Tag Archives: Durban Bay

Tranquility Bay

Good Morning (afternoon) Durban!

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“Likeable leaders inspire trust and admiration through their actions, not just their words. Many leaders say integrity is important to them, but likeable leaders walk their talk by demonstrating integrity every day. Even a leader who oozes charm won’t be likeable if that charm isn’t backed by a solid foundation of integrity” ~ Gary Pike via Jim Rohn with permission

I went down to the Durban Yacht Mole before sunrise to get some Head of the Bay photos at Durban Rowing Club. Nola and Sean didn’t seem to be there so I missed out on a bacon / egg roll.

The Canon G3X camera with a 1″ sensor and 25X zoom snapped off over 150 photos, mostly of the sunrise which was OK but much better after sunrise for nearly an hour (a lesson in patience and assumptions: do not judge shooting conditions until it’s time to shoot). There were also no clouds before sunrise but the clouds moved in very quickly with the rising sun.

Canon G3X. Manual. Tripod. RAW. ISO640, 1/200 sec, F11.

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Birds of Paradise

“To us, the ashes of our ancestors are sacred and their resting place is hallowed ground” – Chief Seattle

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I met Denver at Wilson’s Wharf: Photo Shoot Lookout this morning before sunrise in 5 Star Durban. No clouds usually equals boring for me but then the Igers for #BICLoveYourSA #LoveSA turned up at about the same time the flying pigeons did. This got me thinking that it was a splendid time to do what Dalton does so well. I used my Canon South Africa G3X. F11, ISO 125, 1/100 sec. for the base image. Foreground manipulation just for Instagram

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Are sporty cars like humans? Do they have feelings, long for love & beautiful sunrises?

Nalendren Naik and Malusi Clement Msomi of Dbn Spotter will tell you: YES they do!

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Durban bay & skyline in the background.

Durban Bay

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The accompanying photo was taken on the grass embankment at Wilson’s Wharf Durban looking east towards the Royal Natal Yacht Club over the sand bank, which gets exposed at low tide. At low tide, and especially at sunrise, the exposed sand bank becomes a playground for pigeons and people; whether it be fishermen looking for cracker shrimps, fishing off the edge of the bank into the deep channel or young children running after crabs who are scurrying along the muddy surface. At high tide it is a known fact two most fishermen who have fished this area that Grunter and Stumpnose venture onto the covered sandbank to dig in the mud for cracker shrimp. Shoals of Mullet also swim lazily around away from the deep channel’s seeking some measure of safety. As a young lad, this area of Durban Bay was our playground. If we were not fishing or getting up to some other naughty tricks, then we were digging out clay from some of the banks and placing blobs on sticks to then launch missiles at each other.

Love Durban

“It’s the “dance” that never seems to get resolved. We pursue a life of comfort only to find that a life of comfort slowly begins to weaken us. So we pursue a life filled with challenge only to find that a life of challenge slowly begins to wear on us. This “dance” will never be completely resolved. We will always be fluctuating between the two. The only trap is to make sure not to go on the deep end on either side because once we’re in the deep end, it always seems too hard to make it to the other side. Be wary of where you are on this dance. All life fluctuates between these two sides” ~ Brian Kim
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Photo: Love Durban. Taken at Wilson’s Wharf, Durban – South Africa with Canon 550D & Sigma 10-20 lens

I am Durban 031 ZA

“Everybody’s looking for the “ultimate way”. But the thing is, the “ultimate way” for each person is going to be different. That’s why we have all these wars going on between people. This diet is the best, you should have kids, you should have a big wedding, you should do this type of exercise, you should drive this type of car. No. Look within first. Discover what you value, what’s important to you and that will become your “ultimate way”. Other people will have different ways and that’s OK. That’s for them. Your ultimate way is truly your ultimate way.” ~ Brian Kim

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Canon South Africa 550D, Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Lens, F7.1, ISO 800, AV, speeds 1/800 – slightly slower sec, handheld, 4 portrait images stitched in PS. Location: Wilson’s Wharf Durban, South Africa. Saturday 2 May 2015 at 06:47. I’ll say it again: the 550 and 50mm 1.8 is a really entry-level kit but it continues to surprise me.

Anyway, it’s time for breakfast. I think KuDta On Wilsons Wharf will be a good bet at ZAR 22 for 2 eggs, bacon/macon, 1 toast, chips & coffee. One of my photos is on their wall as wallpaper – I think this photo “I am Durban 031ZA” would look far better wink emoticon. The TIF file is a healthy 800MB and it’s sharp!

I Love Durban 5 Star Durban Celebrate Durban! Show Me Durban
What’s on Durban Kudta

Canon 550 & Nifty-Fifty Fun

Canon 550 & Nifty-Fifty Fun

Although I sat drinking my coffee this morning and contemplating for 30 min up until 05:30 over Canon 6D or 550D, 50mm 1.8, 17-40, 24-105, flash or not, Beverly Hills Hotel Umhlanga Rocks beach, Durban Surf surfers off North Beach or Moyo beach, I still ended up taking a knife to a gunfight!

As I drove away from my house I saw the pinks and oranges coming. I still had hope. Once I reach the Point Yacht Club and scouted around Royal Natal Yacht Club I thought “Oh Shi!@#$%^&*!!!”. My 6D and 17-40mm was what I should have had with me.

My poor old 550D tried its best to shoot handheld at ISO 800, something I take for granted on the 6D, but the first load of shots didn’t make the initial post-processing. Luckily I burnt up an 8GB card so the end shots with more light were a little better.

Canon South Africa 550D, Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Lens ISO 800, AV, speeds 1/200 – 250 sec, handheld, 4 portrait images stitched in PS. The 550 and 50mm 1.8 is a really entry-level kit but it continues to surprise me.

I Love Durban 5 Star Durban Celebrate Durban!

What you think

“It isn’t what you have or who you are or where you are or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It is what you think about it” – Dale Carnegie
Durban Delights

This is my second photo from my recent visit to Durban Harbour. I prefer it to the first but can see that I have a third one which may topple the first two (holding thumbs). The “story” from the first post is included below:

“When we were youngsters, we would fish overnight and / or the entire day at Durban Yacht Mole in the harbour. When the tide was out, we would walk the sandbanks fishing off the edges. As the tide came in, we would retreat, keeping the water at waist height, until the water forced us onto the pier or green embankment.

Choice bait was white cracker shrimp, and the area in front of you now (sandbank at low tide – between Wilson’s Wharf & main yacht mole) produced some of the finest stumpnose in the bay. “Stumpies” and grunter would venture onto the sandbanks at high tide in search of cracker shrimp.

Other fish in the channels, which we often netted or caught, were “banana fish” or mullet; both tasty on fresh white bread (including the sardines you never used!!) despite what some may think.

When fishing was boring, fun could be found on the banks in the foreground of this photo (a dried reed / stick with a blob of clay on the end was a great “weapon” to sting the hell out of your mates – use stick to launch clay blob at opponent’s body at high speed).

These were the days that you safely walked kilometres from home to fish and then back again, exploring along the way. We would often explore the edge of the harbour all the way from the dry dock right up to the old north pier, on foot or on BMX (I also had a Raleigh Chopper for a few years).

There were no electronics involved, huge respect for the law and our parents (although we did transgress a little); and we knew our land well. Although Apartheid laws existed at the time and were strictly enforced, we fished with all fishermen (Poobal from the Congella Barracks was a regular as well as Ernest – our maid’s son)”.

Canon 6D, 17-40mm, ISO 100, F11, 1/13 sec shortly after sunrise for sky + another photo before sunrise shot on Bulb Mode setting 121 sec, F14, ISO 100 for land / water – Wilson’s Wharf, Durban – South Africa

I Love Durban 5 Star Durban Celebrate Durban!People’s Weather East Coast Radio Wilson’s WharfPoint Yacht Club Royal Natal Yacht Club
#ilovedurban #pointyachtclub #yachtmole#durbanharbour

— at Wilson’s Wharf.

Overlooking The edge of Durban Harbour, South Africa

Ports & Ships advises as follows:

“The idea of Durban as a port dates back to 1824 when the first European settlers made a landing with the intention of setting up a trading post.

The Bay of Natal (Durban Bay) was one of the few natural harbours available along the east coast of southern Africa between Algoa Bay and Delagoa Bay (now Maputo Bay).

Vasco da Gama is said to have sighted the Bay on Christmas Day, 1497, when he hove to off the Bluff with his three small ships San Gabriel, San Raphael and Berrio, before naming the land Natal as a mark of respect for the Nativity. However subsequent studies by Professor Eric Axelson have suggested da Gama’s ‘discovery’ was actually further south in the region of the present Port St Johns.

A later paper by Brian Stuckenberg, director emeritus of the Natal Museum and an entomologist by training, undertook extensive research into certain aspects of the Portuguese voyages of discovery and concluded that da Gama was indeed off the present KwaZulu Natal coast on Christmas Day 1497 (Natalia Vol.27 pp 19-29).

History appears to have decreed that it was while off the KZN coast and not Pondoland that the Portuguese named the land they saw ‘Natal’ in honour of the nativity.

Since then ships called sporadically over several centuries, and who knows which honest merchantman or perhaps pirate ship sheltered behind the protection of the Bluff, that wooded peninsular that forms a dramatic landmark of present Durban.”

The photo below was taken at 05:18 shortly before sunrise.

The view is from the Bluff overlooking Durban harbour towards Umbilo, Glenwood and Berea.

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