Friday (24-August-2012) — At Sea

Gone to see Europe. Semester at Sea. Fall 2012 Semester Voyage on the MV Explorer. Day 02: At Sea, North Atlantic Ocean.

The main activity for the first full day at sea was an all-day orientation for the students in the Union. There are 477 undergraduate students attending the Fall Semester this year. In addition there are 47 Life Long Learners (30 full voyage and 17 partial voyage), 36 Faculty, 37 Staff & Family, and 181 Crew on board the MV Explorer for this voyage.

Halifax Sunrise, MV Explorer Departure, Sunset at Sea (David J. Mathre)
Orientation for Students in the Union (David J. Mathre)
Sunset (David J. Mathre)
Students Waiting for Sunset (David J. Mathre)
Sunset (David J. Mathre)
Student Waiting for Sunset (David J. Mathre)
Sunset at Sea on the M/V Explorer. Fall 2012 Semester at Sea Voyage. Image taken with a Nikon D800 and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 122 mm, f/11, 1/200 sec). (David J Mathre)
Sunset at Sea on the MV Explorer. Image taken with a Nikon D800 and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 122 mm, f/11, 1/200 sec). (David J Mathre)

Three-Years Ago (24-August-2009) — North Dakota

Gone to See North America Road Trip. Day 03: Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota.

Bison Bulls Fighting. My first night sleeping in the RV in a campground at Theodore Roosevelt National Park. These two Bison Bulls were having an argument just outside my site. I was glad that I would sleeping in the RV, and not in a tent like the family just across the road.

Male Bison Fighting in the Campground at Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Image taken with a Nikon D300 and 18-200 mm lens. (David J. Mathre)
Male Bison Fighting in the Campground at Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Image taken with a Nikon D300 and 18-200 mm lens. (David J. Mathre)

Thursday (23-August-2012) — Canada

Gone to see Europe. Semester at Sea. Fall 2012 Semester Voyage on the MV Explorer. Day 01: Embark and Depart from Halifax, Canada.

The students boarded the MV Explorer in shifts beginning at 08:00. It was an efficient process, and most everyone was onboard by 11:00. We were told that after lunch that there would be a mandatory evacuation drill. Everyone was supposed to get their life-jacket and report to their evacuation station wearing long pants, long shirt, shoes, and a hat. Once we got to our station, the ship staff did a roll call to make sure everyone was accounted for and present. The drill is required before the ship can leave port. After the drill was completed, we were ready to leave at 17:00. Most everyone lined up on the open decks to watch the departure. The parents and relatives that came were all lined up on the roof of the port terminal. Michael Mariant was set up to take a series of images from Deck 7 that will be combined into a time-lapsed video for the entire Fall 2012 Voyage.

Weather permitting I plan to take an early morning image during dawn or sunrise, and an evening image at sunset or during dusk. I did this exercise during the previous two Enrichment voyages on the MV Explorer, and got images with great colors.

Sunrise over the Lighthouse Island in Halifax Harbor from the M/V Explorer. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V1 camera and 10-30 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 16.3 mm, f/4.2, 1/800 sec). (David J Mathre)
Sunrise over the Lighthouse Island in Halifax Harbor from the MV Explorer. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V1 camera and 10-30 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 16.3 mm, f/4.2, 1/800 sec). (David J Mathre)
Sailboat and Lighthouse in the Halifax Harbor. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V1 camera and 30-110 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 93.5 mm, f/8, 1/320 sec). Watercolor effect applied using a Topaz Simplify/Painterly filter. (David J Mathre)
Sailboat and Lighthouse in the Halifax Harbor. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V1 camera and 30-110 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 93.5 mm, f/8, 1/320 sec). Watercolor effect applied using a Topaz Simplify/Painterly filter. (David J Mathre)
Evacuation/Lifeboat Drill. Image taken with a Leica V-Lux 30 camera (ISO 400, 4.3 mm, f/4, 1/15 sec) (David J Mathre)
Evacuation/Lifeboat Drill. Image taken with a Leica V-Lux 30 camera (ISO 400, 4.3 mm, f/4, 1/15 sec) (David J Mathre)
M/V Explorer Departure from Halifax, Nova Scotia. Image taken with a Nikon N1 V1 camera and 10 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 100, 10 mm, f/4.5, 1/640 sec). (David J Mathre)
MV Explorer Departure from Halifax, Nova Scotia. Image taken with a Nikon N1 V1 camera and 10 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 100, 10 mm, f/4.5, 1/640 sec). (David J Mathre)
Sunset Day 1 Fall Semester at Sea Voyage from Deck 7 of the M/V Explorer in the Atlantic Ocean. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V1 camera and 10 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 100, 10 mm, f/4.5, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)
Sunset from Deck 7 of the MV Explorer in the Atlantic Ocean. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V1 camera and 10 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 100, 10 mm, f/4.5, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)

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Wednesday (22-August-2012) — Canada

Gone to see Europe. Semester at Sea. Fall 2012 Semester Voyage on the MV Explorer. Day 00: Halifax, Canada.

Arrival of MV Explorer in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Overnight I received an e-mail from Michael Mariant that confirmed the MV Explorer would arrive in Halifax at 08:00 hours. I went down to the harbor early to watch the sunrise, and scout a good location to photography the ship when it arrived. When the ship did not arrive at 08:00, I walked to the Halifax casino, and then back to the cruise line terminal. Part way back, I saw the MV Explorer coming into port and started taking pictures. The ship went around an island in the harbor so it could dock on the port side of the ship. After waving to Michael and the other staff and faculty on deck that sailed from Boston to Halifax, I went back to the hotel to have breakfast and pick up my luggage.

The Life Long Learners and students with work-study assignments boarded the ship the day before departure. The boarding process included inspection by both Canadian immigration authorities and ship staff. Prior to leaving we were provided with a list of prohibited items, but I noticed some students giving items back to their parents when they realized that the luggage was going to be inspected. Passports were checked and those going to Ghana and Brazil needed their visas a yellow fever vaccination certificate. I did not need the visa and Yellow fever certificate since I would be departing the voyage in Casablanca, Morocco. We all received a ship ID with the picture we provided. The luggage was both x-rayed and hand inspected. There even was a dog that sniffed the luggage. Finally, after going through a metal detector we were allowed to board the ship. The majority of the students board the ship tomorrow.

Once onboard, I found my cabin on deck 4. For this voyage, my cabin was on the starboard side of the ship. This confused me a bit since I was on the port side on my previous Enrichment Voyages. I spent the afternoon wandering around reacquainting myself with the ship and its layout. I recognized many of the ship staff from my previous Enrichment Voyages. My suitcase was delivered to my cabin mid-afternoon. In the evening a reception was held on the ship for the parents of the students that would be on the Fall 2012 voyage. I am looking forward to meeting the students and getting on way to Europe.

M/V Explorer Turning to Dock in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Image taken with a Nikon D800 and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 110 mm, f/5, 1/400 sec). (David J Mathre)
MV Explorer Turning to Dock in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Image taken with a Nikon D800 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 110 mm, f/5, 1/400 sec). (David J Mathre)
Theodore Too and Lighthouse in the Halifax Harbor. The Theodore Too is an old tugboat that has been converted into a harbor tour boat. It looks like a cartoon character. We saw it go past the ship several times during the day. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V1 camera and 30-110 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 42.2 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 sec). (David J Mathre)
Theodore Too and Lighthouse in the Halifax Harbor. The Theodore Too is an old tugboat that has been converted into a harbor tour boat. It looks like a cartoon character. We saw it go past the ship several times during the day. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V1 camera and 30-110 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 42.2 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 sec). (David J Mathre)

Three-Years Ago (22-August-2009) — New Jersey

Gone to See North America Road Trip. Day 01: New Jersey.

White Ram – My New Home. Three interior images of the “White Ram” My new Roadtrek RS Adventurous RV as I prepare to drive to Anchorage, Alaska to attend ANPAT 9 with my fellow Nikonians. All images taken with a fish-eye lens and thus the spaces look bigger than they really are! For the exterior view when I took delivery check out 15-August-2009.

Fish-eye View from the Rear of the White RAM. Road Trek RS Adventurous RV. Image from the rear, taken with a Nikon D300 and 10.5 mm fish-eye lens (ISO 200, 10.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/15 sec). (David J Mathre)
Fish-eye View from the Rear of the White RAM. Road Trek RS Adventurous RV. Image from the rear, taken with a Nikon D300 and 10.5 mm fish-eye lens (ISO 200, 10.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/15 sec). (David J Mathre)
Fish-eye View from the Rear of the White RAM. Road Trek RS Adventurous RV. Image from the front, taken with a Nikon D300 and 10.5 mm fish-eye lens (ISO 200, 10.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/15 sec). (David J Mathre)
Fish-eye View from the Rear of the White RAM. Road Trek RS Adventurous RV. Image from the front, taken with a Nikon D300 and 10.5 mm fish-eye lens (ISO 200, 10.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/15 sec). (David J Mathre)
Fish-eye View from the Rear of the White RAM. Road Trek RS Adventurous RV. Image of the cockpit, taken with a Nikon D300 and 10.5 mm fish-eye lens (ISO 200, 10.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/15 sec). (David J Mathre)
Fish-eye View from the Rear of the White RAM. Road Trek RS Adventurous RV. Image of the cockpit, taken with a Nikon D300 and 10.5 mm fish-eye lens (ISO 200, 10.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/15 sec). (David J Mathre)