Adirondack Sports April 2024

28 Adirondack Sports
COMMUNITY
Changes in Latitude and Attitude
By Dave Kraus
As a long-time newspaper photojournalist,
I’ve had to photograph
and deal with all kinds of people
in all kinds of places. So, when I semi-retired
three years ago I began exploring
other areas of photography and made it a
personal goal to go on this bucket list trip
to the Falkland Islands, South Georgia,
and the Antarctic. But I never thought it
would actually happen until I found this
tour from Muench Photo Workshops that
would let me explore this incredible part
of the world with fellow photographers
under conditions designed just for shooters.
While things ended up not going
exactly as planned, the results exceeded
all my expectations.
Our original plan was to go to the
Falkland Islands, on to South Georgia
Island, then head to Antarctica. But shortly
after reaching the Falklands, we learned
that we would be unable to include South
Georgia. Avian flu has tragically been
spreading around the world in the past
few years, decimating many wild bird populations
as it spreads, while also evolving
to endanger other animals. Now it’s been
detected on South Georgia in penguins,
seabirds and seals, putting the island off
Falkland Islands and Antarctica
limits to visitors to avoid further spreading
this dangerous virus. It’s simply the
risk you take on as an adventure traveler
when doing a true “expedition” instead of
a normal tour.
But this is where it paid off to go with
an experienced tour company. Our lead
Muench guide, Richard, and Expedition
Team Captain Russ pivoted quickly to still
give us everything we wanted and more.
Suddenly, with one less sea voyage, we
had two extra days of shooting and Russ, a
native Falkland Islander, used his experience
to take us to some additional “secret”
locations.
The Falkland Islands offered incredible
scenery and friendly people, including
Russ’ own mother who came out to greet
us on Saunders Island, owned by his family.
There we found rockhopper and king
penguins, plus a wealth of sea birds that
offered incredible visual opportunities.
We visited Kelp Point with its elephant
seals, and Steeple Jason, the westernmost
point in the Falklands, where we photographed
the largest black-browed albatross
rookery on earth. The nests lined the
shoreline, extending totally out of sight
around the far end of the island. I had
expected to find wildlife to photograph
ICEBERGS IN PARADISE BAY, ANTARCTICA,
CREATE FANTASTIC SHAPES AND
REFLECTIONS IN THE COLD, STILL WATER.
WITH THEIR WHITE-RIMMED GOGGLE-
EYES AND RAUCOUS CALLS, ADÉLIE
PENGUINS MAKE FOR GREAT PICTURES AND
ENTERTAINMENT.
TWO YOUNG MALE ELEPHANT SEALS
PRACTICE THEIR FIGHTING SKILLS ON THE
BEACH AT KELP POINT. THEIR DISTINCTIVE
ELEPHANT NOSES WON’T FULLY GROW
UNTIL THEY REACH ADULTHOOD, WHEN
THESE PLAY BATTLES FOR POSSESSION OF
FEMALES WILL BECOME DEADLY SERIOUS.
on this tour, but the variety and numbers
left me stunned again and again. Equally
surprising – wonderfully so – was how
totally unconcerned the wildlife seemed
to be about our presence. The rule was
to approach no closer than 15 feet, but at
times it wasn’t easy. I’d be photographing
one penguin, turn around, and find others
standing right behind me, either inspecting
this strange visitor or just waddling
about their normal business.
Once we reached the Weddell Sea of
Antarctica, there was more spectacular
and unexpected scenery and wildlife.
Vast crowds of Adélie penguins with their
comic book white rimmed eyes stealing
stones from each other’s nest. Leopard
seals lolling on ice floes, displaying their
mouths full of sharp teeth for us as we
hovered nearby in inflatable zodiac boats.
There were humpback whales feeding
during the “golden hour” at sunset that
lasts for three to four hours during this
Antarctic summer. Icebergs in shapes and
sizes that will bankrupt your imagination.
Lonely ramshackle huts and makeshift
memorials that remember past adventurers
who had no radios, nearby ships,
warm cabins, or cold beers waiting in the
lounge – only their own resourcefulness to
fall back on in case of disaster.
And then there was the sheer scale of
the Antarctic. It sneaks up on you and hits
you in the face with the total insignificance
of all the works of mankind. Turn around
during an ice walk and look at your tiny