Shipwreck and Lighthouse Full Day Photographic Tour/Workshop Special

Not a lot of people realize that the famous movie Pirates of the Caribbean is actually based on our very own South African legend of The Flying Dutchman.

It all started way back in 1641, when captain Hendrik van der Decken, in the employ of the Dutch East India Company, left Batavia for Amsterdam on Good Friday. This was his first fatal mistake, as departing on a journey on this holy day was an absolute no-no on the list of seafarer’s superstitions...

A fierce southeaster started to blow as he tried to round the Cape of Good Hope, and his ship could not get round the peninsula that had already claimed so many lives. He tried and tried, but to no avail...

But Van der Decken was a fiery and stubborn man, so he strapped himself to the helm of his ship and made another big mistake: he vowed that he would sail around the Cape even if it took until doomsday. According to the legend, an Angel descended from the skies, proclaimed that for this blasphemy the captain would never know calm seas again. He was condemned to sail the oceans for all eternity, with a ghostly crew of dead men, ‘bringing death to all who sight your spectral ship, and never to make port or know a moment’s peace’.

Over the centuries the Cape of Storms have claimed about 2000 ships to a watery grave, with only about 800 of them named and recorded.

Join Peter Haarhoff from the Cape Photographic Company on his famous “Shipwreck and Lighthouse” photographic tour and workshop around Cape Point, as we revisit some of these shipwrecks of old on a funtastic limited offer. Peter always says:” If you want to take more interesting photographs, get your camera to more interesting places”

SHIPWRECK AND LIGHTHOUSE FULL DAY PHOTOGRAPHIC TOUR/ WORKSHOP SPECIAL PROMOTION

Normal Price R1200 Promotion Price ONLY R900 per person

DATES:
Wednesday 7 April 2010 and Sunday 25 April 2010

RESERVATIONS:
Call Cape Point Route on 021 782 9356
Email: info@capepointroute.co.za
Click here to send enquiry

Meet for coffee and snacks at their premises in Capri Village, Noordhoek, where you will depart for the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, and find out why Cape Point has two lighthouses and photograph the wreck of the Thomas T Tucker.

After a picnic lunch at Cape Point, and learning more about composition and depth of field at Slangkop lighthouse in Kommetjie, we visit the wreck of the Kakapo.

The Kakapo ran aground in 1900 after the captain mistook Chapman’s Peak for Cape Point and ordered the ship full steam ahead. He hit the beach at full steam and the crew could get off without getting their feet wet!

THE WAY PETER SEES IT...
There is this story of a radio conversation that happened between a US Naval ship and the Canadian authorities. On a foggy evening a US Navy ship spotted a light in the gloom, and worked out that a collision was likely unless the other vessel changed its course. So they send a radio message.

US ship: Please divert your course 0.5 degrees south to avoid a collision.
Reply: Recommended you divert your course 15 degrees to the south to avoid a collision.

US ship: This is the captain of a US Navy Ship. I say again, you divert your course.
Reply: Negative. I say again, you divert YOUR course!

US ship: THIS IS THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER ‘USS WAKA WAKA WHAT YOU TALK’. WE ARE A LARGE WARSHIP OF THE US NAVY. DIVERT YOUR COURSE NOW!!!
Reply: This is a lighthouse. Your call.

PHOTOGRAPHIC NOTES:
(all photos courtesy of Cape Photographic company - Peter Haarhof)
1. The way Peter sees it from the top of Slangkoppunt lighthouse
2. Wreck of the Thomas T Tucker, taken on a shutter speed of 1/160 and aperture f6.3 on a 100 ISO.
3. This photograph of Slangkop Lighthouse in Kommetjie demonstrates foreground interest, as well as rules of third. The photograph was taken using selective focusing to ensure the foreground is in focus with an aperture of f20 for maximum depth of field; and a polarizer filter was attached to the lens to saturate the blue sky.
4. Kakapo Shipwreck in May 1900
5. Kakapo Shipwreck today (a feast for photographers). The photograph was taken demonstating "worms view" photography with an aperture of f10 and a shutter speed of 1/400 and a 100 ISO