Photos: Staten Island Patagonia & The Falklands, [yet more] pics...

[Little Five]

Stunning photos which make me want to go there. Thanks
My thoughts are with all in Christchurch

 

[craigsmith]

Thanks for the comments so far.

there were 2 pics that puzzled me (not hard!)

a few second exposure as you were in ?beagle channel, looking over bow. you can see the glow from the nav lights, but the land is not blurry, how did you manage that?

similarly a 0.3 sec exposure of the antartic peninsula, again, how did you keep the boat still enough?

The first is a 15 second exposure. I had a 30 second exposure too, there was a shoreside beacon with a 6 or 8 second cycle, or something like that - you could see all three flashes in the photo, each moved on a little from the former. The land is blurred a bit, you just can't really see it at the reduced image size. The water was completely calm and the boat tracking dead straight on autopilot. We went into the destination at Pia, an anchor-and-shore-lines mooring in a rocky bay through a narrow rocky pass near the head of the glacier, at about 2 am in pitch black that night - not something to be done in any other sort of weather and without radar... great fun.

The same with the Antarctic peninsula photo, it is slightly motion blurred, but that one was hand held with the boat engaged in a proper sea motion. In that case it's just a matter of taking a dozen shots and hoping one of them comes out alright before your arms get tired or your finger freezes. Wait 'til you see it tried with video.

One minor issue on the commentary, which suggests that the 1982 Argentinian invasion and occupation was established 'without resistance'. In actual fact the small detachment of some 85 Royal Marines based on the island put up a spirited defence before taking the only viable option of surrendering.

Quite right and my mistake, fixed now.

~

On the politics and the war, I included a page more or less dedicated to it simply because the military history and the current British presence in the South Atlantic is just a prominent feature of the region, part of the area's story that comes through in Peter's photos. I don't have any time for the Argentine nonsense but at the same time please don't interpret any of that work as political in any sense. The naval presence particularly pertains unfortunately all too well to boating and cruising, as the Clyde made itself useful in pulling the family off the Hollinsclough last year.

 

[craigsmith]

Edit: Fantastic weather too. Some people get all the luck.

Uh did you miss the pics from Stanley?

There's wind in Hoppner too, you can see it in one or two of the pics that point it out, it's nasty but just katabatics that look more like helicopter down-blasts than what you get with consistent wind with fetch.

And this is biased by the fact that the photographer tends to get a bit precious about his camera when there's salt water being blown around... maybe understandably! Either that or he's busy worrying about other things. I don't have images of some of the harsher stuff in Antarctica precisely because we were way too busy to pick up cameras, or generally in a state of shell shock...

 

[Woodlouse]

Uh did you miss the pics from Stanley?

I didn't. But excessive wind and rain is not unusual in that part of the world. Clear skies and sunshine is rather and in Patagonia the scenery when the suns out is incredible, compared to looking fairly bleak when the weather is miserable.

 

[craigsmith]

True - but Kiwi Roa was in Patagonia for several years, and the weather during the winter down there actually tends to be quite fine and dry, albeit cold. You get nice big highs that sit over the area. The temperature is right down but you do get the weather you see.

 

[oldvarnish]

And this is biased by the fact that the photographer tends to get a bit precious about his camera when there's salt water being blown around... maybe understandably!

These pictures are exceptional, especially to someone who has an ambition to get to that part of the world.
I know it's not a photographic forum, but anyone know what kit was used to take these pictures?

 

[craigsmith]

I'm surprised that there's only one safe harbour there; there are so many inlets around (Puerto Cook, for example). Presumably you gave your destination as something other than the Falklands...

When Kiwi Roa was there you could get permission more easily.

There are many anchorages but all exposed to nasty katabatic winds and swell with no all round protection. Puerto Hoppner is the only place with all round shelter where you can get lines ashore.

These pictures are exceptional, especially to someone who has an ambition to get to that part of the world.
I know it's not a photographic forum, but anyone know what kit was used to take these pictures?

All on an entry level Nikon D40 with whatever the standard Nikon 18-55 + zoom lens kit package was, with the exception of a few taken on a cheap Olympus waterproof point-and-shoot.

 

[craigsmith]

Just bouncing this with an update to our Falklands journal.

Kiwi Roa is still in Stanley and has done a little more cruising around the islands, and a few new photos have been added.

Some old friends, and some new ones, turned up in Stanley this year. All are interesting characters that take the path less sailed. And away from the bright lights of Stanley, the Western Falklands offer a strange and remote wilderness.

www.petersmith.net.nz/photos/falklands-6.php

 

[Erik C]

Beautiful, Thanks.

 

[Mark-1]

Amazing, thanks for posting.

 

[Bosun Higgs]

And this is biased by the fact that the photographer tends to get a bit precious about his camera when there's salt water being blown around... maybe understandably! Either that or he's busy worrying about other things..

But happy with the anchor "These photos illustrate the need for a high performance and reliable anchor. Note how the chain (12 mm G40) is almost straight, pointing nearly directly at the Rocna anchor somewhere below. In this flat water, a snubber is unnecessary for Kiwi Roa; were there any significant surge, the chain would be snatching bar taut and some shock absorption would be required."

Got to say I much prefer to view the Falklands using your photos and at home, in the warm and dry and with a handy nearby pub / restaurant, so thanks for taking them and posting them on line.

 

[youen]

Can we know if the Rocna anchors pictured in the differents bow rollers are made in bisalloy in NZ and specially tuned or are made in 420 in China

 

[JayBee]

Can we know if the Rocna anchors pictured in the differents bow rollers are made in bisalloy in NZ and specially tuned or are made in 420 in China

Merry Christmas to anchor threaders everywhere.

 

[Sandyman]

Thank you so much for posting. Many memories. One day I will go back.................

 

[Judders]

Thank you for sharing that with us.

 

[craigsmith]

Cheers all.

Got to say I much prefer to view the Falklands using your photos and at home, in the warm and dry and with a handy nearby pub / restaurant, so thanks for taking them and posting them on line.

Gee thanks. Kiwi Roa's still there you know . Don't rub it in or I'll tell you about the summer sunshine outside here in Auckland...

 

[youen]

How is the anchor bend chinese or weld tuned NZ?Can you reply PLEASE

 

[Metabarca]

More please and yet more! I'm yearning to go back to those waters...