Grey skyline, november sky, I must be home!

Time to reajust to the city buzz, time for editing and reflexions!

And the Thabazimbi gecko reminds us that “birds are just reptiles with feathers!”

The digital Gecko in Thabazimbi

A selection of the ballon drop in the Namib Desert for the December 2008 issue of Flamingo (Air Namibia’s in-flight) and a sequence of Karel Koster in the Namibian sky.

Karel Koster high above the Namib Desert

The keys for a successful photo travel are solid contacts abroad, in the fields you are involved! People with connections and knowledge of the country! My friends, hosts and guides were more than helpful for planning the different stages of the adventure and providing supports.

The Academic:

Adam Welz (my base in Cape Town) is a writer, photographer and film maker, he spend three month each year researching and studying  African Fish Eagles in the western Cape region

Adam on the African Fish Eagle mission

The Pilot:

Paraglider pilot, climber and world traveler Walter Neser splits these passions with nature and action photography/video. He is also working on raptors research programs.

Walter on the reptiles trail

It is very easy to travel within South Africa, car rentals everywhere and cheap internal flights and e-booking!  The problem with these low-fares are the restrictions on chek-ins and sometime carry-ons as well. I had to fight hard to keep my photo-backpack with me on a flight from Jburg to CPT! This time it worked out but who knows what restrictions we’ll face on the next air travel!

The big flyers:

The Vultures were the motivation behind this project! I wanted to see these birds on their daily routines: shredding carcasses, feeding the youngs and mostly on the wing! Gliding through the skies on their endless quest for thermals.

Cape Griffon on the wing at the Kransberg colony

Unfortunately all Vulture species are in precarious situations; poisoning, loss of habitats and folk customs to name just a few. In South Africa and Namibia they are on the endangered species list!

The torch is lifting the envelop of the balloon

Before dawn, near Solitaire in the Namib desert, pilot Rob Lowson is directing silhouettes in the dark to  unroll the envelop of his hot air balloon. Putting up such craft is no small affair, first the canvas need to be  inflated with a powerful fan in order to blow the torch into the opening. The wind has picked up and keeps flattening the envelop dangerously close to the flame. Finally, the ballon stand upright, Rob and three paraglider pilots are  in the basket ready to take off!

Chris Lotter, first Namibian to drop from a hot air balloon

Chris Lotter over the Namib desert

Linda Willemse, Chris Lotter and Walter Neeser get a lift to 1000 meters and then drop in the desert sky with their canopies. I’m hanging under the basket in a comfortable harness for a smooth ride to catch the action.

I am getting ready to catch the action, photo by Pieter Steenkamp

Later in the day the pilots ride the evening thermals along the ridge at Spreetshoogte

Riding the magic wind, the evening thermals at Spreetshoogte

A martial eagle gliding along the ridge with Linda