Category: Seascapes

The Bigger Island of Malta

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shows the type of coloured doors and balconies

Brightly coloured doors and balconies along with waterfront at Marsaxlokk

The Bigger Island of Malta

Thoughts before arrival

The bigger island of  Malta is only 80km south of Italy.  With it’s population of 475,000 people within an area of 246km², once again a lot of people within a small area when comparing to Western Australian standards.  This island is 27km long and 14.5km wide, once again not very big at all.  Public transport is not the best so I hear, the roads narrow, old and congested.  

This trip needs to be a Slow Travel trip (no promises but I’ll try!) and not expect to be able see everything as I’m sure that would just lead to lots of frustration on my part.

So, Malta has been inhabited since 5900BC so that 900 years earlier than Gozo.  A quick glance at the history of the island talks about inhabitants and rule by Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Byzantine, Aghlabids and Normans.  There are too many more to list here.  Perhaps by the end of the trip I’ll know more about these rulers and the battles won and lost.

Blue Grotto a popular swimming place on the coast

Thoughts after arrival

Over the course of our 2 weeks in Malta we’ve managed to see quite a bit of the main island of Malta.  Considering the large number of people on such a small island there is quite a lot more land not built on.  This is mainly put aside for farming.  Lots of vegetable farms and there is livestock somewhere.  They are kept indoors in summer so the only living things seen generally are stray cats, lizards and lots of pigeons and a few ducks.  On the coast at Dingli I saw a couple of sea birds, possibly terns.

I’ve enjoyed visiting the coastal bays and villages and the capital Valletta.  A few of the tourist areas are havens for UK residents on holidays or expats.  I guess it’s a bit like us and our relationship with Bali, close and warm climate.

About to board the plane to come home now so will cut this short.  May add to this post a little later if time permits as lots more to say.

If you missed my last post on the Little Island of Gozo click this link to take you there now.

Gzira waterfront, the old and the new building right next to each other

 

showing the size difference of boats using the Grand Harbour of the boats using the Grand Harbour

A large cruise ship and a small boat sharing the Grand Harbour

 

City of Birgu on Dockyard Creek

 

close up of the detail on the front of a Luzzu

Front of a traditional Luzzu fishing boat at Marsaxlokk

 

Traditional Luzzu fishing boats on their moorings at Marlsaxlokk Harbour

Little Island of Gozo

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A stunning landmark

Ta Pinu Basilica, Gharb
This modern church was completed in 1931 but retains a sections of the original 19th century chapel.

The Little Island of Gozo

Thoughts before arrival

Located in the Maltese archipelago and in the Mediterranean Sea, Gozo is a part of Malta. I’m writing this part of this blog before leaving on our trip and I’m thinking “gee, we have 4 nights on this small island, is that too long a visit?”.  By the way, the island is 14km long and 7.25km wide.  I’m used to travelling 14km just to get to work each day.  However the population is approx 33,000 people!!!! That’s the same population as the City of Bunbury (where we now reside) but in about 1/4 of the area.  This will be interesting.  I also know that the little island of Gozo is known to be more rural and less developed than the main island of Malta.  Click here for more info on Gozo.

One more thing that’s really intrigues me is the fact that Gozo has been inhabited since 5000BC, yes that’s right 5000 years before Christ.  I’m not a history buff and have no idea how they work these things out but that’s a lot of history.

shows where i went for sunset photos

Sunset at Wied il Mielah

Thoughts after arrival

So, the little island of Gozo is really quite big when you try and get around on foot.  But between walking, a private tour for my photography and a day on the City Sightseeing Hop On Hop Off Bus we have seen quite a bit of the island.  It’s been very hot, it is very hilly and rather noisy.   Church bells chime at least hourly day and night, I’ve noticed them at 10pm and also 3am.  I’m not sure if they go off between those times.  There’s lots of farming land on the island, veggie gardens, grape vines, fruit trees and bales of hay all over.  We haven’t seen any livestock though.  No cows, sheep, not even chickens. 

Colourful boat sheds

Locals enjoying the evening at the Inland Sea Dwejra

It’s our last day on the island and I have enjoyed it but time to move to another location.  What more can I say except stay tuned for my next post from Malta.

Shows the busy main street

Main street Victoria

shows the salt pans on the coast

Xwejni Salt Pans in Zebbug

show where the salt is stored

Limestone Caves become the salt storage sheds

Results Wagin Woolorama 2019

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Oh wow, where is this year going?? Half way through March already and this is only my first blog post for the year. Such neglect of my website.  I will have to try and rectify that over coming months. I’ve a few ideas for topics rolling around in my head but getting them out is another issue.  But for now I’d just like to talk about my results at the Wagin Woolorama Photography Competition last weekend and to give this Agricultural Show a plug as it is a really enjoyable day out.

Photo Comp

Firstly I’d like to thank the organisers of the Photography Competition that runs as part of Wagin Woolorama.  Glenys and her team do a great job every year putting together this competition. 

1st Place 'A Half of Anything' - Repeating Doorways 2019 Wagin Woolorama

1st Place ‘A Half of Anything’ – Repeating Doorways

 

This year, they introduced two new special categories, each with great prize money for the winner.  I was fortunate enough to take out the Portrait category with this image of the Namibian man starting a fire the tradition way, which most of you have possibly seen before.  If you’d like to see the winning landscape image by my friend Richard Hall please click here.

 

1st Place Portrait 2019 Wagin Woolorama

1st Place Portrait – Fire Starter

Here’s my other entries that did well this year.  

2nd Place Open Colour KT The Cockatoo 2019 Wagin Woolorama

2nd Place Open Colour – KT The Cockatoo

Highly Commended Mono - Moses Rock 2019 Wagin Woolorama

Highly Commended Mono – Moses Rock

Two Trees - Highly Commended Landscape 2019 Wagin Woolorama

Highly Commended Landscape – Two Trees

 

Evening Rodeo

After the day events have finished, like the shearing, sheep dog trials and judging of the animals, there’s the evening rodeo.  I love to watch the action and also the fashions.  The checked shirts, bright colours, fancy jeans and those hand made leather saddles.  Love it!

Wagin Woolorama Rodeo

The dust, setting sun and cowboy hats

Cowgirl Wagin Woolorama Rodeo

Bright coloured clothing

Wagin Woolorama Rodeo

Cowgirl clothing

Bronc riding at Wagin Woolorama Rodeo

Bronc riding

Los Barriles to Loreto

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Los Barriles to Loreto

We had a rest day in the resort at Los Barriles, it was great to sit back and recharge the batteries.  I tried my hand a SUP (Stand up paddle boarding).  I didn’t fall off which disappointed Andy but it’s a little boring by yourself.  They have a great little pizza/hamburger window by the pool.  The burgers were great and a welcome change.  I spied a workers cleaning up the palm fronds around the pool so that made for some interesting photos.  Other than a couple of quick snaps of the resort I didn’t take photos today.

Back on the Road.  A lovely cool start to the day as we head north on our return back to Los Angeles  Once again into the mountains, it then warmed up in the desert a little later.

The views coming down the mountain in Loreto were stunning as were the twisties or curves in the road. We arrived in Loreto just early enough for me to head to the marina, my aim was to capture the Magnificant Birds which have been flying around, unfortunately it was not to be.  I had to be content with the Brown Pelicans and the feeding behaviour.  Unlike our Australian Pelican who dip their bill in the water to catch fish, the Brown Pelican will dive for their meal.  Interesting to watch.

 

Palmas Hotel

Palm tree pruning at our hotel

Palmas Hotel

View to the Sea of Cortez and Loreto Golf Course

Winding mountain road

Brown Pelican

Los Barriles to Loreto

Brown Pelican Fishing

Jurien Bay

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I was fortunate enough to be up at Jurien Bay early morning on Sunday, the day after the big storm.  Missed the sunrise but only just.  The old jetty is a great subject for photos.  I happen to leave some gear in the car by accident so instead of going back to get it I thought no, how can I make this work without the ND grad filters which I wanted to use.  Lucky for me in my bag I had a 6 stop Neutral Density filter to give me the slow shutter speed of 2 and 4 seconds and also a circular polariser which reduced a bit of the bright sky for me.  A bit more of a touch up in Lightroom and all’s good.  The 3rd image is of the colourful change rooms which they have just set back off the beach.

Jurien Bay Beach Change Rooms

Jurien Bay Old Jetty 2

Early morning light on old jetty

The Story Behind the Image

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Bunbury back beach

The Story Behind the Image is not my usual type of post but I hope you enjoy reading it and maybe with some encouragement I’ll do another similar post sometime soon.  I was asked by the guys at Light if I’d be interested in blogging about one of my favourite images which would then be posted on  their Pinterest Vantage Point Project site. Please head on over and take a look.

Although not everyones favourite image this is one of mine, I’m not sure if it’s because of the colours or the light or just the fact that it’s different to the usual “Bunbury Back Beach” images which I see regularly.  I headed to the coast (approx 25 mins away) before sunrise on World Photo Day 2014 hoping for a colourful sunrise.  A cloudless, colourless morning broke in front of me.  Oh dear, I was hoping for a masterpiece this morning.  Using my Canon 5D mkiii and 24-105mm lens I set up in the area of the black basalt rocks and took a couple of snaps of the water flowing thru the rocks creating little waterfalls.  They were nice but I wanted more than nice.  A little disheartened I packed up my gear and started to head to my car.  I had not gone very far when the sun peaked it’s head over the hill by the beach and shone it’s light on these little waterfalls pictured.

Using an ND filter to slow my shutter speed to 8″ and with the following settings I created this image.  ISO 100, F11 and shooting in RAW as I always do.  In the original shot was the horizon and one of the usual ships that are sitting off the coast but I decided that I wanted the close up look only.

Let me quickly explain about Light.  They have created a small camera that combines 16 cameras into one and the it’s about the size of a smartphone. I’ll not try an explain the technical side of it, head on over to their site and watch their videos.  Sounds like an awesome travel/everyday camera to me.