Bill Hatcher Photography

Donkey Transporter

Despite what I imagined riding a donkey down a steep mountain trail might be like, the reality is like sitting in a rocking chair for a ride down a steep flight of stairs, you just lean back and hold on tight.

A donkey transporter is what I used when I descended to a remote village in Oman's Jabal Al Akhdar Mountains. The donkey prove to be a worthy ride in the mountains except when you are descending a triple black diamond trail. Next time I'll opt to walk down and donkey up.

My thanks to Nabhan Al Nabhani for capturing me on the donkey ride.

 

 

Omani Society of Fine Arts: Photography Club

This photo I made last week isn't an adventure photo or even made outdoors, but the photo of Otima Al Hathri who lives in Al Hamra in the Western Hajar Mountains is one of my favorite images from Oman.

This was one of the images I included for a presentation I did last night in Muscat, Oman's capital city.  I was the guest of the Omani Society of Fine Arts  Photography Club. After my show Mr. Ahmed Albusaidi, who manages this photo club, gave me a tour of the club house to show me the photo computer lab and some of the recent work by Omani photographers. I was impressed by the photography I saw.  I look forward to my return to Oman, spending more time with these photographers (all who offered to show me their favorite locations in Oman) and doing more explorations in Oman's mountains and deserts.

Sand Storm in Musandam, Oman

In my experience a sandstorm should include a raging wind followed by choking dust. The sand storm that blew in from Iran and hit Oman a few days ago came quietly during the night. The next morning it appeared like a white fog and five days later it is still hanging thick in the air. All week the flights into Kasab have been cancelled so we rented a 4x4 and hit the road for the seven hour trip via the UAE to Musandam. In Kasab I got my hands on a bike and was told Khor Nejd,  a small bay on the Masandam Peninsula, is beautiful in the morning. I guess I didn't have the right filter. I will have to return for that view on a clear day.

Cameras in the Desert

The main camera I have been using in Oman, a Nikon D-3s, has stayed pretty clean despite traveling around the worlds largest sand box. Here are some of the dusty environments I found my self exploring in Oman. My locations manager, fixer and Oman expert Michael Dickinson took the photos and helped smooth the way through Oman.

       

Oman: Canyon Country

That's me checking out a large balanced rock in Snake Canyon a tributary of Wadi Bani Awf, Oman. It must have been an amazing flood event that deposited this mammoth block. I saw no snakes while I was exploring Snake Canyon, but given the blazing heat and hot sun you can bet I was alert for them and stepping carefully.

Oman: Water in the Desert

This sink hole North of Sur, Oman looks inviting, but because it's near the coastline of the Indian Ocean it's brackish water. During my visit I was told that a few years ago a tourist drove his car into this sink hole and that event prompted Oman's Ministry of Tourism to build a fence around the sinkhole.

Oman: Rub Al Khali 2

In Canada the Inuit have many names for snow. I suspect in the Empty Quarter of Oman the Bedouin have a hundred names for sand and the different types of sand. This desert seems to have every texture and shape. It's certainly a place I will have to return, but not in March when the day temps are in the low 40s c. That's around 104 degrees fahrenheit, but it's a dry heat.

Oman: Rub Al Khali the Empty Quarter

I've been meaning to share some photos from my trip in Oman, but where there is a will there is not always internet access. Today I woke in Salalah, Oman to discover that a big sand storm had blown into Oman from Iran. The timing could not be better because for the last few days I have been exploring the Rub Al Khali (Empty Quarter). The Rub Al Khali is one of the most exceptional remote places I've visited in the world, but it's not a place to lose yourself in a sand storm.

 

 

Gear failure on assignment

 I was back in Western Australia this week on assignment for Australia Geographic magazine and I had a gear failure incident. The odd thing is is the gear was what I would consider a solid piece of equipment, my firewire 800 cable. I guess I just take simple things like computer cords for granted when I connect

Calgardup Cave, Western Australia

Driving north along the Caves Road, in Western Australia there are dozens of commercial caves. Guided tours are usually not my cup of tea, but when I saw the sign for "self-guided cave" I knew that was the one for me. This is Calgardup Cave located 250 kilometers south of Perth. This limestone cave isn't especially big or spectacular, but I had the whole cave to myself for close to two hours and that's worth the entry fee that also comes with a loan of a helmet and a couple of lights.

All I can say about cave photography is the light is always the same, total darkness.