Great White Sharks South Australia Sold out.

June 20 - 26, 2009

Price Cage access $6,000 (limited to only six participants, only 3 spots remain)
Boat-only access $2,500 (limited to 2 spots and available only to friends/spouse of cage access shooter)

In the fall of 2003 - winter 2005 I went to the three most productive great white shark hotspots on the planet, South Africa, Guadalupe, and South Australia. Guadalupe had the clearest water, South Africa had more interesting topside encounters, but for overall quality of both underwater and topside action, and the most shark encounters per hour on the boat, South Australia kicked butt! See http://www.stephenfrink.com/sf-reports/200402sharks/ for a complete report.

For 2009 I will charter the Princess II from white shark legends Rodney and Andrew Fox. http://www.rodneyfox.com.au/ Even though the vessel can accommodate 12 passengers in 6 double staterooms, I don’t want 12 people competing for cage time. Therefore, this is extremely limited participation, only 6 cage divers allowed. I figure there are so few white shark opportunities in life, and no doubt there will be fewer as time goes on. It is better to do it absolutely the right way, even if it costs a little more, in order to maximize the photographic potential. Princess II also offers an option no other white shark boat can match, the possibility to land the cage on the shallow kelp decorated seafloor and photograph great white sharks in their own environment, rather than just against open water. The cage is tethered to the boat and winched into position and the sharks then baited to the cage, providing for a very safe and secure encounter.

We recognize some of our clients travel with non-diving spouses, or perhaps those who simply don't demand the same intimate access with great white sharks. For those clients we offer a deeply discounted package, at just $2,500 and for only 2 people. These non-cage divers will have all the same topside viewing opportunities, the chance to go ashore at the South Neptune Island to photograph the Australian sealions and new Zealand fur seals in residence, and the same chance to dive with the sealions at Hopkins Island. However, they won’t be competing for cage time and will be rooming with a cage diver. This is subject to availability and rooming compatibility, but in any event no more than 2 passengers.

Tonga Humpback Whale Expedition aboard NAI’A Sold out.

July 20 - 30, 2009

Price $4,570 per person

Web reference - http://www.naia.com.fj/tonga/index.html

We first announced this trip in a December e-mail to our MFT clients and had excellent response. In fact, there are only a few spaces remaining, but we thought we’d mention it one more time before placing the trip details on the web. There are very few places on the planet where snorkelers are allowed to interact with humpback whales, and among them Tonga offers the greatest consistency of encounter and clearest water. The NAI’A is one of the world’s great live-aboards (see http://www.stephenfrink.com/sf-reports/200411fiji/ for a report on our last trip aboard NAI’A in Fiji) and it is always a great pleasure to cruise with the NAI’A team.

© James Watt

These dates are optimized for the Tonga whale season, based on their ongoing experience since 1999 when they first launched their whale encounter expeditions there. In addition, the Tonga whale adventure also provides the opportunity for reef diving, far different than going to the Silver Bank or anywhere else where humpbacks might congregate. Here’s what NAI’A has to say about their diving:

Caves, Coral & Clear Water
NAI’A’s Tonga Humpback Whale Expeditions includes excellent scuba diving opportunities separate from whale watching. We plan at least one dive each day, in the afternoon and/or night after spending an exhilarating day sailing among whales. We will choose our evening anchorage specifically with the intention of finding an interesting dive site nearby. After eleven years exploring the remote untouched sites of the Ha’apai Islands in Tonga, we have logged dives on some exceptional reefs and marked them on the charts for our return. As always though, our itinerary is flexible - dictated by the desires of our passengers and the moods of the weather. If we strike a rainy day and whales are hard to find then we can simply escape underwater. On the other hand, if we are surrounded by playful, breaching, singing whales, it’s unlikely you’ll want to leave the scene for a dive.

Diving in Tonga truly means exploring new frontiers. While Vava’u is home to several well known sites visited regularly by the local shore-based diving operations, the remote Ha’apai Islands are virtually virgin territory. Only a fraction of the country’s 170 islands and many more submerged reefs have been explored - fewer than 40 islands are inhabited! Yet, Tonga was the first South Pacific nation to set aside marine reserves. Two of those 10 sites where collecting and some fishing is prohibited are giant clam farms. Tonga’s astounding visibility (in the 76-degree winter water 150ft plus is not uncommon) means the concentration of fish and invertebrate life on the reef is less than in Fiji. But the view it opens up of the rising and falling seascape, sweeping detail of hard coral gardens, towering pinnacles, schools of open water pelagics and gaping caverns is a spectacular alternative. Most of the Ha’apai Islands are low coral atolls, although there are several active volcanic islands and the main landmasses boast extremely fertile soil. Kau Island is a volcanic cone reaching 1109m and neighboring, Tofua,, the site of the Bounty mutiny, is an active, spewing volcano. Tonga is experiencing the earth’s fastest shift at 10 cm in the direction of Samoa each year!

© James Watt

If you are going to travel all the way to Tonga, why not spend some time before or after your NAI’A adventure in Vava’u, an idyllic vision of brilliant blue water surrounding shallow fringing reefs and high island peaks. Some dramatic coastal caves below the surface harbor white tip sharks, lobster and schooling fish - others form interesting dive sites by their shape alone. Mariner’s Cave is a giant bubble cave that materializes about 10 feet under and tunnels 20 feet into a submerged ledge of coral. Other unique sites in Vava’u include Gorgonian Valley - layer upon layer of giant sea fans growing upright from an undersea gully - and the wreck of the 300-foot Clan McWilliam copra trader in Neiafu Harbor.

All in all, it sounds like a wonderfully eclectic experience with one of the sea’s most inspirational creatures.

Maldives Aboard Peter Hughes’ Ocean Dancer Sold out.

January 31 - February 10, 2010

http://www.peterhughes.com/destination/maldives

I’ve been thinking about going back to the Maldives for quite some time, but the reports that keep coming in from those who have been this winter season pushed me to book the Ocean Dancer at their optimal season for next year. Here is a video on the vessel: http://snipurl.com/e2o8u

Once you see the video, you should realize that the manta ray encounters are not some lucky happenstance, but is apparently very common in the Maldives during this particular season. One of my friends called yesterday and told me of the whale shark he saw (now that is more rare, but still not uncommon) but he said he was most blown away by the manta action. They actually had mantas on most of the dives, usually multiples, and on his last dive there were 20 mantas in "water as clear as air". Now, that’s probably more hyperbole than I am comfortable with myself, but it still distills down to a spectacular dive!

Plus, I specifically asked how that hard corals in the shallows were coming along, and he said they were in excellent shape, and was apparently totally unaware their had been any coral bleaching or tsunami issues ever affecting the shallow reef.

The time is definitely right to put the Maldives back on our agenda, and I hope you will join us next year. The islands are as spectacular topside as they are underwater, and the combination of clear water, pelagic action, and abundant soft corals and tropical fish make this a must-do destination.

* Please note that there is current associated with diving the Maldives, as the best dives are those flowing into lagoons from passes inn the open Indian Ocean. Not all dives will have current, but enough so it is prudent to mention to those considering this adventure.

Please note this is a rather intimate luxury yacht - only 15 passengers other than myself. I urge anyone seriously considering this trip to please let us know immediately as this will assuredly sell out quickly.

North Sulawesi aboard Paradise Dancer

May 7 - 18, 2010

Price $4000.00, 18 passengers

When my friend Peter Hughes called to tell me about his new flagship live-aboard being built, the Paradise Dancer (see http://peterhughes.com/paradise/paradise_dancerindex.shtml) I was immediately intrigued. After all, what is not to like about a 180-foot luxury live-aboard for only 18-passengers cruising to the heart of the coral triangle in Indonesia. All itineraries are 11-days, and we will board the boat in Manado and cruise through Bunaken Marine Preserve, along the remote and minimally explored northern islands, and wrap up the tour by diving the best muck and macro environment I’ve yet experienced, the Lembeh Strait. 2010 seems like a long time from now, but this trip will assuredly sell out quickly, so if interested please contact Barbara as soon as possible. Barbara@stephenfrink.com

Botswana and Zambia Photo Safari

June 30 - July 10, 2010

Price 11,995 per person

We’d like to announce a very special expedition to Africa for photographic safari in the summer of 2010.

photos © Alexa Frink

This safari will incorporate three camps in Zambia and Botswana, June 30 - July 10, 2010. Botswana, in particular, is my personal favorite safari destination in Africa; primarily because they have taken a wonderful natural resource and made a conscious decision to keep the camps small, intimate, and upscale. We’ve been to East Africa, Kenya and Tanzania, and while the game viewing opportunities are fabulous, there tends to be more vehicles per encounter, sometimes excessively so. I prefer the wilderness sense that I get in the Okavango Delta.

These three camps have been chosen specifically to allow for photographic diversity and ease of transfer, without the necessity of going back to the "hub" of Johannesburg and losing a day with connections. The transportation flow between these camps is specifically designed to maximize safari-time and to fully enjoy the comforts of our camps.

Speaking of the camps, please take a moment to peruse the websites of all three to see why we are so very proud to have arranged this opportunity. Our group will fully occupy all three camps during our time in residence!

Jao - http://www.wilderness-safaris.com/botswana_okavango_delta/jao_camp/introduction/
Lion Camp - http://www.lioncamp.com/
Selinda Reserve - http://www.selindareserve.com/

Jao is one of the premier camps operated by Wilderness Safaris, and Lion Camp is one of the most photographically productive destinations in the region. Selinda Reserve is particularly attractive for us because it is run by famed Africa wildlife filmmakers Dereck and Beverly Joubert. http://events.nationalgeographic.com/events/speakers-bureau/speaker/beverly-dereck-joubert/ We ran into Dereck and Beverly last time we were in Botswana, at Mombo Camp. We showed them digital images of a newborn leopard cub we’d photographed just that day, and they went out to the same spot to capture it in high definition video the next day. In fact, they followed that same cub for 4 years and made it the subject of their National Geographic documentary, Eyes of the Leopard.

SOUTHERN AFRICA

A Photographer’s Paradise!

Prepared for the Frink Photography Group

July 2010 Wednesday, June 30 NEW YORK / IN TRANSIT Depart New York’s JFK Airport at 11:35AM on South African Airways flight #204 to Johannesburg, South Africa (OR OTHER ARRANGEMENTS).

Thursday-Saturday, July 1-3 SOUTH LUANGWA VALLEY / LION CAMP (www.lioncamp.com) On July 1 - Arrive Johannesburg at 8:45AM and immediately make your way to SAA flight #62 departing for Lusaka at 10:50AM. Upon arrival in Lusaka board your scheduled flight to the Mfuwe Airstrip in the South Luangwa Valley. Here you are met and driven to Lion Camp (approximately 2 hours) which is situated in the South Luangwa National Park located in the eastern part of the country and covers an area of 3,500 square miles. The Luangwa River rises from the dramatic Mafinga Mountains in the northeastern corner of Zambia, which reach up to 7,500 feet above sea level. The flat-bottomed valley runs from northeast to southwest and is clearly defined to the west by the beautiful Muchinga escarpment.

The Park is renowned for its unspoiled beauty and varied habitats which support one of Africa’s richest concentrations of game and birdlife. Over 50 species of large mammal and some 400 species of bird thrive in this last haven of wild Africa.

During your stay in the Luangwa Valley, you are bound to see the large elephant herds of up to 50 individuals, an abundant number of buffalo, fourteen antelope species and Thornicroft’s giraffe, unique to the Valley. This area is also known for its healthy population of leopard and lion. There are few, if any, rivers in Africa that contain such a high concentration of hippos and crocodiles. Night drives reveal many fascinating mammals including civet, genet, mongooses, bushbaby, serval, porcupine and aardvark.

Accommodation is in nine canvas-and-thatch stylish chalets, each featuring a private balcony, stand fan and attached bathroom with shower and flush toilet. The chalets stand high above the savannah on stilts, and the entire lodge is linked by a system of lighted boardwalks. With no fences surrounding the lodge, wildlife is free to move unhindered, under the walkways. Elephant, hippos and small antelope such as bushbuck and puku, are frequently seen in camp.

At the heart of Lion Camp is a gathering place - Enjoy the step-down infinity pool, the dramatic boma fireplace, the woven copper bar, and as wildlife crosses the open plain in front of the lodge, an ever changing view.

Game drives and walking safaris are offered with knowledgeable guides who entertain and enlighten you with the secrets of the African bush. Night drives are also available to give you the option of viewing nocturnal creatures by spotlight, as well as animals operating under the cover of darkness, such as an elusive leopard

Sunday-Tuesday, July 4-6
LIVINGSTONE / LINYANTI AREA / SELINDA CAMP
(www.selindareserve.com)

After breakfast on July 4 you are driven back to the Mfuwe Airport to board your flight to Livingstone (via Lusaka). Upon arrival in Livingstone you meet your private charter. When you depart the Livingstone Airport you fly over the magnificent Victoria Falls (known as the "flight of angels") before continuing on the Kasane, Botswana to clear customs and then onwards to the Linyanti area and Selinda Camp. Selinda is a luxury tented safari camp situated on the banks of the eastern Selinda Spillway - a waterway linking Botswana’s Okavango Delta to the Linyanti Swamps. The shaded camp offers splendid views over the Spillway and open floodplain savannah with its characteristic palm islands.

The camp’s nine spacious and luxurious tents are under thatch with en-suite facilities that include a wonderful and romantic bath; a shower, hot and cold running water and flush loos. From the rooms, guests can look over the expansive floodplains and savannah and enjoy the view from the cool veranda. The main area is a thatched double-tiered building which incorporates a dining room, the lounge and bar facilities.

Daily activities are focused on the area’s incredible wildlife. This is one of the best areas in Botswana for predators and their prey and activities include morning, afternoon and night game drives with experienced professional guides in custom-built 4 x 4 Land Cruisers. Short walks from camp accompanied by an armed guide are encouraged. The Selinda area is well known for its hippo-killing lion, cheetah, wild dog and, if you’re lucky, a leopard on your night drives. Sightings of plains game such as giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, impala, lechwe, tsessebe and elephant are common, plus the added excitement of night predators such as hyena, jackal, bat-eared fox and small cats.

Game viewing by boat on the Zibalianja Lagoon is available depending on the water levels at the time. Bird watching is excellent and many owls can be spotted on night drives.

Wednesday-Friday, July 7-9
OKAVANGO DELTA / JAO CAMP
(www.wilderness-safaris.com/botswana_okavango_delta/jao_camp)

On the morning of July 7 you are chartered to Jao Camp situated in the Okavango Delta.

The Okavango Delta covers an area of over 12,000 square miles and qualifies as one of the most unique and beautiful environments on Earth. Hundreds of tiny islands are formed as the Okavango River fans out over the flat Kalahari sands of Northwestern Botswana, creating a verdant Eden-like Utopia for wildlife. Renowned for its abundant wildlife, the Okavango Delta is home to a large number of species, including many predators, as well as a number of species adapted to the semi-aquatic lifestyle, such as the elegant red lechwe and shy sitatunga. Lion prides, cheetah, leopard and African wild dog may be encountered, while families of hippo hide in the deeper channels and lagoons. The area supports the continent’s largest surviving concentration of elephant and buffalo, while roan and sable antelope roam the open woodlands.

The camp is situated on a densely wooded oval shaped island overlooking the vast flood plains. A variety of habitats ensures diverse and interesting game viewing. Jao Camp offers an excellent Okavango experience, with game drives, mokoro (dug-out canoe) excursions, short guided walks and boating available. Night drives allow guests to view the nocturnally active animals in the area such as the elusive civit cat, bat-eared fox and the genet.

Accommodations are unique, contemporary, African style luxury rooms. The rooms are raised on wooden decks and each room is constructed of split bamboo and thatch with canvas walls. Private facilities include a shower, flush toilet and basin, as well as an outdoor shower. Each tent has a private sala for afternoon siestas and offers wonderful views of the surrounding floodplains. In addition to the lounge and dining area, there are two plunge pools and an outdoor boma for dining under the stars, complemented by wines from an excellent wine cellar. Jao Camp also has a salon where a wide range of massage therapies are offered.

Saturday, July 10 JOHANNESBURG / HOMEWARD

In the early afternoon you are chartered back to Maun to board Air Botswana flight #211 to Johannesburg departing at 3:00PM. Upon arrival at 5:00PM make your way to your international terminal and your flight homeward.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Cost of safari: $11,995.00
Single Supplement: $5,000.00

Capacity: Maximum 16 pax - 9 tents total at each camp

Price Includes: All ground and air charter transportation upon landing in Africa;
accommodation, guides and vehicle throughout; park fees; and activities in itinerary.
Lion Camp: All meals, most beverages, limited laundry
Selinda Camp: All meals, most beverages, limited laundry
Jao Camp: All meals, most beverages, limited laundry

Price Excludes: U.S. domestic and international airfare; all commercial internal Africa air (see below); medical immunizations; passport fees; accident/baggage/medevac & cancellation insurance; individual transfers; Visa fee for Zambia ($50.00 per person); departure fee when departing Lusaka & Mfuwe airports ($8.00 pp); international airport departure fee when departing Livingstone for Botswana ($25.00 pp); excursions deviating from the scheduled tour; excess baggage charges; medical expenses; telephone or fax charges; room service; gratuities to guides and staff; and other items of a purely personal nature.

Lion Camp: Imported wines & spirits
Selinda Camp: Imported wines & spirits
Jao Camp: Imported wines & spirits

Internal Air NOT included in above cost (approximate cost is $550.00 total pp for the 2 flights):
July 1: Johannesburg to Lusaka on SAA
July 10: Maun to Johannesburg on Air Botswana

Alaska Aboard the Nautilus Explorer

July 6 - 16, 2011

Price $3650 - $4250 per person

I know this is a bit early to get everyone motivated for a trip that is not scheduled until summer 2011, but we did a trip to British Columbia and Alaska several years ago aboard the Nautilus Explorer, and that still remains vivid in my mind as one of my all time favorite live-aboard adventures.

For that one, please see: http://www.stephenfrink.com/sf-reports/200407alaska/

The summer cruising season to this region is very short, and 2010 and all the rest of 2011 is sold out for the Nautilus Explorer. However, we were fortunate enough to have them hold a charter for us in the very heart of the best-of-the-best time to be there. This time it is a special itinerary to Alaska only. See the letter below from Captain Mike Lever of Nautilus Explorer to know what to expect:

"Our Alaska journeys have continued to evolve and get better and better since you were last onboard. The diving, scenery and experiences up here were always spectacular but with each passing season, we are getting more and more dialed in, discovering more "kick-ass" dive sites, obtaining additional permits and fine tuning the very best places to see the big critters -- humpback whales, sealions, sea otter, grizzly bears, giant pacific octopus and wolfeels. We now have one site with 10 wolfeels and can practically guarantee octopus sightings for example!

Sample Itinerary: Departure Date: Wed Jul 6, 2011. The ship will be available for boarding in Juneau at 6:00 pm. The ship is scheduled to sail at 8:00 pm. Disembarking in Ketchikan on Sat Jul 16, 2011 at 9:00 am.

Day 1: Dinner-time board in Juneau. Evening steam and anchor before midnight.

Day 2-4: Wake up at Point Adolphus at the entrance to Glacier Bay for the best humpback whale viewing in southeast Alaska plus eagles and stellar sealions. 3 hour sail to Indian Island at the entrance to Icy Strait where we will anchor for the next 3 days. Excellent invertebrate diving plus stellar sealions on every dive with vis usually 20 - 30 feet. Zodiac tours and kayaking with fantastic photo op’s up close with humpback whales, sealions, sea otters, bald eagles, etc. Finish off with an evening visit to the tiny boardwalk community of Elfin Cove.

Day 5: Wake up at Baranoff Warm Springs. 2 great dives with loads of scallops, anemones and kelp plus a visit to the hot-springs.

Day 6: Patterson Point. Reliable octopus sightings. Breathtaking scenery at anchor in a steep sided fjord. This is the most beautiful inlet we have ever seen and we have seen grizzly bears on every visit here.

Day 7 - 8: Port Alexander/Wooden Island. Great place for zodiac tours and kayaking and shore visit to Port Alexander not to mention varied and excellent diving - both invertebrate and critters including 10 wolf eels around a single rock.

Day 9: Le Conte glacier. Iceberg day!!

Day 10: Prince of Wales Island. Steep wall diving, 10,000 swimming scallops, varied diving, early evening arrival Ketchikan.

Day 11: morning disembark"

I know what some of you may be thinking ... I don’t do cold water. I had that thought the first time as well, but with modern drysuits the cold is not an issue, and truthfully, I have never seen greater density and diversity of life underwater than beneath the Emerald Seas of British Columbia and Alaska. Plus, for the most part, things don’t move quickly and the photo opportunities are extraordinarily productive. Yet, for all of that, the best of this trip happens above the water. Seeing glaciers calf, watching eagles and grizzly bears and stellar sealions, trying our hand at over/unders with salmon, relaxing in a natural hotspring, and photographing humpback whales are pure phototgrapic inspiration!

My wife Barbara and daughter Alexa were aboard for the last trip and they didn’t even go diving. Still, they found this was one of our best family vacations ever. Do I sound enthused ... yes, I really am. Even though 2011 is a long way away, this is a very special trip, and I appreciate the cooperation and consideration our friends at Nautilus Explorer have extended in giving us this absolutely perfect seasonal opportunity to visit Alaska.

Speaking of Nautilus Explorer, they will be coming out of a major refit in 2010, so expect a great dive boat to be even better.

There are 2 double occupancy cabins available at $4250 per person (top deck with picture windows)
There are 8 double occupancy cabins available at $3650 each
There is one quad cabin as well, but Barbara, Alexa and I will be staying there; recognizing our guests typically prefer double occupancy cabins.

If interested, please let us know at your soonest opportunity, for even though this one is far away, I’m convinced it will sell out quickly.