elements

Uncategorized

Our first snow experience

Internationally people don't really associate South Africa with snow and is often surprised when they hear that some areas do get snow in winter.  Large sections of the Drakensberg as well as parts of the Western Cape, Eastern Cape and eastern Free State often get snow with the bigger cold fronts that hit the country during winter.  When a particular severe one hits most of the southern mountains in the country are covered in snow as was the case on the weekend of 16 July.  My family…

5 Comments
09/08/2012
Uncategorized

Fire bird

During the recent fires around Port Elizabeth I headed over to Fairview to get some fire shots. I came across this very interesting sight. This black headed heron (one of three I could see) was patrolling all along the fire line. There were literally hundreds of grasshoppers and other insects fleeing from the fire and quite clearly the gang of herons caught on to this and became opportunistic hunters. They didn't have to search for the food, the food came…

3 Comments
03/03/2010
Uncategorized

Old Fire hydrant

A picture I took recently when the fires were burning all around Port Elizabeth. I was on a dirt road in Fairview and found this old fire hydrant marker in the grass next to the road with the fire in the background. Thought is was a bit of an ironic sight.

11 Comments
26/02/2010
Uncategorized

Water droplets

Aaaaaaa..... There is no place like home. We got back from two weeks of camping yesterday and although its nice being on holiday, its nicer to get cleaned up properly and to sleep on your own bed and not an inflatable mattress. My back is shot. Now to sort through all the pictures I took to see what can be posted and what can go straight into my stock. Holiday pictures will start tomorrow. In the mean time here are…

7 Comments
03/01/2010
Uncategorized

Rain in the Karoo

The Karoo can be a dry and lonely if it hasn't rained for a while. Farmers are very dependent on water and most farms have boreholes and windpumps to get the water for their farms to be able to function. But when it does rain, the Karoo and its inhabitents rejoice. Specially if a thunderstorm approaches after a hot day and cools everything off. One of the things the people of the Karoo loves most is seeing water in puddles…

5 Comments
29/11/2009
Uncategorized

Grass fire

On my way home on Friday I noticed the fire department's grass fire unit go by towards some smoke in the distance. I took a shortcut and actually got there before the truck, just to find a grass fire next to the surburb of Overbaakens. There were three crew members in the truck and they got the hose out very quickly and started working on stopping the fire from getting to the houses. I took this pic litterally moments before…

9 Comments
23/11/2009
Uncategorized

Fire

I've posted so many nature picture lately that I thought I'll post something totally different today. I nearly used the word "anti-nature", but although fire is natures biggest enemy in most case, it could also be its friend. One case that comes to mind is 'Fynbos' (also known as the Cape Floral Kingdom). Fynbos consist of about 8500 different plant species but covers the smallest area of the all world's biomes. The seeds of a lot of fynbos species drop…

8 Comments
17/10/2009
Uncategorized

Wind and sand

I have done a couple of posts on the Sundays River and the Colchester dune fields before on the Port Elizabeth Daily Photo. During my last visit there the wind was howling and the sand was blowing all over the show. Now we all know sand and cameras aren't the bestest of friends, but I braved the wind and sand to try and get a couple of photos of the sand blowing off the dunes.

7 Comments
14/10/2009
Uncategorized

Cloudy streaks

Driving home the other afternoon I couldn't but help to stare at the sky in awe. There was the most amazing cloud streaks painted on a brilliant blue sky. As soon as I got home I grabbed my camera and ran out on the street to get a couple of shots. I couldn't really choose only one for here, so I posted the best three. For more great Skywatch pictures from all over the world, visit here.

21 Comments
08/10/2009