synch - 11-18-2004 at 05:57 PM
Here are several photos from my Loreto trip including Underwater ones
http://home1.nikonnet.com/servlet/com.arcsoft.LoginNew?com=a...
I use Nikon.net's free webspace but the downside is the photos are a bit slow and small. Try the RUN SLIDESHOW option or scroll through at your
leisure
[Edited on 11-19-2004 by synch]
Grrrreat Pic's
Mexray - 11-18-2004 at 06:14 PM
Thanks for sharing....the colors underwater are really striking! Looks like lots of fun getting in up close and friendly with those finned critters!
GREAT PICS!
David K - 11-18-2004 at 06:41 PM
I really like this one! However, I am curious about the 'sudden loss of cabin pressure' photo???
BajaGrrls - 11-19-2004 at 08:21 AM
Great photos, thanks for posting. Can I ask what camera you used for the underwater shots? The colors are amazing. I spent some time diving in Fiji
and am kicking myself for not getting a better underwater camera.
synch - 11-20-2004 at 12:48 PM
AeroCalifornia departed from LAX destined for Loreto, but just south of Ensenada had a complete loss of cabin pressure. I was seated next to a guy in
our SCUBA club who had a watch with a built-in altimeter and he said it MAX'ed out past the 13,000ft limit that it could read. We did an emergency
landing by heading back to TJ.
I use a Nikonos RS, with 50mm and 13mm lenses.
David K - 11-20-2004 at 05:10 PM
My goodness! Can you tell us more... like did the pilot dive quickly to safe pressure or weren't you over 20,000 feet? Was it explained what the cause
was? Have you flown on a Mexican airline since?
Sallysouth - 11-20-2004 at 07:56 PM
Absolutly incredible photos! Hope you have a patent on them as they are worthy of stealing! Where in the Lorto area were these taken? Sure would love
to see these creatures with my own eyes!! Great stuff synch!
WHY PAY MORE?
synch - 11-22-2004 at 02:20 PM
David K,
Yeah our SCUBA club from LA had quite a kick (we are a fun loving group) but with mild consternation.
I sat across from a club member who had just gotten a new watch with features for hikers like an altimeter, etc in it. As we ascended he made a
comment that the altitude hadn't changed and still indicated 45 feet (~sea level). We proceeded higher and then he sings out that the altitude
pressure just jumped to 5000 feet, shortly then he says his watch indicates 8000 feet.
I take this with a grain of salt, so when he exclaims that his watch suddenly indicates 13,000 feet (max his watch will show) and next, then displays
dashes I jokingly state that the cabin has had a rapid depressurization.
Ha-ha-ha, THEN my ears pop, the O2 masks drop from the ceiling and we all look at each other. I feel a bit light headed and put the mask on,
pulling the O2 release cord - but nobody had any oxygen flow,
The capt had accidently left the PA system on as he is talking to the tower and my Spanish language skills are adequate enough to hear him declaring
an emergency, then was directed to land at TJ. We had been headed South, he executes a 180 degree turn and I can see that Punta Bandas/Ensenada in
the window view. Since we departed from LAX and were south past La Bufadora, then I'll estimate that we had climbed to over 20,000 feet. I've
hiked/climbed to over 14,000 and felt that light headed feeling supporting my claim of over 20,000 ft
We landed at TJ where they coralled us into a vacant terminal and prohibited any photos or straying from the group seating area. They brought
refreshments and we could see they took a welding cylinder to the aft section of the plane, but we really couldn't see what they were fixing. After
2.5+ hours we loaded back onto the plan and made a safe journey to Loreto.
Yes, my first flight on MEX airline, but no worries, I've booked on AeroCalifornia again on next months trip to La Paz and SCUBA trip to Islas
Revillageos (Socorro Islands)!
Besides - why pay more? (chuckle)
Hope to have more SCUBA photos from that trip
[Edited on 11-22-2004 by synch]
synch - 11-22-2004 at 02:31 PM
Thanks Sally,
While Baja is beautiful, non-divers only get to see half of it - below the surface is truly fantastic with a strange mix of tropical and sub-tropical
species.
Ken Bondy has the same type of camera and you should see his FANTASTIC photos of whalesharks (search the archives).
Unfortunately the camera uses film and is not digital so these were scans of prints. The prints look better.
David K - 11-22-2004 at 07:11 PM
Ken Bondy's web page (and others with great photos) can be found at VivaBaja.com in the Links to Baja Home Pages section... Link at bottom of each of
my posts.
Thanks again for sharing the great photos all of you!