shtml

If you like the article, you might want to consider joining photoworkshop. It's a free online service to anyone who has an interest in photography.

Getting Started

Welcome to my blog.

I'm excited about adding a blog to my website. It will give me a great opportunity to post some recent pictures done locally and abroad. I also plan to use the blog to keep you up to date with my travels.

I hope those who view my website will feel comfortable with posting a few comments from time to time. I look forward to hearing from you.

This is a new adventure that I am looking forward to exploring.