Masters of Movement

These are some photos I picked for a study in movement. I feel I must warn you now of the motility of this narrative .The pelican and I have an interesting story. After having shot nothing but underwater photography for years, I had an impulse to photograph something on land. I went for a drive around the island of Cozumel in search of inspiration. As I drove along the tranversal I noticed an abundance of vultures circling above. Though interesting subjects, the thought of approaching rotting carrion was sufficient motivation to drive on. With the notion of birds I now had a direction. As I arrived to the other side I saw a flock of Pelicans(not seagulls).For those of you not familiar the band, there is a song called "Wishing(IfIhadaphotograph)"by Flock of Seagulls" in the 80'swww.youtube.com/watch?v=iS9RPyznAPg&feature=related This (and please pardon the pun) turned the tide of my decision. It seemed like it would be a similar challenge. Wanting to get closer to my subjects I continued around to the Punta Tunich pier. I remembered seeing lots of Pelicans here from the dive boats. I parked and started to set up my gear. I organized the various lenses and laid the sun shades next to them. I began trying to photograph these gliding guardians of the shore as they circled the pier. The timing and lighting were proving to be really challenging. I thought maybe a bigger zoom lens with a longer shade to keep out the glare would do the trick. I was about to change the lens when I saw a very curious pelican poking around in my camera bag. It became like a scene from "High Noon", each waiting for the other to make a move. We parried back and forth in some human/avian tango.I was trying to get a great shot, while he was inspecting what goodies he could scavenge. He decided on my newest and most expensive sunshade. This wily bird began backing away with it in his beak.I drew first by raising my camera and trying to take his photo, but to no avail the camera jammed. It was no contest. He took off, flying a slow lazy circle above me. No matter what I did I couldn't get him facing me. Shooting the hind end lacks the artistic touch. Just when I was about to give up he returns and has the sunshade in his beak. The pleading began, but I didn't really have anything to trade.He tauntingly takes off again with the sunshade in his beak this time soaring triumphantly. Finally deciding to liberate it very far from the pier. I didn't get very good photos that day , but I learned that not only are we watching them, they're watching us. If you've never watched a pelican fly or plunge into the sea for food, I recommend taking the time to do so. Another story along this line comes to mind. I was diving a site in the Galapogos Islands called the "Washing Machine." As you may surmise from the name there is a lot of oceanic movement at this dive location. The first thing you need to do is swim to the bottom as fast as possible.The reason for this is diving here is about flying back and forth with unbelievable oceanic surge. On the way down you get tossed about as if on an amusement park ride. The surge swings hundreds of yards at a time, you're just along for the ride. Upon reaching the sea floor, I dug my hands in the sand to anchor myself .There were bubbles coming up from the sand and it was almost too hot to touch. There is an active underwater volcano at this site. I was finally getting used to the rhythm of these Brobdingnagian swings, when I hear a weird sound "thwak." I look and see a stream of bubbles and what looks to be a bird with a fish in its mouth. Astounded, I look up as the bird quickly and smoothly paddles to the surface. On the next surge I see an immense glistening black ball directly in front of me. I swim into a mass of shimmering curtains to find it's thousands of fish packed tightly together. Moving slowly through this rippling orb of fish I hear the familiar thwaking sound.This is what the birds were after. An underwater, all you can eat smorgasbord in the form of a bait ball. That's how this group of fish is referred to. I emerge from this black hole of fish to see the largest school of Barracuda I've ever seen. They too seem to have reserved a table at this Neptunian banquet. Not being invited, I gracefully retreated to hide in a cleft of volcanic rock. The Galapagos sharks arrived and circled unaffected by the massive onrush of movement. It was like an underwater rush hour.Upon exiting this submerged metropolis I realized I just had a glimpse of how truly complex the chain of life is. Filled with an experience of a lifetime I returned to the panga to digest this rich bestowal. As warned I veered a bit from the intended path of this tale. The "thwaking" birds were Blue footed Boobies.They have been known to dive to 60 feet in search for food I will leave this name(Blue footed booby) in peace. For the alliteration itself would create what Hart Crane refers to as "Scrolls of silvery snowy sentences." Submitted for your approval, Jody