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09-11-2017, 07:32 PM - 1 Like   #61
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QuoteOriginally posted by jddwoods Quote
Great shots, you even got the claws on the gray seal.
Thanks.

QuoteOriginally posted by jddwoods Quote
Nice shot of the humpbacks and the laughing gulls flying above them hoping for some easy pickings. They are flying really close to those whales mouths.
"Two Gulls Share a Cab" --


[In this image, they're herring gulls, of course.]



09-17-2017, 09:13 AM - 1 Like   #62
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QuoteOriginally posted by fwcetus Quote
I am afraid I can give you very little advice on the use of a polarizing filter. [...] Besides, a polarizing filter cannot perform miracles -- it can help considerably with filtering out glare reflected off the water's surface, but it cannot help with the distortion of a target's shape and features due to refraction by a water-to-air interface that is all too often not "as smooth as glass", and it cannot help with water that is turbid (i.e., not "crystal clear"). [...] However, sometimes you do get LUCKY -- sometimes the target critter may be "trying to be photogenic" when the water just happens to be flat, and/or when the critter just happens to be in the shadow of the boat (where glare is naturally reduced), and/or when the critter just happens to be in the lea of the boat (where wave action may sometimes be reduced). But sometimes (well, most of the time) you just don't...

As I said, most of the time you don't get lucky. Here's a few more looking through the generally-not-very-helpful air-water interface --

In Massachusetts waters, the usual #1 prey species for most baleen whales (except for tight whales and sei whales, both of whom feed on planktonic animals, usually copepods), and for many other critters as well, is sand lance (as illustrated above, in my last post). However, once in a while, swarms of krill (a.k.a. euphausiids) (which is the main food for humpbacks, finbacks, blues, minkes, etc., in many places) do appear, and "our" local whales may turn to it as an alternate food source here. Krill look sort of like slightly reddish shrimp-like animals, but it's often quite difficult to see their forms easily unless conditions are very forgiving, as they were not for this photo --


The largest shark we see in Massachusetts Bay (and the white shark is second in size here) is the basking shark (which is a plankton feeder, by the way) -- however, it is often difficult to see them clearly, and sometimes little else besides their dorsal fin may be easily visible (and, even then, only when they're at the surface) --


One of the strangest fishes seen here is the ocean sunfish --


The most common (by far) species of dolphin seen in Massachusetts Bay is the Atlantic white-sided dolphin (and the Pacific white-sided dolphin, which you might see, Aslyfox, is quite a different species), but photographing them is quite difficult -- even when they clear the water's surface, the film of water they bring with them can make for some optical masking and/or distortion --



The left eye on this dolphin is just partially visible through its "bow wave" --


...and the left eye on this dolphin is visible (but perhaps a bit distorted a bit) through the water film passing over its head --


You mentioned bubble-net feeding, Aslyfox -- well, humpbacks (who are very agile but not overly fast whales) in many parts of the world do utilize various bubble-feeding techniques (although here in Massachusetts Bay, "our" humpbacks use both bubble-net feeding and bubble-cloud feeding), but finbacks and minkes (who are both quite a bit faster than humpbacks) basically just "outrun" their prey, often literally swimming circles around them -- however, this is not to say that such whales cannot blow bubbles if they did want to -- here's a people watching minke whale blowing some bubbles (which we anthropomorphically assume is done for our benefit) while swimming around our boat --





But, even though a few of the above are decent shots (all things considered), it has to be remembered that, while these did end up being "keepers", many more "through-the-air-water-interface" shots were "throwaways", ending up on the "digital cutting room floor"...
09-23-2017, 03:49 AM   #63
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looking for comments and suggestions

if the decision was made today this is the gear that would be taken on the trip and the plan on how to use it.

Nikon coolpix p610 ( for the wife )

Cannon Powershot A1100 IS ( possible back up and carry around nice and small, used in Alaska for humpback whales )

K3 and K 5 II

lenses and other equipment:

HD Pentax DA 3.5-5.6 16 - 85 mm wr zoom to be mated to K 5 II and taken on the boat

smc Pentax dal 4-5.6 50-200mm wr ed zoom to be mated to K 3 and taken on boat

HD Pentax - DA af rear converter 1.4 AW to be taken on boat just in case

Pentax O-GPS1
______________________________

SMC Pentax-DA 40mm F2.8 XS f 27 ( in case I walk around with K 3 )

smc Pentax-D FA 2.8 100 mm macro prime

HD Pentax-D FA 4.5 - 5.6 150-450mm for possible long shots on beach of birds/wildlife

Manfrrotto 679B/NK11 Monopod not for use on the boat

any thoughts or comments???

______________________________________


has anyone used a dry bag to protect their equipment in a small boat?

looking for info to help decide whether to invest in one and if so, what type

Gear Guide On Dry Bags

thanks

Last edited by aslyfox; 09-24-2017 at 02:58 AM.
09-24-2017, 08:50 AM - 2 Likes   #64
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QuoteOriginally posted by Aslyfox Quote
looking for comments and suggestions
if the decision was made today this is the gear that would be taken on the trip and the plan on how to use it.

HD Pentax DA 3.5-5.6 16 - 85 mm wr zoom to be mated to K 5 II and taken on the boat
smc Pentax dal 4-5.6 50-200mm wr ed zoom to be mated to K 3 and taken on boat
HD Pentax - DA af rear converter 1.4 AW to be taken on boat just in case
Pentax O-GPS1

SMC Pentax-DA 40mm F2.8 XS f 27 ( in case I walk around with K 3 )
smc Pentax-D FA 2.8 100 mm macro prime
HD Pentax-D FA 4.5 - 5.6 150-450mm for possible long shots on beach of birds/wildlife
Manfrrotto 679B/NK11 Monopod not for use on the boat
any thoughts or comments???

has anyone used a dry bag to protect their equipment in a small boat?
looking for info to help decide whether to invest in one and if so, what type
Gear Guide On Dry Bags
thanks

I think the first grouping of gear would be good for use on a boat, and the second grouping of gear would be good for use on shore.

I have never used Lomo "dry bags". However, I have successfully used water-resistant "holster" cases (and occasionally I have also tried using various plastic and fabric devices to protect camera bodies and lenses:while actually shooting, but I have found such devices to be rather awkward).

I was fortunate that, on a typical 4-hour whale watch trip, my photo gear and binocs could be safely stowed away in the pilot house, and had to be taken out "into the elements" only when actually looking for and while watching whales. In addition, my photo gear and binocs were stored in weather-resistant cases (I liked using Tamrac "holster" cases - usually model 517 - with lenses already attached to the bodies, ready to shoot), and the cases were also then carried in a larger weather-resistant duffel bag, and I kept the cam/lens setups out of the weather (i.e., in their "holsters") as much as possible, especially if the conditions required it, but of course it was not always possible to keep them totally dry. And then, importantly, I didn't just put the bodies and lenses back in their holsters for the trip back to port, but dried them off as much as possible, and then left them exposed to the pilot house dry air (air conditioned in the summer, and heated in the spring and fall) for the ride back.

Note that, when I referred to "conditions" above, I was not just referring to rain, but also to snow (especially at the beginning of the whale watch season), and to fog (which, on a moving boat, is usually like a drizzle), and - most of all - to salt spray, which, even on sunny days, can be the most potent source of damage to photo gear (and, I would imagine, could be even more likely a problem on smaller boats) (I was used to working on 85-foot and 100-foot aluminum dedicated whale watch boats).

And, being close to whales can also be extra hazardous to photo gear, especially if they're being active (producing salt spray splashes), or if their breath from a spout drifts across the gear (whale spouts include a bit of salt water mixed in with the spray, along with atomized mucus droplets -- But I digress...).

And, speaking of being active, it's not always full body breaching that can be displayed -- whales(especially, but not only, humpbacks) can also perform other types of displays, such as tail breaching and lob tailing --

A humpback (identity unknown to me) tail breaching --


Another humpback tail breaching --


Humpback "Putter" tail breaching --


Humpback "Pitcher"tail breaching --


Humpback "Eden" lob tailing --


Humpback "Ember" lob tailing --


Humpback "Compass" lob tailing --


Humpback "Percussion" lob tailing --


Note that tail breaching and lob tailing are two distinctly different behaviors -- tail breaching involves "throwing" the tail up more-or-less vertically into the air and then letting it fall back into the water usually somewhat sidewards, while lob tailing involves lifting the tail up into the air vertically and then slapping it back down on the water vertically (sometimes repeatedly).


Last edited by fwcetus; 09-24-2017 at 09:12 AM.
10-04-2017, 03:02 AM   #65
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I decided to go to Cabela's and take a look at " dry bags " to protect against moisture and spray. I chose this one:

Cabela's Boundary Waters Duffel Bag : Cabela's

this one seals from the top with Velcro and then folds down multiple times before you secure it to make it water proof. It can be carried by handles, a strap or if you wanted to as a make shift back pack using the handles as the straps.

it has no dividers or protection but I can place my entire protective back pack into it with its own dividers and protection if I chose to and have room for more clothing, towels etc.

___________________________________________________

hints for those who might be purchasing clothing/equipment for outdoor activities -

1 consider getting a credit card from this company or a similar company which gives you " points " for your purchases. over the years, I have gotten multiple gear and clothing from Cabela's without spending a dime based on my use of their credit card.

2 for Cabela's, at least, check out their " Bargain Cave " first before purchasing. Due to the fact that this item's packaging was damaged when it was repacked after some one had " reviewed " it previously, I got 40 % off the list price for a totally undamaged item. - a penny saved might end up being spent on photography gear in the future
10-04-2017, 05:02 AM   #66
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QuoteOriginally posted by Aslyfox Quote
I decided to go to Cabela's and take a look at " dry bags " to protect against moisture and spray. I chose this one:

Cabela's Boundary Waters Duffel Bag : Cabela's

this one seals from the top with Velcro and then folds down multiple times before you secure it to make it water proof. It can be carried by handles, a strap or if you wanted to as a make shift back pack using the handles as the straps.

it has no dividers or protection but I can place my entire protective back pack into it with its own dividers and protection if I chose to and have room for more clothing, towels etc.

Well, that does seem as if it would protect. So, which size did you get (of the four sizes)? [Sometimes it seems that, for packing photo gear, it's a trade-off between "big enough" (to hold all the gear) and "too big" (to carry around).]

It seems as if you are going to end up with packaging similar to mine:
QuoteOriginally posted by fwcetus Quote
[...] my photo gear and binocs were stored in weather-resistant cases (I liked using Tamrac "holster" cases - usually model 517 - with lenses already attached to the bodies, ready to shoot), and the cases were also then carried in a larger weather-resistant duffel bag, and I kept the cam/lens setups out of the weather (i.e., in their "holsters") as much as possible [...]
10-04-2017, 10:56 AM   #67
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QuoteOriginally posted by fwcetus Quote
Well, that does seem as if it would protect. So, which size did you get (of the four sizes)? [Sometimes it seems that, for packing photo gear, it's a trade-off between "big enough" (to hold all the gear) and "too big" (to carry around).]

It seems as if you are going to end up with packaging similar to mine:
According to the packaging -

Cabela's Boundary Waters Series - " Regular Duffel Bag "

100 % waterproof construction

lengthwise roll-down top design closes easily

strong nylon web handles for extra reinforcement

end handles on bags makes loading and unloading a breeze

24 " L x 12 " W x 12 " High

Capacity: 3,456 cu. in.

wt. 2.8 lbs

10-04-2017, 09:10 PM - 2 Likes   #68
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A few shots from a tour I took from Boston with the 55-300 on my K-50. The WR was helpful when we got covered in whale spit direct from the blowhole.





I've also been to Loreto and kayaked around Isla Spiritu Santo off the gulf coast. Amazing landscapes, like the canyons of Utah drowned in the sea, and incredible sunsets (with my old Canon Powershot)

10-05-2017, 05:24 AM - 1 Like   #69
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QuoteOriginally posted by jlev Quote
A few shots from a tour I took from Boston with the 55-300 on my K-50. The WR was helpful when we got covered in whale spit direct from the blowhole.

The top pic looks like a couple of finbacks with what might be some Provincetown or Truro dunes in the background.

The middle pic looks like the ventral flukes of humpback "Evolution" -- here's an ID photo from a 2003 catalog (since I retired from being a whale watch naturalist in 2010, I don't usually have the latest catalog in hand) --


Last edited by fwcetus; 10-05-2017 at 05:34 AM.
10-05-2017, 05:40 AM   #70
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QuoteOriginally posted by jlev Quote
A few shots from a tour I took from Boston with the 55-300 on my K-50. The WR was helpful when we got covered in whale spit direct from the blowhole.





I've also been to Loreto and kayaked around Isla Spiritu Santo off the gulf coast. Amazing landscapes, like the canyons of Utah drowned in the sea, and incredible sunsets (with my old Canon Powershot)

I'm going to have to be alert about getting some photos similar to your sunset one down at Loreto

got any thoughts or comments on my current idea on photographic equipment:

looking for comments and suggestions

if the decision was made today this is the gear that would be taken on the trip and the plan on how to use it.

Nikon coolpix p610 ( for the wife )

Cannon Powershot A1100 IS ( possible back up and carry around nice and small, used in Alaska for humpback whales )

K3 and K 5 II

lenses and other equipment:

HD Pentax DA 3.5-5.6 16 - 85 mm wr zoom to be mated to K 5 II and taken on the boat

HD Pentax-D FA* 70-200mm F2.8 ED DC AW to be mated to K 3 and taken on boat

HD Pentax - DA af rear converter 1.4 AW to be taken on boat just in case

Pentax O-GPS1
______________________________

SMC Pentax-DA 40mm F2.8 XS f 27 ( in case I walk around with K 3 )

smc Pentax-D FA 2.8 100 mm macro prime

HD Pentax-D FA 4.5 - 5.6 150-450mm for possible long shots on beach of birds/wildlife

Manfrrotto 679B/NK11 Monopod not for use on the boat


Last edited by aslyfox; 10-05-2017 at 05:48 AM.
10-20-2017, 01:05 AM   #71
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Well, finally back after an amazing holiday. We went from Santa Cruz on a 60 foot Legacy and we paid to go on the upper deck which really paid off. It was a 3.5 hour cruise and for 3 hours we followed a couple of groups of whales and sea lions feeding, fabulous!

Regarding equipment I had my K-S2 with the 55-300 attached (it just about behaved) and I handed my mum my K-r with the 18-135. I also shot some short video clips with the iPhone.
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10-20-2017, 05:19 AM   #72
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QuoteOriginally posted by sassinak Quote
Well, finally back after an amazing holiday. We went from Santa Cruz on a 60 foot Legacy and we paid to go on the upper deck which really paid off. It was a 3.5 hour cruise and for 3 hours we followed a couple of groups of whales and sea lions feeding, fabulous!

Regarding equipment I had my K-S2 with the 55-300 attached (it just about behaved) and I handed my mum my K-r with the 18-135. I also shot some short video clips with the iPhone.

Hey, congratulations !!! Some good humpback pics there.

However, the most interesting part of the photos for ~me~ is the number of sea lions feeding along with them. Where I am (New England), we see seals, and sometimes a few of them feeding near feeding whales, but nothing like the number of sea lions (which are not found in the North Atlantic) that you saw. Wow !!!

However, what did you mean, referring to your 55-300, by "it just about behaved"?

Last edited by fwcetus; 10-20-2017 at 05:25 AM.
10-20-2017, 05:45 AM   #73
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QuoteOriginally posted by sassinak Quote
Well, finally back after an amazing holiday. We went from Santa Cruz on a 60 foot Legacy and we paid to go on the upper deck which really paid off. It was a 3.5 hour cruise and for 3 hours we followed a couple of groups of whales and sea lions feeding, fabulous!

Regarding equipment I had my K-S2 with the 55-300 attached (it just about behaved) and I handed my mum my K-r with the 18-135. I also shot some short video clips with the iPhone.
Great photos

Some times elevated views can be key I think your $ money was well spent

Any thoughts about actual distances between you and the animals
10-20-2017, 11:17 PM   #74
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Yes, it was really fascinating with the sea lions. They would dive with the humpbacks and then pop up just before them so you could use them to locate the whales resurfacing, so you would get spells where nothing was at the surface at all.

Distances were typically between 50 and 200ft but as you can see some did get a lot closer with a couple coming up right next to boat to have a look at us - one at the front and one at the back. I can officially say that whale breath stinks! ��

It wasn't my 55-300 that was the problem it was my K-S2. It's suffering from the dreaded aperture block problem so I was nursing it along for most of the hols - hence the K-r as backup!

One thing I forgot to mention in my previous post - both lenses had circular polarisers fitted.
10-21-2017, 06:32 AM   #75
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QuoteOriginally posted by sassinak Quote
Yes, it was really fascinating with the sea lions. They would dive with the humpbacks and then pop up just before them so you could use them to locate the whales resurfacing, so you would get spells where nothing was at the surface at all.
Here in New England (and, I assume this happens with this and other dolphin species elsewhere), Atlantic white-sided dolphins (which are a totally different species than the Pacific white-sided dolphins sometimes seen off the West Coast), can sometimes be seen feeding with whales (humpbacks, finbacks, etc.), and their behavior is much as you have described for the sea lions.

QuoteOriginally posted by sassinak Quote
Distances were typically between 50 and 200ft but as you can see some did get a lot closer with a couple coming up right next to boat to have a look at us - one at the front and one at the back. I can officially say that whale breath stinks!
Well, whale breath does not always "stink". Sometimes it can be rather benign, especially if the whles have not been feeding recently. However, sometimes it can be a bit "strong", and I've worked many a whale watch when I've told the passengers over the p.a. system that "your breath would stink, too, if you'd just been eating a few hundred pounds of fish". LOL.

Probably the one whale that I immediately associate the most with bad breath is a humpback named "Dome" (from the dome-like marking on the right fluke):


[That's Dome's flukes above, with a laughing gull flying towards the camera]

One year (2006 or 2007 perhaps) Dome arrived in "our" waters in the spring (having spent the winter in the Caribbean, as probably all Massachusetts humpbacks do) with what seemed like, as a minimum, a bad "head cold", or, more likely, we thought, a case of pneumonia. Dome's breath was absolutely the worst whale breath I have ever smelled, and, if the wind was right, could sometimes even be detected from a couple hundred yards away (a distance at which most whales' breath "aroma" would have dissipated). There also was a lot of mucus in Dom'e spout, and we were afraid that this might be the last year we would ever see Dome.

The most interesting aspect of Dome's breathing was the breathing sounds. Most whales make a hollow, "deep-throated", very-low-pitched and faint "oo" or "oh" sound (as I would poorly attempt to describe it) while inhaling, while their exhalations ("spouts") make a quick, louder "whoosh" sound (as I would describe it). Instead, Dome's inhalations that year made a definite "wheezing" sound, and - most dramatically - Dome's exhalations made a long and very loud "moaning" sound, onomatopoeically sounding very much a loud, long-drawn-out "dome" sound - "D_O_A_H_M". Even before seeing Dome's flukes, we could easily identify Dome that year simply by sound, from up to perhaps a quarter-mile or more away (if the wind was right).

The good news was that Dome spent the entire spring-summer-fall season with us, AND then appeared again, apparently healthy, for each of at least several following years, without the wheezing inhalations, the onomatopoeic "Doam" exhalations (at least most of the time), and without the worse-than-usual whale breath.



EDIT: I just checked what scanty records I now have access to (having retired in 2010), and I see that Dome had a calf in 2012, and was also seen in 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017 (but, please remember that I have little data to go on now, so that she herself may not have been absent during "missing years", but I may just have no data on hand for those years). Here are a couple of recent online log entries that mention Dome:

https://whalewatch.com/june-18-to-june-24/

http://www.neaq.org/blog/whale-watch-log-june-23/

Last edited by fwcetus; 10-21-2017 at 07:23 AM.
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