Here's an image of a moonrise over a desolate East Cape (Baja, Mex.) beach a few years back. This image was used as the opening spread on a story on Baja in this summer's issue of The FlyFish Journal.
Moonrise. East Cape. Baja, Mexico
I have a new page on this web site titled, Travel. It will perpetually be evolving as I head to new places.
I just got back from a two week trip to Argentina. It's fall down there and a great time to visit. I was on an assignment for a publication for a story on Jorge Trucco. Jorge is a legend in the Argentine world of fly fishing and it was an honor to have spent time with him at some of his favorite places and rivers (A lot more to come on Jorge).
It was also an honor to work in collaboration with Val Atkinson on this piece. I traveled with Val and his partner Susan Rockrise along with Jorge to 4 different lodges in Argentine Patagonia: Limay River Lodge, San Huberto, Tipiliuke Lodge, and Arroyo Verde.
I'll be posting images from the trip here over the course of the next week or so. Outside of the fishing, I discovered--was directed really by someone from there--an incredible small town pop. 24,000 (approx.) called San Antonio de Areco located about 2 or so hours west by car from Buenos Aires. It was a great surprise!
The people of Areco could not have been kinder. The architecture is also stunning. It's an old world gaucho town. I did not come across another American in my three days there. I befriended a man by the name of Diego, he invited me one night to join him and three others for dinner. He ended up taking me all over the Areco area. He's a kind man and I was really blown away by the overall kindness of everyone I met there.
Many more images to come...
Diego Kelly of San Antonio de Areco sits in a bar during a typical Argentine lunch of Malbec and asado.
Boliche Bessinart. An historic old gaucho bar in Areco.
Whataroa, New Zealand.
Lots of stories on this particular evening in a West Coast pub on the South Island. Each time he walked away from my table he'd go to another table and laughs would fill the room. He was drawn to the table I was at though and told stories until the two of us, after walking 18 miles on this day, hobled into our our room down the hall. The best part was the open window in my room looked out at an outside patio and this guy had a large group of people laughing until well past 2am...
I'm excited to have a bunch of work in the new The FlyFish Journal including a feature (photography only) on Cuba. The Cuba piece was shot last February on a trip to Havana and the Cuban marine archipelago, Jardines De La Reina. It was my second trip there.
The piece was written by Sarah Grigg who happened, I believe, to have done the same trip as me a month prior.
A feature story (photography) in issue 7.4, summer 2016, of The FlyFish Journal on Cuba. Written by Sarah Grigg.
Here's a larger version of the above image. The shot was taken along the Malecon in Havana on a relatively cool winter's day. I like that the driver is looking forward and that the hand of the driver's side passenger is slightly visible.
Malecon. Havana, Cuba. 2016.
Cuba is a bucket list destination for many at the moment. Chartered flights originating in the US are often booked months in advance. Hotels are limited in supply and are also booked months in advance. This is all in a place where the average taxi drivers using vintage American cars bring home exponentially more income than a doctor or a lawyer.
I sat next to a French civil engineer on a 7 hour bus ride from Júcaro to Havana and he told me of his plans to move with his family to Havana for the next 2 to 4 years. His firm has been hired by the Cuban government to build more high rise hotels in Havana and elsewhere in Cuba.
Change is on the horizon in Cuba. As it is, there is a great deal of demand on a place with a quasi-broken infrastructure. Perhaps it's a race to see Cuba before it "changes." Developers are likely hashing out plans and concepts as we speak.
The only component of change many, including myself, cannot seem to predict is how this influx of Americans and the lift of the longstanding embargo will change the day to day lives of Cubans in Cuba.
Below is a slideshow of images from Havana to the protected marine archipelago, Jardines De La Reina. Jardines is located approxamately 60 nautical miles off of the south central coast of Cuba. As it is, the Cuban government only allows 500 anglers to fish / visit Jardines on an annual basis. It's about 160 kilometers in length and is comprised of nearly a thousand mangrove cays varying in size.
While the fishing could be as good or better in many global saltwater destinations, Jardines is unique and to visit it means an adventure and a glimpse at a relatively intact ecosystem that by and large has not succumbed to the industrial hands of the West.
Tails & Mangroves
Havana
Cuban Pesos
Baseball Debate. Parque Central, Havana.
The Malecón. Havana.
Here's a slideshow from my recent trip down to Chile. I stayed at Los Torreones Lodge with the owners, the Salas family, and was blown away by their kindness and work ethic. They brought me into their lives for over two weeks and tolerated my energy and busting into their kitchen looking for mate and coffee each morning.
A small lodge with a lifelong dedication to fishing, it's located on the Simpson River, Los Torreones is also a small ranch with chickens, geese, pigs, sheep, goats, alpacas, horses... Pancho Salas, the owner and patriarch has been guiding in Northern Patagonia since 1984 and his four kids were all raised in the Simpson River Valley. Three of those kids are guides themselves and probably wouldn't take kindly to being called, kids... Grown and confident and knowledgeable and just fun to be with, I would gladly spend a week or more on the water with any of them.
I am working on a story on the Salas family and Northern Patagonia that will be published in the months ahead. More to come...
La Machina. This is my favorite guide rig ever.
The Take
Simpson River Valley
The days are long in Patagonia during the summer months. There's hazy predawn light just after 5:15 am and it's easy to be on the water with plenty of light to see at 10:30 pm. When the days are warmer in late December and early January there is an evening hatch and it's worth postponing dinner until 11:15 or so and that Chilean wine tastes even better after having witnessed sippers eating caddis and mayflies...
A well prepped moment during an evening hatch. Angler John Mullen got the right idea from Chilean guide Pancho Salas.
I just got back from a trip down to the Chilean side of Patagonia. I'll be posting many images in the days to come from the trip. I stayed at Los Torreones Lodge with Pancho Salas and his family who let me into their day to day lives. The trip was incredible beyond just the fishing and without the kindness and generosity of Pancho's entire family I would never have seen many aspects of life in Patagonia.
A typical Patagonia dirt road near Los Torrenes Lodge.
Guide Sebastian Salas, after putting us on a rising rainbow, rowed the pontoon boat over to a patch of sweet yellow raspberries. Sebastian was born and raised in the Simpson River Valley in Patagonia. He is one of three brothers who guide this area.
When something needs to get done, it gets done. Pancho Salas gives his son Sebastian a hand at shoeing a horse.
The ubiquitous ibises. Their call could be and can be heard from all over Chilean Patagonia.
Matte. While it's not as de rigueur as in Argentina, it's still consumed a bunch in Patagonia.
Pancho Salas nets a rainbow at the end of a great and long Chilean summer day.
Here are a some overlooked images from my trip to Cuba earlier this winter. Double-click on any image to enlarge:
Central Cuba Highway. Two lanes with more pot holes, walkers, bikers and horse-carriages than cars.
Woman. Jucaró, Cuba..
Two Men. Jucaró.
Portrait Of A Man. St. Louis Cardinals Fan. Central Cuba.
Jucaró, Cuba.
Bemba. Fly Fishing Guide. Jardines De La Reina, Cuba.
Woman. Havana, Cuba.
Man & Cigarette. Vieja Habana. Havana, Cuba.
Vieja Habana (Old Havana. A Neighborhood in Havana).
Havana
A Havana Taxi.
Capital Building. Havana.
Havana. Parque Central.
Woman Waving. Havana.
Havana Bus Stop.
Taxi Subframe. Havana.
Havana Street Corner.
The Spring issue of Anglers Journal has an 8 page feature of mine on Jardines de la Reina, Cuba. I did the photography and the writing. To subscribe to Anglers Journal click HERE.
Nick Anderson jumps a baby tarpon in the mangroves. Jardines de la Reina, Cuba.