Travel
By Scott Shephard
It's hard not to get caught up in the amazing symmetry of humble sea shells like these. And when you move in close, as I did here, you are seeing details that many fail to notice.
This photo, incidentally, was taken at a state park near Gulf Shores, Alabama. The sand is some of the purest powdery sand I've ever seen. When you walk on it, it squeaks. And in October the beach is nearly empty.
Canon 5DIII 1/3200s f/2.8 ISO100 100mm
To be honest, I don't know Jack all that well. But I couldn't resist stopping by the Jack Daniels distillery in Lynchburg, TN, on my recent trip to Alabama. Photography was allowed during the outdoors portion of the tour I took but wasn't on the inside of the buildings. The reason, we were told, is that a spark from the camera could ignite the high proof product being made. I don't believe it but I wasn't willing to test the truth of the statement.
Canon 5DIII 1/60s f/5.0 ISO400 45mm
This cemetery, which is south of the Missouri town of Boonville, is yet another place that I have driven by and then turned around so I can get a closer look. And then, when I got out of my vehicle, I didn't take my camera. Frankly, I just wanted to walk among the tomb stones, some of which dated back to the late 1700s.
There is something evocative about cemeteries, especially at the end of the day, when the sun is low and the shadows grow long. It isn't creepy to me. But it is a bit sad and more than a little thought-provoking.
This cemetery was well maintained, had a great view of the Missouri River valley and the recently deceased shared space with those who had been lying there for a a century or more. Many of the older tomb stones were seriously weathered and it was next to impossible to read the inscription.
Such is life. A stone may mark our final "resting" place but who we are may have been long ago forgotten. . . .
Canon 5DIII 1/125s f/4.0 ISO100 45mm
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This is a companion to yesterday's post to give you a better sense of what I was talking about. This is not our boat, but a companion ship in the Un-Cruise Adventure line named the Wilderness Explorer. We were heading back out of Glacier Bay in the dwindling light when I spotted this ship on the horizon. The word "horizon" is used loosely since it is not real distinct. I turned this photo to black and white but in fact there was very little color in this scene to begin with. As I said yesterday, the stillness and the quiet of this place was palpable. And it was eerie - but in a wondrous sort of way.
Canon 5DIII 1/500s f/5.6 ISO400 280mm
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Our journey into Glacier Bay in southeast Alaska on the Un-Cruise Adventures Safari Endeavor was unlike anything I have ever experienced. What I remember most about this place was the eerie, fog-shrouded silence.The fog certainly muted the colors of the rocks and trees on shore but it also seemed to mute the steady drone of the diesel engines of our ship.
This photo is one of those shots where I was in the right place at the right time. Besides the blue tones of the rock and the wispy white of the fog, I like the arching line of the ledge the pine trees are growing on.
As with so many things that we experienced in Alaska, I will say, "You had to be there," though I think this photo gives a pretty good sense of what this particular place was like.
Canon 5DIII 1/800s f/6.3 ISO400 175mm
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I don't normally take requests for this blog - largely because I don't get them. But yesterday, Brad H, one of the instructors at Lake Area Technical Institute in Watertown, South Dakota, saw me and told me I needed to post more Alaska photos. He said, "You must have more than we've seen on your blog!"
The fact is that I do have more but I'm trying to show my versatility by posting other photos. :-) But, because Brad asked for one, here's a whale for you.
We saw many whales on our cruise to southeast Alaska in August but only once did we see one frolicking as this one was. Though "frolic" may not be the right word since experts don't necessarily agree on why they jump out of the water. Whatever the reason, this young whale put on a heck of a show for us on a day that would have been perfect even if he/she hadn't shown up.
Canon 5DIII 1/640s f/8.0 ISO250 170mm
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I am calling this "Cooling Off," though it could be that they are warming up. "They" are harbor seals that we encountered resting on ice bergs as we left the area of the Dawes Glacier. They are staring at us with suspicion while we were staring at them with wonder.
Canon 5DIII 1/800s f/7.1 ISO400 280mm
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Alaska has the lowest population density in the United States with 1.264 people for every square mile. But the tree population is another story and this island is a good example of crowding. And in spite of living shoulder to shoulder with other trees, the crime rate is very low: the trees seem to get along well with each other. We should take a lesson from Mother Nature . . .
(Note: South Dakota has the 5th lowest population density with just over 10.6 people per square mile. Highest in the United States? New Jersey with 1,205. Washington, DC has a density of 10,357 people per square mile.)
Canon 5DIII 1/160s f/4.0 ISO250 58mm
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No, this is not typical shoreline along my beloved Lake Oahe in central South Dakota. You might have already guessed that this is one of several photos I took in Alaska. This photo was taken near Ford's Terror in the Endicott Arm and if you go back to my Captain Jenna post, you might notice that the shoreline visible out the window to the left is this very shore.
I shouldn't tell you what you should be looking at, but it's hard not to notice the big, black hole worn in the rocky shoreline. If you are hoping I'd tell you how it came to be there, I can't. But my theory is that it was caused by erosion. And a few hundred thousand years.
Oh, and you no doubt noticed my new theme? I thought it was time for a new look. How about signing up to be notified by email when I post a new photo. It's easy and it's free. Go to the bottom of the page and put your email address in. You can always cancel your subscription. :-)
Canon 5DIII 1/400s f/4.0 ISO400 280mm
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As I've already said, our recent trip to Alaska on the Un-Cruise ship Safari Endeavor was an incredible experience. There were many highlights but what I will remember the longest, I think, is our tour of the Endicott Arm near the Dawes Glacier. The eerie silence, the steady drizzle, and the awesome geology of this place contributed to the experience. It didn't hurt that our son, Jon, who is Chief Mate of the Safari Endeavor, was our excursion pilot.
And, of course, there was the blue ice, with its fascinating textures and its inner, blue glow. I know it's a leap to say it, but as I was photographing the chunks of ice, I couldn't help thinking of Walter's blue, crystal meth in the hit series "Breaking Bad." And I was also thinking of the '60s hit "Crystal Blue Persuasion" by Tommy James and the Shondells, which has nothing to do with glaciers. If you are in to chain of consciousness, here's mine on this post:
Un-Cruise > Dawes Glacier > ice bergs > blue > "Breaking Bad" > crystal meth > "Crystal Blue Persuasion" > the 1960s
Look over yonder what do you see The sun is a-risin' most definitely A new day is comin' people are changin' Ain't it beautiful crystal blue persuasion Better get ready gonna see the light Love, love is the answer and that's all right So don't you give up now so easy to find Just look to your soul and open your mind Crystal blue persuasion, mm-hmm It's a new vibration Crystal blue persuasion, crystal blue persuasion Maybe tomorrow when He looks down Every green field and every town All of his children every nation There'll be peace and good brotherhood Crystal blue persuasion
I have read that the great cathedrals and basilicas of Europe were designed, in part, to make humans feel small in the presence of the awesome power of God. And I'll have to admit that even to a 21st century traveler, these structures still have that impact on me.
But the amazing wilderness of southeast Alaska makes the biggest structure than humans have built seem puny. And, frankly, there is little that a photo or a mere description can do to communicate this. Suffice it to say that for most of the seven days we cruised the waters of Alaska, I felt small - both in terms of my size and in terms of the brief time my life represents compared to the geologic time it took to craft and scour the mountains and fjords of Alaska. But the effect of this on me and other viewers is not to be overwhelmed but instead to be inspired.
My wife explicitly warned me not to publish too many photos of glacier ice so I guess I'm defying her with this one, since I published another ice photo a few posts ago. But I can't help myself. How can you not be fascinated with the colors and textures of this ice. And how can you not think about the Titantic, when you hear the thumping of small chunks of ice against the hull of the Safari Endeavor? But our captain is much smarter about ice than Captain Edward Smith. :-)
Canon 5DIII 1/800s f/6.3 ISO400 200mm