Robert's Ramblings

When we arrived in Skjervøy we realised for certain that it's all about the fish and not the orca.

This little Norwegian town with it's spectacular backdrop of snow capped peaks is all about fishing. When we arrived in port we were struck with the scale of the fishing support infrastructure for such a tiny place.

On the wharves were cranes so large they'd be at home on a multistory construction site. Here they were being uses to haul fish and fishing nets from the boats.

As for the orca, those beautiful creatures I came half way around the world to swim with, you can see a few here in this image frustrating the fishermen as they haul in their nets. Usually the orca will circle the nets pulling herring through the netting one by one. A riskier but more productive tactic is to jump into the net, not to eat the herring, but to force the fishermen to release the net and releasing all the captured herring to the attendant orca, humpback whales and seagulls,

So it's always been all about the fish here in Skjervøy and the orca, though a nuisance to the fishers are a boon for us


Photo: Robert Rath, 'It's All About The Fish', 1/1600s f/2.8 ISO640 70mm

Out before sunrise we headed east then south from Skjervøy in search of orca and hopefully to observe their hunting prowess on the migrating herring.

The orca hunt herring by corralling them into a tighter and tighter swimming mass until the herring school forms a dense ball that the orca force to the surface. At the surface the orca will take turns to charge the school and perform a tail slap stunning the herring and making them easier to catch. This is the behavior we were hoping to photograph.

In the distance we could see the sea birds circling, a sure sign of underwater activity. As we made our way we spotted our first orca also heading in the same direction, ... also a good sign that there is something going on. We also passed a couple of humpback whales, who clearly had gotten the same invite, heading again towards the birds!

When we arrived it was clear that there were orca beneath us and busy doing something. Then we noticed the bubbles rising to the surface from some unseen boiling cauldron. "Quick, get ready", Ali called. Some orca broke the surface while others continued below and then suddenly the ocean went quiet.

Without warning two enormous humpback whales suddenly emerged from the centre of the bubbles with mouths agape reaching nearly three meters into the air. Their mouths closed in on what must have been a tonne of herring and seawater. There was a brief pause at the surface to allow the seawater to drain through their sieve-like baleen before they slipped quietly away beneath us. The herring never stood a chance.

"There goes our bait-ball', Ali sighed, as the orca who had worked so hard abandoned their gatecrashed breakfast in search of a meal elsewhere.

This kind of behavior happens often as the humpback are attracted to the sound of the orca at work who need to work quickly to ensure they get to eat first. In general the orca accept this when the herring is in abundance but in leaner locations or times that tolerance runs low and the orca will actively chase away any potential breakfast gatecrashers.


Photo: Robert Rath, 'Breakfast Gatecrashers', 1/125s f/2.8 ISO1600 135mm

Being in the water with orcas in the seven degC fjords around Skjervøy, Norway is unlike any other photographic environment I have ever found myself in.

Simply getting in and out of our boat in restrictive dry suits, heavy weight belts and then working with heavy cameras is taking its toll leaving me wishing I was significantly fitter than I thought I was. Still though, to quote my high school math teacher, "effort brings reward", this is one of the most rewarding experiences of my life and worth every effort needed.

All our encounters so far have been brief but we are starting to understand a little about the behaviors of orca who are amazingly social creatures that rely on strong family bonds and strategic co-operation to survive.

The leader of the Pod is the matriarch who will raise her calves, train them, discipline them and maintain the family cohesion of her pod. The larger males with their impressive vertical dorsal fin fulfill their role in strategic hunting and in visiting other pods to provide a genetically distant breeding male then returning back to their own family pod again.

This brief encounter in the dim evening light shows a large female in the foreground, probably the matriarch, two other females mid water, while the two at the surface are likely to be males. This is a very typical orca family unit here.

I am so looking forward to getting back in the water with these beautiful creatures and the required effort will only make me stronger.

Photo: Robert Rath, 'Leader of the Pod', 1/320s f/2.8 ISO10000 16mm

Orcas are an apex predator meaning that in their ecosystem they are at the very top of the food chain. Even great whites live in fear of these gorgeous but deadly animals.

That being said they are very vulnerable to the very ecosystems they reign, potentially succumbing to stored toxins brought up through the food chain or even the loss of their food supply could spell the end of a specialised subspecies.

In in the food rich waters waters of the Norwegian fjords these resident orcas only eat the herring migrating from the North sea's arctic winter. Other fish species, sea mammals, sea birds and even underwater photographers can swim along side the orcas in safety, ... that is unless we take all the herring then who knows.


Photo: Robert Rath, 'Apex Predator', 1/1000s f/3.5 ISO800 200mm

Just imagine for a moment the arctic waters of Skjervoy, Norway, with orcas and humpback whales amid massive schools of herring all migrated here for winter.

Now imagine jumping into that freezing water and swimming with them!

It's an incredulous path that has led me here to swim with and photograph these beautiful creatures. I feel both privileged and grateful that I find my self in one of the most beautiful places on Earth with these amazing and intelligent creatures.

This adventure has only just begun.


Photo: Robert Rath, 'Mother and Child', 1/200s f/6.3 ISO12800 16mm

After 32 hours of travel, catching up with old friends, making new ones and settling into our home together for the coming week at sea, this is the night sky we were greeted by.

Amid the deep fjords of Tromsø, a little group of us have come together to explore the waters to the North searching for and hopefully to swim with orca and humpback whales under the the Northern Lights of arctic Norway.


Photo: Robert Rath, 'Norwegian Tiger Eye', 30s f/4 ISO1600 8mm

It's funny how I react to the rain when dressed top to toe in a neoprene wet suit.

An umbrella makes it seem like there is no rain at all. A raincoat creates a cozy cocoon around dry clothes within. To not leave the house at all is either being slave to the weather and all its machinations or giving it the one finger salute. Being in a wet suit however is different altogether.

I know I am about to climb into a very wet ocean and, once underwater, who cares if it's raining. Still, standing here in the rain, getting wet in my wet suit seems odd to the point of incredulity. ... Much better to get out of the rain and under the water!


Photo: Robert Rath, 'It Never Rains Underwater', 1/50s f/11 ISO2500 16mm

Not more than five minutes into Sunday night's dive I was thinking that it was a really bad idea going diving on dusk with no lighting and a high tide bringing rough seas pounding over the reef filling the water with vision sapping debris.

Still this was a shakedown dive and the principle objective was to practice photography in extremely poor lighting conditions. It seems I got my wish.

What you don't get to see in this barren reef bashed image is just how prolific the fish life becomes on Port Noarlunga Reef when the conditions are rough. Aside from the usual suspects there where schools of trevally, yellow-fin whiting, cruising Port Jackson sharks, bulls-eyes and herring cale. I could even hear dolphin chatter amid the crashing ocean soundscape.

Not much fun for photography but a thoroughly enjoyable dive!


Photo: Robert Rath, 'Apocalypse Dive', 1/250s f/4.5 ISO2500 16mm

Suspended in the milky blue haze of a less than ideal Rapid Bay this leafy seadragon seems unperturbed with my presence.

When I arrived at Rapid Bay for this dive I looked out at the milky gypsum-dust laden water and nearly left for another location.
I am glad I decided to stay and dive here despite less than 2m visibility.

Who needs great visibility when you can get so close to these gorgeous creatures.


Photo: Robert Rath, 'Suspended', 1/80s f/8 ISO320 15mm

On my way home one recent afternoon diving the Fleurieu Peninsula, day turned to sunset and then to twilight as the first star of the evening became visible.

The simplicity, the colour and form of the scene looking back toward Myponga Beach was just too irresistible to pass up.

I got home a little later than planned that evening.


Photo: Robert Rath, 'Dusk Delight', 1/80s f/2.8 ISO800 125mm

Here amid the myriad of small cave structures of Noarlunga Reef sleeps another of 'Porties' local resident species, a Port Jackson shark, Heterodontus portusjacksoni.

While doing some camera tests on the weekend I found myself peering into all the dark places I could find attempting to capture images without strobe lighting. Caves, nooks and ledges always seem to have interesting critters sheltering in safety. Often they are nocturnal creatures simply waiting for nightfall before venturing out.

I found three Port Jackson sharks last weekend, none of which was in a location conducive to really showing off this beautiful creature. At least just using natural light I did not have to worry about disturbing their daytime sleep.


Photo: Robert Rath, 'Bedtime Lair', 1/15s f/7.1 ISO1600 16mm

One of the most exciting fish species commonly found on Noarlunga Reef are silver drummer, Kyphosus sydneyanus. They are big, fast, often swim in large schools and are lots of fun to be in the water with.

During low tide when the inner reef is protected you might find a handful of them swimming among the sweep. During high tide when the waves are surging across the reef the silver drummer go crazy for morsels torn from the rocks.

This guy hanging with the sweep was a bit skittish and really did not want its image captured. After hovering mid-water for a while I finally got in a couple shots.


Photo: Robert Rath, 'Silver Drummer', 1/100s f/11 ISO320 35mm

I never grow tired diving with these beautiful creatures and I still give a quiet yelp of delight when I find my first one on a dive.
Last weekend I was fortunate enough to see several of these gorgeous leafy seadragons during my dive at Rapid Bay.

This male is carrying a fresh batch of eggs which his female partner has left in his care while she goes off to do what ever females do when they don't have to nurture their young. He will protect them from predation while they develop but in a few weeks when they hatch they will emerge into a world where they will have to start fending for themselves and our male gets his leafy seadragon life back.

We are so lucky to live in a part of the world with such amazing critters as these.


Photo: Robert Rath, 'Dragon Fruit', 1/80s f/8 ISO320 15mm

It was shaping up to be another beautiful Adelaide sunset.

I was on track to being down on the beach with the sun still shining above the horizon.

I didn't plan for my tripod falling to pieces and I didn't plan for the roadworks.

When I finally arrived the sun had long gone but I still when down to the waterline for this image.


Photo: Robert Rath, 'Down To The Waterline', 1/4s f/18 ISO1000 16mm

South Australian divers familiar with Rapid Bay Jetty will often talk about diving the 'T' Section.

This section of the old Rapid Bay Jetty has always been the jewel of marine life below the old jetty structure. Here the steel pylons grouped very close together provide cover for schools of reef fish while the complex bottom rubble supports a diverse benthic ecosystem.

I captured this under-over image today as the poor post weather fallout has left Rapid Bay a milky blue with only a few meters of visibility rendering the underwater scenery foggy and indistinct.

I'm looking forward to trying this image again when the conditions improve.


Photo: Robert Rath, 'Diving The 'T' Section, 1/250s f/4 ISO320 8mm

Friday night at the Wheatsheaf Hotel we experienced a double, double treat of local Adelaide musicians and folk music with the combined talents of the Fiddle Chicks, Emma Luker and Dee Trewartha and the trad music duo of Ray Smith and Kerryn Schofield.

Apologies for the labels guys!

More photos to follow but first of the rank is Emma Luker, fiddle chick extraordinaire!

Photo: Robert Rath, 'Fiddle Chicks Part One, Emma Luker', 1/80s f/2.8 ISO640 160mm

Bowl of Cowries

My dive buddy Andy spotted this extraordinary scene last weekend as we made our way north on the outside of Port Noarlunga Reef.

His odd gestures to me seemed to be asking, 'did I stage this", 'did some other divers before us stage this', or is there something special about this sponge that made three black cowries all come together like this? In nearly 30 year of diving I have only every seen black cowries on their solitary own.

Back cowries are one of our most beautiful mollusks with their glossy shells often protected by a thin velvety black mantle. Once they were prized by collectors but now the collecting of live shellfish is frowned upon and strongly discouraged. I once dived with with someone who horrified me by taking out his knife and defacing the beautiful shiny shell of any black cowrie he came upon. When I challenged his actions he said, 'I'm just making sure the collectors don't poach them'. I never did agree with him but I could see his point.

Again our local underrated Port Noarlunga dive site continues to delight and surprise with things I've never seen before in all my years of diving.


Photo: Robert Rath, 'Bowl of Cowries', 1/200s f/16 ISO640 16mm

At a glance you could be excused for thinking this shot was taken on some exotic tropical reef. Certainly gorgonian corals often feature in deep tropical reef locations but they are just as at home here in our South Australian cold to temperate waters as in the tropics.

I first found gorgonian corals many years ago on one of Adelaide's most popular and underrated dive sites, Port Noarlunga Reef. Now, every time I dive here I experience a little bit of nostalgia and a little bit of regret for those divers who will only ever know this location as a training dive site.

Port Noarlunga Reef is popular because at least half of Adelaide's divers can get to it inside of 40mins, and underrated because most of them will never take the time to explore here properly. It takes about 10-15 dives to even get a feel for this interesting and highly accessible reef system. Add daylight/nighttime hours and seasons to that mix and this underrated location just keeps on delighting and surprising with its abundance and diversity of marine life.

This beautiful gorgonian coral off the south west corner of the reef in nearly 17m of water is just one of the reasons I keep coming back to dive here time after time.


Photo: Robert Rath, 'Noarlunga Gorgonian', 1/200s f/16 ISO640 16mm

Like some oracle of inner character she sees right through the layers of human veneer.

Just one look into those curious dark eyes is enough to let you know, the duck knows everything!


Photo: Robert Rath, 'The Duck Knows', 1/80s f/4.0 ISO800 200mm

Mother Duck

For a few weeks now mother duck had been sitting on her nest tucked away in a small patch of garden in corporate courtyard.

She has patiently sat there during busy lunch times, quiet outdoor meetings as well as some boisterous Friday afternoon socialising.

This morning to our delight we were greeted by her showing off her new family, parading them around the courtyard and over the decking.

Unfortunately they won't be able to stay as the courtyard is landlocked from the outside world and the only way out for non flying ducklings is through reception.


Just another eventful working day!


Photo: Robert Rath, 'Mother Duck', 1/5000s f/2.8 ISO800 200mm

Rapid Bay was a delight today with almost millpond seas, sunshine and blue skies. Even the water looked clear as we gazed out from the car park and began putting together our gear. A short while later we descended in the cold clear water under Rapid Bay Jetty.

We found our first young leafy seadragon a short while into the dive out in the sea grass. We had been told there were quite a few young adults around which was lovely to hear though we only found the one before heading on and out to the old jetty.

Then we found the squid, or perhaps they found us. Far out in the seagrass away from the jetties, the fishers and their squid jags, we came on a school of nearly 50 squid spread out over 20 square meters.

At first they were flighty as is typical for swimming squid but as we settled down into the grass they became curious enough to come over to us for a mutually beneficial closer look.

How amazingly crazy they look with their large bright eyes and those flapping wings. They seem to move in ways that bear no correlation to their body movements like backwards moonwalking through water.

We stayed with these curious calamari until the cold drove us to swim off to warm up again. Perhaps they will still be there next time.


Photo: Robert Rath, 'Curious Calamari', 1/100s f/11 ISO320 35mm

Why is it that as much as we proclaim how much beauty lies in the eyes, how they are the window to our souls we make it a statement of fashion to hide them behind the tinted widows of sun glasses.

For the smart people we are, I sometimes find myself questioning our Eye Q!


Photo: Robert Rath, 'Eye Q', 3.2s f/18 ISO100 17mm

The Alpine chough is most probably the moutaineering star of the bird kingdom and noted for having the highest altitude nests of any other bird species.

Here in the deep Austrian alps and high above the Pasterze glacier these bird race through the air with the speed and precision of ,well Alpine choughs I guess!!

Being almost impossible to photograph in flight we simply watched their swift and acrobatic manoeuvres as they soared in the updraughts. Just stunning.

Alpine chough (Pyrrhocorax graculus).

Photo: Robert Rath, 'Alpine Chough', 1/1000s f/3.5 ISO320 200mm

They could have fallen from the sky and become embedded in the faux granite floor. They feel like they have hit with a great force and come to a sudden, abrupt and perfectly frozen repose.

... never to move again.


Photo: Robert Rath, 'Four Frozen Balls', 6s f/18 ISO100 17mm

The wreck of the MV Excelsior in Mutton Cove (Osborne, South Australia) is in one of the oddest locations you might imagine.

A short walk in what seems like a field brings you right up to her rusted forgotten bow resting in swampy wetland.

Although no lives where lost on her journey here she still feels like her crew is still willing and waiting to leave.


Photo: Robert Rath, 'Waiting To Leave', 1/400s f9 ISO160 15mm

Glimfeather was a politically savvy talking owl who helped Eustace Scrubb and Jill Pole in their quest to find Prince Rilian in Lewis Carroll's 'The Silver Chair'.

I asked the owl how parliament was going and if it had any thoughts on our own political shenanigans but it only looked at me then looked away.

Either this was not Glimfeather or he's as speachless as the rest of us.


Photo: Robert Rath, 'Glimfeather', 1/100s f/2.8 ISO100 200mm

It's so hard to describe the beauty of this landscape, the scale of it, the life in it, the colour through it, the majesty of it.

From deep in the lush valleys the grey peaks seem a world away, almost disconnected from the peaceful cosy green of heather and forest.

From high on the peaks, in the unforgiving cold and in the biting wind, those same green valleys far below seem like markings on a map.

Here at the border of grey and green, halfway between both worlds it feels all in balance.


Photo: Robert Rath, 'All in Balance', 1/400s f/13 ISO100 8mm

Even standing still you'll still walk this way...


Photo: Robert Rath, 'Walk This Way', 1/60s f/4 ISO1000 17mm

"The heart of Austria!", my cousin exclaimed as we stood on the far side of Pasterze Glacier on the Carinthian side of the border between Carinthia and Tyrol, deep in the Austrian Alps.

High in that uninviting world of ice and rock four climbers are slowly making their way up a 45 degree ridge-line to the summit of Großglockner. From here it looks like they are heading up the wrong peak but that's just a trick of the angles with their destination some way beyond.

To many adventurous Austrians, climbing Großglockner is like a pilgrimage that needs be undertaken at least once in one's lifetime.

From our relatively cozy vantage point it's easy to imagine such a climb. Perhaps even entertain adding it to one's own personal todo-once list. I think however sanity and personal self preservation will prevail.


Photo: Robert Rath, 'The Heart of Austria', 1/2000s f/4 ISO100 200mm

Peak Restaurant in Bundoran has one of the most awesome panoramic ocean views I have ever experienced.

Being seated there was something between being on the bridge of an ocean liner leaving port and some palatial dining hall.

Combining a window table with sunset timing and we got both dinner and a show of Ireland' Wild Atlantic Way.


Photo: Robert Rath, 'Dinner And A Show', 1s f/10 ISO640 12mm