That looks/sounds like a cool (pun very much intended) trip. Hope you get some great shots.
Given up waiting on Nikon to deliver lens; booked a trip to faaaaaaar north today
- Thread starter ssheipel
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Yes, can't wait. As with virtually all my wildlife photography my first intent is simply to be in the back country or natural world, and I take my camera along. So chose this trip as it is first and foremost about experiencing the arctic; not a "photography tour' per se tho the leader says he has a lot of photogs, from pros on down join, tho many people don't bring cameras.
Thanks. Going to be interesting to be in the presence of bears that happily stalk and hunt people with our only recourse to run awayWow, really envious Steven, that 6 months will fly so I’d start your prep really early.
Photographing polar bears is one of my bucket list trips as I’ve never seen them in the wild.
I spoke to someone a couple of years ago that went on a similar trip who said it was quite an emotional experience seeing one in the wild for the first time & was an experience he’ll never forget.
If it were me I’d be watching Morten Hilmer videos everyday to get some idea of what the climate & conditions will be like as he shoots in some hostile places in temperatures you’ll be experiencing.
Would also like to see updates leading up to your trip as I’d imagine there’s a tonne of things you need to have & organise.
Have a fantastic trip, stay safe & I look forward to an update on this.
A friend flew helicopter out of Pond Inlet for years (often for polar bear researchers) and his only comment on this trip was, "I know the leader of the trip; don't think he's lost anyone to bears...." I'm a big fan of Morton Hilmer and it's his camping trips to winter Svalbard that ultimately motivated me to hold out for this sort of expedition rather than seeking polar bears from a large vehicle a few miles from a motel. I annoyingly used to send him DMs all but begging him to lead trips (can you imagine how that would ruin it for him LOL).And yes will start some updates soon as the planning is underway (in my head, at least, in the form of some anxiety mostly around battery charging, and leaving $20k lenses outside for 10 days LOL).
Thanks; can't wait. Just have to get through all the preparation
I have serious doubts about the 600 being in my hands in time for this trip; Dan has made a great point that I'll pull the trigger on if the trip date looms too close with no 600 arriving, which is go for the 800 pf instead, which is mostly on retail shelves generally now. And combine that with with my 180-400 tc instead of the 600. And given my back up cam is the D6 there would be some nice fmount DSLR native system combo love going on Cheers!ricardo00
Well-known member
Sounds like an amazing trip Steve! But definitely one that is beyond my capabilities these days. I am sure whatever gear you bring will get you some mind blowing pics.
Hope this is okay, but my roommate from Watchee Lodge a number of years ago (we watched polar bear moms and their cubs emerge from the den on that trip) did a similar trip to Banff a number of years ago. He wrote an article describing the experience for Canadian Nature Photography if you (or others) are interested:
Hope this is okay, but my roommate from Watchee Lodge a number of years ago (we watched polar bear moms and their cubs emerge from the den on that trip) did a similar trip to Banff a number of years ago. He wrote an article describing the experience for Canadian Nature Photography if you (or others) are interested:
Looks awesome! We’ll be there next summer! We will be on an expedition ship and using zodiacs.
jzexport
New member
I am hoping to get to Coutts Fjord next April, as well. Who is your tour guide? For telephoto I am planning on my 100-400 and 1.4 TC, certainly less reach than you think is necessary. Hmm. My biggest concern is keeping the batteries warm. Maybe keeping the batteries inside my parka and loading them as needed or a battery pack inside my parka connected by wire to the camera.
fulltimewanderer
Well-known member
Steven, If you decide to look for a 800 pf to rent. You might want to check with Bozeman Camera and Repair in Bozeman Montana they have one as a rental.
Either you're significantly younger than I am or you have a lot more chutzpah than me. Make sure to take some bear spay with you and come back with plenty of wonderful keepers. This will be the "safari" of a lifetime.
Thanks Jochen. I sure hope I get some real keeper shots! A friend is expecting nothing less than my getting a sharp photo of a large male Polar Bear swatting a Ptarmigan out of the air with the setting sun reflecting off a tower of ice....LOL
I'll be 65 when I'm there. Luckily I've never been much for looking for 'luxury' experiences, and I love winter so can't wait. Can't fly with bear spray (I do own it
), so I'll have to rely on the Inuit guides sitting on watch, armed with rifles, while I sleep, and on the 'let's move on' if the bears decide to get interested in the humans watching them!
Thanks for sharing.
That sounds great!
Going with Baffin Safari. Yah re batteries. When in clothing I'll definitely be keeping the batteries in inside pockets. Some people tape a chemical hand warmer to the camera on the battery for the battery in the camera while shooting. My thoughts are what about the batteries when I'm not in a parka; guess I'll take a padded bag of sorts and sleep with them at the bottom of my sleeping bag after they're charged and it's time to head to the unheated 'bedroom'
Thanks, but I live in Canada. Good reminder tho that I"ve gotta see if any of the usual suspects here are renting that lens here, should my 600 tc fail to show in time....
Going with Baffin Safari. Yah re batteries. When in clothing I'll definitely be keeping the batteries in inside pockets. Some people tape a chemical hand warmer to the camera on the battery for the battery in the camera while shooting. My thoughts are what about the batteries when I'm not in a parka; guess I'll take a padded bag of sorts and sleep with them at the bottom of my sleeping bag after they're charged and it's time to head to the unheated 'bedroom'
Oh, and as for lenses.... Need to have further conversations about what is best re reach. If I can 'get away' with my 180-400 tc that would be perfect, but.... again need to have the specific chat about just how close I can expect to be.
jzexport
New member
Steven, good to find another adventurous soul. I have been fortunate to have had many great experiences in my 72 years, but I think the Baffin Island trip will be extraordinary because of the cold, remoteness, wildness, and bears. I, too, am using Baffin Safari. The current plan is to travel with John and, hopefully, some Inuit friends of his, from the end of his Aurora Safari to Pond Inlet, going past Coutts Fjord on the way. If that holds, you should be at Pond Inlet when we get there. I am super excited for the photographic opportunities. The bears, of course, but landscapes and maybe northern lights, too. Regardless, the experience will be awesome.
Josh
Josh
The padded bag for batteries is a good idea for the sleeping bag. I used to wrap a 1 liter water bottle in an extra shirt and keep it in my bag at night on multiday winter backcountry ski trips in CA's Sierra Nevada, Mt Shasta, and the Cascades. That way I had liquid water to start the morning but sleeping with a cold lump wasn't so bad.Going with Baffin Safari. Yah re batteries. When in clothing I'll definitely be keeping the batteries in inside pockets. Some people tape a chemical hand warmer to the camera on the battery for the battery in the camera while shooting. My thoughts are what about the batteries when I'm not in a parka; guess I'll take a padded bag of sorts and sleep with them at the bottom of my sleeping bag after they're charged and it's time to head to the unheated 'bedroom'
I wish I'd been into photography then. I had a Nikon FG but never took it on winter trips. Lots of dramatic winter landscapes and avalanche action will have to remain as memories.
Envious of your trip! Have a great time.
It's a small world! The Aurora trip sounds very nice! Where we're going I'm told it's rare to see the N lights, but we might get lucky. As I've mentioned first priority is the experience of the far north with the grand bonus of photographing bears on the ice! I'm a lousy a landscape phototrapher but a friend who used to fly helicopter out of Pond tells me I'll want to make sure I bring my 14-24 for some spectacular mountains and ice tower photos. I'll see how little I can screw that up
I hear ya re 'wish I was into photography at the time.' Ditto for me -- have had some great encounters with wildlife when camping and canoeing including some very close enocunters with Grizzlie Bears in the Yukon, but of course no cameraThe padded bag for batteries is a good idea for the sleeping bag. I used to wrap a 1 liter water bottle in an extra shirt and keep it in my bag at night on multiday winter backcountry ski trips in CA's Sierra Nevada, Mt Shasta, and the Cascades. That way I had liquid water to start the morning but sleeping with a cold lump wasn't so bad.
I wish I'd been into photography then. I had a Nikon FG but never took it on winter trips. Lots of dramatic winter landscapes and avalanche action will have to remain as memories.
Envious of your trip! Have a great time.
We will be spoiled in that we'll have a heated tent to eat in for breakfast and dinner, but it's off to our unheated boxes for sleep, so I'm liking your idea too of the water bottle at the bottom of the bag -- I'm going to need a bigger sleeping bag LOL. Cheers!Eagleeye299
New member
Nikon shipped mine yesterday. Ordered it within minutes of it being available. Non NPS. I also heard my local store got one yesterday, I'm sure it's spoken for.
Woody Meristem
Well-known member
Back in the olden days when I was a young man I slept out in below zero (F) weather and always took a high energy snack (gorp) in the sleeping bag with me. Whenever I woke up I'd eat a handful, it does wonders for keeping you warm, the same with putting a bottle of hot water (or two) in the foot of the sleeping bag, it helps keep your feet warm -- and wear a hat to bed.
Yes re the hat, with a neck gaiter; or I've worn a loose balaclava. Can still expect to wake up with my drool frozen to the sleeping bag
Au contraire - the real torture will be your natural, all organic daily contributions to the local environment. And I thought Buffalo was cold!Suspect, sadly, I'll need to rent an f mount 600 or the z800, for a trip to Baffin Island in Nunavut to chase Polar Bears in April, I just booked. This opportunity came up and so I grabbed it; literally have not booked anything else, waiting for the lens. Ten days on the ice of Coutts Fiord to the west of the town of Pond Inlet. No hotels on this trip; luxury private accommodation of my own 8x4x4 box (mounted on a Qamutiq sled; my kidneys will be bounced into smithereens by the end LOL). Average temperature for mid April high of -14C; low of -25C. Of course that's air temp, the considerable wind will have travelled across ice for some distance
Those contributions will not be left behind; only benefit is I won't have to haul them in my pack LOLAu contraire - the real torture will be your natural, all organic daily contributions to the local environment. And I thought Buffalo was cold!