April 2010

South Georgia Island Southern Ocean

Drygalski Fjord, South Georgia Island

Photos of Drygalski Fjord, South Georgia Island The weather today continued to turn for the worse after we departed Godthul, so a decision was made to travel to Drygalski Fjord at the south end of South Georgia Island in lieu of an afternoon land visit. So, after lunch and a…

Phil CollaApril 26, 2010

California Wildflowers

Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve SNR

California Poppy photos (Eschscholzia californica) at the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve, in Lancaster, California. With Amanda and Tracy in Kansas City at a Volleyball National Qualifier tournament, Sarah and I had the weekend to ourselves -- with absolutely nothing planned. This is unprecedented. We took advantage of it by…

Phil CollaApril 25, 2010

Penguin South Georgia Island Southern Ocean

Godthul, South Georgia Island

Photos of Godthul and Gentoo Penguins, South Georgia Island Our plans to visit St. Andrews Bay this morning are scuttled. There is a strong SE wind that is sending big waves onto the beach at St. Andrews making a landing ill-advised. We move north a short ways to Godthul and…

Phil CollaApril 22, 2010

Albatross South Georgia Island Southern Ocean

Prion Island, South Georgia Island

Photos of Nesting Wandering Albatross (Diomedea exulans) on Prion Island, South Georgia Island We wait out the bad weather that arrived while we were on Salisbury Plain on the icebreaker M/V Polar Star, which is anchored in the lee of a nearby small island. Although the weather is cold, dark…

Phil CollaApril 20, 2010

Photography Wisdom

A Breath-Holding Exercise for Water Photographers

I finish my swim workouts with a few minutes of active breathholding exercises which I feel make me a better waterman and a better photographer. Photographers working in or under the water must often deal with chaotic, stressful or just plain physically demanding situations. I have found that being able…

Phil CollaApril 19, 2010

Penguin South Georgia Island Southern Ocean

Salisbury Plain, South Georgia Island

Photos of Salisbury Plain and King Penguins in the Bay of Isles, South Georgia Island Usually I am somewhat reserved in my written descriptions of places and things. In the following post, I am sure I have failed to communicate the profound depth of emotion that I experienced standing beside…

Phil CollaApril 2, 2010

South Georgia Island Southern Ocean Time Lapse

Grytviken, South Georgia Island

Photos of the Grytviken Whaling Station, South Georgia Island Following our morning at Hercules Bay, we motor during lunch to Cumberland Bay and the whaling settlement of Grytviken. Grytviken lies below – you guessed it – scenic mountains that rise almost straight up. It is insanely windy at times today,…

Phil CollaApril 1, 2010