The sunset in the west

Over the years while I was in the Azores I got to see some nice sunsets, both by boat and from land. The west of the island was definitely the best, particularly from the coastline of Mosteiros, looking out towards the setting sun with the islets of Mosteiros in the foreground.

The year of the orca in the Azores

In January 2013, a male orca arrived to São Miguel and he was later followed by a pod of several females and young that visited the island sporadically until the end of May. It turned out to be the best year on record to see orcas in the Azores, so we felt very lucky that they had chosen our island for whatever reason. I still find it fascinating that almost nothing is known about the orcas seen in the Azores. They have not yet been assigned to an existing orca ecotype, and we don't even know where they come from or go when they are not in close proximity to the Azores islands. When I have seen them here, I observed them feeding on loggerhead turtles (one orca even breached with a turtle in his mouth and released it mid-air so that the poor turtle went flying before being devoured). I have also seen them chasing dolphins and our famous male that first arrived in January was toying with a stingray. Hence this male orca is still known today as "Mr Ray".  

The male orca we call Mr Ray

Orca in the last light of the day

Azores rainbows

The Azores is a place that receives a lot of rainfall, especially during the winter months. The best part is the resulting rainbows which appear frequently. The weather and moods of the skies can change quickly here, so you always have to be ready with your camera to capture these beautiful passing moments. 

 

 

Scotland untamed - part 2

Continuing across the dynamic landscapes of Scotland, after exploring the Highlands we set off the the Isle of Skye. A visit to the famous Eilean Donan Castle wasn't to be missed, and we also stopped off at the breathtaking Mealt Falls plunging off Kilt Rock. The only negative was that the trip through Scotland was too short.

Scotland untamed - part 1

After a couple of days exploring Edinburgh I set out on a road trip across Scotland. The weather started of miserable with a lot of rain, although that is almost to be expected in Scotland in November. It made for some beautiful moody skies as we went through the highlands. Luckily it didn't take long to clear, showing off the scenery of wild Scotland in its full splendor. 

Hairy coo

Exploring Edinburgh

After living many years in Dunedin, which is dubbed the "Edinburgh of the South", I have always wanted to visit the true Edinburgh in Scotland. After a trip to England I finally had the chance. Edinburgh is a city full of history, and parts of it certainly reminded me of Dunedin on the other side of the world.

Enjoying a late summer in England

In 2012 I paid my first visit to the UK. I started off in Brighton where I attended a Whalefest. A few days later I was in sunny London. I've been told I was particularly lucky with the weather while I was there. It was October, so it seems that summer stayed in London long enough for me to enjoy it during my visit.

London Bridge

One of the many red double-decker buses in London

The Big Ben

The London eye

The majestic gates to Buckingham palace

Pigeon in the park

St James's Park