Heading Out to parts unknown

[castawaysailor]

I sail on a NorSea 27; have formerly owned many boats including a Tayana 37, Golden Hind 31, Westsail 32, Bristol 24, etc.  After 16 years of dreaming, it is time to go.  I am cutting the dock lines and heading international in a couple weeks.  Leaving St. Petersburg, Florida for the Keys, then the Bahamas, over to Central America hence South Pacific and beyond.

To fund this adventure, I am a wildlife photographer and plan to take photos of animals and birds at the locations I sail; my stock agency will take care of marketing and selling my work.  My work can be see at www.visceralimage.com


Will be going alone and do not plan to pickup any dockrats.  I am nervous but also excited.  All comments and questions welcome.

[AdriftAtSea]

Congratulations, and fair winds and following seas to you. 

What is your timetable for your journeys? 

Also, as a fellow photographer, what equipment do you use and how are you planning on protecting your gear on your boat?

Dan

[castawaysailor]

Congratulations, and fair winds and following seas to you. 

What is your timetable for your journeys? 

Also, as a fellow photographer, what equipment do you use and how are you planning on protecting your gear on your boat?

Dan

timetable?  I am going sailing and I do not plan to return

equipment?  Canon 1DMk2n, Canon 30D, 600mm f4, 300mm f2.8, 70-200mm f2.8 etc.

protection? equipment stored in Pelican cases and strapped to the berth; transported in the dingy in pelicans and also strapped to the dingy.

[AdriftAtSea]

Don't forget to bring a good supply of dessicant.  You'll need it.  Pelican cases are worth their weight in gold when it comes to protecting gear from the elements.

[Captain Smollett]

To fund this adventure, I am a wildlife photographer and plan to take photos of animals and birds at the locations I sail; my stock agency will take care of marketing and selling my work.  My work can be see at www.visceralimage.com

I've been a photographer in various hats over the years, and plan to supplement my cruising with photos and writing.  I'm getting ready to buy a Nikon D80 DSLR, but have not decided on a first lens yet (my wife likes the idea of the motion compensated zoom, and my sister has some older Nikor lenses that I can probably use).  I hate to retire my old Olympus OM-1 (with literally 10's of thousands of frames shot on it), but it is (a) getting old and worn ** and (b) making the switch to digital.  Incidentally, this OM-1 is the second I've had.  I've also used the Nikon FM series cameras professionally.

I've not used the Canon's, but have read about them.  I look forward to seeing some of your shots from the trip.

I'm just now researching how to get set up supplying stock shots.  I think for my purposes that would be the simplest way to proceed.


**  the advance gears are badly worn and are no longer available...one repainman already worked his magic to get me a few extra years out of it.  It take some 'finesse' to get the film to rewind nowadays.  I know longer have a darkroom, so I cannot just pull the film the brute force way. 

[Captain Smollett]

By the way, nice web site and great shots.   

Fair winds to ya, castaway!

[castawaysailor]

By the way, nice web site and great shots.   

Fair winds to ya, castaway!

Thanks

Indeed, time to retire the OM1; I used that camera during my photojournalism days back in the early 80's; digital is now the new standard.  Good luck with your journey.

[Zen]

D80 is great !!
I use a D70 and love it. I have used all my Nikon lens from my old Nikons . One of the great things about Nikons.
The motion comp. would be an aset on the water.

I do some p/T work with a wedding Photo guy who uses a Canon EOS- D1 Mark II. Nice, expensive, but not much better shots than my Nikon. Only a small difference. At least in this line of photos. But maybe... my skill is a little better , since he is new at it   

[castawaysailor]

Zen;

the differences between high end camera are very slight and difficult to see; besides-the camera is only a tool, it is the vision of the photographer that is important.

[Zen]

Hehe true. Being an Artist &  I tend to see things differently than my friend. One can learn the technical part easy, but the vision can not be taught in a simple class.

I too look forward to seeing your travel pictures.

[AdriftAtSea]

As someone who has taught photography off and on, I always told my students that 99.5% of the photography took place before the photographer every picks up the camera...at least with the better photographers.  There are quite a few photographers that believe in quantity over quality, and use the motor drive to try and supplement their weak photographic visualization skills.

Tom, one of my mentors, uses a Holga or Diana, and the photos he takes with them sell for $6000 or so on average.  The cameras are plastic medium format toys that need to be taped up in order to not leak light and ruin the film.

I use a Pentax point & shoot for alot of my boat photography, as the camera is water resistant.  I also use a Nikon D70s and a D100, but am selling the D100 to get either a D200 or D80.  I am leaning towards the D200, since i have a fairly substantial investment in CF cards, and the D80 uses SD cards instead. 

One of my favorite photographic trips was back in 1992, when another photographer and I chartered a 40' lobster boat to go chase tall ships around Boston Harbor and Massachusetts Bay.  Back then I was using a Nikon F4 and a 300mm F/4 lens, which is still one of my favorites.

[CapnK]

Um, I have a camera. It's digital, and it works. Maybe one day I'll get a better one.

Castaway, sounds like you have it going on! Good boat, good plans, good timetable. Glad we got to 'meet' you before you left, and I hope that (when/how possible) you'll be in touch from time to time once you get 'out there'.

You planning on transiting the Canal traditionally, or trying one of the newish overland truckers down there? I've heard of them, but only via distant rumor at this point. Seems like a viable solution that an enterprising Panamanian could do well at.

You're leaving in only two weeks? Arrr! Yar! Way to go!!!

[castawaysailor]

You planning on transiting the Canal traditionally, or trying one of the newish overland truckers down there?

in the water; cruising boats belong in the water, not on the back of a truck (unless it is your own truck and your trailer)

[castawaysailor]

LOL... well said... don't forget you'll need some fairly long dock lines for the canal transit, and four line handlers...

Indeed, the dock lines can be rented at the yacht club and the line handlers can be hired (talk to the local taxi driver or get a few backpackers); that hard part will be having the extras on a singlehanded boat, all that cooking, all those extra bodies, ugg

[AdriftAtSea]

and where do you let them sleep??? Your boat is space limited, as are most on this site.

[castawaysailor]

and where do you let them sleep??? Your boat is space limited, as are most on this site.

well, that is a problem, can do two in the rear cabin (but one of those bunks is mine), on in the vee, maybe a couple on decks; if they are uncomfortable-maybe they will not want to stay

[AdriftAtSea]

If I ever do a Panama Canal passage in the Pretty Gee, I'll have two sleep in the cockpit, and one sleep on each ama.    That should work fairly well... and I get the cabin to myself.

[castawaysailor]

thinking of the cost and problems with the canal makes me want to do the horn instead

[AdriftAtSea]

Besides, do you really want four strangers on your beloved boat...

[castawaysailor]

Besides, do you really want four strangers on your beloved boat...

nyet

Oh, that is russian for "no"