Photo sabbatical

People interested in photography might relate to some of what follows. Others may not.

For many years, the dominant camera type was 35mm film. Then along came digital, which was much cheaper to shoot with, but had less definition than film. Digital cameras have improved, with Single Lens Reflex ones (DSLRs) having, until recently, mostly 24mm chips to catch light the way film does. The Nikon version of these are called DX cameras.

Many lenses from the old film cameras work fine with these cameras, though they are heavier than they need to be. So a generation of smaller, lighter, DX lenses were marketed.

A few years ago Nikon, Canon and some other camera companies started producing DSLRs with bigger 35mm chips, like the old film cameras. Nikon calls these FX, or full-frame. These use the old film camera lenses to advantage.

I have had a Nikon D300 camera for the last few years. Its a DX camera with the smaller chip.

I have always thought that there would be more FX cameras produced, and have been deliberately buying up old FX style lenses off eBay while not many people have wanted them. I have been waiting for a new FX Nikon to come out.

In February the Nikon D800 was announced. Better than everyone had hoped for. It is full-frame with a 35mm chip, and 36 megapixels. Finally there is a digital camera as good as a 35mm film camera. How many digital pixels correlates to quality film is an old debate, but this camera has plenty.

I smacked my order in to B&H in New York within hours of the news. Then three months of waiting.... A fright at the end, when the tracking website announced it had been delivered to our home, and there was no sign of it. It eventually surfaced at the Post Office just as our next cruise on Nimrod was due. 

I have come on alone a week before George, and am immersing myself in manuals, and tutorial videos about the camera, Lightroom 4, and Final Cut Pro X software, while sailing Nimrod slowly up through Moreton Bay.

Lots to learn.

Here are some images arising from Lightroom homework.

This photo of a Melbourne tram was taken with an iPhone. Notice the two-tone blurred lights, which are because I was using HDR, which involves a double exposure, the first over-exposed and the second under-exposed.

Best of All lookout, Springbrook

Bayview Harbour

Pelicans discussing architecture

Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron at Canaipa.

Lithium batteries

I recently went through the exercise of researching and deciding to change Nimrod's batteries from Lead-acid AGM to Lithium.

I have made a web-page to describe the project, which you can see here.

https://nimrodcat.blogspot.com/2012/05/changing-from-lead-acid-agm-to-lithium.html

The editor of Cruising Helmsman has expressed an interest in publishing it.

The Lithium batteries have replaced the AGM batteries with the following gains.

1. Weight reduction from 192kg to 64kg.
2. Usable capacity increase from 120ah to 280ah.
3. Space saving by nearly half.
   
4. Life expectancy increased by about three times.
5. Money saving of $500 to $1,200.

So far sea-trials are favourable.

Tawny Frogmouth

This is not an owl. He looks like one, but he is so well camouflaged that he sits still, thinking we can't see him.

Which makes it relatively easy to get pretty close.

Riding a southerly front

The big challenge with cruising before retirement is to juggle the pressures of meteorology, and the pressures of social and work lives.

It is about 300 nautical miles from Port Stephens to the Gold Coast, and we usually average about 6 knots.

When the GRIB files showed a southerly front coming, the temptation was to jump aboard and ride it north.

Each big feather represents 10 knots, so this was a 25 knot tail-wind, with 3 metre seas. Exciting, bumpy, and fast!

 Arriving at Coffs Harbour

We then went to see our old friends Rog and Wendy and had a nice meal with them.

Next day we decided to take a rest day, and rented a car to explore the Bellingen and Dorrigo areas.

The Promised Land

On the Tuesday morning we checked the forecast (horrible, but still southerly), and went for a walk up on the headland to decide whether to brave another 24 hour run in big seas.

Lets do it!

Another fast sail, arriving at the Gold Coast Seaway just as dawn broke on Wednesday morning. Tired and happy. Average speed over 24 hours, 8.5 knots.

Port Stephens

We spent a few lovely days in Port Stephens, between Forster and Newcastle on the NSW coast.

We caught up with George's parents, and had a small cruise with them on osteoporosis-friendly waters.

 John

Joan

We had some spanking sunny sails, and some peaceful anchorages in Fame Cove, and near Tea Gardens.

Dolphins underwater

I've been having a bit of fun with my late GoPro camera, attached (not quite tightly enough) to a boat-hook, filming dolphins as they play around the bow. Have a look as some of these still frame grabs.

The GoPro is still filming Davy Jones locker as I write. :(

Passage making

As I mentioned, we have been held up by southerlies, living a very relaxing life in Yamba. Now the weather window has opened up, and the other side of the cruising life appears. Passage-making.

The major current down the east coast is the EAC (East Australian Current). It changes, but satellite image of water temperature shows where it is (the orange bit), and how far out we must go to ride it.

Its always exciting preparing for a passage. Trying to work out the weather, tides, bars, and risks.

Yamba river the night before.

This shot of the chart-plotter shows us in the middle, with wind and current vectors, and four huge vessels bearing down on us. We have to dodge out of their way.

A Japanese container ship.

 

 

A Noddy tern hitching a ride.