Antarctica

[Sheldon Bowles]

Hello all. I'm not sure where to put this, but I think this is the right place.

Soon (I hope) I'll be able to post some pictures of the trip, or at least a link to a gallery. In the meantime I thought some might be interested in some bits and pieces about the trip --- things I'd have found good to know before I went. I imagine thoughts will come to me over the next few days or so on this and I'll add to this thread as they do.

The first thing is that all trips to Antarctica are not equal. The big cruise ships go along the northern most shore and many don't offer the chance to land. Landings have to have a naturalist with every 15 to 20 guests (at least those countries who subscribe to the Antarctica treaty do we were told) and so for a 1,200 person ship, no way they can zodiac people to shore, even if they had the rubber boats to do it.

Also, many ships don't venture into the Weddell Sea. That's where you see most of the ice (guess why they don't go there) and where you have a chance of seeing an Emperor Penguin. Those are the big fellas the movie was all about.

And, if the ship is smaller, and does go into the Weddell Sea, and does do zodiac landings, how many landings does it do? We did two and sometimes three zodiac things a day --- and one day we went kayaking amongst the icebergs. How they do so much in a day is that the day is a long one. It starts with sun up at three and at ten at night you can be out on deck taking pictures of whales alongside in the natural light.

If you think you're going to spend a nice evening in bed with your laptop, or in the lounge with your laptop, downloading, sorting, editing, deleting, forget it. You'll be lucky to find time to shower and sleep. This is serious. The ship I was on, with the group I was with, had an open bar, with fabulous Chile wines and premium brands and not a drop of the devil passed my lips the whole trip. I didn't dare want to be less than 100 percent alert even at ten at night in case we were called to the deck for a whale encounter, or a passing Emperor penguin. One night near 11 we had Orcas having an encounter with a couple of major Humpback whales. Great fun.

Oh. You should know. Penguins smell. Think about it. A colony of 100,000 breeding pair, each with two young, you're talking 300,000 to 400,000 mouths being filled with fish and krill and those mouths are connected to the other end --- and penguins use that other end, sitting on the nest, to squirt out a few feet to mark out their territory. That's a good time NOT to be down on your hands and knees for that nice angle close up shot. This is why God invented telephoto lens. All in all this guano factory smells. One day we were in the lounge, blinds down, being given a presentation by one of the naturalists when wham! It hit us inside the ship. The overwhelming smell of penguins. We peeked out under the blinds. Had we run ashore? No. We were a good half mile or more off shore, and there was a cross breeze. Lord save us from global warming ever putting any heat to this guano factory. It's bad enough at 0F.

That said, the first trip to shore you'll be picking your way ever so careful around some pretty foul stuff. By the last day you'll be lying down in it, not thinking anything of it, to get that shot at the angle you want. Which is why you'll leave your boots in the hall outside your room, even after a major washdown in the boot and pant wash room that's inside the zodiac loading door. Phew! And, if you're smart, you'll have put a folding pack in your suitcase to put your outdoor clothes and boots in for the trip home. At least a double garbage bag if you're going to put them back in a suitcase, and if you travel home though Miami word has it that the penguin smell drives the drug dogs nuts in customs there so be ready to explain why Fido wants to tear your bags apart.

Well, that's it for now. Not much about picture taking I know, but I figured this was good stuff to get down for people in the future thinking of making this trip.

I'll write more for this log and have photos when I can.

Cheers to all, Sheldon

[Sheldon Bowles]

How could I?

I intended to start the above with a warm, warm thanks to Keith for the penguins he created for me.

Thank you Keith. I love them!

Cheers, Sheldon

[gluwater]

Well it's about time you started a thread! That is some great info you listed above, it is the kind of thing that you need to know about before you go but no-one ever tells you. Take your time with processing your images, I'm sure you're still catching your breath from the trip. We'll still be here when you're done and ready to post some shots. Glad to have you back.

[Sheldon Bowles]

Thanks Nick. I do want to get some of this down. There were so many questions I had before I went and I was lucky to have a friend who'd been twice and I relied on his advice --- but there is only so much you can cover without being a total PITA with constant questions.

I've got a few more thoughts for the evening. Then to bed. These are thoughts first posted in response to a question I was asked on another forum, which I rarely now visit, making my online home here at Pixel Shooter, but I was chased by email to post on this thread so I did. Anyways, inspired by that reply, here's further Antarctic thoughts:

First, people want to know what ship I was on. Well, Pixel Shooters it was the National Geographic Ship Endeavour, which is run by Lindblad tours. If you go to:

http://www.expeditions.com/dersearch/dailyexpeditionreports.asp

in the select a vessel box if you select National Geographic Endeavour you can see reports posted on the web everyday as to where the ship is and what it's up to.

This ship is equipped, well equipped for ice and the crew is outstanding. I suspect it may cost a couple of thousand extra bucks ---- but I'd think it well worth it. Heck, if you're crazy enough to spend that kind of $$$ what's a couple of thousand? It's a once in a lifetime experience and I'd not look to save on the ship.

It's not a question of a nicer cabin, or fancy food. It's top naturalists, a big fleet of zodiacs so people can get on and off the ship, and a crew pushing to do extra zodiac or kayak adventures. It would have been easy for our crew to wow us doing less than they did to put us in lots of good spots --- but these Lindblad people are so dedicated and thrilled to show off the Antarctic they don't even think of calling it a day until the last seal has been spotted.

And, on the ship we had famed National Geographic author (he's had 12 articles in the magazine and is now doing a book on penguins) Fen Montaigne --- yes the Fen Montaigne who covered Russia at the end of the cold war and wrote a book or two on it --- who spent last Antarctic summer at the Palmer Research Station there and was a fantastic resource with us on every landing and giving lectures in the lounge. I understand Endeavour most always sails with a National Geographic 'hero' of some sort and we got the top of the top.

I also want to say something about the Weddell Sea. I hesitate to write about it. Although I've sailed the Weddell I speak from a tomb of ignorance. However I take comfort in thinking the reader's tomb of ignorance will likely be at least as large as mine.

Essentially the deal is this. Antarctica is one huge chunk of rock --- far bigger than the continental United States. Now, take that rock and cover it with snow and ice --- up to a mile of it I think in some places. Now, all around the edge, in the winter, it's so damn cold the ocean salt water freezes --- 20 or 30 miles out from shore as best I can tell. So far that the size of the continent doubles. Some places like the Ross Ice Shelf, and much of the Weddell Sea, the Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf, doesn't ever melt.

Even with global warming most of the rock on land has ice around the edges much of the time. One nice excpetion is the northern end of a finger of the continent that pokes up towards South America. It is this peninusla people can visit in the summer. Summer being mid-December to March. This peninsula is where most of the research stations now are. This is where the action is --- although there's not much action.

On the west side of the peninsula you have the South Shetland Islands and such and it is here the water is mostly open, although there's lots of flat ice --- ice that's frozen sea water from the last year or so ---- around. On the east side, the Wendell sea side, it's a different story. This is the birthing ground of icebergs --- at least far, far more than you'll find on the west side, and it is where Shackleton sailed too far south, got caught in the ice, and spent a winter he didn't want to spend. The Weddell sea has recently been found to have a small Emperor Penguin group and as they hatch in late winter by summer the chicks are big and off on their own, floating around on the ice. You may see one. I hope you do. They are 3.5 to 4 feet tall and can weigh near 100 pounds fully grown. These are big birds.

In recent years the Weddell sea has been more open in the summer than it has in past years and it is possible for a ship with an ice reinforced hull and an experienced crew to safely go a good ways south into it. This is a magical place of ice that will be your enduring image of Antarctica if you get to see it. Huge flat topped icebergs that have broken off an ice shelf or glacier float by in such profusion they become comonplace --- here's one, there's one, there's another over there, and, oh look, we're about to sail past one just a few hundred feet away! And these bergs have big chunks falling off which is an amazing display and gives rise to a sea full of big ice chunks. Big like in the volume of a city skyscraper building, and they can have the most exciting blue color as they melt and from the deck of the ship you can look down and see the vast mass underwater as you pass --- perhaps with a seal and a few penguins on top just to make it interesting.

If your ship isn't going to the Weddell Sea, it's not going to Antarctica! Obviously an overstatement --- but not by much.

And, to drag this back to photography, you'll probably shoot twice as many gigs per hour in the Weddell Sea as you'll shoot anywhere else on the trip. And, these are the pictures that you'll be making into posters for your wall.

Finally, the exposue advice from the National Geographic photographer was, "down a third," and I had expected to shoot plus a stop. Live and learn.

[Kevin]

Having been a travel agent for a good number of years, this is particularly interesting to me, Sheldon. Thanks for posting your notes and I look forward to your next journal installment. :)

[Bobby]

Thanks for the documentary Sheldon, we are all anxiously awaiting your posts. We are going to live vicariously your trip to Antarctica. Too bad this forum does not have "smell a vision" so we could get the full flavour.

[Ann]

Thanks for sharing your adventure with us Sheldon! I can hardly wait til your next installment! You write so wonderfully, I can almost imagine it! (well , except for the penquin smell!)

[Rudi]

Yep. Thanks, Sheldon, for letting us in on the story! :)

[David Cramer]

Great information Sheldon. Thanks for posting this.

[mdephoto]

Sheldon, thanks for taking the time to write this up and I am sure that this only touches the surface. This sounds like the trip of a lifetime ... and probably one that I will never be able to make ... so I will read and re-read your words and wait for your images ... thanks for sharing .......

[JMeddings]

Thanks a million Sheldon - we're going on one of the Linblad photography tours to the Galapagos later this year and we've put down the Antarctic with them on our list of 'must dos'. I'm really looking forward to hearing more from you and to see some of your shots!

[Sheldon Bowles]

Jon, you're going to have a terrific time. When are you going? Which ship? We did the Galapagos just about a year ago and loved it! From Quito we went out to the Amazon River basin rain forest before the Galapagos, and after we went to the cloud forest to see the birds --- another amazing add on.

A photo trip you say? Hmmmm? Oh it would be a joy to go along.

One thing I wasn't prepared for there was the heat --- the camera gained three pounds an hour while on shore and one day, as we were going up a hill I seriously thought about just dropping it over the edge of a cliff and being done with the damn heavy thing. If it hadn't been for the guides making sure we didn't pollute the place I might just have done so. Certainly there were days I took along my 8 megapixel S80 point and shoot figuring it was heavy enough. Now, I'm not a 20-year-old jock, but I can walk five miles at a reasonable pace if need be, and I scampered around up hills and along beaches in Antarctica with no problem, but the searing heat of the Galapagos was a killer for me.

Before you go one book you may find interesting is Jonathan Weiner's Pulitzer Prize winning: The Beak of the Finch.

Cheers

[Mao]

Welcome back Sheldon. Quite an interesting trip you had. Febreeze anyone?

[MGlennn]

What a trip !!! Can't wait to see the pics :cheer:

[TheKO]

I'm still trying to get past this laying in Penguin dung to get a shot with the right angle. I know I would be right there with you taking the picture - just I think the Mrs. would have my pants, boots and me staying outside of the room.

Looking forward to the pictures.

[Sheldon Bowles]

I quickly grabbed a couple of shots off a card. Believe me, you've seen one penguin, you've seen them all. But they are interesting. And, now that I've had a look at this card I might just be tempted to look at some of the others. I don't think these have any special merit. Just a quick selection to give you a feel of the place --- or at least where we were this particular day.

Cheers to all in the shout box who so rudely demanded these --- serves you right!

http://www.pbase.com/nightpilot/image/76722059.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/nightpilot/image/76722060.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/nightpilot/image/76722061.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/nightpilot/image/76722062.jpg

This is Penny, riding beside me in the Zodiac on our way to look at ice and seals. In Antarctica the drill is that you get in the Zodiac and go to look at ice and penguins, or ice and seals. This trip we were going to look at seals.

http://www.pbase.com/nightpilot/image/76722063.jpg

And, seals we found. There are mainly three types of seals. This is the first type:

http://www.pbase.com/nightpilot/image/76722065.jpg

This is the second type of seal:

http://www.pbase.com/nightpilot/image/76722066.jpg

And you'll be glad to know there are no examples of the third type on this card. As you can see the main resemblance between penguins and seals is that if you've seen one, you've seen them all. Very similar to the humback whales and other type whales we saw. Much better variety in the birds. Big, small, medium, very, very big and white. None of these on this card either. This last shot is an idea of what happens in about two minutes when the wind comes up, the guide is frantically trying to get you back to the boat, the wind is whipping up the water and the waves are splashing all over while any sane person has his camera tucked tight in his bag, and under his jacket for protection, your valiant scribe, thinking a little salt spray never hurt a 20D, took several shots, this being one. It don't look too bad, but that's because we're in the lee of the ship --- until we got there I was too busy with prayer to take a picture --- and the wind with significant gusts was blowing the tops off the waves and all over us. Great fun and reassuring to know that if we turn turtle the life vests mainly allow you to suffer an extra 120 to 240 seconds before the cold, or a near by leopard seal in search of dinner, finishes you off.

http://www.pbase.com/nightpilot/image/76722067.jpg

Now, shout box friends, behave yourselves or I'll inflict more on you!

You've been warned.

(All of which means I'm pleased you asked, thank you.)

Haaarrrruuummmph!

[Rudi]

Sheldon, these are awesome! MORE please! :)

[Sheldon Bowles]

Thanks Rudi, very kind, as you always are.

Shots like the last one make me wish I'd listened to you and taken a 5D. For one thing it was madness to go without an SLR backup body. Really stupid. I was lucky the 20D didn't decide to crap out on me.

[Keith]

If that is all it took my friend, I would have threatened you long ago :p
These pics Sheldon are fantastic and honestly deserve a NEW thread.
:notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy: no favourites, luv them all, want more :biggrin: Warm up that printer, its going to get some use, and none of tha 4x6 stuff :cute:

[Sheldon Bowles]

If that is all it took my friend, I would have threatened you long ago :p
These pics Sheldon are fantastic and honestly deserve a NEW thread.
:notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy: no favourites, luv them all, want more :biggrin: Warm up that printer, its going to get some use, and none of tha 4x6 stuff :cute:

Re: "All it took" --- well, there's that, and the second rum and coke this evening.

Yes, I'll try to post some more, and put them in separate threads, this just seemed like a good place to stick these.

One reason, I think, for my reluctance to do anything with all the photos I have is the genuine disappointment with what I know I have on those cards. The majesty of the place, the endless opportunity to take pictures of amazing things makes my pictures look better than they are --- and, no, I'm not fishing for a compliment. I saw on the ship what some of the other people were doing and I have enough of an eye to know how shot I fell from what was possible.

I'm no nut case. At least on this. I know that given my talent level I did just fine, BUT it kills me to have had such an opportunity and to have taken less than full advantage. Like General MacArthur, I shall return. If not to Antarctica, then to some other place with great opportunity to do more than take snapshots.

I'm working on a book right now that's sapping up what creative energy I have. When I finish the first draft of the manuscript I want to try to spend some serious time both learning to use a camera, and learning something about Photoshop. The ideal would be to go off to workshops and really devote some intense time. Again, I'm no fool on this. I know that my "eye" just isn't good enough to ever be really good --- but I think it's good enough that with some training I could be better.

One of the nice things about photography is that if you're not selling, trying to attract clients, the only bench mark you need worry about is yourself. How did I do today, compared to the last time out? I hope to live a long life happily chasing my own photographic tail.

Gung ho to all ....

[davespix]

Wow drematic waves, and ice. I am jealous, to take such adventures hehehe it takes a whole bunch of stress at work before I just pick up and go shooting let alone a holiday like that, Thanks for sharing. Fantastic work.
Then again I am young working for a 5d or better.

[Mao]

Woohoo! Finally got to see your post on Antartica. Although I did see an earlier one where you had a penguin BIF!!!!! I think Keith posted it for you.

Dang Sheldon, we wanna see more. They are good pictures and you've done well (if only you'd give yourself more credit :biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin:).

Penny looks exceptionally good (having put up with you :biglaugh: :biglaugh: :biglaugh: through all these years) and I mean it in the sincerest way.

If fate would have us meet one day, it'd be a blast. if we don't, it really was an honor to meet you both online, kevlar or no kevlar.

I'd best get horizontal, got to meet the boys in a few measly hours.

[Kevin]

Sheldon, these are great! You're too hard on yourself. Most of us will never make it to Antarctica and despite how good or bad you think you've done, some of us are simply engrossed in the content of the shot. You could post completely blurry shots and they still would be interesting because the locale is so exotic. We don't have the point of comparison or reference as you so we're fortunate enough to simply view your shot and sit in awe.

So, have some more Rum & Cokes and post up some more images.

[Ron Lacey]

Thanks for finally posting some Sheldon, been waiting for these, hope you find time to process some more. I enjoyed these and look forward to more.

Yeah penguins within a species tend to look identical but that's really the case with most animals, I think you need to be a member of the species to identify the subtle nuances that define individuals, to penguins people all look the same :). Nonetheless they make great photographic subjects if only for the fact they are certainly one of the most comical looking species on the planet.

Ron

[Harv]

Absolutely wonderful. I'm at a loss for words. (Don't say it, Kevin or Keith) Sheldon, you have floored me with these and I am so glad you finally got to posting them. What a treat. Please keep them coming. I absolutely adore that last seal closeup. Wow!

[Jonathan]

Wow this is great sheldon!! Those pics are SWEET!!! the information is great as well. Really appreciated..signing in to thread:biggrin:

[Desert Rat]

nana; nana; nana; See, actually he is really hunting for sympathy about his photography.. I know Sheldons secret.. He is just too lazy to process his images.. How do I know this you say? I got this tidbit of info via a PM a while back..

Maybe someone need to give Sheldon a swift kick in the you know where to get him moving on working on his images... :biglaugh: :biglaugh:

Kevin and you call me lazy about processing photos? :couch:

[Bobby]

Sheldon, you tricked me. I thought this was the original thread sans photos. Just found out there were images on page two and awesome images they are. You have been making us wait all this time. Wonderful shots, anxiously awaiting more. I am really taken with the scenic of the icebergs and ocean.

[JMeddings]

Hey Sheldon! Let me add my name to the masses clamoring for more!!!

This is a place that is on my wifes and my 'must visit soon' list. I'd really like to see more shots and some more of your thoughts about the place. I love the penguin reflection shot - a bit of PS work and that my friend is a wall hanger!

[Jeff JTPhoto]

Excellent Sheldon.. I agree, you are too hard on yourself. You were there and that is more then many of us can say. Its not likely I'll ever get there and so I am happy to sit here in awe of your beautiful images.. Thanks for sharing..

[Littleflurry]

ROFLMAOS :biglaugh:
Oh. You should know. Penguins smell. Think about it. A colony of 100,000 breeding pair, each with two young, you're talking 300,000 to 400,000 mouths being filled with fish and krill and those mouths are connected to the other end --- and penguins use that other end, sitting on the nest, to squirt out a few feet to mark out their territory. That's a good time NOT to be down on your hands and knees for that nice angle close up shot.

Cannot wait to see the photos!

Hello all. I'm not sure where to put this, but I think this is the right place.

Soon (I hope) I'll be able to post some pictures of the trip, or at least a link to a gallery. In the meantime I thought some might be interested in some bits and pieces about the trip --- things I'd have found good to know before I went. I imagine thoughts will come to me over the next few days or so on this and I'll add to this thread as they do.

The first thing is that all trips to Antarctica are not equal. The big cruise ships go along the northern most shore and many don't offer the chance to land. Landings have to have a naturalist with every 15 to 20 guests (at least those countries who subscribe to the Antarctica treaty do we were told) and so for a 1,200 person ship, no way they can zodiac people to shore, even if they had the rubber boats to do it.

Also, many ships don't venture into the Weddell Sea. That's where you see most of the ice (guess why they don't go there) and where you have a chance of seeing an Emperor Penguin. Those are the big fellas the movie was all about.

And, if the ship is smaller, and does go into the Weddell Sea, and does do zodiac landings, how many landings does it do? We did two and sometimes three zodiac things a day --- and one day we went kayaking amongst the icebergs. How they do so much in a day is that the day is a long one. It starts with sun up at three and at ten at night you can be out on deck taking pictures of whales alongside in the natural light.

If you think you're going to spend a nice evening in bed with your laptop, or in the lounge with your laptop, downloading, sorting, editing, deleting, forget it. You'll be lucky to find time to shower and sleep. This is serious. The ship I was on, with the group I was with, had an open bar, with fabulous Chile wines and premium brands and not a drop of the devil passed my lips the whole trip. I didn't dare want to be less than 100 percent alert even at ten at night in case we were called to the deck for a whale encounter, or a passing Emperor penguin. One night near 11 we had Orcas having an encounter with a couple of major Humpback whales. Great fun.

Oh. You should know. Penguins smell. Think about it. A colony of 100,000 breeding pair, each with two young, you're talking 300,000 to 400,000 mouths being filled with fish and krill and those mouths are connected to the other end --- and penguins use that other end, sitting on the nest, to squirt out a few feet to mark out their territory. That's a good time NOT to be down on your hands and knees for that nice angle close up shot. This is why God invented telephoto lens. All in all this guano factory smells. One day we were in the lounge, blinds down, being given a presentation by one of the naturalists when wham! It hit us inside the ship. The overwhelming smell of penguins. We peeked out under the blinds. Had we run ashore? No. We were a good half mile or more off shore, and there was a cross breeze. Lord save us from global warming ever putting any heat to this guano factory. It's bad enough at 0F.

That said, the first trip to shore you'll be picking your way ever so careful around some pretty foul stuff. By the last day you'll be lying down in it, not thinking anything of it, to get that shot at the angle you want. Which is why you'll leave your boots in the hall outside your room, even after a major washdown in the boot and pant wash room that's inside the zodiac loading door. Phew! And, if you're smart, you'll have put a folding pack in your suitcase to put your outdoor clothes and boots in for the trip home. At least a double garbage bag if you're going to put them back in a suitcase, and if you travel home though Miami word has it that the penguin smell drives the drug dogs nuts in customs there so be ready to explain why Fido wants to tear your bags apart.

Well, that's it for now. Not much about picture taking I know, but I figured this was good stuff to get down for people in the future thinking of making this trip.

I'll write more for this log and have photos when I can.

Cheers to all, Sheldon

[Sheldon Bowles]

Hello Jenn, and welcome to Pixel Shooters. Good to have you with us!

Aside from the few photos I grabbed off a couple of cards to post in this thread all of my pictures from Antarctica remain on the CF cards I took them on. Desert Rat is right ---- I'm just too lazy to process them. I love taking pictures and I love having a camera in my hands as it makes me look and see the world differently. But, once the photo is taken, I lose interest very quickly. For example, I was out with my wife, Penny, this afternoon driving on the Canadian prairie ---- some storms were brewing in the west, then they passed to the east and the sun came out. Fabulous sun from the west on the black clouds and thunderheads in the east. And we saw, and I photographed, some hawks, and some combines out in the fields harvesting. All sorts of neat stuff. But, if I never see one of the pictures I took again, it will be too soon. Antarctica is different, though. I don't want to dump those and every weekend the bag of 14/15 gigs of CF cards goes to the lake with me thinking I'll have time to download, and every Monday it comes back in with me.

Perhaps I'll get at it this weekend .... but, ????

When I do, I'll be sure to post some more pictures.

Thanks for looking and commenting and most important, again, welcome to Pixel Shooters.

Gung ho friend, Sheldon