Wetpixel Oceanics Trip 2009

Sometimes, things don't work out the way you want them to! RIP flying boat hull.

Here's another. I didn't know there was so much paddling involved when using flying boats!!

Couple flying shots...

The flying boat, up in the Bahamas!

Jacques was the one lucky guy to get airborne...

By the way, I don't mean to hijack this thread with current JASA trip shots. Keep on posting images and journals from the last trip! We are all eagerly awaiting more...

Jim wanted me to post these aerial shots taken above Tiger Beach:

Man. I wish I had gotten up there to take some shots. The hull failed while we were trying to take off. The faster we went, the more water streamed into the boat...

Jim wanted me to post these aerial shots taken above Tiger Beach:

 

 

That's the fewest sharks ever at Tiger Beach!

That so cool, great shots

Did Jim custom make that thing or you can buy them like it?

Hi Jack,

I was on the trip with paul last year. The summer trips are the wrong time of year for bull sharks and we didn't see any - well apart from one spotted while snorkelling with dolphins. On the night dive, unfortunately, we didn't get a tiger so the night time pictures are all lemon sharks.

With lens choice if you have cropped sensor then the tokina 10-17 should be your go to lens. I also used 12-24 and 17-70. Also I'd really recommend taking a 60mm or equivalent for Blue Heron Bridge or a night dive on the sugar wreck. The sharks come really close so wide, wide is the way to go. However you get so much time with the sharks that you will want to start varying the lenses to get different types of shot.

Mark

Did Jim custom make that thing or you can buy them like it?

Here's one among many places that offer flying boats and flight instruction with prices listed.

Click here to find out more!

A google search for "Flying boats" will provide more websites.

Also you can go to Youtube and find more info there.

I am not affiliated with the company but thought you might want further info as you requested.

I think I will have to go and check this out in Florida next winter.

Operation Swine Flu (Pig molesters come ashore) - The Video.

OK, some very poor video, shot under combat conditions. (My first time with a videocam and iMovie..... what a cluster)

I could not upload the soundtrack due to copyright issues, but I can tell you that if you pull up an mp3 of Duelling Banjos, it will play perfectly in the background.

Not in the video unfortunately, things actually got a lot more hectic once we brought out the apples and smeared peanut butter on the domeports shade.

Nice pics guys. My first time with Oceanics and their boldness makes for good photographic opportunities! Here are some more pics. Marcus.

Nice shots Marcus! Is that the new Nikon 10-24? Have you shot other wide rectilinear zooms with the same set-up (e.g. the Nikon or Tokina 12-24, the Sigma 10-20 etc.) and if so, what are you're impressions with the 10-24 compared to the others regarding sharpness?

cheers

Christian

I am sorry for my slow updates on the report. My back is almost better now - hurray - I can sit down again. Hope to get more up soon.

Alex

... my back is almost better now...

Keep it up!

Do you want a personal back-care specialist (it's easy: keep exercising, take the pain killers and ignore the pain; don't use a TENS machine, but try acupuncture and manipulation) on future trips?

And lets see some more sharks!

Tim

I am sorry for my slow updates on the report. My back is almost better now - hurray - I can sit down again. Hope to get more up soon.

 

Alex

Looking forward to seeing more.

Need to add the Oceanics on my list of "To Do" JASA trips...

I was down there off Cat Island the week following the wetpixel trip. Diving the Oceanic White Tips is a definite if you are into sharks. The last one is me at work.

Nice pics; they really are impressive animals with those airplane wing like pectoral fins.

Nice shots Marcus! Is that the new Nikon 10-24? Have you shot other wide rectilinear zooms with the same set-up (e.g. the Nikon or Tokina 12-24, the Sigma 10-20 etc.) and if so, what are you're impressions with the 10-24 compared to the others regarding sharpness?

 

cheers

 

Christian

Hi Christian

Yes that's the new Nikon 10-24. I like it. I don't think edge sharpness is an issue. Lighting, composition, camera settings and how you approach marine life (i.e. your own skills) make much more of a difference. I've used the 12-24 and the 10.5 also. The 12-24 in my opinion has been superceded by the 10-24 because it lets you get that much closer. The 10-24 focusses slightly closer also (about 25 cm I think) and is exactly the same size, except it's not internal focussing so the length changes slightly with different focal lengths. It also has slight less distortion than a fisheye like the 10.5 which you can use for different effects. So for me it's replaced my 12-24.

Marcus

Oceanics are dangerous! There was a recent fatality in the Red Sea.

http://www.digidiver.net/news/environment/...-a-shark-attack

Oceanics are dangerous! There was a recent fatality in the Red Sea.

 

http://www.digidiver.net/news/environment/...-a-shark-attack

Marcus - There's another WetPixel thread that discusses this in detail. I think you'd agree that none of the divers on our Oceanic White Tip trip was threatened by any of the sharks, despite there being up to 8 in the area. Jim's briefings are pretty clear about interacting with sharks - splashing on the surface as the unfortunate snorkeller would have been doing would be considered a "No, No", especially if there were others feeding/baiting sharks in the area. We all know that sharks are aquatic carnivores, and opportunistic feeders. It is unfortunate that incidents do occur, but given the number of people recreating in oceans around the world, the number of incidents is exceedingly small!

Martin

WP's own thread on the death in Egypt:

http://wetpixel.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=30702