Urban renewal takes many forms. We are busy primates, always changing our environment for better and mostly for worse. For 40 years Seattleites dumped their garbage at the Montlake Dump just north of today’s Husky Stadium. It was just a worthless marsh so why not? Spurred on by a blossoming of environmental awareness in the 1960s-70s, a plan was slowly developed to reclaim the area as a natural laboratory. Today the site is some 50 acres of which 14 acres have been completely restored. It is a long process, beating back the Himalayan blackberries, loosestrife and other nonnative species. It wasn’t until the 1980s that work in earnest began, resulting in the natural marshland in existence today.
Art is just returning from a quick trip to the Galapagos Islands. He was really looking forward to getting great images of the Marine iguanas- which it appears was a success! Also some images of the rich landscape as well as the enormous Galapagos tortoise.
Join Puget Soundkeeper Alliance at their 10th Annual Gala and Auction featuring “Voices from the Sound ” on October 17, 2013. Experience individual and unique perspectives from those most familiar with our waterways as you enjoy a special evening of some of the very best Northwest seafood served family-style right at your table. Dinner will include outstanding fresh local shellfish from Taylor Shellfish and delicious seafood and vegetarian fare by Bacchus & Arianna Catering.
Check out the amazing live auction items you could bid on!
Namibia is the photographic gift that keeps on giving. While I have been to the Sossus dunes many times, the Serra Cafema and Ongava Reserve were new to me. The wildlife is tremendous and the dusty atmosphere is magical.
Wow! I hate being out of contact for so long! Connectivity has been a struggle and I was just able to upload a few photos from my recent shoot in the Duba Plains of the Okavango Delta. We were the only people to see a lion and buffalo take down in weeks, so I feel extremely fortunate. Over the course of ten days we also were able to photograph gorgeous leopards and magnificent herds of elephants. Perhaps, it isn’t so bad to be out of touch after all!
My bag arrived in time for one day’s shoot. We had just five days over the water and four of them were just too windy and the whales were very shy. There was one, though, who would stay on the ocean bottom where we barely could see him and then every 20 minutes he would come up for air. Our trick was to swim like hell to intersect him when he reached the surface without being clobbered. I got three chances, and during one, I guessed right and he came up just in front of me. I could have grabbed his tail and gone for a ride. Now I am off for the Duba Plains in Botswana; hopefully, my bags will make it with me! Stay tuned!
As many of you know by now, my trip to Tonga marks the first time in decades of rugged and remote travel that my bags have not made it with me. Thwarted by airlines, mechanical troubles, and weather, I have one camera, no underwater gear, the clothes on my back and boatloads of frustration. Thank you to Darren Jew who has been stellar in allowing me to use his equipment so the trip wouldn’t be a complete and total washout.
