tiabunna's photos with the keyword: Southern Ocean

Copied from an old slide. Far into the Southern Ocean, the weather conditions improved. The wind dropped a little and the sun came through, though we still continued to roll in large swells. Long after, someone recounted the story of how the Captain said of the Nella Dan "She's a good ship in the ice" : the reply was "yes, but she's no b****y good in the ocean" . She was as tough as nails though, even if she would roll on wet grass. :) The ship rolled particularly badly one night during the storm. The result was that the Beaver aircraft dipped a wingtip causing the damage seen in the PiP: needless to say, it was unserviceable for the trip.

Big cliffs, big waves - to the right is the Southern Ocean and the next land in that direction is Antarctica! I'd suggest viewing large, maybe while listening to this. Explored.

The main image and the first in the notes are of a Grey-backed Shy Albatross. The next note shows that one and a somewhat larger (but still immature) Wandering Albatross - also seen in the final note. These should be enough to satisfy most Ancient Mariners. :) I should note that these images tested the Lumix and its 430mm (equivalent) zoom to the limit, particularly as I have still needed to crop somewhat.

The World Heritage listed Auckland Islands archipelago lies about 500km south of New Zealand. It is over 600sq km and is uninhabited apart from a few visiting scientists (and very occasional tourists). This was taken as we entered Port Ross, with rain showers in the distance. Earlier, as we passed Carnley Harbour further south, I took the image in the note.

The Southern Ocean is usually too cloudy for rainbows. Just briefly the sun broke through and I watched a circling Royal Albatross, hoping that it would pass through the rainbow. Eventually it did, though away from me (see note). Then, to my delight, it turned back. Explored.

As seen here, the Southern Ocean can be quite calm. The sunset and albatross are a bonus. Best on black.

Copied from an old slide (and now brought forward in my photo stream). Heading south on the Nella Dan , a few days out from Australia we encountered a major storm system in the Southern Ocean. This was taken from the deck above the bridge. It was a matter of getting the shot, then diving behind the barrier as the spray passed overhead. At the worst of the storm, we finished up hove-to, pointing due west into the hurricane force winds for several days.

A pod of Orcas (or "Killer Whales" if you prefer) swam around the ship, then passed beneath: I was fortunate to have my camera handy when they surfaced alongside.

I guess a ship's rail counts as a fence. Happy Fence Friday! I couldn't resist this stanza from Samuel Taylor Coleridge's "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner": And now there came both mist and snow, And it grew wondrous cold: And ice, mast-high, came floating by, As green as emerald....

When I left Macquarie Island after a year, in December 1968, I would never have conceived that I would return as a tourist 37 years later (see Macquarie Island 1968: A new industry arrives... ). At left is the main body of the island. The station is situated below North Head, at the right of the connecting isthmus. Macquarie Island is famed for its poor weather: the low cloud is almost constant there, with rain on most days (we were fortunate in that regard).

Unlike my first trip on it (see note), this time the Southern Ocean was benign. The squall line proved to be no more than the passing shower seen at left.

From an old slide, January 1966. Again at sea and passing through open sea ice at sunset.