Robert's Ramblings

Under the ‘Tee’ of the old Rapid Bay Jetty is an old section of broken pylon jutting out from the sand at 45 degrees and every time I dive here there is either a blue throat wrasse or a magpie perch lazying on the top.

It seems that this time they were both sharing that little spot atop the broken pylon while a moonlighter swam round and round just wanting to join the party.

#Rapidbay #southaustralia #jetty #pylons #bluethroatwrasse #fish #wrasse #magpiepearch #moonlighter #underwater #seascape #underwaterphotography #scuba #diving #isolation

Broken, abandoned; left to crumble over time into the sea below. ‘The Tee’ of the old Rapid Bay Bay Jetty’ no longer holds fishers standing shoulder to shoulder.

Where once day picnicers had barbecues and jetty parties now only seabirds sit here to rest before moving on.

This place has fond memories for me. My forth ever scuba dive, an initiation into diving I will remember forever for the stunning fish life and beautiful setting. A location that thirty years on still enthrals me.

For us scuba divers; below the waterline; the ghosts are all banished and it is all beautiful.

#Rapidbay #jetty #pylons #ghosts #seascape #silhouette #aerial #isolation

What a marvellous piece of engineering is the humble windmill.

Distributed throughout the Gillman wetlands is a system of underground interception drains with good old fashion windmills. These windmills pump hyper-saline ground water to the surface allowing a freshwater lens to develop below.

And all this time I had thought they were there just to supply surface water for the bird life.

Reference: https://renewalsa.sa.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Stage-1-Risk-Assessment-Report-Vol-1.pdf

#Gillman #wetlands #barkerinlet #aerial #dji #abstract #windmills #freshwaterlens

Another image captured in the wetlands near Barker Inlet, South Australia.

I miss my daily commute to and from work and the chance to pull over and capture more of this amazing wetland area near Barker Inlet.

As my working days are now few and with very, very long days when I do go into the office it is always dark coming home now. For now I will revisit and share some of the images I have captured in the last few months.

Taker care out there and to quote a favourite English drone podcaster named Dillan, “I’ll see you on the sunny side”...

#Gillman #wetlands #barkerinlet #aerial #dji #abstract #landscape

Just like most my excursions from home have been severely curtailed. My daily travel to and from work is over for now but in the mean time I can share some recent images from what has been my daily commute.

Here’s a birds eye view of the some of the wetlands around the Norther Connector Southern Interchange. Yet another reminder of the unseen beauty you may have been missing every day.

Perfect Isolation

There are many pursuits that we can share in preparation and in nostalgia.

Facebook messages to plan.
Phone calls to confirm.
Social media banter for anticipation.
A history of shared experiences underpinning it all.

On the day though; under the sea; away from the sky, the land,
and the precious air to which we will return;

You dive in perfect isolation.

#Isolation #scuba #diving #karl #thesouthaustralian #the dredge #wreck #southaustralia #glenelg #Adelaidescuba #silhouette #murky

Saturday I was able to escape from the house and go for a dive at a location in South Australia called ‘The Bluff’ near Victor Harbor.

There is a small little jetty, more of a landing really, with a few entry options including a rocky wave entry into the surge, a climb down the jetty ladder or a rocky entry and long surface swim from the small adjacent bay.

I have have a love hate relationship with this place. On a good day it is nothing short of amazing with gorgeous kelp gardens covering an underwater granite boulder wonderland. Leafy sea dragons swim among the kelp while curious sea lions do their best to entertain or scare you depending on how you react to something very large and not your dive buddy coming up from behind you.

On a bad day, even a day that looks good from the surface, you can rapidly find yourself in a surgy and disorienting mess of particulate soup with visibility down to less than one meter. Sometimes it is bad enough to make you sick from a horizontal vertigo (is that horizontigo?).

Saturday’s dive came in at about 10%. Not the worst dive ever here but pretty ugly once we got around to the kelp gardens. The silver lining after abandoning the surgy pea soup was the lovely gentle diving within the shelter of the bay watching herring cale play in the sea grass.

This gorgeous view of The Bluff belies the real condition below but we still had a wonderful afternoon both below and above the water.

Call it a toy or call it a tool this angry bird has proven it can be both at the same time.

As a photographic tool it has made possible images I could achieve no other way. I have captured images taken at eye level as if on a tripod, perhaps over water or leaning out from a cliff a little more than seemed possible.

This angry bird has made me think about composition and perspective afresh. It has allowed me to explore views of ordinary things from above making them feel strange and surreal. It has given me the opportunity and pleasure to explore familiar places with fresh eyes.

And yes it’s been a ton of aerial fun finally fulfilling an unrequited childhood dream of owning and flying a model aircraft.

With plenty of places a short drive from the city to go fly just for the shear joy of it this angry bird gets to capture interesting and unique perspectives while I get to have a fun. An awesome combination.

#aerial #drone #dji #mavic #photography #stkilda #saltpans #commercial #angrybird

Another image from Saturday’s dive with the old guard.

Guy cruising effortlessly in the shadow of the Glenelg Dredge, Craig in cold pursuit while Karl hangs in mid water the way he does best overseeing all.

Legends all of them.

#adelaidescuba #diving #glenelg #scuba #legend #thedredge #thesouthaustralian #underwater #underwaterphotography #guy #craig #karl

It is good practice as a diver to perform a safety stop at the end of every dive even if your calculations or your computer tell you it is safe to ascend.

Generally I’ll spend five minutes at five meters after a twenty meter dive but sometimes it seems that that five minutes takes longer than the entire dive.

Picture this; it’s gloomy, the visibility is mediocre, your are hanging under a boat in mid water five kilometres off-shore, this is South Australia and rare as it is, divers have been lost doing just this.

Even so I would not give up diving for anything but still those five minutes tend to be the longest five minutes of my life.

#silhouette #underwaterphotography #underwater #scuba #diving #thedredge #thesouthaustralian #adelaidescuba #glenelg

Yesterday I took a step back in time to dive with a bunch of mates I have not dived with for more than decade.

I’ll write more about my experience in another post but for now here is one of the critters we discovered lazing on the deck of the barge (the wreck of the South Australian), a southern bluespot flathead.

Back soon; I promise …

#SouthernBluespotFlathead #flathead #critters #underwaterphotography #underwater #scuba #diving #thedredge #thesouthaustralian #adelaidescuba #glenelg

Times are a little bit crazy.

There’s the quiet observers who watch what is going on, do what is required, keep to themselves and in doing so play their part in protecting both loved ones and strangers alike.

There’s the panic stricken, raiding city and country stores alike with complete impudence for goods in preparation of a zombie apocalypses. It’s easy to get mad at them but as I have no real understanding of what it must be like to live in fear of the end of the world I have to try and accept accept their fantasy.

And then there are the deniers, the ‘what’s all the fuss about people’. When they are family, friends or loved ones perhaps that is most distressing of all.

For now we will hunker down in a room to ourselves but make sure it is always a room with a view! Stay sensible and stay safe Adelaide city and beyond.

#northadelaide #adelaide #aerial #cityscape #twilight #staysafe #community #corvid-19

For miles all around these two blue giraffe like structures dominate the landscape.

As a child, cranes were all about building things and for a long while, just seen from a distance, I was puzzled why nothing seemed to grow taller around any of the Outer Harbour cranes What where they building?

Eventually I ventured close enough to see what was really going on, giant blue giraffes grazing on shipping containers.

Actually, they’re Irish giraffes but that’s another story…

#outerharbor #cranes #shipping #maritime #wharf #twilight #aerial #pelicanpoint

Remember these? We used to call them potatoes when you could buy them. Now it seems they are as rare as toilet paper.

Walking through my local grocery store on the way home yesterday I tried to buy a couple. Just two for dinner would be nice, I thought, but instead I found sad, empty shelves.

Fortunately for us we have this lovely photograph to remember and reminisce what it was like when potatoes were plentiful.

#potatoes #spuds #panicbuying #pandemic

I had never imagined swans, black swans, as being anything other than freshwater birds so imagine my surprise exploring a spit of land off Pelican Point, Outer Harbour called Section Bank and coming across hundreds of black swans on a mission paddling their way east.

Their destination perhaps might be Grey Point or even further inland onto Torrens Island. This time I did not get to find out.

What ever their reason for being out here, which perplexes me, it’s made me excited to discover more. Wow! Black swans on the ocean. Who knew?

Oh, and if you look closely you might even find a pelican or two!

#Blackswan #swans #pelicanpoint #pointgrey #sectionbank #outerharbour #southaustralia #animals #birdlife #seascape

An old fence bars the ocean behind, like a symbol of our lassitude.

Even if you don’t go into battle yourself for our oceans, supporting the Sea Shepherd conservation movement will make a difference.

There’s a little upstairs bar on East Terrace overlooking The Garden of Unearthly Delights called Siberia. You’d miss it if you were walking past. We originally found it out of simple curiosity.

While we were last there enjoying some pre-show drinks the proprietor proudly brought out this amazing looking hand painted bottle of Tasmanian vodka, Sheep Whey from the Hartshorn Distillery.

It did not take much for him to sell us a couple of nips, the bottle alone did most of the selling. With visions of sheep wandering through Tasmanian potato fields we sipped and enjoyed this velvety smooth Australian vodka.

#Vodka #sheepwhey #siberia #hartshornedistillery #tasmania

In the distance it is raining. There is no doubt about that. Will it stay out there on this serene ocean or is it a portent of calm before storm.

How odd the direction the rain is falling both towards the north east and the south east. There must be strange winds blowing out there as the sun settles into another twilight.

How amazing that western vista is to gaze into as yet another day turns to night.

One hundred and sixty four years ago she slipped into the ocean off Liverpool, England; the pride of the Liverpool shipping company Balfour Williamson.

Throughout her hard working career she sailed to many continents of the globe. She worked for the English, the Germans, the Norwegians and finally here in South Australia as her final gig.

In 1945 after 89 years at sea she was laid to rest here in the tranquil waters of the Garden Island dolphin sanctuary where even today her hull is mostly intact.

Shipwreck, wreck, gardenisland, southaustralia, santiago, dolphinsanctuary, sunset, silhouette, goldenhour

Virtually everybody loves music, loves listening to it, loves playing it, loves exploring it or just loves being around others who do.

Great artists come and go from our attention, from my attention, as whims and tastes change but every once in a while someone comes out of nowhere and changes everything.

I discovered Jacob Collier on YouTube. It was his enthusiasm that first captured my attention, then his musicianship and then was completely blown away with his command of harmony both technically and emotionally.

Listening to his music, his unusually evocative harmonies and progressions, his unbounded creativity and amazing collaborations has led me to other musicians and styles of music I’d never had thought to explore and discover how much I’d love them.

We had the wonderful opportunity of front row seats to Jacob’s recent Melbourne concert and we left on a musical high that’s not abated since.

#Jacobcollier #jacob #collier #jazz #music #musician #performer #prodigy #harmony #performingarts #melbourne #concert

Ripples of ocean swirl into the nooks and crannies of a sand bank rapidly vanishing under a rising tide.

The patterns arising leave in their wake the simple ripples of stones thrown into water, instead complex patterns of superposition, construction and cancellation play out in chaotic beauty.

A few almost solitary sea birds most likely see nothing more than their next meal a wave or two away.

This morning I had no idea the International Space Station would be zooming overhead this evening but when I heard about it I made a mental note to have a look and hoped for a clear sky.

Tonight after dinner I threw a big lens (800mm) on my camera, headed out to the back-yard and waited.

At first it looked like just another star in the south west
except this was heading straight over our heads. At about 45 degrees it started to brighten significantly and by the time it raced overhead it was the second brightest thing in the night sky after the waxing moon.

It soon started dimming again as it headed towards the north east and at around 45 degrees from the horizon it faded to nothing as it was enveloped by the earth’s shadow.

I had no idea if I would capture anything recognisable. As it turns out it was not so hard after all (well except for focus and exposure but that’s another story).

We were having a quiet celebratory drink in the Garden of Unearthly Delights and noticed a possum in a tree beside one of the tables. I good omen I thought so that’s where we decided to sit.

It hung around for a while then climbed up high out of sight. We had forgotten it until we brought some food back to the table and spotted the bright eyed created scamper down another nearby tree to the delight of others bringing out a barrage of phone cameras.

Back over to us the little create scampered. It spent about five minutes with us trying to get to our food which was now gone before giving up and scampering back up the tree again.

I captured this shot after it stopped for one last look before retreating to the canopy again.

#Possum #GardenofUnearthlyDelights #goud2020 #animals #marsupials #curious #bokeh #depthoffield #dof #critters #nature #wildlife #adelaide

Is Calin hiding from me or is he making an image of me making an image of him hiding from me. Or …

What ever is going on here, the Apple Mask is ever present.

I first set foot on Achill Island, County Mayo a couple of years ago. At the time I was only a little aware of its significance in the life of Ireland’s beloved pirate queen, Gráinne Ní Mháillem (Grace O’Malley).

In the last few months my awareness of this incredible woman and her place in sixteenth century Irish history has blossomed as I have worked with my wife to bring Gráinne to life in Jennifer’s 2020 Adelaide Fringe performance depicting her life in narrative, poetry and song.

We still have a few more shows to go but already we are wishing ourselves back on that rugged western coast of Ireland, the ‘Wild Atlantic Way’ and the home of Grace O’Malley.

These enigmatic and almost unnerving sponges around Edithburgh Jetty seem to me like some ancient sentinel lifeform left to observe the passage of evolution.

When I think of them in that way it no longer seems strange that these are animals, not plants, and that it is more than likely that this sentinel began its life as free swimming organism perhaps thousands of kilometres from here.

Sponges express a milestone in evolution marking the transition from single cell to multicellular organisms around 600 millions years ago; a feat that took biology around three billion years to achieve.

This creature may not be so ancient; or, maybe all is not as it appears. In an eerie way it reminds me of a movie I watched long ago. About how ‘in space no one can hear you scream’. Well the same goes for being underwater as well!

Time will tell if this alien seed germinates or if it really is just an ancient sea sponge.

Australian beaches in summer are fabulous places to keep cool, so fabulous in fact that in some places they have to be closed for the safety of visitors not accustomed to reading the waves and surf and currents.

For our tourist destination beaches I reluctantly agree this makes sense. Fortunately for us locals we have another fifty nine thousand kilometres of unmanaged coastline to play in.

Regardless of if you surf, swim or dive, it’s a kracka summer!

#beach #sand #lifesaver #lifegaurd #blue #bokeh #depthoffield #bondi #krackasurfcraft

This place is so close and yet so hidden. Our secret garden guarded by sea on every side. One lone bridge keeps the curious away. This is a place you really need to make an effort for.

Torrens Island is so close and yet so detached from awareness that most South Australians are not even curious. To most, it’s just a place where an old power station ekes out its last few years of productive life.

The more I discover about this secret savannah of salty marsh-land the more I want to.

There was a time long, long ago when I dived here armed with sturdy gloves and a catch-bag. What would ensue was a cat and mouse game of stealthy ambush; the hunter; the prey.

Since the day I first took a camera underwater my catch-bag has stayed dry and now seeing crayfish brings me a different delight.

I captured this image at my most favourite shore dive of all time; Chinaman’s Hat on the York Peninsula, South Australia. Plan to dive here if you ever visit.

Oh, I still play the cat and mouse game of hunter and prey, but now it’s about getting the best image I can.

There is a swim-through from amidships to the bow on the wreck of ‘The Australian’ that is packed with bright orange bullseyes.

It’s worth a dive here just to experience them parting then reforming behind you.

The dark space and severe fish crowding make taking a photo here a real challenge. They are so close and so shiny and the strobe light falls off so fast that you get a some quite strange lighting effects.

Better perhaps to just swim though and enjoy view.