Travel – Bay Buddha Travels

November 17, 2025

South Africa: Cape Town

Part 1

Decades ago I went to Kenya on a safari. Rather than the lux safaris of today, it was an overland camping trip. Showers were in a tent with a hanging bucket and we enjoyed incredible meals cooked on an open fire. Initially we traveled by safari truck and then traded trucks for horses. Our camp was broken down each morning after we departed and reset at our destination. We galloped with animals, outran storms, engaged with the Masai and swam in water holes. The Masai guarded our campsite at night to protect the horses from the lions. It was phenomenal. One thing we all learned, Africa holds a special allure. Is it “miles and miles of bloody Africa”, hanging with wildlife or something more elemental that speaks to our souls. It doesn’t matter why, it just is. I had to go back.

Sadly the world has become too careful for safaris like the above but there is something to be said for a comfortable bed, indoor plumbing and hot water bottles on a chilly morning. Plus my 20+ year quest to convince Earl to go to Africa would have failed immediately if I even mentioned the word “camping”.

With a commitment that this trip would include the finer things in life such as air conditioning, we started our research. We highly recommend Rob Slater of Safari Consultants who crafted a wonderful trip that satisfied both of our requirements. We settled on South Africa because there is a nonstop flight from Washington DC to Cape Town and the animal viewing in the north was best when we wanted to travel, our summer and their winter.

What follows is a four part photographic story of our journey beginning in Cape Town where we spent three days before and after our time at the safari camps.

A harbor with boats and buildings with Victoria & Alfred Waterfront in the background

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Cape Town is a good city and has the potential to be great if they can solve their cultural and crime problems. Apartheid was truly abhorrent. It began to crumble in 1990 and was officially dead in 1994. Unfortunately however, South African leadership has not found a path forward culturally or economically that enables the majority of the citizens to lift themselves out of poverty. Crime is a serious problem. It was safe to walk around the V&A Waterfront after dark due to notable police presence but nowhere else.

On the other hand, Cape Town is beautiful, people are unusually friendly, there is plenty to see and do and it’s relatively inexpensive for a sizable city. Plus the excellent restaurants are a foodie’s delight.

Rob recommended the Fairmount Cape Grace in the V&A Waterfront and we loved everything about it. Another hotel that gets attention is the Silo Hotel. The photo below is from the Silo’s rooftop deck. The Fairmont is the brick building bottom right.

A city with a mountain in the background

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Table Mountain dominates the Cape Town skyline and often has a cloud cap in winter as shown in the photo above, upper left. For a great view, the more adventurous can hike up Table Mountain or, like us, take the cable car and hike the trails at the top. We were walking in a cloud for much of our visit but that too was interesting.

One of the coolest things about Cape Town is a working dry dock in the middle of the tourist area. In the photo below, they have floated the boat and are in the process of opening the gate. The Fairmont Cape Grace is the structure far left.

One of the more bizarre happenings was a standing protest every Saturday exactly at 2:00pm with pro and anti-Isreal protestors chanting at each other. What do the nearby store employees say: “Please make it stop”.

A group of people holding flags

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During our wanders in the V&A Waterfront, we went to the excellent Oranjezicht Market wishing we had gone before lunch.

A group of people in a tent

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We thoroughly enjoyed Kirstenbosch Gardens. Miles of good walking trails in a beautiful environment.

How nice that this collared sunbird landed in the bird of paradise just as I was taking a shot.

We visited Bo-Kapp formerly known as the Malay Quarter. It is at the foot of Signal Hill and is famous for its brightly colored houses and the oldest mosque in South Africa. “The houses in the area are a mix of Cape Dutch and Georgian architecture and the bright colours, it is said, are attributed to the fact that while on lease, all the houses had to be white. When this rule was eventually lifted, and the slaves were allowed to buy the properties, all the houses were painted bright colours by their owners as an expression of their freedom.”

Perhaps it started this way, but my instincts suggest the bright colors were embraced and expanded in recent years to attract tourists. There are a few interesting shops and a photography studio worth a visit. A sketchy guy followed us into a couple places and then started closing in on me, or more likely, my camera. Earl, whose head was on a constant swivel, issued a loud warning as he and the potential thief walked toward me. Not surprisingly, the guy skittered away.

A trip around the Cape is worth it and do stop at Boulders to see the African penguins. Go early to beat the crowds. Note the buses can only travel the Cape road in one direction. Our excellent guide Warren wisely suggested we drive the Cape in the opposite direction to arrive at the penguins before the hordes. I am glad we did because the platform was elevated (not great for photographing wildlife) and if I were not already lying down shooting before the busses arrived, it would have been impossible to do so.

African penguins are between 24”- 28” tall and weigh 4.9 – 7.7 lbs. These social birds are also known as Jackass penguins due to their donkey like call. It’s very funny to hear this little creature make that loud braying sound. They spend most of the time in the water either cooling off or eating. They can swim up to 12.5 mph when chasing prey, mostly “anchovies, horse mackerel, round herrings, and pilchards. They may also eat crustaceans and squid.”

When on land, it appears that preening is penguins’ favorite activity: “African penguins regularly preen themselves, rearranging their feathers to clean off dirt, ticks and parasites. Preening also distributes natural oils to ensure insulation and a water-proof quality.” It was entertaining to watch parents diligently chase after their babies to preen them. Mom and dad finally corralled this young one who looks super happy about it.

The Cape itself is full of nice walks and beautiful vistas with ostriches wandering about. I have a thing for ostriches and we both recoiled in horror when we first saw ostrich meat on the menu. We accidentally ate some one day and discovered it a is delicious red meat with a very good nutritional profile. One learns something new every day in Africa.

Our opinion of Capetown can best be answered by whether we would return. Absolutely yes as a starting and ending point for another African adventure.

Now onto the main event, the safari…

September 16, 2024September 16, 2024

Bears and Birds Revisited

Last summer I had a wonderful opportunity to visit Lake Clark National Park, Alaska with Jared Lloyd and Annalise Kaylor of Photo Wild. It was my first introduction to bears and it was love at first sight. Bears captured my imagination with their complexity and strength of personality. No one adjective can sum up a coastal brown bear. They are compelling, protective, fast, ambling, powerful, adorable and curious, to name a few. I examined their many manifestations in the photo essay “Hanging with Bears”.

When there was a cancellation for the August 2024 trip, I took the spot immediately. Hanging with bears is like any great experience, once is never enough.

While weather in coastal Alaska is often cloudy and rainy, it poured heavily for days just before we flew from Anchorage to Silver Salmon Creek Lodge. When our plane was swapped out for a float plane, we suspected we would be in for some challenges.

Like last year the flight was great. I was captivated by the abstract nature and remoteness of the coastal areas. The scene below had me wondering. How do you get to these houses and what do you do when you are there? Equally important how can I get there?

We landed in a beautiful lake. Lily pads in Alaska? For real? Ducks that walk on water?

Our arrival at Silver Salmon Creek Lodge felt like coming home. It was great to see everyone such as Dave our excellent guide, Joanne and David the owners and all the staff who make this a special place. We asked about our favorite local bears, in particular Crimp and Old Sow. Unfortunately, after hibernation, Crimp returned without her cubs. Equally disturbing, Old Sow and her cubs had not been seen at all. This news still makes me sad, but it is life. Not all cubs make it to adulthood and old bears die just like old humans. Cheers Old Sow.

Our first excursion was eye opening. The massive storm blew out the rivers, created 12’ cliffs and deposited an incredible amount of large debris in areas of the beach. The high water in the rivers penned us into a far smaller roaming area plus the weather patterns remained unsettled our first couple days. As the photography gods have taught us, however, bad weather and bizarre happenings can lead to unique opportunities.

One such opportunity came with morning fog. We found Crimp in cow bear mode but she paused eating long enough to meander beautifully into this scene. Thank you for that Crimp. My favorite subtle detail is the oval frame of green grass.

We headed to the beach and this lovely emerged from the fog. Zoom in on the bear’s eyes and check out the single hair in front of each. I wonder if those are just errant eyebrow hairs or if there is a purpose. If find an answer will pass it on.

Later in the afternoon, we saw Crimp out on a sandbar.

Unfortunately we had to walk through very strong current to get there. As I gripped a heavy lens and camera, hoping the current would not win the contest with my legs, I gladly accepted a steadying hand. We assumed our typical shooting position – flat out in the sand and water. This softens the foreground, providing more focus on the bear. Plus the stature this perspective delivers is ideal when shooting bears. Beware, however, even chest waders can turn into cold water buckets if the water gets too high.

We were delighted when Crimp turned our way. I think she loves the camera.

While we were shooting the above stills, Dave was shooting video. I remember both him and Jared saying “keep shooting” when Crimp was close enough to almost fill the frame at 200mm. For those who think we have lost our minds, consider this article which explains why we can be reasonably close to the bears in this area.

*How do you like this pose?* *Your face is in shadow but it’s still good!*

Let’s talk about that collar. Recently the Park Service collared Crimp ostensibly to study her movements and hibernation habits. She has been a well-known fixture in this area for years. Is it worth the potential trauma to her for humans to know where and when she eats and sleeps? How does this help bears? While I am willing to be convinced, it is hard to believe this is a good idea.

After the storm the beach was a minefield of debris. That afternoon we came upon a bear wandering among the dead trees. She sat down, rolled a bit and then stood up. She was facing away from us but then she looked back with a snap moment of acknowledgement.

*I know why I am rolling around in the sand but why are you?*

I was so excited I stopped paying attention to the technical aspects and cut off a sliver of her right foot. You might ask why I would descend into youtube and photoshop hell to figure out how to paste the bottom of the previous photo on to this one. Aside from taking the opportunity to learn something new, I wanted to show the standing bear in the post storm debris. The main reason, though, is to remember how I felt when she looked over her shoulder.

This recalls a subject we discussed in depth. Why do we do this? Having given this question a great deal of thought, the answer is simple. It makes me happy. Sometimes intensely so. As I tumbled down this rabbit hole, what kept coming to me is the joy of spending time in nature and meeting new friends. It is connection to the natural world. It is the childlike discovery of wondrous things and playing in the mud. It can be as simple as a flick of a bear’s head, a baby alligator who magically appears at my feet or stunning white pelicans marching in unison. One of my goals is to communicate these feelings in my work. Yes, that is a lofty goal, but why not reach for the stars.

Later that afternoon we spied a bear headed to the sedge. Jared ran ahead, surveyed the area and had us all gather in a marshy area. Sure enough she wandered straight for us. Why did Jared pick here? Due to the moisture, it was the yummiest grass in the field and it was a good bet she would go there first. This was an ideal demonstration that understanding animal behavior increases our opportunities. I particularly like the water droplets falling from the bite of sedge in her mouth.

The next day we came across an adorable scene. This bear was laying in the grass with its cream tipped ears backlit by the sun. Since Old Sow had similar colorings, it led folks to wonder if this was one of her children.

Sometimes wildlife habitat alone can ignite our imagination. This is a bear trail, worn three inches deep by generations of bear traffic.

The next several photos help illustrate another discussion we had about wildlife photography. Predator Porn. We humans are drawn to scary threatening photos of predators. It must resonate somewhere in our psyche right up there with disaster movies and wrecks. Photographers have filled this demand consciously or subconsciously.

What I had not considered is how this obsession with predator porn has warped people’s impression of these animals. Yes bears are predators but they also are caring moms, foragers, fishing bears, clamming bears and are steeped in their own traditions. The predator porn genre of click driven media might lead folks to believe sharing an environment with bears and other predators will only lead to mayhem.

As I contemplated this further, the Ten Commandments came to mind. They have been a guide from time immemorial to create positive interactions between humans. Similarly, there are rules of engagement between humans and bears. These rules are different for coastal brown bears, interior grizzlies and black bears. Just like the Ten Commandments, when we follow them, good things can happen. When they are broken there is a high probability of a bad outcome for the animal, human or both.

For example, this woman broke a serious rule. Never knowingly fish next to a bear and hope you never do it by accident. If she caught a fish, the bear would be all over that fish and possibly her. If she were injured, would the bear be put down because it was deemed dangerous? Has the preponderance of predator porn impacted the answer to that question?

Most folks responded to the following photo with trepidation. I see magnificence.

Later we photographed this sow. Take note of your initial reaction.

I want to hug her. As that breaks the rules of engagement, I would never do that, but the point is bears can be as tender as they are intense. The photos above of Crimp in the fog and Old Sow with one of her cubs have a similar quality.

Jared and Annalise posed the question – should wildlife photographers assume the responsibility to tell the whole story of bears and other creatures that inhabit our shared home? My answer is yes. It’s better for the animals and great for us.

The next day brought rare calm seas and blue skies. As such it was a perfect opportunity to visit Duck Island where puffins summer. I enjoyed the steps necessary to get to the boat. Drag a canoe to the water, paddle to the boat, gather us and then tow the canoe to the mooring ball.

Puffins are funny looking. Back in the day, “early sailors referred to them as “sea parrots” due to their triangularly shaped beak, stocky body, short wings, and reddish-orange feet.” They are mesmerizing to watch and hard to photograph. They’re fast.

I was fixated on this puffin as it repeatedly cocked its head in a curious way.

Then the puffin flew straight towards me. Jared thought it was going to land on my head. While I was not set up for a 50 mph bird in flight, I luckily caught this shot before he got up to speed. I have had curious reactions to this shot. What is yours?

I appreciate the complimentary pops of color in this portrait.

Around the corner, puffins were flying in and out of a shadowed area creating the opportunity for unique in camera low key shots.

The first photo below is just puffin funny to me and will no doubt be the cover shot of a future blog while the second is an attempt at puffin pretty. I was not able to get any shots with their mouths stuffed with fish. Next time!

Our final morning was spent with clamming bears. Bears love clams and due to their amazing sense of smell, they know where to dig. Lucky for us the photography gods dished up a low tide at sunrise. My favorite.

This could be called “gym photography”. My elbows kept sinking into the sand and it was a full-on lats workout to stay propped up.

While I considered cropping the first photo below so folks could see the mud flying more clearly, I liked the light frame too much to remove. I cropped the next photo to tell that story. Their long claws are designed for this work and the hump on their back is musculature to help them dig.

The gulls are always in attendance in case the bears miss something.

I can feel the bear smelling for clams in this photo.

*Hey clams, there is no hiding from this schnoz!*

She knew this boat had been out fishing.

*Are you going to throw any scraps overboard?*

This bear adopted a short ambling stride for a bit. Her head was turned away from us but she finally looked forward.

When the sun became too hot we turned around. Here Crimp shows us how it is done among soft blue layering. I experimented with perspective for this shot. This was taken from my knees which provided the clear reflection. At sand level the reflection was too distorted by the divots.

Sometimes serious digging is required. Note the mud pile behind her leg.

After hanging with clamming bears, sadly it was time to load up and head to the plane.

Thank you so much Annalise and Jared for a fabulous trip and learning experience. You turned lemons into lemonade considering the weather challenges. When we were grounded, we explored our craft in other important ways. Those discussions are still rolling around my brain and will make us better photographers.

Thanks to Dave for ensuring we had the best opportunities available. I think Dave might actually be part bear. He seems to smell them as well as they smell us.

And finally thank you to everyone at Silver Salmon Creek Lodge, a down home, comfortable place with excellent food and camaraderie. Until we meet again!

Dear Readers, please note many of the photos above have been hyperlinked to my website should you be interested in a print for your own wall. Also if you prefer reading on Substack, please feel free to visit my Substack page, My Two Cents by Sue Seboda. Hope you enjoyed the above!

Thanks,

Sue Seboda

November 28, 2023May 10, 2024

The Accidental Ligger

In Everglades National Park I noticed a narrow dirt track and wondered what treasures it might hold. The trees crowded in and not surprisingly I reached a point where branches completely blocked the path. My choices were clear, back a long way out or pull out the clippers and get to work.

As I cleared the road, I spotted an interesting, snail type creature hanging from a branch and paused hacking branches to snap a photo. Subsequent research revealed that these tree snails are a mollusc of the genus liguss, or Ligs for short. Curiously, Ligs were quite the coveted item back in the day and their interesting patterns attracted the attention of serious collectors.

Dr. G. Thomas Watters is Curator of Molluscs at the Museum of Biological Diversity at Ohio State University and wrote a wonderful article on the subject. “In Florida the Ligs occurred in three general areas: the Keys, the Gold Coast, and the Everglades. Collecting them, particularly in the Everglades, could be an adventure. And those adventurers called themselves Liggers. On foot, on horseback, in Model As, some of America’s most famous malacologists ventured into the chigger-infested, cotton-mouth crawling, gater guarded, sawgrass cutting landscape in the early 1900s. Long before GPS or even decent maps, these intrepid collectors produced hand-drawn maps and named and numbered hundreds of hammocks and cataloged the Ligs they found there. Archie Jones, perhaps the most experienced of the Liggers, once remarked that a Ligger needed two qualities: high stamina and low IQ.”

Great. I am all in.

A few weeks ago, I was back in Everglades National Park in a special spot where spectacular sunsets are the norm. As luck would have it, there was another photographer who asked if I had seen the tree snails. Excitedly I asked if he was talking about Ligs? Yes indeed and he showed me where this batch were hiding. Imagine that, another modern day Ligger.

Each Lig had a unique pattern and, as snails go, were quite beautiful. I particularly liked the subtle gray marbling on the white Lig. For those curious about the snail itself, I focused directly on the snail’s body in the shell with horizontal stripes.

The moral of the story – nature is endlessly fascinating, clear your own path forward and enjoy the discoveries that await.

November 14, 2023November 14, 2023

Hanging with Bears

Bears have been calling me. “Come visit. Photograph us. We are better than alligators and birds. We do things, interesting things.” When efforts to find the few bears in my beloved everglades failed, I visited Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in North Carolina and for the first time saw bears in the wild. As exciting as that was, it was only a warm up. I struck pure gold on a workshop led by Jared Lloyd and Annalise Kaylor in Lake Clark National Park, Alaska. Here we could hang with bears.

The workshop included a day of instruction in Anchorage and then five nights at Silver Salmon Creek Lodge on Cook Inlet in Lake Clark National Park. The lodge is an ideal base, downhome comfortable with great people and food. Bears are everywhere.

During our classroom day, Jared and Annalise reviewed the shooting techniques that would yield the best results in the field. The short summary – keep it simple and keep it low. In most cases we would be wide open, a shutter speed of 1000 or 2000 depending on the activity of the bears and adjust ISO accordingly for a histogram to the right without blow outs. Shoot close to the ground to render otherwise boring foregrounds beautiful and depict the bears with the stature they deserve.

Tuned up for our adventure, the next morning we headed to a most enjoyable airport. They first piled our luggage and then all of us on a scale, loaded the baggage into a de Havilland Beaver and we were off for Lake Clark. Getting high always provides an interesting perspective and this area in Alaska is no exception. Looking out the window was a study in abstract art.

Our plane landed on the beach. This alone propelled Lake Clark to the top of my “Places I Want to Be” list. We tumbled out into cool, misty weather. Moments later we were like kids running up the hill looking for bears. “Look, look!!” Off in the distance was a bear. Little did we know that was just a tiny promise of things to come.

After getting settled, we headed to the sedge marshes. We learned several things. Bears eat a lot and they are also cows. This was the first inkling that bears are the mystical shape shifters of the animal world. Jared and Annalise called this manifestation “Cow Bears”.

We were also delighted to see cubs. Krimp and Old Sow, two mama bears who live near the lodge, both had “cubs of the year”, meaning they were born in January during hibernation, nursed through the winter and came out of hibernation with mom in May. While all of us are intrigued by bears, the cubs stole our hearts. They played with abandon, nursed, slept, climbed everything possible and spread happiness as babies do.

We also learned that the adult bears in the vicinity of Silver Salmon Creek Lodge were females (sows). Turns out the male bears (boars) don’t like humans and avoid the place. The sows don’t like the boars killing their cubs so they hang around the humans. Smart.

For the uninitiated like me there was another moment of realization. That hump on the bear’s back is disturbingly familiar. Why are we so close to what appear to be grizzly bears? Turns out coastal brown bears are the same species as grizzlies but just as environment impacts human behavior, the same is true for bears. There is enough food on the coast for all the creatures who live there and as a result the bears are more tolerant. Plentiful sedges, grasses, berries, clams and salmon make our new friends fat and happy.

Even though Silver Salmon Creek is remote, the sows see humans daily. Since the people at the lodge pose no threat and have predictable patterns, the sows tolerate them unless they do something stupid, come too close or interfere with their cubs. This makes for excellent and safe bear photography as long as no one thinks they are in a petting zoo. Regardless the guides always carry bear spray.

Perhaps lean and mean describes inland brown bears aka grizzlies. A National Park Service article on bears in Lake Clark National Park explains: “Because competition for resources is higher inland, brown bears here revert to their solitary nature and do not gather in high numbers. They will interact with fewer individuals in their lifetime than a coastal bear and are less tolerant of the presence of those they do encounter. They are also more likely to react to people from a greater distance so please use extreme caution when exploring the interior of the park.”

When we were not in the sedge marshes, we were on the beach. We hoped for bears fishing for salmon. Instead we were treated with endless opportunities to photograph cubs playing. The touching interactions with mom remind us we are all undeniably linked.

One of my favorite moments was when the cubs were trying to wake up Old Sow. When I was a young kid, Mildred used to babysit. She would take an afternoon nap and often I would park myself next to the couch and ask. “Are you sleeping? No, I am just resting my eyes. Are you sleeping now?” On it went until Mildred relented or actually slept. This scene brought that good memory back with a chuckle. Note the milk on the cub’s snout after they got their way and woke mom up.

We are hungry! Let me be, I am sleeping!

One morning the photography gods were truly with us. The clouds broke for sunrise and the tide was very low. This is when the bears go clamming. Yogi Bear also made an appearance.

This effect was achieved by shooting at ground level. Pools of water in the sand reflected the light from the rising sun. It was spectacular.

Note the shoulder hump is actually “a mass of muscle, which enables brown bears to dig and use their paws as a striking force”. That comes in handy when digging for clams.

A bit later we moved further out where Krimp was having her way with some fish carcasses. We were kneeling waste deep with cameras just above the water. The sun was behind us and the light was amazing. Please meet Human Bear.

After tolerating us for awhile Krimp walked our way. We stood up and walked in the other direction. Being last, I turned around and noticed she was following us, closely. “You do know Krimp is right behind me? Yes just keep walking”. She moved us out of the way, returned to her previous position and resumed her morning snack.

After this I mentioned to Jared that I wished there was a photo of us and our tripods in the water. He laughed and said there were probably tons of those photos. We were the only group of photographers with full chest waders and boots. This allowed us to comfortably lay in the sand and water to get the sparkle shots. We could also sit in water and stay warm and dry when Krimp turned into a human. Everybody else was stuck ¼ mile away and will spend much time in photoshop cropping and removing us from their photos. Thank you, Jared and Annalise, for recommending my new favorite article of clothing.

We went salmon fishing, another first. I joked beginner’s luck would win the day. It did. After my tussle with the fragrant salmon, we were shooting a collared bear who walked quite close. At that moment Jared reminded us of bears’ incredible sense of smell and dubbed me “Salmon Hands Sue”. Later we saw this bear again. When she turned and looked at me, she asked “Is that you Salmon Hands”?

We rarely saw the sun on this trip but another morning it did peek out at sunrise for some beautiful light. What is going through your mind Old Sow?

Nothing is quite like bears on the move. Aside from the wild motion of their feet, they exude power. This is Bear Bear. Compare Krimp’s photos below to Cow Bear above. Yup, they shift. I included several photos below to show her foot and leg motion.

Let’s not forget the puffins who live on a nearby island. They are curious looking birds that fly about a million miles per hour. Perhaps that is an exaggeration, only 50 mph. Let’s just say I had an extremely low hit rate. Shooting the sea otter who floated by was much easier.

This was a first-rate photography workshop where I learned much in a spectacular setting. Jared and Annalise are excellent and patient teachers. Unlike every other photography group they also ensured we were properly outfitted to get the best possible shots. Dave, our guide from the lodge, put us in the right place at the right time. While I won the “hot mess” award on numerous occasions, I was still able to capture some wall worthy photos. We all did. I will go again. I love hanging with bears.

DETAILS

Silver Salmon Creek Lodge is fantastic. It is not surprising they are booked 6 years out. Don’t expect fancy but do expect solidly great with exceptional owners, guides, cooks and staff.
Feel free to visit Jared’s website PhotoWild and PhotoWild facebook page. PhotoWild magazine is one of my favorite learning tools as are his and Annalises’s podcasts. This is my second workshop with Jared and Annalise and while photography is normally a solo endeavor for me, I will likely do them all. I learn heaps about photography, wildlife and nature while having a blast.

The Gathering Spot at Silver Salmon Creek Lodge

July 19, 2023July 21, 2023

Smith Island: How Sweet It Is

Smith Island is a wonderful bit of quirk on the Chesapeake Bay. The last inhabited island chain in Maryland is home to delightful personalities, abundant wildlife and Smith Island Cake. A place where stark beauty competes with decay, isolation is tempered by community and a long history does not guarantee a successful future. A visit is a special gift.

We learned just how special when we joined renowned local photographer Jay Fleming for his Smith Island photography workshop in June 2022 and again in June 2023. As his home away from home, Jay ensures folks experience the unique culture while offering delicious Smith Island food and ample photographic opportunities.

Smith Island life revolves around the Chesapeake Bay as did ours. While a 3:45 AM alarm is harsh, lack of sleep is a small price to pay to photograph the crabbers at dawn. Jay captained his boat for optimal compositions as we clicked away, hoping for a wall worthy photo that captures the essence of waterman culture. A special treat is the humorous banter between the crabbers over the radio. The Smith Island dialect reminds us that while only 12 miles from the mainland by boat, this three-by-five mile island chain is a world away. In 2022 we had a beautiful sunrise. In 2023 we experienced storm skies and a short window of incredible light.

In search of baby birds, we visited several rookeries located on nearby uninhabited islands. We found pelican, gull and cormorant babies but must admit we were equally intrigued by the curious and, at times, disturbing behavior at the rookeries.

I wish I could talk “bird” to ask a few questions. To the gulls – why do you relentlessly dive bomb the pelicans? The loud definitive snap of a pelican beak leaves no doubt that it could break your leg. Why are your nests at the water’s edge where a high tide can sweep away the eggs? Does it hurt when you swallow a whole baby cormorant and then regurgitate it for your baby? I guess it is the natural way of things for you to steal cormorant eggs, but is there really nothing else to eat?

To the pelicans – why did you yell at the gull baby and then grab its beak? A lecture perhaps? Don’t grow up annoying like your parents? It is curious that when you have a chance to do some gull damage, you hold back. Are you and the gull fighting or playing? Are the unguarded gull eggs at the water’s edge too nasty to eat? I would especially like to share how enjoyable it was to watch the youngsters play. We could all benefit from a bit more unbridled play.

Last year we visited a nesting area for egrets. Here are a couple adorable gangly teenagers.

Ospreys are synonymous with the Chesapeake Bay and Smith Island is no exception. We also saw a juvenile little blue heron, a good number of oyster catchers and yellow crowned night herons.

After early morning shoots, we were treated to an incredible Smith Island breakfast at Mary Ada Marshall’s home. Mary Ada is as unique as Smith Island and like so many on the island, she is an excellent cook. Jay and Mary Ada are rumored to be working on a cookbook. The world will be a happier place when that happens.

We learned how to bake a Smith Island Cake with Donna and Phil Evans one rainy afternoon. What a wonderful laughter filled interlude. Below is a photo of Donna before the final icing was added.

The origin of the 8-to-10-layer Smith Island Cake is a mystery but the women on the island will tell you they learned from their grandmothers who learned from theirs. Smith Island Cake has evolved into a cultural icon so much so that it was designated Maryland’s State Dessert in 2008. Mary Ada Marshall, a native Smith Islander, was instrumental in this process. I highly recommend listening to her 2009 interview.

While other companies claim to sell authentic Smith Island Cake, the real deal is made on the island with a dash of Smith Island magic. Kathey and Darren Jones the owners of Smith Island Bakery will ship cakes anywhere in the US as will The Cake Lady, Mary Ada Marshall. For the bakers who would like to give it a go, Mary Ada provides instructions in this video.

Mark Kitching, a local waterman, stepped us through the life of a crab. Below are a number of photos of Mark doing his thing.

We were reminded of the challenges of island life when we came across this crew fixing storm damaged electric lines.

Boating and walking around the islands reveal how vulnerable Smith Island is to the vagaries of nature. The high tides are higher causing yards and streets to flood. Property maintenance is spotty and money is tight. In some areas, nature is reclaiming its own as a result. The population is declining as the watermen’s way of life is threatened by regulation, reduced crab populations and high costs. The recent closure of the elementary school is concerning. One can only wonder what will become of this treasure.

Front Yard of Island Time B&B at Sunrise

There are glimmers of hope, however. Covid resulted in a surge of home sales bringing new residents and investment. Smith Island United is an organization formed in 2013 dedicated to the preservation of the island and its Chesapeake Bay traditions. Their efforts have resulted in significant funding to bolster Smith Island against high water, harsh weather and government buyouts. Jay Fleming’s efforts and exceptional photography bring folks to the island and raise awareness of Smith Island, its people and traditions. We can all do a little something to support Smith Islanders’ way of life. It is worth it.

While it is fortunate that funding has found its way to Smith Island, it’s people just living their lives that keep a place real. May Smith Island always be real.

Details

To gain a deeper understanding of Smith Island, consider visiting the Smith Island United’s website which includes the Smith Island Vision Plan. An excerpt: “In many ways, Smith Island is a profound cultural success story. The legacy of the watermen’s way of life is still alive today and is the backbone of the community’s identity. The residents are part of a tightly knit community that cares for one another and maintains a high quality of life on an island where there is no law enforcement and few social services.”
The Snapshot of Smith Island above is from the Smith Island United website which I updated with 2020 census data. It is interesting to compare the data above to the original graphic on page 1 of the Vision Plan which included 2010 census data. The population decreased from 276 to 238 in ten years and the median age increased from 58 to 70. Hopefully the next ten years will show a reversal in these trends.
The Smith Island Cultural Center and Museum offers historical details of Smith Island.
Many thanks to Jay Fleming for a wonderful introduction to Smith Island. For more information on his workshops and outstanding work, please visit Jay’s website.
We stayed at Island Time Bed and Breakfast. It was excellent.
For more photography articles please visit the Photography tab.

February 19, 2022July 6, 2022

Little Buggers, Big Pelicans and the Slowskys

Reading the directions is torture. It’s the last resort well after head banging and excessive bad language. This is a problem when learning a complicated craft such as photography where the path forward is often blocked with indecipherable manuals.

Imagine my delight upon discovering a workshop on flash photography on a cool island with an excellent teacher. Is it possible to learn flash basics and avoid a descent into manual and youtube hell? Yes.

After an extensive Covid delay, Jared Lloyd’s workshop in Bocas del Toro, Panama was on. Let the buying begin. We needed gear – flash, flash bracket, flash cord, flash extender, flash box and a way to connect the bracket to the camera or lens. But the real panic came over how to safely check all the gear into the belly of the beast, have a backpack for short hikes while respecting a carry-on weight restriction of 8lb. Jared provided the simple solution, put the backpack loaded with gear into a pelican case. Genius. Pelican’s stock got a nice bump.

We arrived in Panama City and enjoyed a classroom day before the trek to Bocas del Toro. After a prop plane ride to Isla Colon, the big pelican cases were loaded first into vehicles, driven to a pier, then into boats. At long last, we made it to our island and Tranquilo Bay Eco Adventure Lodge, home for the next 5 nights. My kind of place.

We immediately got down to business learning flash and the necessary camera settings to achieve various results. It was obvious incorporating flash into wildlife photography would be transformational. There were six students, two excellent teachers, Jared Lloyd and Annalise Kaylor plus our wonderful naturalist Stacey Hollis.

We experimented with frog and snake setups that yielded beautiful photos for all. Bocas del Toro has a lot to offer but many photographers come for the frogs. We discovered that frogs are suffering from their own pandemic caused by the chytrid fungus. Frog populations in several countries have been decimated. Frogs have suffered in Bocas del Toro but to a lesser degree that other areas leading some to believe proximity to the sea and salt water provide protection against this scourge.

While I wish we had these frogs in our backyard, I am glad we don’t have army ants. There was a literal brigade crossing the path to our cabins. To avoid the very unpleasant army ant bite, we ran up and down the path to minimize the opportunity for a handy meal. Army ants love feet and their yummy smells. Then I had a great idea. How about getting a photograph for this article? With extreme caution, I head up the path and see hundreds of them marching in columns, presumably a safe distance ahead. Bad assumption. The little buggers found me before I could find the shutter release and my feet and legs were covered instantly. No time for picture taking while madly swatting ants at a dead run to the hose bib. My feet burned for an hour.

While I did not record the army ants for posterity, here is a shot of leaf cutter ants, the farmers of the ant world who form large, complex societies. They are truly mesmerizing and if interested in the details, here is a quick article to satisfy your curiosity.

Of the wildlife we encountered, the adorable three toed sloth was my favorite, the real slowskys. In addition to making anyone who sees them happy, sloths offer disconnected humans an important lesson on the symbiotic relationship between earth’s creatures. Note the algae on Mrs. Sloth. “The fur of a sloth doubles as a personal, edible garden ecosystem that house a collection of diverse microorganisms, many of which are found nowhere else. A prominent member of this mobile ecosystem is the pyralid moth (Cryptoses species) whose entire life-cycle is dependent on the sloth.”

The interesting article quoted above theorizes that the three toed sloth comes to the ground for a weekly constitutional in which the moths lay their eggs and grab some nutrient rich waste to feed the algae. The algae in turn feeds and camouflages the sloth. After contemplating this article, I wonder if we gave Mrs. Sloth a case of stage fright when we were lying next to her in the mud, clicking away. Instead of digging a hole to do her business, she did a slow flow across the ground and climbed another tree. Did Mrs. Sloth wait another week? Were the moths able to lay their eggs? Did the algae get the needed nutrients to flourish? Something to think about in the future.

While shooting a hummingbird nest, another sloth came into view and all thoughts of the hummingbird vanished. At one point the sloth was directly above us. Imagine a camera, dangling flash equipment and heavy zoom lens smashed against my face to get this shot. It is important to note this would have been an ideal opportunity to use fill flash with flash extender to reduce ISO. Sadly operator error got in the way of that. Next time.

And let’s not forget the monkeys.

We also made a couple of trips to Bird Island, an hour boat ride from Tranquilo Bay. As the name suggests Bird Island is a rookery populated by thousands of birds including the Red-Billed Tropic, Brown Booby and Magnificent Frigatebird. This prehistoric place offered an excellent opportunity to practice tracking, manage exposure settings, see beautiful birds all while in two foot swells. The morning after our first trip to Bird Island, Jared must have seen the concentration on my face and asked if I was alright. I replied I was great and was mentally reviewing the questions I would torture him and Annalise with over breakfast. Bird Island revealed some notable gaps in my learning. Over yet another delicious breakfast, they provided the education I needed on exposure.

On our second trip to Bird Island, Jared directed our attention to the birds flying over the crashing waves. The sun was behind us, the waves bright white, the brown boobies dark, the fast red-billed tropics white, the sky and sea blue, the seas rough, the boat small. Difficult. Jared yelled out an exposure compensation suggestion. Didn’t work for the Sony. This incredibly beautiful scene was playing out in front of us, possibly never to be seen again, and I was screwing it up. JARED! HELP! Settle down, think about what you have learned, you know what to do. Manual ISO.

With photography there is always more to learn. On our second day at Bird Island, photos would have been far better utilizing custom white balance to avoid the clipped blue bomb. Jared mentioned this but I did not delve in. Correcting white balance and clipped blues in post is not always easy and life is far simpler to get it right in camera. Went with a bleached look for the brown booby scene above and moody blue for the red-billed tropic below. A deep dive into white balance and its impact on the histogram is in my future.

Normally a bird against a clear sky isn’t that exciting. However, I do like this front on shot of the brown booby.

On our last morning, we learned another interesting flash technique that produces a crisp white background. We practiced with the parakeet heliconia. For details on how to achieve this look, check out Jared’s video.

We all loved this workshop. The people were great both in our group and at Tranquilo Bay. We learned heaps, had wonderful photo opportunities, had excellent food and enjoyable conversation. This was my first organized photo workshop and while I prefer solo photography excursions, I will sign up for another. Thank you Jared, Annalise and Stacy for making us all better photographers and teaching us the mysteries of nature. You are all very good at what you do.

DETAILS

While there was much to learn in this workshop, one of the primary takeaways was to have the histogram visible in the viewfinder at all times and actually look at it. In some circumstances such as a small bright white object in a dark background, the tiny histogram on my camera can be hard to read. Therefore I keep “zebras” activated which indicate areas of over or underexposure. Exposure compensation can then be adjusted accordingly. For those using Sony, I highly recommend Mark Galer tutorials on this and a range of subjects.

The learning continued as I edited photos. It is very exciting to shoot beautiful or interesting scenes. One can be so captivated that all the technical details go out the window. For example on our second trip to Bird Island, I neglected to consistently monitor the histogram and did not adjust exposure as we were loosing the light. Consequently the later photos are underexposed which made the blue bombs even harder to fix.

I came across Jared Lloyd via his well written photography articles that somehow hide the fact that I am “reading the directions”. It was clear that in addition to being an accomplished wildlife photographer, Jared could teach. His Journal of Wildlife Photography is first-rate. Feel free to visit https://jaredlloydphoto.com for details on this and upcoming workshops.

As one of my mentors beat into my head, taking the photo is only 50% if it. Processing represents the rest and can propel an ordinary photo into something truly beautiful. While I have a long way to go, I benefited greatly from the Ultimate Wildlife Photography Course , also available at the site above or https://journalofwildlifephotography.com.

For a nature escape, I highly recommend Tranquilo Bay Eco Adventure Lodge. For the birders of the world, you are guaranteed to add many lifers. The wildlife is wonderful and hanging with sloths is fun. https://www.tranquilobay.com

On the boat ride from Bird Island to Tranquilo Bay

Please feel free to visit BayBuddha Travels for articles on a wide range of subjects.

July 24, 2017August 26, 2019

My Teeth Love Italy

Dental Part 12

Usually guests bring presents for the bride and groom but Susan and Chris were the ultimate gift givers when they chose Italy for their nuptials. Nothing quite like the exchange of vows within the embrace of magical Italy.

The traditional Hotel Terme Rosapepe, located near Contursi, has been in Susan Rosapepe’s family for decades. This area is famous for natural mineral pools and the Hotel Terme Rosapepe is the crown jewel. I love mineral baths and was delighted to discover this journey would include hours of soaking time. The hotel is pleasing, in a gorgeous setting, comfortable and well off the American tourist route so prices are quite moderate.

After a long day of travel, I arrived Wednesday evening (without green teeth I might add). It was clear immediately there would be no time for jet lag. After a quick refresh, we were all firmly ensconced in lovely Italian wine and conversation followed by a leisurely meal. Italian wine is good, inexpensive and continuously present but even better one can drink a lot of it, remain coherent and have no hangover. How is this possible? We can send people to the moon but we can’t figure that out here?

It is a good thing the wine has a lower alcohol content because happy hour starts at the normal time but dinner is very late, typically already in bed late. The second day I joined a couple of Susan’s friends and Susan for a hair appointment in the nearby small town of Oliveto. We had lunch in a lovely spot and because I was starving and had no idea when my next meal would be, ordered the carne mista without any consideration of how it would actually get into my stomach. Unfortunately much of the meat was too tough to handle due to my current dental state. The rose, however, was lovely.

Predictably dinner was delayed until after 10:00 and the first two courses where pasta. Normally I don’t eat gluten free pasta but I wolfed it down. The main course was veal stuffed with spinach. You got it, too tough to manage. Spinach was good.

Friday the bride and groom took the group to a gorgeous winery. I loved every second of this trip including the bus ride with wheels a foot from the cliff. We wine tasted to our hearts content while enjoying stunning views and noshing on cured meats and cheeses. I desperately wanted to load my plate but good manners dictated otherwise . We returned to the hotel late afternoon and met on the gorgeous patio for yes more wine and yet another superb sunset. New friends invited me to join them at a nearby seafood restaurant and we arrived at 9:30. The restaurant was empty so I assumed perhaps not everyone eats late but to our amazement the place was full by 10:30.

My hunger is now something to be reckoned with. At this point, even the wine is not helping. But to my delight copious quantities of food start to flow, sardines, grilled octopus, calamari followed by mussels and pasta. It was fantastic and I ate with abandon. My friends spoke Italian and their friends only Italian. Some quick conversation passed back and forth with fingers pointing between me and my constantly full plate. Our hosts were curious how I could be thin considering the amount of food I was stuffing in my mouth. The burning question was if I had a thyroid problem. I laughed and kept eating. Impossible to explain.

The wedding was the following day and as one could predict, many of us were moving slow. Luckily the magic pools awaited. Susan explained how to create a mask from the pockets of mud and viola, no more tired faces. After a relaxing day we gathered for an early evening ceremony conducted by the mayor of Contursi. Absolutely beautiful. And in due course, a full Italian meal began to unfold. It was truly a wonderful night. Thank you Susan and Chris.