Seven-Years Ago (31-August-2012) — Ireland

Gone to see Europe. Semester at Sea. Fall 2012 Semester Voyage on the MV Explorer. Day 09: Arrive and Depart Ireland. Galway, Claire County, and Cliffs of Moher Field Trip.

After a long nine days crossing the North Atlantic ocean we arrived in Galway, Ireland just after sunrise. We were given our passports, and went through immigration on the ship. The ship anchored, and we were tendered into Galway via the ships lifeboats. The day was overcast with some drizzle and rain. We were only going to be there for the day and I had signed up for the Cliffs of Moher field trip. First stop was Dunguaire Castle. The quick rest stop in Ballyvaughn ended up being a long rest stop since there were only a couple of toilets. An interesting character with a pipe was waiting in front of the village store. We then visited the ancient Poulnabrone Portal Tomb. As we drove through to the Cliffs of Moher passed a road sign for Lisdoonvarna — Largest Matchmaking Festival in Europe. There were also old stone homes, and farms with cows and horses on very green fields. We were running late, and missed the tourist boat we were supposed to take to the Cliffs. The next tourist boat was the Tranquility. The seas were rough even more than our crossing the North Atlantic. By the end of the tour, some of the students looked pretty green. The final stop was to a pub for a traditional Irish meal. Unfortunately, the meal was rushed because we had a deadline to get back onto the MV Explorer.


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Lisdoonvarna -- Matchmaking Festival. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V1 camera and 30-110 mm lens. (David J Mathre)
Lisdoonvarna — Matchmaking Festival. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V1 camera and 30-110 mm lens. (David J Mathre)


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Lamb Stew and Guinness. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V1 camera and 10 mm lens. (David J Mathre)
Lamb Stew and Guinness. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V1 camera and 10 mm lens. (David J Mathre)

Seven-Years Ago (30-August-2012) — North Atlantic Ocean

Gone to see Europe. Semester at Sea. Fall 2012 Semester Voyage on the MV Explorer. Day 08: At Sea, North Atlantic Ocean.

The early dawn sky was full of pink jet contrails when I got out on deck. The contrails would be from all of the red-eye flights crossing the Atlantic ocean from North America to Europe. A sign we were getting close to the end of our first leg at sea. As the sun came up, the contrails changed from pink to yellow.


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Seven-Years Ago (29-August-2012) — North Atlantic Ocean

Gone to see Europe. Semester at Sea. Fall 2012 Semester Voyage on the MV Explorer. Day 07: At Sea, North Atlantic Ocean.

Lone deck chair at dawn and the sun rising through the clouds. I found out that one of the traditions before arriving at a foreign port was a special event for Academic staff and Lifelong-learners (LLL) where we could order appetizers based on the food of the country we would be visiting. I would order two, and skip dinner, because they were always good.

Lone Deck Chair at Dawn. Image taken with a Leica X2 camera (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/2.8, 1/30 sec). (David J Mathre)
Lone Deck Chair at Dawn. Image taken with a Leica X2 camera (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/2.8, 1/30 sec). (David J Mathre)
Sun Rising through the Clouds from the Deck of the MV Explorer. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V1 camera and 30-110 mm lens (ISO 100, 39 mm, f/16, 1/125 sec). (David J Mathre)
Sun Rising through the Clouds from the Deck of the MV Explorer. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V1 camera and 30-110 mm lens (ISO 100, 39 mm, f/16, 1/125 sec). (David J Mathre)
Sun Rising through the Clouds from the Deck of the MV Explorer. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V1 camera and 30-110 mm lens (ISO 100, 110 mm, f/16, 1/200 sec). (David J Mathre)
Sun Rising through the Clouds from the Deck of the MV Explorer. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V1 camera and 30-110 mm lens (ISO 100, 110 mm, f/16, 1/200 sec). (David J Mathre)
Irish Meal. Image taken with a Leica X2 camera (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/3.2, 1/80 sec). (David J Mathre)
Irish Meal. Image taken with a Leica X2 camera (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/3.2, 1/80 sec). (David J Mathre)

Seven-Years Ago (28-August-2012) — North Atlantic Ocean

Gone to see Europe. Semester at Sea. Fall 2012 Semester Voyage on the MV Explorer. Day 06: At Sea, North Atlantic Ocean.

It was another rough night with heavy seas. I got a picture of the waves outside my cabin portal. By dawn all of the water in the pool had sloshed out and the deck chairs were all tied down. During the day the wind reduced and the seas had calmed. By early evening the happy students escaping from cabin fever were out on deck for sunset. While shooting sunset, I looked behind and saw some students on the upper deck with the waxing Gibbous Moon in the sky next to them.  I would watch out for this type of moon shot on subsequent Semester at Sea voyages. I am waiting for a camera and telephoto lens combination where both the people and moon are in focus (infinite depth of field, and infinite ISO, with no noise).

Rough Seas at Night from my Cabin Portal. Image taken with a Nikon D800 camera and 16 mm f/2.8 fisheye lens (ISO 25600, 16 mm, f/3.2, 1/60 sec). (David J Mathre)
Rough Seas at Night from my Cabin Portal. Image taken with a Nikon D800 camera and 16 mm f/2.8 fisheye lens (ISO 25600, 16 mm, f/3.2, 1/60 sec). (David J Mathre)


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Seven-Years Ago (27-August-2012) — North Atlantic Ocean

Gone to see Europe. Semester at Sea. Fall 2012 Semester Voyage on the MV Explorer. Day 05: At Sea, North Atlantic Ocean.

The day was a bit rough as we crossed the North Atlantic. Splash from the waves made it up to the portal in my cabin on deck 5 of the MV Explorer. Image taken with a Leica X2 camera (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/5, 1/320 sec).
I didn’t get sea sick, but there were not many of the students or staff that showed up for lunch or dinner. Most of the decks were off limits due to the heavy seas and winds. In the early evening I was able to set up a camera in a protected area to capture the sun going down for a time-lapse video.

Heavy Seas. Waves breaking up to my cabin window.  Image taken with a Leica X2 camera (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/5, 1/320 sec). (David J Mathre)
Heavy Seas. Waves breaking up to my cabin window.  Image taken with a Leica X2 camera (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/5, 1/320 sec). (David J Mathre)