It was a cold grey day down on the Ayrshire coast today. Our hands were so cold.
We just happened upon a hostelery, with the attraction of a warming fire. Some say the timing and location of our trips depend more on pub opening times than on tide tables. This is a quite scurrilous accusation, which we totally refute .
We continued on our way feeling comfortably numb.
Usual health warnings apply!
20/01/2008
Hello Douglas,
ReplyDeleteIt was cold and grey (and wet at times) down here on the Cumbrian coast too.
Lovely pictures as ever. Might I ask which camera you use for your on-the-water photos at the moment? Several look like they were taken with a longish lens. Are you still getting your SLR out for these photos?
Andrea.
Andrea, Thank you! It is good to hear you got out in Cumbria.
ReplyDeleteWell spotted! Those particular photos were taken with a Canon 5d camera and a Canon EF 70-200 L IS lens.
I know not many sea kayakers use stuff like this as it's not waterproof and I don't even have a neckstrap!
:o)
Hi Douglas,
ReplyDeleteI believe that you are using Ortlieb Aqua Zoom bag for your DSLR camera. Have you had any problems with this bag?
I ordered one recently and it seems is not really tight - when squeezed it is leaking air at the end of the waterproof zipper closure (under a plastic buckle). So, I got replacement - the same problem. The second bag I kept under water for ~1 hour (without folding the closure) - I got almost 1 cup of water inside.
It looks like that they have got a bad batch of these bags here in USA. At least I have something to write about in my blog ...
- Marek
Hello Marek,
ReplyDeleteI do indeed use the Ortlieb Aqua Zoom bag and I think it is the very best solution for using a non waterproof camera while sea kayaking. As you will have noticed from my photos I have used mine in a wide range of conditions. I have only once fallen in with my camera in my deck bag. (Due to using a borrowed left hand paddle with a different feather angle I fluffed my roll and had to bale out and renter roll.) Despite this the bag let no water in at all.
I think your bag is the same as all the others. Mine and every other one I have seen does let bubbles of air out from either end of the zip if you squeeze it and if you do not roll the end over twice. You could try a little silicone grease on the zip to make it a little more water resistant.
If you want something really waterproof, you would need to get a pelicase but then you might get the camera wet before you could get it back in. You would also miss a lot of shots as you could not get it out quickly enough.
If you want on the water shots with an SLR you need to accept some risk. As mentioned above, I do not even have mine tied on.
I am not precious about my camera, it's just a tool and it's paid for itself with the number of photos I have taken and sold anyway.
My advice is to start using it and get some great photos!
:o)