Dogs,CATs and Penguins in Antarctica

Dogs,CATs and Penguins in Antarctica from Antarctic Horse on Vimeo.

Amanda Bay - Antarctica

Horse trying to do a self portrait at Amanda Bay

One of the great travesties in life that one tends to overlook the sharing of your interests and wishs with others. If people don't know what you want, they are unable to help you get what you want. Last year I expressed an interest to photograph the scientists working with the penguins. To be involved with the scientists is a bit tricky because all sorts of permits and official okays need to be in place before a non-scientist can get this close to the penguins. So when a good scientist friend gave the okay to come and photograph the Emperor penguins at Amanda Bay, I was elated. 

Amanda Bay is West of Davis Station, about 40 min flying time in a helicopter. It is home to thousands of Emperor penguins. So while the scientists weighted and put GPS trackers on the fledglings, I photographed. It was a great day, and a privilege I will never forget. I've also made a little video on the day as well.

Have not idea what the litlle fluff balls where doing up on the icebergs at the back

A Voyage to Antarctica by Horse

A Voyage to Antarctica by Horse from Antarctic Horse on Vimeo.

Southern Ocean Birds

Don't you just hate when all of a sudden you have a mind fart and you completely forget the password to gain access to your account. Well, my apologies to those who venture to this blog from time to time and have found that it has not been kept up to date.But here I am again with my password in hand and plenty to tell.

Below are a few of the Sea Birds that followed us south this summer season. The trip on the RSV Aurora Australis was relatively calm. The wild life especially the birds was great for us who photograph. I've included here some of my endeavours. I've found that I could use more practice shooting birds on the wing from a moving rolling and pitching boat. These are just a few of what a "Shot" and will include the others now I have a password. Hope to get my video of the trip up and online soon. Well, here's hoping anyway.



Antarctic Petrel




Black-browed Albatross




Giant Southern Petrel and Snow Petrel (Bloody Big Bird)



Giant Southern Petrel



Sooty Albatross

Royal Albatross

Royal Albatross





ABC Open - A Place to Share

I am now back in Hobart preparing for my next trip to Antarctica.

Prior to coming down to Hobart I had the good fortune to meet ABC Producer Brad Marsellos from the Wide Bay regional office in Bundaberg. Brad had come down to my home town camera club to promote the ABC Open program. 

This is an outstanding program for regional people, from all walks of life to share their story with the rest of the world. Brad then followed up his visit with another to help advise me on a small video I made for the ABC Open program. It was really great to gain this knowledge from Brad, because as a still photographer, video is not always in the forefront of your mind when taking pictures. I have found it is difficult to capture the spirituality of Antarctica in still photography alone, but coupled with video is gets you that one step closer to the appreciation of such a place.

So, Brad was very kind in his blog "A place Most of Us Will Never See" . The video is the one at the top of this blog with the penguin playing cricket.

Antarctic Weight Loss Program Week 5

This is to report to those who are interested about how my weight loss program is going. Now as you may remember from previous blogs, I had to lose weight or surrender my Antarctic passport to photographing the icy continent. When I first did my medical I was 101kg with a BMI of 34.5. I'm sure most of you are familiar with the BMI or Body Mass Index. It is merely a weight to height relationship. My BMI of 34.5 is considered obese. My healthy BMI or anyone  for that matter is supposed to be between 20 and 25. This means I need to get down to 75kg at least given I'm a short man who seems to be shrinking with age. I would not be at all surprised that in part my shrinking is in part due to excess weight for a long time compressing my spine.

So at the end of week 5 I'm down to 89.3kg. This is a 1.6kg loss for this week.

My BMI is down to 30.54 down from 31.09 last week.

This is a total weight loss of 11.7kg since my medical. But in actual fact 8.2kg since I started my serious weight loss program 5 weeks ago. I continue to really enjoy this weight loss thing and actually don't miss too many things like chips and beer. That's not to say I've totally excluded them, I can just say NO now and look for something  more healthy if its available. I choose to have a red wine rather than a beer. Still love beer, I just make a choice between the two.

Antarctic Penguins - The Real Happy Feet

I never get tied of watching these little guys. Probably the most curious of the Antarctic Penguins. For more details on these little fellas got to my other blog on the Adelie

There also many images of these birds at my Rock'in Horse Photography Artists Gallery.
 

Unlimited Power in Antarctica

I know what your thinking, this isn't about some renewable source of energy that their mucking around with in Antarctica, it's a book. Well it's a book by Anthony Robbins. That tall square jawed fella from America. Unlimited Power is a fitness book for the mind. It will show you step by step how to perform at your peak.

Passion, as Anthony would describe it, is what drives successful people, both in business and sports to a boilermaker with a weight issue, which energizes them to almost obsessive purpose to grow and to be more. It gives them the fuel that powers their success train and causes them to tap their potential. It's passion that causes Olympic athletes to train hard for gold, its passion that causes children at school to study hard to realise a dream, its passion that drives scientists to discover new medical procedures and medicines. For me, a boilermaker who doesn't exactly fit into the Olympic athlete group above, my passion is photographing Antarctica. So as you know in my recent past blogs I've got a weight issue that had almost derailed my next trip to the icy continent. My weight management program has allowed me to once again  follow that dream. In the process of that weight loss however, I've also discovered that my energy levels are bordering on being dangerous - outstanding!

Anyway, this is a great book to read if your into self improvement or looking for somewhere to start your change. Although this book has been around since the mid - late 80's, principals written about in this book are ageless.

Weight Loss Program for Antarctica - Week 4



Day 1 of Program

Day 1 of Program

Week 4

Week 4 of Program

So here we are at week 4 of my Antarctic weight loss program. I continue my 2 protein shakes a day with 1 colourful meal. I'm drinking heaps of water , and taking a number of vitamin suppliments to boost my energy levels. The vitamin suppliments are all natural herbs in a concentrated form. Certainly nothing like I've ever taken before. Goes to show if you buy cheap stuff from the chemist shop or the supermarket you are really not  getting bang for your buck compared to this stuff.I thought the shakes were going to be a problem and get a bit boring, but with these I can add apple, blueberries, really what ever fruits I like. I've got recipes even for savoury type shakes that include tomato juice and celery. Normally with shakes I got hungry 5 minutes after having the shake. But taken with the vitamin suppliments, man I am full and stay that way till my next meal time.Not something that an old boilmaker like me  would normally venture into, but again when someone is telling you your BMI is borderline, and your Antarctic adventures may be in jeopardy you tend to get motivated. Please excuse the pictures to the right here, but I'm not entering a body building competition. They are merely to show that I have lost weight. I've still got a way to go yet to get to my target weight of 75Kg. There are still signs of love handles and "man boobs" which I'm really looking forward to getting rid of. My next move is to start a exercise program that tone muscle especially the upper areas of the body. I'm not a gym person, so I'm going to have to devise something here at home. Below are my Week 4 Sats

 

As at 20Jun 2012

Weight:                       90.9 kg (down 2.1kg this week)

Total Body Fat Lost : 55 cm (after 4 weeks)

BMI :                          31.09 (down from 33.4 at the beginning of program)

 

You can check the stuff I'm on click here

 

Think and Grow Rich in Antarctica

Your probably thinking, "What the....." How does a book written back in the 1930's have anything to do with Antarctica. Well this book has been in my collection for some 20 years now and is worth reading over and over.  It has allowed me to belief in myself and to achieve my dreams. It has given me the tools that allows me to travel not only to Antarctica each year to photograph, but continue to have an outstanding relationship with my wife for over 30 years.  Of course the title may be a little off putting for some. I've found that if you apply the knowledge in this book, then money is just a spin off. If making too much money is a problem, give it away to those who really need it. Set up a trust fund or a foundation.The most important message in this book is developing a sense of belief in oneself. It gives you the tools to be able to achieve your dreams whatever they may be. Not everyone wants to travel to Antarctica every year, but everyone dreams of doing something amazing in their life.The techniques to do this, like auto self suggestion, may be new to some and at first will be weird. Autosuggestion is the agency of control through which and individual may voluntarily feed his subconscious mind on thoughts of a creative nature or by neglect,permit thoughts of destructive nature find their way into the mind. Nature has built man with the ability to have absolute control over what material enters the subconscious mind through his five senses. This should not be construed as a statement that man always does exercise this control.In fact in most cases man does not take control, and this is why so many go through life in poverty, both in mind and wallet. In a world where peoples dreams are shattered on a daily basis, making your dreams come true through your own hard work  is most satisfying. In my opinion, this is book is a literary toolbox worth having. What can you find in the book:

• Great dreams turn into great riches
• Desire performs the impossible
• Twenty eight very personal but revealing questions
• The magic of 'Money Consciousness'
• You can use more brains than your own
• There's no such thing as bad luck
• Fear is only a state of mind

ISBN 0-87980-163-8

If you want to explore a project that has the protential of making money then go to my obligation free website No Limits Living

Preparing the Mind

I've always loved reading biographies about people who have overcome lifes little challenges. What makes them so special, unique and how did they get to where they are. My sister has been a source of good reads over the years with this one about Nick Vujicic, an Aussie born without arms or legs being no exception. This Nick has done more things without arms and legs than most of us with all the body  parts. Surfing,scuba diving and travelling the world as an inspirational speaker are just a few of his accomplishments in his youthful age of 28. What makes Nick different from any other highly success individual , nothing. What does he have in common with other highly successful individuals - he does not give up. His persistance to find a way to adapt to a world geared towards people with limbs is inspirational. Check out his website Life without Limbs . A great read and makes you realise that what ever it is that you think is a burden - isn't. Read about Nick's 4 Attitudes.

1. Attitude of Gratitude

2. Attitude of Action

3. Attitude of Empathy

4. Attitude of Forgiveness

I'm not at all religious, I don't believe in a god, but I guess we all have faith in something and if that thing inspires you to do great positive things and gives you the belief you need in yourself then that can't be all bad.

If you want to explore a project that has the protential of making money then go to my obligation free website No Limits Living

Antarctic Weight Loss Program - Week 3

So for those of you who follow this blog you will know that I had to do something about my weight and energy levels if I was to return to Antarctica anytime in the future. I have never been a fan of diets because I really didn't have a reason to lose weight and I just love food and beer. Being overweight to the point of being obese just seemed to creep up on me. When I did start to really think about it, was when something that I really loved doing was about to be yanked away from me because of my weight. So here are my end of week three stats.

Body Wt: 93.0 kg down from 95.5kg last week

Total Body Fat Lost: 75.5 cm after 3 weeks

Total Weight Lost: 4.5 kg after 3 weeks

BMI now: 31.8 down from 32.28 last week

I have found that by losing a small amount ie 1 - 2 kg per week a lot easier to accomplish than I first thought. I have also found that I am getting into a routine now following my program and exercise continues to be enjoyable rather than a task. By having a small positive result each week it makes sense to pursue this to my target of 75kg in the next 18 weeks. My exercise might have to be ramped up, but I have no doubt that my increased energy levels will allow this to happen.

 

Antarctic Eating Atitude Adjustment Program

Well, I've made it to my second week of my eating attitude adjustment program. You will note that I still have this long winded title for the program because I just don't like the word "diet." That may well be my next little project. Anyway you didn't stop here to read my mutterings. So here are the vital statistics for the end of week 2.

Total Body Fat Loss 56.6 cm (this is for the 2 wks)
Total Wt lost               3.1kg
BMI                           32.28     down from 33.34

The trouble I have now is that in the past, I could rely on just the elastic in my shorts to hold them up in an acceptable fashion. Now I have to use the draw string  as well as nobody wants to look at a 50+ male walking around with his ankle warming shorts on. In the past I have never liked exercise outside of normal work activities. I mean I could always justify my sloth like behaviour by the fact I was in a physical type work.Hmm, not really. There may be a few parts that get a workout as a boilermaker, but really. I continue to have the energy to actually enjoy exercise and am adding to the excerise menu of new things to try. Before this attitude adjustment, I was flat out doing 1 crunch. Now that some of my stomach has left the building, crunchs aren't a problem. All I have to do is temper my enthusiasm for doing them so I don't go walking around like I've had my left knee sown to my stomach.

My weight loss program is at No Limits Living

Journey Back to Antarctica - A Weight Loss Story

So as promised in my previous blogs, I would keep you up to date with my eating attitude adjustment program. It has been I week today since I started this journey. The journey is not only to get me into condition for Antarctica, but for my retirement which I’m planning to spend a lot of time in. So here are my stats for the week

Starting BMI                                       33.34

This weeks BMI                                 32.69

Starting Wt kg                                    97.5

This week Wt Kg                               95.6   

Wt loss for week1                             1.9kg or 4.18lb

Total Body Fat loss in cm Wk 1       15.5cm or 6.1”

Probably the most important aspect of this program is the amount of energy that I have gained. This in turn has allowed me to want to exercise and enjoy doing it.I go for a power walk for only 20mins with my wife and two dogs in the morning.After that a spend only 10mins on a cross trainer back home.Steady she goes. My plan is to be consistant and persistant with this program.Look, I don’t plan on being an Olympic athlete or body builder, but I do want to get to Antarctica each year which requires me to be in some form of acceptable shape. Last summer in Antarctica I really missed out on going on hiking trips because I just didn’t have the energy to get my sloth butt out and about. I have a real purpose for losing weight, and it’s nothing to do with being fat. It’s about missing out on photographing Antarctica. What are you missing out on?

My weight loss program is at No Limits Living Website

Watch the video of the company that is backing my program

My Weight Loss Program for Antarctica

One obese Horse 24May2012

This is the start of my weight loss journey back to Antarctica. So I thought I would share this with you as I go. I'm a lazy sloth who doesn't care much for exercise, and I love beer and chips. I am in my early fifties and obese.

Just before you go, holy hell, I'm not reading all this to discover a weight loss program, I need to give you a bit of a background into my weight loss program, and the reason behind it. If you don't have a bloody good reason to lose weight in the first place, a driving force, it ain't gonna happen.I don't believe that just losing weight because your fat is a good enough excuse because people seem to except that heaps of others are fat also, so why not me. You need a "what am I missing out on or what am I about to lose," if I don't do something about it reason. I love Antarctica,its working environment and the people that live and work there. Its a special place that only first hand experience can offer one the senses it creates. Not being able to go due to being overweight after being there a number of times already, was not going to happen. So I need to do something about my weight. 

Before one can even go to Antarctica with the Australian Antarctic Division, you have to jump through a number of medical and phycological hoops along with the usual interviews. The interviews are a combination of team building sessions to ascertain your willingness to participate in teams and problem solving. They also assess you in a social atmosphere.This is conducted over two days with you sharing a room with a complete stranger overnight.The phycological tests are conducted by the Armed forces (army) and is in 3 parts. You know the ones. You colour in little rectangular boxs that apply to the answers to the questions they ask. Really a no brainer. The third test is more of an interview with an Army Captain to ascertain if you are as nuts as your colouring in indicates.The medical only comes as a result of you passing all the afore mentioned hoop jumping contests.

Not in Good Shape Horse

The medical is very comprehensive with them testing you for next to every disease known to man. After they've nearly sucked every drop of blood out of you, you have a chest xray and then its off to the doctor for a closer examination.With the doctor you anwser a stack of medical history questions which is good because half of them I had to ask my mother or father about the family medical history in the first place.At the doctors you get weighted, height check, and all your body measurements taken. You know, chest waist and hips. The weight and height measurements form the formula to ascertain your Body Mass Index(BMI) which is your height divided by your height in metres x your height in metres. Now for someone like me who is short and stocky this a problem. The cut of point for the BMI as I understand it is 35. When I went to do my medical it was 34.5. The doctor fidgeted in his chair when he calculated this.Hmm, close. A healthy BMI  falls in the 20 - 25 range. For me at 1.71m height, I need to get down to 60 - 75 kg. I was at the time of the medical 101kg or 222 lbs. I have been as high as 115kg or 235lbs.

So, I hate diets. It implies you have to give up all the good stuff like beer and chips. I like to call it my Health and Wellness Attitude Adjustment Program. I know, I know, its a bit of a mouth full. I hate exercise because I lack the energy to get my sorry butt up and about. My first requirement is to get my energy levels up. I have discovered that most of what I eat is not too bad. I just drink too much beer with my salads and veges. However after a bit of research I have discovered that much of what we eat lacks the vitamins and minerals that we need. It would appear that the land which we grow our natural food stuffs is lacking. My intial reaction to this was, hell now I've got to pop a thousand pills each day. Well its not a thousand as I've discovered. But if I was to get that 21 year olds energy back and get my butt of the seat I was determined to give it a shot.

I still have a beer, just not every night, 1 or 2 maybe a week. I want to insure my journey is a success so if others are inspired by it they may choose to do something similar.My goal is to reach my upper BMI of 25 in six months. This means a lose of 25kgs or 55lb. Breaking this down further 1 kg per week. For me this sounds a bit easier to chew than 25kg. Anyway, if you've read this far come back next week and I'll give an update on how I'm going. If your really interested in the program I'm using go to No Limits Living.I'm currently down to 97.5 kg or 214.5lb from the medical 101kg 3 weeks ago.

Antarctic Images can now be purchased online at my new online store. Some of these images have appeared in my blogs here, some new. Have a look. They make for great gifts. They come in Arylic, Canvas Mount, Framed, Print, and Greeting Cards.

Online Store

Antarctic Wildlife - Antarctic Fur Seal

Scientific name: Arctocephalus gazella

Physical description and related species

Antarctic Fur Seal at Davis Station February 2012
Photograph by David (Horse) Barringhaus

Fur seals are the smallest seals and closely related to dogs and sea lions, able to walk on all fours. The common name of fur seal includes several species: Antarctic fur seals, subantarctic fur seals and New Zealand fur seals.

They have teeth, whiskers and thick fur, similar to the coat of a dog. They don’t have layers of fat like other seals but rely on their thick fur coat to keep them warm.

Adult males can weigh up to 200 kg, adult females weigh about 40 kg, and pups weigh between 3–7 kg at birth. Occasionally these seals are pale blonde.

Distribution and abundance

At Macquarie Island three species of fur seal occur: Antarctic fur seals (Arctocephalus gazella) and subantarctic fur seals (Arctocephalus tropicalis) which both breed there and New Zealand fur seals (Arctocephalus fosteri), which occur in large numbers but do not breed.

 At Heard Island the population is increasing. In 1992 there were about 250 pups born at Heard Island, and by March an influx of adult males and juveniles increased the numbers to over 21 000 fur seals. See also Weddell Seals , Elephant Seal and Leopard Seal  Blogs

For images that are for sale in print,canvas, framed print and acrylic  go to my online store


Antarctic Fur Seal at Davis Station February 2012
Photograph by David (Horse) Barringhaus

Antarctic Fur Seal at Davis Station February 2012
Photograph by David (Horse) Barringhaus

Aurora Australis

Typically the aurora appears either as a diffuse glow or as "curtains" that approximately extend in the east-west direction. At some times, they form "quiet arcs"; at others ("active aurora"), they evolve and change constantly. Each curtain consists of many parallel rays, each lined up with the local direction of the magnetic field lines, suggesting that auroras are shaped by Earth's magnetic field. Indeed, satellites show electrons to be guided by magnetic field lines, spiraling around them while moving towards Earth.The similarity to curtains is often enhanced by folds called "striations". When the field line guiding a bright auroral patch leads to a point directly above the observer, the aurora may appear as a "corona" of diverging rays, an effect of perspective.

The Earth is constantly immersed in the solar wind, a rarefied flow of hot plasma (gas of free electrons and positive ions) emitted by the Sun in all directions, a result of the two-million-degree heat of the Sun's outermost layer, the corona. The solar wind usually reaches Earth with a velocity around 400 km/s,

If your wondering what the brilliant green line is in some of the images, it belongs to a Lidar Lazer which is used to collect weather data at 60km altitude.

The images included here were taken using:

Canon 5D Mk11

Lens: Sigma 24-70mm

Focal Length: 24mm

Manual Focus

Exposure Bias: 0

F stop: f2.8

Shutter Speed: 25 - 30 sec

ISO: 320 - 800

White Balance: AWB

Manfrotto 475B Tripod with 3 way pan head.