Maldives - Last Light

An ocean bird enjoying the last few moments of the day as the sun begins set.

Maldives - Beautiful Sunset IV

I took these photos on the beach front of Holiday Inn Kandooma Resort as I was waiting for the boat for the airport. It was a beautiful place!

Maldives - Beautiful Sunset III

Photographs taken from the same spot as my previous post... just a different night (same beauty).

Maldives - Beautiful Sunset II

Around 6PM each evening, guests at the Holiday Inn Resort on Kandooma Island would gather on the roof deck to reflect on the day, drink cocktails, and watch the sky light up. For surfers, it was a time to rest/recover and talk about all the amazing waves they rode. For couples, it was a time to be together and enjoy the last few hours of the day. Regardless of who you were or what you were doing, the free show that Mother Nature put on each night was worth the daily resort fees.

Maldives - Beautiful Sunset I

I took these photos as I was walking to dinner (we had an incredible seafood feast this night)... and I decided to take the scenic route around the island as the sun had just started to go down. It's amazing how much the color of the sky changes over the course of an hour. Miss being able to watch this each evening!

Maldives - Like No Place On Earth

It's difficult to describe the Maldives to someone that has never been. I can't provide an analogy or say that it's "like somewhere else". The truth is that it is really like no place I've ever been. Imagine a country that consists of over 1,100 tiny islands (no bigger than a large parking lot) spread out over 35,000 square miles of ocean. The islands are grouped together by 26 atolls... and they have an average ground elevation of only 1.4 meters above sea level (which makes it the lowest country in the world). As you can imagine, the locals are a bit concerned about global warming.

Just arriving in the Maldives is a bit of an adventure (especially if you're coming from the US). If you include total transit time, it can take about 30-40 hours just to get there. Do not bring alcohol or pork into the country (as they are Muslim). The resorts have special licenses to serve liquor... but you can get into some trouble if caught in the airport (also recommend that women cover up if going to a "local island"). The airport is located on an island close to the capital city of Malé. Upon arrival, there are no taxis, limos, or buses to take you where you are going... you need to hitch a ride on one a boat or sea plane. The island I stayed on was about an hour speed boat ride from the airport.

Life in the Maldives depends on the ocean. It provides food, transportation, and supports the huge tourism industry (diving, fishing, snorkeling, surfing, etc). The water is the clearest that I've ever seen. When sitting in 20+ feet of water, you can see straight down to the bottom. Because it is so clear, your depth perception gets messed up (looks much shallower than it is)... and this creates some confusion when surfing.

Anyways, this was one of the most memorable holidays that I've been on. The resort was very nice (Holiday Inn Kandooma Resort). I was situated on a tiny island surrounded by coral reefs. The food was delicious (endless fresh seafood buffets!!), sunsets were breathtaking, and there was a barreling right hand reef break directly in front of my villa. I couldn't ask for much more! I would like to thank The Perfect Wave for making this a reality.

More photos to come later!

A Walk on the Beach at Low Tide

Low tide sunsets are always the best. These are a few photos I took after a late afternoon surf session at Rincon. I love all the different shades of color.

Last Bit of Light

Another shot from on top of the cliff at Rincon. This was taken just as the sun had dipped below the horizon. It was low tide... so there was a nice glow along the beach at ocean's edge. 

Warming Cool Tones

Looking north towards the Santa Barbara coastline. I had just exited the surf at Rincon and was perched on the edge of a cliff. I loved the glow and the different shades of color against the horizon.

The Golden People of the Golden State

I went for an evening surf session at Rincon (aka "The Queen of the Coast") and decided to put my new camera lens (Tamron 18-270mm) to work after I finished surfing. I love the different perspectives that you can get with the increased zoom. These photos definitely support California's nickname as "The Golden State"!

SB Winter Sunset

 Enjoying a "winter sunset" in Santa Barbara...

An Evening at Butterfly Beach - Chapter V (the end)

As I made my way back to the warmth of my car, I took one last glimpse at the ocean. The sun only showed itself for about 45 minutes this day... but it was a memorable 45 minutes. I hope you enjoyed the slide show! 

An Evening at Butterfly Beach - Chapter IV

The sun has retreated behind the clouds... but the sky and ocean continue to glow. I loved the silhouette of the palm trees in the background. At this point, I was getting quite cold and was looking forward to joining my surfboards in the warm car. 

An Evening at Butterfly Beach - Chapter III

This was my last glimpse of the sun that evening... it looked as if the sun was shooting rays of light into the ocean as the clouds forced its retreat. As quickly as the sun peaked out, it disappeared again. 

An Evening at Butterfly Beach - Chapter II

After I saw the sun peak out from behind the fog, I walked back up the beach. Everything started to turn gold as the sun neared the horizon. For this shot, I was trying to show the reflection in the water... and the cold ocean water surged forward as I approached it (my feet felt like ice blocks). However, I think the photograph was worth the temporary pain. 

An Evening at Butterfly Beach - Chapter I

I went for a late afternoon surf at Rincon several weeks ago. The waves were small, the water was cold, it was windy, and I was surrounded by fog... definitely not the best conditions. I only stayed out for about an hour (had just wanted to go for a paddle). As I was leaving the parking lot and getting onto the freeway to head north, I noticed a clearing in the fog... It seemed to be getting pushed out to sea. Since I had my camera with me, I decided to head to another beach and take some photos (hoping to see a sunset). I parked my car and started to walk down the beach. As I neared the end of the path, I noticed that the sun had peaked out from behind the clouds....

Sunsets Over SLC

Salt Lake City is one of the most polluted cities in the United States during the winter months. It's unfortunate, because there are some incredible views that get covered in haze. The reason for the pollution is not because of factories or cars... but rather a "Winter Inversion". Inversions occur during the winter months when normal atmospheric conditions (cool air above, warm air below) become inverted. Inversions trap a dense layer of cold air under a layer of warm air. The warm layer acts much like a lid, trapping pollutants in the cold air near the valley floor. The Wasatch Front valleys and their surrounding mountains act like a bowl, keeping this cold air in the valleys. The snow-covered valley floors reflect rather than absorb the heat from the sun, preventing the normal vertical mixing of warm and cold air. Fog exacerbates the problem, facilitating chemical reactions that create even more particles and higher pollutant concentrations. The longer the inversion lasts, the higher the levels of pollution trapped under it. The warm inversion air layer is usually displaced by a strong storm system which restores air quality to healthy levels.

One positive effect of the inversion is that it makes for some unique sunsets! The air almost glows... and it makes it seem like you're looking at an abstract painting. These are a few photos I took just as the sun had dipped below the mountains.

Ventana a las Olas

Reminiscing on villa I stayed at while in Nicaragua. Miss the view, sunsets, and food! (and the warm water)