Friday, February 26, 2010

Skellig Michael, 27 February 1944

John L. Williams
Charles W.Quigle
  Lee Kendall Bowman
Elijah G. Willis
Gordon E. Davison
Herbert C. Crow
John E. McLaughlin
Ernest W. Libby
Jack T. Flener
Morris J. Olson
John A.Huffman


Those 11 men where on a anti-German submarine patrol as part of the United States Navy Fleet Airwing 7  when  the Liberator PB4Y -1 aircraft struck the highest point of Skellig Michael, on February 27, at 1.03 am . The aviation fuel in the wing tank exploded and the ammunition on board the aircraft followed immediately . When the lighthouse keeper on the Skellig went out to see what has happened, he saw a huge fireball on the north face of the rock. A search for any survivors began instantly without any result. No wreckage was ever found.

The northside of the South Peak, Skellig Michael,
February 2010, the scene of the crash. 


The  Warplane Research Group of Ireland published a book
about the tragedy under the titel "The Fatal Echo".
ISBN 0951637908
I have used some details about the incident from this source.

Friday, February 12, 2010

South Kerry Camera Club


Our next meeting of the South Kerry Camera Club will be held on
Thursday, 25 February, 2010
at 7pm - here in Ballinskelligs, in Barbara´s Coffeeshop at the entrance to Ballinskelligs Beach.
All are welcome!
By the way, I took the photo of that cheeky little robin there in Barbara´s garden, I suppose he is used to beeing fed crumbs of scones...

Thursday, February 04, 2010

Sunset and Skelligs

 
Yesterday, for the  first time this year I could enjoy to see the sun sinking in to the sea, not to far from the Skelligs.
It is always a powerful and special moment and reminds me how privileged I am to live in the South of Kerry.

Monday, February 01, 2010

Portmagee Pier in January




Who says that January is not a good month for taking Outdoor Photographs?
This past month has given us exceptionally good opportunities to capture clear light and with that strong colours and deep shadows, ideal for any kind of photography, really.
One of my favourite haunts, Portmagee Pier, with its fishermen´s gear was interesting as usual.
Colour and shape,  light and shadow, all coming together to a feast for the eyes.
It was almost picture book constellations for practising photography tasks like composition, depth of field or trying to tell a story with some unusal view of well known subject.
Well, we enjoy Portmagee in Winter...
The next Weekend Photography Workshops here in Portmagee will be held on
  • 6th-7th February 2010 and on
  • 13th-14th March 2010
If you are interested, check out the details on my website www.skelligphototours.com or contact me (above), see you...