Imagine spending 6 days on an old diesel powered boat exploring
and photographing the Galápagos Islands. Imagine waking up,
stepping out onto the deck, and, seemingly from nowhere, this
old wooden sailing vessel appears. It was surreal. I was in awe of
the the beauty of this ship. Add to that, even more surreal light
illuminating the sky and this glorious vessel. As I clicked the
shutter, my imagination went wild with wonder of the places she'd
sailed and the sights she must have seen.
Little did I know. Now for the rest of the story.
The Mandalay is truly an historic ship. This 236-foot barkentine
was built in 1923 for financier E.F. Hutton Later she was put into
service by Columbia University sailing over a million miles
worldwide. Evidence gathered on her voyages confirmed the
theory of the continental drift.
For many years, the Mandalay sailed in the Caribbean. She had a
very loyal following, with "Jammers" repeating year after year. Then
in September of 2007, that world ended. Windjammer Barefoot
Cruises went bankrupt, its remaining assets were auctioned off
and all her loyal “Jammers” mourned.
But the Windjammer dream never died -- It was a culture. And it
was a fragile culture - one that had a rare balance of fun,
adventure, informality and one that would-be imitators never
understood. On January 18th, 2012 the Mandalay was purchased,
with a commitment to maintain the culture of “Windjammer”. The
Rum Swizzles, crab races, story time, Bloody Mary’s, peanut butter
pates, sleeping on deck and the playing of Amazing Grace are
back, as are many of the former crew. Mandalay has been
refurbished to recall her former glory. Always a favorite of
Windjammer Barefoot sailors, Mandalay iswelcomed back to the
fleet of tall ships!
As a budding architecture student, he embarked on an odyssey crisscrossing the expanse of the United States, encapsulating the very essence of iconic architectural marvels through his discerning lens. It was within the immersive tapestry of this journey that his fervor for photography melded seamlessly with his deep affection for the constructed and natural world. His photographic perspective, honed through the lens of an architect, emphasized aesthetics and the multidimensional nature of his subjects.
