Five-Years Ago (09-January-2013) — Florida

Gone to See Florida 2013 Road Trip. Day 6: Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.

Osprey with a Fish for Breakfast. Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge in Florida. Images taken with a Nikon D800 camera and 500 mm f/4 VR lens or Nikon D3x camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens.

Osprey with a Fish for Breakfast. Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge in Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D800 camera and 500 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 100, 500 mm, f/5.6, 1/640 sec). (David J Mathre)
Osprey with a Fish for Breakfast. Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge in Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D800 camera and 500 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 100, 500 mm, f/5.6, 1/640 sec). (David J Mathre)
Osprey with a Fish for Breakfast. Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge in Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D3x camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 400, 600 mm, f/8, 1/1250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Osprey with a Fish for Breakfast. Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge in Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D3x camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 400, 600 mm, f/8, 1/1250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Osprey Finishing a Fish for Breakfast. Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D800 and 500 mm f/4 lens (ISO 100, 500 mm, f/4, 1/640 sec) (David J Mathre)
Osprey Finishing a Fish for Breakfast. Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D800 and 500 mm f/4 lens (ISO 100, 500 mm, f/4, 1/640 sec) (David J Mathre)

Seven-Years Ago (08-January-2011) — Patagonia

Gone to See Patagonia 2010/2011. Photography Workshop with Thom Hogan. Day 13: Estancia Lazo to Hosteria Lago Grey.

We stopped for a few minutes at the entrance to Torres del Paines National Park while our guide paid the entrance fee. There were a number of Guanaco (South American Camels) milling around. All of a sudden two males started chasing each other. I caught this one as it ran right through our group.

Guanaco Running at the Entrance to Torres del Paine National Park in Patagonia. Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/16, 1/100 sec). (David J Mathre)
Guanaco Running at the Entrance to Torres del Paine National Park in Patagonia. Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/16, 1/100 sec). (David J Mathre)

Six-Years Ago (04-January-2012) — New Jersey

Backyard Winter Night Sky in New Jersey: Star and Meteor Trails.

Winter Night Sky -- Star Trails -- Quadrantids Meteors. Composite of 122 images taken with a Nikon D3x and 24 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/2, 59 sec) combined using the Startrails program. (David J Mathre)
Winter Night Sky — Star Trails — Quadrantids Meteors. Composite of 122 images taken with a Nikon D3x and 24 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/2, 59 sec) combined using the Startrails program. (David J Mathre)

Seven-Years Ago (04-January-2011) — Argentina

Gone to See Patagonia 2010/2011. Photography Workshop with Thom Hogan. Day 9: Hosteria Los Notros.

As we were waiting for our rooms at Hosteria Los Notros I saw this painting. I didn’t know what is was, but the names of Charles Darwin and Jemmy Button were written on the side [Despedida de Charles Darwin y Jemmy Button 1834]. With the internet you find things about almost anything. So many things that I didn’t know about the history of Patagonia are intertwined in the painting [link]. Apparently, Captain FitzRoy during the first voyage of the HMS Beagle purchased or took Jemmy Button (a native from the islands around Tierra del Fuego) hostage, and brought him back to England. On the second voyage of the HMS Beagle, Captain FitzRoy and the young Charles Darwin returned Jemmy Button back to Patagonia. I heard that the Hosteria Los Notros is no longer open, and don’t know where the painting is now.

Painting at Hosteria Los Notros "Despedida de Charles Darwin y Jemmy Button 1834". Hosteria Los Notros (David J Mathre)
Painting at Hosteria Los Notros “Despedida de Charles Darwin y Jemmy Button 1834”. Hosteria Los Notros (David J Mathre)

 

Three-Years Ago (03-January-2015) — Drake Passage

Gone to See Antarctica 2014/2015. Hurtigruten Christmas Voyage. Day 18: At Sea Crossing the Drake Passage.

This was our last full day on the Hurtigruten MS Fram as we proceeded north toward South America. Food and Final Celebration. A long-range view of Cape Horn, an Albatross in flight, and clouds with colors that reminded me of Patagonia.

Hurtigruten MS Fram Brass Bell. Image taken with a Leica T camera and 23 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 100, 23 mm, f/16, 1/125 sec). (David J Mathre)
Hurtigruten MS Fram Brass Bell. Image taken with a Leica T camera and 23 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 100, 23 mm, f/16, 1/125 sec). (David J Mathre)