Jesse Rivest's Blog
This blog is old and is now sealed off for historical preservation. As a result, neither new posts nor new comments are possible.
Monday, June 12, 2006
Looking back: Great Keppel Island
I'd like to share a great, favorite photo with you! Last November I went to Great Keppel Island, with the beautiful and wonderful Jana, for a relaxing island weekend.
Great Keppel Island is off of the east coast of Australia, near Yeppoon (which is near Rockhampton, where I lived). You can see in the picture that it is a short ferry ride away from the mainland.
This photo is a favorite because it spawned from a vision and a realization. The realization was that I was sitting on an island at sunset, watching the sun descend over the ocean and beyond, over hills and mountains on the mainland. This was the first time I had seen such a sight! I've always been a west coast dude, and I'm accustomed to the sun setting into the ocean. So as Jana and I sat on the beach at The Spit (north point of Fisherman's Beach), and as I realized what I was seeing, I conjured this image in my mind. I even sketched it in my sketchbook before setting up my tripod and shooting the picture. The exposure and composition turned out super satisfactory!
This photo takes me back, every time I see it. I reminisce about the refreshing island breeze that would saunter through our safari tent at night, and goofy rainbow lorikeets, stealthy sand goannas, and amusingly vicious possums that attacked my ankle. I remember drinking rain water and enjoying it, while showering in saline water and finding it pointless to shower. There wasn't much coral reef, yet I remember snorkelling with Jana and showing her how to find rays (and shocking us both after stirring up one particularly large dude). The water was crystal-clear green, and warm, and the sand was soft and white. It was a peaceful and refreshing break from our Rockhampton routine!
I've been in Calgary now since January, and my body has forgotten the ocean. It has forgotten the relaxation, the inspiration, the charge and energy from swimming in, or standing next to, the ocean. My friend Jess from Albany told me that there are high levels of ozone and pure oxygen immediately above the surface of the water, which contributes to the addictiveness and rush of ocean swimming. When I read the words I wrote in my journal after any ocean memories, I am inspired to return to the ocean. A swim in the ocean is a great way to start your day, and is the first thing you should do when you knock off from work. It's great for midday excercise. It calms your body and mind, and destresses you. It strengthens you.
Just watch out for stingers (box jelly fish, and a few other small jellies), salties (crocs), and white pointers (or any big sharks)... what am I saying? You're not going to see them coming. Have fun!
Related Links:
-- Back to http://www.jesserivest.com/
Great Keppel Island is off of the east coast of Australia, near Yeppoon (which is near Rockhampton, where I lived). You can see in the picture that it is a short ferry ride away from the mainland.
This photo is a favorite because it spawned from a vision and a realization. The realization was that I was sitting on an island at sunset, watching the sun descend over the ocean and beyond, over hills and mountains on the mainland. This was the first time I had seen such a sight! I've always been a west coast dude, and I'm accustomed to the sun setting into the ocean. So as Jana and I sat on the beach at The Spit (north point of Fisherman's Beach), and as I realized what I was seeing, I conjured this image in my mind. I even sketched it in my sketchbook before setting up my tripod and shooting the picture. The exposure and composition turned out super satisfactory!
This photo takes me back, every time I see it. I reminisce about the refreshing island breeze that would saunter through our safari tent at night, and goofy rainbow lorikeets, stealthy sand goannas, and amusingly vicious possums that attacked my ankle. I remember drinking rain water and enjoying it, while showering in saline water and finding it pointless to shower. There wasn't much coral reef, yet I remember snorkelling with Jana and showing her how to find rays (and shocking us both after stirring up one particularly large dude). The water was crystal-clear green, and warm, and the sand was soft and white. It was a peaceful and refreshing break from our Rockhampton routine!
I've been in Calgary now since January, and my body has forgotten the ocean. It has forgotten the relaxation, the inspiration, the charge and energy from swimming in, or standing next to, the ocean. My friend Jess from Albany told me that there are high levels of ozone and pure oxygen immediately above the surface of the water, which contributes to the addictiveness and rush of ocean swimming. When I read the words I wrote in my journal after any ocean memories, I am inspired to return to the ocean. A swim in the ocean is a great way to start your day, and is the first thing you should do when you knock off from work. It's great for midday excercise. It calms your body and mind, and destresses you. It strengthens you.
Just watch out for stingers (box jelly fish, and a few other small jellies), salties (crocs), and white pointers (or any big sharks)... what am I saying? You're not going to see them coming. Have fun!
Related Links:
-- Back to http://www.jesserivest.com/
-
At 3:39 PM, June 14, 2006,
said...
-
yup. i miss the ocean too.
think i'll have to revisit her friday morning for a surf
:D -
At 10:46 AM, June 26, 2006,
Jesse said...
-
Steve, you lucky bugger! Stay where you are, I'll be right there :)
