Entries by Robert

I recently spotted a marketing slogan for Adelaide that went something like ‘where the sun sets on the sea’. Funny how I never think of it any other way.

I find it oddly disturbing anywhere else to experience an ocean sunrise or worse, a sunset that can't quite make up it’s mine who’s side it’s on.

The evening golden hour and Grange Jetty, with its sun setting on the sea, feels the way it should be.

#Sunset #goldenhour #grange #jetty #grangejetty #silhouette #winter #seascape #ocean #southaustralia #aerial #drone

It might 12 degrees in the water but winter diving in South Australia is worth a little chilly inconvenience.

Today we headed out to the wreck of ‘The South Australian’, a.k.a ‘The Dredge’ and pretty much had the wreck all to ourselves.

Visibility was very good at 10 meters, as it often is in winter, giving a great sense of presence in seeing so much of the wreck at once.

My mission for this dive was to pay attention to the sessile marine life attached all over the decaying structure. My overwhelming experience was colour, colour, colour! So much beautiful marine life to take in that’s not even swimming!

One of the many highlights was this spectacular Western Longspined Sea Urchin on top of the deck on our way back to commence our ascent. It amazing how a little critter like this can completely take you mind of the cold. At least for a few moments!

#seaurchin #thedredge #thesouthaustralian #scuba #diving #sessile #critters #centrostephanustenuispinus

At least once in the meanderings of experimental imaging, a photographer will stand or even lay in the middle of a train line to experience one of the most cliched forms of visual perspective, vanishing tracks.

The more adventurous might even have waited for an oncoming train to provide both context and action. The sensible ones will have used a tripod and a radio controlled shutter release just to be on the safe side.

I’ve visualised this shot for nearly 8 years from when construction of the Onkaparinga Valley Bridge construction commenced. As cliched as it is, I never thought it would ever be realised.

#Viaduct #onkaparinga #river #bridge #trains #tracks #railway #perspective #vanishing #electric #aerial #drone

Tidal creek mangroves cast elongated shadows across the low salty marsh of Garden Island in the last light of the day.

These salty rivulets, now full during one of the highest tides of the season, will in a short time begin draining back out to sea.

#aerial #goldenhour #landscape #mangroves #marshes #nature #pristine #salt-marsh #southaustralia #torrens #torrensisland

It’s cold in the water down down here but there is no shortage of colour on the hull of the Seawolf and every reason to keep on diving through the South Australian winter.

One thing the cold does is to keep our dives quite short. Not long after reaching the sand and beginning the swim around the hull I’m already starting to check my time. Not checking my time in case I’ve been down too long but hoping I’ve been down longer than I think.

The cold aside. Cold water is full of life and the colours on our wrecks and reefs are just amazing.

#ascidians #diving #portnoarlunga #scuba #seascape #Seawolf #shipwreck #sponges #wreck

I wonder the leagues of ocean she’s traversed.
I wonder the storms she’s braved.
I wonder the lives transformed through her employ and the goods she’s delivered.
I wonder the crews she’s kept safe at sea.
I wonder if she still sails in dreams.

#santiago #shipwreck #southaustralia #dolphinsanctuary #Gardenisland #highkey #wreck

There was a big tide this evening and I was eager to see just how much of Garden Island became submerged.

From my limited vantage it was really hard to tell. If I were to offer a guess I’d say two thirds of the swampy landmass was underwater.

Garden Island continues to intrigue, delight and inspire me. So beautiful and so wild a place so close to home is like a secret garden oblivious to its industrial boundary of shipping wharfs, power stations and shipyards.

So inviting was the view of this garden in flood that I’m inspired to paddle in here in a kayak and to experience this close up.

#Gardenisland #mangroves #sunset #goldenhour #landscape #outerharbour #southaustralia

The colours on the sunken hull of the Seawolf off of Port Noarlunga are are just stunning. But at 15-20 meters down without bringing your own light you might be disappointed in the almost monochrome blue green landscape.

In the light of my strobes or a super bright torch you’ll see reds, and purples, and oranges, and yellows. Like a colourful spring garden tended by an aquatic gardener.

#Seawolf #portnoarlunga #wreck #shipwreck #ascidians #sponges #seascape #scuba #diving

Is there such a thing as being lucky? I’ve heard from seasoned boaties that every now and then a sea turtle, normally a tropical creature, finds its way down to the southern coastline of Australia.

I’ve listened to these stories over all my diving years with a grain of salt and a handful of scepticism; content to imagine, maybe, but something I never expected to see.

Today, out on a local Adelaide waters dive site in about 20m of water, Andy and I rounded the stern of the wreck and there he or she was. In my 30 years of diving in South Australia, including hundreds of wreck dives, the last thing I ever expected to see was a hawksbill sea turtle.

Was this really our lucky day, year or decade? or just a happy coincidence of time, effort and persistence?

I feel so privileged to have seen a sea turtle while diving in South Australia – an experience I will never forget.

#hawksbill #turtle #seaturtle #rare #SouthAustralia #scuba #diving #underwater #photography #wreckdive #wreck

Here’s another biscuit star from Sunday’s dive at Rapid Bay.

This little guy was as obvious as a red giant in a dark sky. Its bright orange stood out from the edge of my vision only to become so much more vivid in the white light of my strobe.

Not much colour variation here, just and lots and lots of orange!

#Rapidbay #starfish #seastar #critters #biscuitstar #SouthAustralia #scuba #diving #underwater #photography

The number of and variety of seastars we saw at Rapid Bay on Sunday was just wonderful. The biscuit stars alone were both numerous and incredibly varied in their colours and patterns.

This little biscuit star perched atop an old pylon stump could not have found a better place to get its portrait taken while munching on lunch.

#Rapidbay #starfish #seastar #critters #biscuitstar #SouthAustralia #scuba #diving #underwater #photography

After a week of cold, overcast skies and rain the sun finally came out and made our trip to Rapid Bay Jetty to dive with Jess and Andy all the more delightful.

The visibility was pretty good in that milky non-committal way that we all know and love about Rapid Bay. Here rough weather will leave gypsum particulates suspended for days making the visibility look tantalisingly good from the shore only to discover the real state once in the water.

Still, four meters of visibility is not bad and was plenty good enough to enjoy the dive and all the amazing fish and critters we encountered.

I’d captured a few shots of ‘Shaw’s Cowfish’ before Jess unexpectedly rounded the pylon so, photo bombed or not, I decided to go with this one.

#Rapidbay #jetty #shawscowfish #fish #critters #cowfish #SouthAustralia #scuba #diving #underwater #photography #Aracanaaurita #paintedboxfish

Her life was so short, not even ten years since her timber hull and six proud masts came together in the shipyards of Portland, Oregon, USA.

She never fell victim to tide nor reef nor storm and in 1929 dutifully delivered her last cargo of oregon pine to South Australia.

She had fallen victim to the great depression. The owners had ran out of money and her captain and crew were forced to abandon this once proud 80 meter schooner in the docks of Port Adelaide.

Eventually the US consul repatriated the crew and the Dorothy H. Sterling was towed away to rot in the ship’s graveyard of Garden Island.

#SouthAustralia #shipsgraveyard #gardenisland #DorothyHSterling #shipwreck #aerial #drone

While my dive buddy was busy wrestling her GoPro back from an eleven armed seastar this little guy was swimming around her content it was hiding in plain sight. It was being as cute as it was being ridiculous.

On a typical southern coastline dive you will often come across a pygmy leatherjacket hiding next to a stalk of kelp or algae. For while it will sit there looking nervous but pretty soon it will slowly edge its way around to the other side.

In its quest to remain hidden the pygmy leatherjacket will just keep on circling its stalk of kelp, or some conveniently distracted dive buddy.

#SouthernPygmyLeatherjacket #PygmyLeatherjacket #Leatherjacket #fish #scuba #diving #critters #southaustralia #portnoarlunga #night #underwater #photography

Just off of Grange beach is a big cage protecting the tidal outflow from West Lakes. It’s also the evening’s roost for a gathering of Australian pied cormorants.

I’ve wanted to capture them here in their little sanctuary for quite a while now. Finally the sea and the sunset were on my side.

#Cormorant #piedcormorant #seabirds #birds #waterfowl #shags #Sunset #goldenhour #sea #ocean #grange #aerial #drone #twilight

I love the light over water during civil twilight. That time of day just after the sun dips below the horizon when its still bright outside and the stars are yet make their appearance.

It’s a time when you can put anything between yourself and the horizon and its silhouette will look stunning;

… even an alien seagull.

#Sunset #goldenhour #sea #ocean #grange #dji #mavic #photography #aerial #drone #twilight

Nineteen years ago today I met this amazing Irish woman who turning my life upside down, inside out and helped me to rescue that creative, playful, curious child inside that I thought I’d left behind long ago.

Nighteen years later, here we are celebrating with a day of singing, rollerskating, messing about in boats on a twilight ocean and loving being alive. Thank you Jennifer for your love, your humanity, and for bringing playfulness and being child like back into my life. You are one very special woman!

#Ocean #grange #anniversary #love #friendship #photography #aerial #drone #sunset #goldenhour #sea #boating #twilight

The last time I dived at Port Noarlunga the entry steps down to the water at the end of the jetty were broken and boarded off from access. Last night was a great treat as I got to try out the brand new dual lane super steps. What a treat!

Visibility however was not fantastic, perhaps 2-3m at best making it very easy to get lost. Not many fish either last night but lots of small critter action to make up for both.

One awesome critter we found was this super cute Southern Dumpling Squid, Euprymna tasmanicas. Actually we found quite a few of these in the sand south of the jetty and they always make be grin.

We spent just over 70 minutes which was more than enough in the chilly 13 degrees water. We exited via the short ladder and platform near the start of the jetty and I was once again reminded why climbing ladders and carry camera gear while half frozen never makes for classy end to a dive.

Despite the cold it’s nice being back in the water again.

#Ocean #portnoarlunga #jetty #southaustralia #squid #macro #scuba #diving #underwater #photography #underwaterphotography #SouthernDumplingSquid #Euprymnatasmanicas #critters #animals

Port Noarlunga’ Jetty is one of Adelaide’s most popular close at hand shore dive sites. I’ve been here so many times on so many dives and seen so many amazing things but never this!!!

All being well I’ll soon be underwater here again too. Hopefully under a cold clear starlit night sky and calms seas, … or not.

#Ocean #whitewater #surf #portnoarlunga #jetty #aerial #drone #blackandwhite #b&w #monochrome #southaustralia

’ve experienced this washing machine from both above and below many times. The only advice I can offer is that if you are going to dive in this, go for the top-loader over front-loader every time.

#Ocean #whitewater #surf #portnoarlunga #abstract

Who’s perspective is correct I wonder? To me I am underwater. I am in that strange place most look down on from an airy world. Would the whale perceive itself as overair?

The more I think about more I am sure the whale cares not while it’s in the water the same as we never think about being in the air.

#Tonga #humpback #whales #cetaceans #snorkelling #underwater #ocean #photography

A few minutes earlier a number of fishers were chancing their luck out here on Brighton Jetty however getting wet was not a chance they were prepared to make and shortly hightailed their way back to more substantial cover.

One solitary stalwart fisher persists despite the oncoming deluge.

A few seconds later we took for cover too as it came in lashing in while the fisher remained content to keep on fishing.

#Brightonjetty #southaustralia #jetty #boardwalk #rain #twilight #sea #ocean #fishing #solitary #aerial #drone

You could easily miss out on this beautiful mural adorning the grain silo’s of Kimba if you were just passing through. The main highway from east to west passes a view of nondescript plain white.

Melbourne artist Cam Scale used 200 litres of paint to cover this unusual canvas with a vision representing the region. It is now one of South Australia’s most photographed silos.

Silo art has become wonderful part of Australia’s rural landscape since the first grain silos were painted back in 2015 in Western Australia. Since then over thirty more silos across Australia have become canvas’s for artists who like working on grand scales for rural communities with vision.

#Kimba #southaustralia #mural #silos #siloart #art #graffiti #rural #camscale #artist

It’s like a tiny little Uluru. At 500m across the top, Pildappa Rock is big! Still when you do the maths it’s only one percent of Uluru’s massive presence and that’s the bit we can see above the ground.

We stopped here for a while travelling out of Minnipa and explored some of Pildappa Rock’s terrain including the natural pools of water that collect on the surface and provide a source of life for birds, frogs and other critters.

Just like Uluru, that red colour is just a thin veneer of red dust over grey sandstone. Spray painted by the wind and then baked on by the sun it lulls into thinking the entire rock is that familiar orange, red all the way through.

#Pildappa #Pildapparock #landscape #gawlerranges #minipa #southaustralia #landscape #outback

Standing on a large rock slab just below Kolay Mirica Falls in the Gawler Ranges, looking around and taking in this beautiful place which we thought we had all to ourselves.

I look down and suddenly realise we’re not alone here.

#Shadows #abstract #gawlerranges #KolayMiricaFalls #southaustralia

Imagine a life in a beautiful semi-arid wilderness. Imagine no internet, no telephone, and only dirt tracks for miles to the closest souls.

Imagine a trip to the grocery store or the post office being a full day’s project.

Imagine an existence that demanded your attention to land and field and livestock every day.

Looking though the kitchen window of the old Paney homestead I feel the tension of experiencing this beautiful land from easy and privileged lives juxtaposed with how hard they must have worked for theirs.

Old Paney Homestead, Gawler Ranges, South Australia

#Paney #oldpaney #homestead #kitchen #silhouette #landscape #blackandwhite #gawlerranges

The camera really had no idea what to do as it hunted back and forth searching for the subject in its view.

One moment the subtle textures of the moon would appear, only to then bloom out into a white ball as tree branches appeared in sharp relief. The next moment neither could be seen as it simply gave up in confusion only to repeat it all as I tried again and again and again.

Finally I simply picked a random moment, pressed the shutter, and chose.

#Moon #moonlight #silhouette #abstract #branches #lunar #light #moonscape #gawlerranges

Air Conditioned
Road House Motel
Accommodation

Souvenirs
Meals
Takeaways
Drinks Ice
Car Accessories
Tyres Tubes
* Batteries

… but not for a long time

#Ironknob #southaustralia #outback #derelict #abandoned #progress #bypassed #history #roadhouse #progress

This sunset view of the Barunga Range from a nondescript sheep paddock in South Australia’s mid-north town of Burnsfield, was a wonderful respite in out eight hour drive home today.

Even the towers of the Snowtown wind farm dotted along the ridges seem to belong.

#Hopegap #augustahighway #windfarm #sunset #goldenhour #aerial #drone #southaustralia #clouds #reflections #Burnsfield #BarungaRange #snowtown

Calm in the wake of a storm with the residue of summer long gone, emergence from isolation is a slow and cautious thing. For a while at least it’s lovely to revel in this quiet space between waves.

#beach #overcast #twilight #beachscape #isolation #caution #henleybeach #southaustralia