By the time you read this I'll be deep in the Southern Ocean on a mission exploring the Sub-Antarctic Islands including the Auckland Islands, Campbell Island, The Snares and looping back through Stewart Island and Fiordland on the way home.
It's pretty much my dream trip and I want to make the most of it so have been seeking some advice from those in the know. Firstly, my mentor Kim Westerskov had some amazing advice and he should know – he spent most of his career in this part of the world. He told me to approach it as if I might not ever get down there again. That's quite a brilliant piece of advice – I tend to be an optimist and always think I'll return to my favourite places, but it doesn't always happen. I have 1000 shots in my mind from those places and I may never get to realise them.
Another photographer who has inpsired me is Richie Robinson. His underwater work is legendary. He's been on the exact same trip quite some years ago and these days is frequently in the Sub-Antarctic working on various projects. His words of wisdom for me were to be patient and ready to make the most of any situation that may arise. He also mentioned the sharks, but he had just come back from a few weeks swimming around Kangaroo Island in South Australia ...
Will Rayment is the lead of the Marine Science Department at the University of Otago and spends time in the Sub-Antarctic each winter studying the southern right whale (tohora) populations that breed there. He gave me the bad news – not much chance of seeing tohora in summer, but admitted it does happen. He then gave me a list of highlights to expect and prepare for from rafts of yellow-eyed penguins to beaches full of sea lions and flowering rata forests. He also gave me a few tips on some places where he has seen waves breaking along the shoreline around Enderby Island in the northern end of the Auckland Islands ... you can see my map below. I'm not sure if I will get to surf during this trip, but I will certainly be on the lookout for wave potential.
It's pretty exciting preparing for this journey. I have a heap of gear, Canon kits and Nikon kits, two water housings and some incredible new waterproof gear from our friends at The North Face. I even bought a new umbrella just in case we get the type of rain this part of the world has become renowned for. I feel prepared, adequately nervous and open minded. Hopefully next time you read Box of Light I will have something nice to show you.
See you in the subs ... Derek
PS Looking for that last minute Xmas gift? The Box of Light Gallery is open from 10am to 3pm each day at 8 Castle Street, or you could pick up some last minute jewellery here, or go for a gift subscription to NZ Surf Journal and stoke out a friend for the whole year. We got your back ...
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