Tag Archives: 2nd Beach at Port St Johns (Transkei – South Africa)

Cremorne Sunrise

December 28, 2015 Andrew Harvard 4 Comments

“Be a lamp to those who have lost their way. Be a doctor and nurse to ailing patients. Be a boat and bridge to those who want to reach the other shore of peace and happiness. Remove sorrow by means of kind and loving words. Make a man smile when he is in despair. Cheer him up when he is afflicted” ~ Sri Swami Sivananda

This one was taken on the same morning that my LDV would not start and I could not get up to the top of the mountain. I ended up on the banks of the mighty Umzimvubu at Port St Johns River Lodge. Cremorne Holiday Resort is seen in the background, Spottedgrunterresort Port St Johns is to my left and Outspan Inn a few clicks down the river to my right.

Canon South Africa 6D, Canon EF 17–40mm lens, F9, 2.5 sec, ISO 50

Port St Johns Tourism Rotary Club of Port St Johns Community of Port St Johns, Wild Coast Cremorne Estate, Port St Johns Amapondo backpackers Port St Johns 5 Star Durban Celebrate Durban!

Photography, Travel

South Bank PSJ (Port St John’s)

November 19, 2015 Andrew Harvard 3 Comments

“Great kings and emperors are reduced to dust. Scientists and philosophers disappear. Athletes and sportsmen come and go. Memory and intelligence fade away. Youth and beauty, fame and possessions, power and pelf disappear. Mountains crumble. O man, this world is illusory. Seek God and enjoy eternal bliss” ~ Sri Swami Sivananda

Port St Johns river mouth – Umzimvubu River

Baby Canon South Africa 550D, Sigma South Africa 10-20mm, F10, 1/100 sec, ISO 100

5 Star Durban Spottedgrunterresort Port St Johns Rotary Club of Port St Johns Community of Port St Johns, Wild Coast Amapondo backpackers Port St Johns Cremorne Estate, Port St Johns Port St John Port Saint John’S, Eastern Cape, South Africa Amapondo Backpackers Amapondo IBackpackers Outspan Inn

Photography, Travel

Prince Ankh

November 1, 2015 Andrew Harvard Leave a comment

Give a photographer a cold Hansa after a long day’s work, tell him you don’t have any photos of yourself and… he uses his Samsung South Africa Galaxy Note 4 to take a photo of you

Prince Ankh at Amapondo backpackers

Photography, Travel

Mzimvubu Mouth

October 28, 2015 Andrew Harvard Leave a comment

“If you can love “the grind”, the end result is pretty much a foregone conclusion. Most people get it backwards. They only love the end result and hate “the grind” and the end result of that is also pretty much a foregone conclusion. Some of the greatest questions to ask: How can you enjoy the process? How can you make it fun? How can you look forward to doing it?” ~ Brian Kim

…And that’s why my camera comes with me on long work trips 😉

Last night I had the pleasure of meeting John Costello of Outspan Inn. He invited me for a sunrise shoot at the Port St Johns river mouth this morning. I of course had to plan my shoot very carefully at Amapondo Backpackers 😉 with a tasty chicken burger & chips plus a cold Hansa. PS: I warned John that I like orange photos 🙂

Canon South Africa “baby” 550D, Sigma South Africa 10-20mm, F10, 0.8 sec, ISO 100

Amapondo IBackpackers Outspan Inn 5 Star Durban Amapondo backpackers Port St Johns

Photography, Travel

Gap Rise

October 8, 2015 Andrew Harvard 2 Comments

“In truth, to attain to interior peace, one must be willing to pass through the contrary to peace. Such is the teaching of the Sages.” – Swami Brahmanada

It was “just another sunrise at 2nd Beach Port St Johns“. A few late night party chaps stopped for a while in their car to shoot selfies, two crayfish salesmen walked past, the receding tide crashed medium waves into the rocks where I was and at The Gap; otherwise the beach was empty and still. Nearby, across the road behind me, Amapondo Backpackers / Amapondo IBackpackers was still asleep.

Canon South Africa 6D, 17-40mm, F11, 2.5, ISO 320

— at Port St John

Photography, Travel

Magical Umzimvubu

July 24, 2015 Andrew Harvard 4 Comments

Sometimes, not too often, I really battle to process a photo. The one below has been through about four attempts and I cannot get a look to it that satisfies me. But I refuse to toss it. What I am happy with is that I took it before sunrise at Port St John’s River Lodge after my LDV would not start: better than not shooting at all. It shows Cremorne Estate, Port St Johnsacross the Umzimvubu River. The area has a magical feel especially when you are on the mountain high above the river. There was light cloud, mist, hot air or who knows what rising from the one peak on this morning; that is visible. There are some big sharks in this river; not hearsay, I nearly caught one a few years back – something is moving in that water! (I removed the luminous eyes wink emoticon)

Canon South Africa 6D, Canon EF 17–40mm lens, 25 sec, F4, ISO 1600

Rotary Club of Port St Johns Community of Port St Johns, Wild Coast Amapondo backpackers Port St Johns Outspan Inn Outspan Inn

At Port St Johns River Lodge

Photography, Travel

Beyond the Gates of Port St John’s

March 30, 2015 Andrew Harvard 2 Comments

On Tuesday morning, 24 March 2015 I woke up before sunrise and headed up the hill to the top of Mt. Thesiger at around this spot GPS: -31.603330, 29.527454 Port St John’s.

I set up my Canon South Africa camera from Orms (6D & 17-40mm L lens) and tripod in anticipation of the forthcoming sunrise. The river lodges were some 300 m or more below and could faintly see their lights through the mist or low clouds.

It was calm, peaceful and dead quiet except for the medium-size predatory birds that were circling the mountain and squawking at each other. Every so often they would fly fairly close and it was amazing to hear their wings “woof – woofing” through the air.

The view across to Mt Sullivan on the other side of the river was glorious to say the least for about three minutes or less at one point of the sunrise. The sun then “disappeared” but not completely, although there was no more golden light forcing through the somewhat thick clouds.

The accompanying photo is a panoramic-stitch of two separate photos, which takes one’s eyes in a westerly direction or so up the mighty Umzimvubu River, which I traced on a map all the way up to the Lesotho border.

The photo was originally going to be called Phillips’ View but was then changed to “Beyond the Gates of Port St John’s”. Settings F11, ISO 320 & 0.4 sec. Stitching done via LR export into PS. Outspan Inn
Where’s my backpack? Amapondo Backpackers Amapondo backpackers Port St Johns Cremorne Estate, Port St Johns, Port St Johns Spottedgrunterresort Port St Johns ‪#‎landscape‬ ‪#‎canon‬ ‪#‎canonsouthafrica‬ ‪#‎transkei‬ ‪#‎nature‬ ‪#‎hills‬ ‪#‎valleys‬

Photography, Travel

Galaxy Note 4 Pano at The Gates

March 27, 2015 Andrew Harvard Leave a comment

“Be brave enough to live life creatively. The creative place where no one else has ever been” ~ Alan Alda

It’s a fairly long drive from Durban to Port St John’s but you know you are there when you take the multiple bends a few kilometres out of town and on one of the downhill slopes get your first view of the river to the left. Sadly, as you go over the river bridge out of town and head towards Durban, the view from the bridge is the last time you will see the river.

On this trip, I usually stop on the freeway at Umgababa where I purchase avocado pears and other fruit. The prices have steadily increased so I stopped on the side of the Port St John’s bridge and bought avocado pears and guavas at a steal. Their prices are too good and reasonable.

The accompanying photo surprised me somewhat as it was taken out of my LDV window when I stopped alongside the bridge railing. Although I use my Samsung note 4 mobile phone to capture the scene in pano mode, it turned out really clear compared to what I expected. The sky was a little blown out and I had to do some work on it to hopefully improve the look. PS – don’t mentioned the curved bridge wink emoticon

Can’t wait to head back there to Amapondo Backpackers for my filter coffee and prawn & calamari feast.

#mobilephone #samsungnote4 #samsunggalaxy #galaxynote4 Samsung South Africa Samsung Galaxy ComMEnity Samsung Mobile Samsung Mobile South Africa Mobile Photo Awards — in Port Saint John’S, Eastern Cape, South Africa.

Photography, Travel

Old Photos – Transkei

March 12, 2015 Andrew Harvard Leave a comment

A few years back I had a Canon Powershot S5iS.

Although I didn’t know a thing about photography then and shot on full auto with basic PP, I am still please with these two photos (NB: some newfound PP added). Both taken at Mngazana at sunrise.

It’s a special person’s birthday today and I’m sure he’ll love these photos.

Same spot different view and more PP

Map of the area

Photography, Travel

Amapondo Valley

March 10, 2015 Andrew Harvard 4 Comments

When I can see it and action it I love to talk about it: Turning obstacles into opportunity, exercising patience and then taking the gap when it appears.

The day before New Year’s Eve… Task: drive 6 hours to do a job in Umtata E Cape. New Year’s Eve drive 6 hours to return home while some are cracking open their first beer.

Not the worst but I’m sure we would all rather be home at this time.

Solution: take camera with, don’t stay in Umtata rather Port St John’s on the sea and crack open a beer or two on the night before New Year’s Eve at a vibey backpacker spot called Amapondo Backpackers. Have a smashing meal with chilli and early night.

Sunrise next morning at 05:00: it’s raining. Solution: drive towards Durban at 05:00 and wait for the gap in the rain. Get out of car and take photo.

Benefits: what a smashing trip, job done sooner than later, pre-New Year’s mini-party (feeling like a backpacker), home in time for New Year’s party with two photos which remind me of the beautiful countryside I had to drive through.

Here is the first photo: Amapondo Valley

Canon South Africa 6D: F14, 1/40, ISO 320 using 17-40 available at Orms

Eastern Cape, South Africa