The Wandering Photographer

Dunes and Beaches of the Sleeping Bear

Some of the worlds most beautiful beaches and dunes can be found along the Eastern coast of upper Lake Michigan in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. The park was designated a National Lakeshore in 1970 and administration was assigned to the National Park Service.

From the NPS website:

"The Park was established to preserve the 'outstanding natural features, including forests, beaches, dune formations, and ancient glacial phenomena...for the benefit, inspiration, education, recreation, and enjoyment of the public.' "

The Park includes thirty-five miles of Lake Michigan Coast almost exclusively made up of ancient dunes and wonderful beaches. The park also encompasses a number of historic sites, including the Port Oneida Rural District and a nineteenth century US Lifesaving Station at Glen Haven.

The dunes are named after the "Legend of the Sleeping Bear" and the park took its name from the legend as well.

The heart of the park however are the dunes. Here is a few more views from various points along the shore.

It is no wonder that "Dr. Beach" named the beaches of Sleeping Bear Dunes as the best beaches on the Great Lakes.

Hope you enjoyed his look at one of Michigan's wonders.

© 2011 Tim Marks

An Evening Cruise on Narragansett Bay

During a 2008 visit to Newport, RI, we decided to take a sunset cruise on Narragansett Bay. It was a perfect way to see the city from a different perspective. It was also a chance to get some awesome pictures of the Rhode Island coast.

Not wanting to carry my heavy DSLR with me I carried my Nikon CoolPix 8800 "Superzoom" compact Digital Camera.

While waiting for cruise time we sat in a dockside tavern and had dinner.

As we left the dock we passed hundreds of private yachts. Not all of them were as large and opulent as this one. I think you could buy the entire city for the price of this "boat."

Another yacht, though this one is locally owned and dates back to the Gilded Age. It was used to travel between Newport and Manhattan, NYC.

This is the Lime Rock Light. Built in 1854, it is now privately owned and serves as the Ida Lewis Yacht Club.

The Coastline is dotted with old mansions dating back to Victorian New England. This one, built in 1874 for explorer Alexander Agassiz, is now the renowned Castle Hill Inn.

One of the more colorful sailing vessels to be found on the bay.

Castle Hill Light marks the entrance of Narragansett Bay. It is on the grounds of the Castle Hill Inn Resort, however the resort graciously allows access to the public. This light is one of the most picturesque, and most photographed, lights on the East coast.

Heading back to port we passed by the Pell/Newport Bridge (named for Senator Claiborne Pell) and the Rose island Light. Built in 1870 the light is accessible by ferry during the summer months.

Back at the dock we settled into the dockside pub to watch the end of the sunset. As far as I'm concerned, a leisurely evening cruise is a great way to see Newport from a different perspective, and there is no finer way to end the evening than sitting on the dock enjoying a snack and beverage.

© 2010 Tim Marks all right reserved

Newfoundland Whale & Puffin Tour

One of the things that many visitors to Newfoundland do is to take some kind of Whale and Puffin watching boat cruise.  In that way we are no different.  You can always see the whales from the beaches and cliffs along the coast, and you can get fairly close to puffins in a few places (Cape Bonivista is one) but a cruise adds the fun of the boat ride to the wildlife viewing.

Nikon D1x, Nikkor 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR @80mm, ISO 200, 1/640 @ f/9

So we signed up for the Gatheralls Whale/Puffin Cruise out of Bays Bulls, NL.  The cruise goes out to the Witless Bay Ecological Preserve for a, fairly, close up view of the puffins and many sightings of humpback whales while en route.

Nikon D1x, Nikkor 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR @400mm, ISO 200, 1/1000 @ f/5.6

There are three species of puffins.  The birds shown here are Atlantic Puffins and can be found in abundance near Maine, Newfoundland & Labrador and Iceland (they are actually considered a delicacy in Iceland). 

Nikon D1x, Nikkor 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR @400mm, ISO 200, 1/640 @ f/5.6

As they flew around our boat I couldn’t help but thinking they looked like Black & white footballs (the American kind) with wings.  I have no idea how those small, rapidly moving, wings can hold up those fat little bodies.

Nikon D1x, Nikkor 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR @165mm, ISO 200, 1/640 @ f/9

One the way out to the puffin’s island we encountered numerous Humpback Whales and I was able to get a few pretty good images.  You get a glimpse of the whale’s back as it begins to surface.

Nikon D1x, Nikkor 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR @135mm, ISO 200, 1/350 @ f/9

As it begins to dive up comes the tale and the “classic whale image” is yours for the making.  We did get the opportunity to see one of the most spectacular whale watching experiences, a full breech.  The whale leaps into the air and falls back to the water with a massive belly flop.  Unfortunately while the experience was exhilarating, it was far too distant for any good pictures.  Maybe next time!

You can see some of my other Canada posts here.

© 2009 Tim Marks all rights reserved

Fort Point Lighthouse at Trinity Bay Newfoundland

Today starts a week of three blog posts about photographing Newfoundland, Canada.  In 2004 we drove from Michigan to Newfoundland for our vacation, a journey of about 2000 miles.  This eastern most Canadian province is an island of wonderful landscapes, quaint villages and some of the friendliest people we have met.

Some of the best photo ops on Newfoundland are its myriad lighthouses that mark the entrance of most the harbors and points on the island.  One of those lights can be found at Admiral’s Point at the entrance to Trinity Bay.

The current Fort Point Light (also known as the Admiral’s Point Light or Trinity Light) was built in 2003 and is an active aid to navigation.  The first light at the location was built in 1871 and updated in the 1920s.

Several old cannons can be seen on the grounds honoring the light station’s history as a site defending the entrance to the bay.

Being so new, only a year old when these pictures were shot, this is one of the province’s prettier lights.  The rocky hill upon which it stands makes for dramatic photos.  This one was well worth the drive over from the town of Trinity.

Come back on Wednesday for some images I made while on a Whale/Puffin viewing tour.

©2009 Tim Marks all rights reserved

Photographing History: Fort Sumter

The state of South Carolina officially seceded and joined the Confederacy on December 26, 1860.   Subsequently South Carolina demanded that the United States evacuate Fort Sumter, located near the entrance to Charleston Harbor.  Those demands were ignored and an attempt to resupply the fort in January was repulsed by the Confederates. 

In April, the U.S. again began an attempt to resupply.  Confederate forces in Charleston again demanded the fort’s surrender and again the demand was refused.  On April 12, 1861 Confederate artillery in Charleston laid siege on the fort.  The bombardment lasted for at least 34 straight hours and finally led to the surrender of the fort to the Confederate forces.  Thus began hostilities in the war that would change America forever.

Today, when you visit the fort you see period artillery, a display of flags that have flown over the fort and what remains of the fort walls.  As you can see from the above photo, sea shells were incorporated into walls to add reinforcement.

This is the view for the fort today overlooking modern Charleston Harbor with the excursion boat and the, very modern, Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge in the distance.

General William T. Sherman forced the Confederates to abandon Charleston in February 1865 and Federal troops again occupied the fort.  After the war the, largely destroyed, fort was mostly unused.  A small garrison manned the fort during World War I and again during World War II.  After the war the fort eventually became a U.S. National Monument.  Today the fort is administered by the National Park Service and is open to visitors.  The story of the fort is important and the site is well worth a visit.

© Tim Marks all rights reserved  

Small Boat Cruise to Alaska

Back in 2000 when we decided to head to Alaska on vacation we decided that we wanted to spit our time between a cruise and a land portion.  (You can see pix from part of the land portion here.)  We began looking at “small ship” cruise lines as we didn’t want to be lost amongst thousands of other travelers.  A number of companies with 70 – 100 passenger ships looked interesting and I was about to call one of them when I came across the web site for Discovery Voyages. 

Dean Rand captains the MV Discovery on 5 and 6 day cruises in Prince William Sound.  The MV discovery has a passenger capacity of 12, that’s right I said 12.  The six cabins on the 65 foot boat are small but the cruise and the experience of Prince William Sound are well worth it.  The food is wonderful and the scenery is breathtaking.  It is admittedly a cruise for people who like people.

Each day we would take the zodiacs ashore and explore the wild surroundings of the sound.  From Icebergs to waterfalls we explored them all.

The view from the deck of the boat was magnificent and the view from land was often even better.  Wildlife that we saw included humpback whales, orcas, sea otters and black bears, all seen right from the deck of the boat.  The orcas were so close my moderate telephoto lens was too long to capture the large mammal's face.

If you want a real adventure consider a cruise on a small boat, a really small boat!  It is the best way to see Alaska.

© Tim Marks all rights reserved

Photographs of Isle Royale National Park

Nikon D200,  ISO 100,  Tamron 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 @ 86mm,  1/800 @ f/7

Isle Royale National Park, in the northwest corner of Lake Superior, is one of the least visited and most interesting of our national parks.  Visitors to the park must arrive either by boat from Michigan or Minnesota or by float plane from either state.  Once on the island opportunities for hiking, camping, kayaking and photography abound. 

Nikon D200,  ISO 100,  Tamron 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 @ 35mm,  1/320 @ f/9

For our 2006 trip we departed Copper Harbor, MI on the Isle Royale Queen IV.  The Queen is a 100 foot, steel hulled diesel powered passenger vessel that regularly travels at full capacity, so reservations are required.  The trip is generally quite comfortable even in moderate seas.

Nikon D200,  ISO 100,  Tamron 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 @ 52mm,  1/160 @ f/7

Upon arriving on the island we checked into our cabin at the Rock Harbor Lodge.  The lodge is the only non-camping accommodations available on the island.  Accommodations available include 60 lodge rooms and 20 duplex housekeeping cabins.  We chose a cabin overlooking Tobin Harbor, an easy quarter mile walk from the dock.  As you can see from the image above the sunsets over Tobin Harbor are magnificent. 

Nikon D200,  ISO 100,  Tamron 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 @ 18mm,  1/350 @ f/7

Most of our time in the park was spent hiking along the numerous short trails emanating from the Rock Harbor area.  This image is at the end of one such trail.  Wildlife we saw along the way included pileated woodpeckers and jackrabbits.  The wildlife we did not get to see were wolves (rarely seen) and moose (commonly seen but we didn’t get lucky). 

Nikon D200,  ISO 100,  Tamron 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 @ 25mm,  1/640 @ f/5.6

Paddling Tobin Harbor is another activity we undertook.  A half day rental of a canoe (I know the boat in the picture is not a canoe) was included in our cabin rental and we took advantage of it.  The paddle up the harbor and back was easy and relaxing.  We saw only a couple of other paddlers on our excursion, though we did get to watch the floatplane depart.

Nikon D200,  ISO 100,  Tamron 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 @ 25mm,  1/350 @ f/7

On what was supposed to be our morning of our departure we packed up our stuff and headed down to the dock.  The sign on the dock announced that the Queen would not be coming that day because of high seas caused by a violent thunderstorm the night before.  We had watched the storm from the comfort of our cozy cabin.  The weather had cleared but the waves on the often treacherous Lake Superior were still above 10 feet, so no boat would be coming that day. We had to extend our stay in the cabin and got a bonus day on the island.  A chance for one more hike.

If you have a chance to spend some time on Isle Royale National Park take it, you won’t be disappointed.

© Tim Marks all rights reserved

Photographing Point Betsie Lighthouse

I’m sure there are a number of old pictures of Point Betsie, shot with a 1970s Kodak Instamatic, hidden away somewhere in my parent’s house.  I have been visiting and photographing the Point Betsie Lighthouse since I was a teenager and I never tire of going back (it’s why I use it as my avatar online).  The Lake Michigan light was built in 1852 a few miles North of Frankfort, MI to guide northbound ships into the Manitou Passage.  

Nikon D200,  Tamron 18-200mm f/4.5-6.3 @ 18mm,  ISO 100,  1/320 @ f/9

The light is on a low dune surrounded by one of the nicest beaches on Lake Michigan.  It’s a wonderful place for a picnic or a (really cold) swim.

Nikon D200,  Tamron 18-200mm f/4.5-6.3 @ 18mm,  ISO 100,  1/500 @ f/5.6

I shot this one from a low perspective to partially hide the lighthouse with the dune.  I think it highlights the beacon’s environment nicely.

Nikon D200,  Tamron 18-200mm f/4.5-6.3 @ 50mm,  ISO 100,  1/500 @ f/5.6

Here I try to focus on the lighthouse itself.  The building has wonderfully contrasty colors.  I like how the bright white walls play against the dark red, almost maroon roof and the dark green windows.  The light was currently undergoing and extensive renovation.  It was recently repainted to the way it looked in the 19^th century. 

Nikon D200,  Tamron 18-200mm f/4.5-6.3 @ 80mm,  ISO 100,  1/640 @ f/5.6

Here’s the light up close and personal.  This partial shot targets the tower since it is the heart and soul of any lighthouse.   In 1996 the turning mechanism failed and the 4^th order Fresnel lens was replaced by the current plastic lens.

Nikon D200,  Tamron 18-200mm f/4.5-6.3 @ 18mm,  ISO 100,  1/250 @ f/8

 I decided to shoot this view to show the lighthouse in its overall environment.  Some might think that the steel seawalls are ugly but I find that they add to the reality of the scene.  All of the footprints in the sand suggest the beach’s value to the community as a recreational resource.

You can find more information about the Point Betsie Lighthouse at the Friends of Point Bestie Lighthouse web site.  I heartily endorse joining your favorite lighthouse's "friends" group, we have.  My Photo Friday on 6/12 featured a fascinating Canadian lighthouse on Newfoundland.  For all about lighthouses around the world follow lighthousenews on twitter.

Come back on Friday and see what I pull out of the archive for Photo Friday.

© Tim Marks

Photo Friday: Cape Bonavista Lighthouse - Newfoundland, Canada

Newfoundland, Canada is a photographer’s paradise, and lighthouses are one of the major photographic attractions.  One of the most famous lights is the Cape Bonavista Lighthouse.  Nestled on the coast at a point near where explorer John Cabot first sighted land in 1497, the light and the rugged cliffs are a picturesque setting worthy of a visit.

Nikon D1x,  Tamron 24-135mm f/3.5-5.6 @ 62mm,  ISO 125,  1/60 @ f/14

The lighthouse was put into operation in 1843, and the light was functional until 1964 when it was replaced by an electric light on a steel tower nearby.  You can see the tower in the picture above.  The lighthouse is now a provincial historical site and museum that is open to the public.

A visit to Newfoundland should be on everyone’s agenda, and a visit to Cape Bonavista, the lighthouse and the town, is a must when on the island.

If you like this shot please join me Wednesday when I blog about photographing the beautiful and historic Point Betsie Lighthouse on Lake Michigan near Frankfort, MI.

Thanks to Debbie of Delicious Baby for organizing Photo Friday and spreading such wonderful images across the Web.

© Tim Marks 2009

Pictures from a Lesser Camera

I absolutely love my D300, all my lenses, flash and accessories but sometimes only a “lesser camera” will do. 

For us, vacations are a chance to get away from our regular lives, relax and learn about a destination.  Photography is an important but secondary element of our trips.  When walking through the mountains on a tour an extra 5 or 6 pounds hanging from your shoulder can be discouraging, that is where the smaller, lighter but still formidable “Advanced Compact Digital Camera” comes into play.

I, of course, have a tiny “Point and Shoot” that I carry in my pocket when out and about.  It is perfect for when we are out geocaching, or clicking away at the family party.  It’s light and the images are of a reasonable quality but a more advanced camera is sometimes warranted.  I have a Nikon COOLPIX 8800 just for those occasions.  While not in the class of a full fledged DSLR the CP8800 has many advanced features and despite its small sensor it takes very nice pictures.  Its major drawback is high noise at high ISO values, but for everyday use in good light I have no complaints.

One evening in Newport, RI after a long day of sightseeing with all of our photo “stuff” we decided on a relaxing sunset cruise on Narragansett Bay.  This would be a chance to relax and see the city and harbor from a different angle.  I really didn’t relish carrying my D300 plus fast 80-200 zoom so I grabbed the CP8800 and headed to the dock. 

We had a great time on the cruise and I was able to make some fine images.

Nikon CP8800,  Integral  Zoom @53mm (35mm equivalent, 210mm),   ISO 50,  1/140 @ f/6

We passed a number of fine sailing vessels along the way.  As we passed this one I noticed the wonderful orange sails and their reflections in the water.  The image is a little soft but makes a very nice 8x10 print.

The CP8800 has a 10x built in Zoom lens (35-350mm in 35mm terms), a 2/3 inch CCD sensor and creates really nice images at ISO 100 and below.  At higher ISO noise starts to become an issue.

Nikon CP8800,  Integral  Zoom @22mm (35mm equivalent, 86mm),   ISO 50,  1/140 @ f/5

As we got to the midpoint of the cruise we sailed past the Castle Hill Lighthouse.  This light is wonderful when viewed from land, but it is exquisite when viewed from the water.

The evening light was just starting to turn warm and the clouds in the background set the light off very nicely.  All in all I was pleased with the shot.  Castle Hill Light is on the grounds of the Castle Hill Resort but the resort graciously allows access to the public.  Just tell the attendant at the gate that you want to visit the light.

It was a perfect end to a long day of sightseeing, walking and some great photography.

© 2009 Tim Marks