Vernon Chalmers Photography

MRC SEDEF (IMO 9335032): Chemical and Product Tanker Profile Discover MRC SEDEF (IMO 9335032), a medium-range chemical and product tanker. Explore her specifications, service history and role in global energy logistics. Photographer's Note: MRC SEDEF (IMO 9335032) was photographed by Vernon Chalmers in Table Bay, Cape Town. The image forms part of the Vernon Chalmers Photography Maritime Studies Project and is also published in the Shipspotting.com database. MRC SEDEF (IMO 9335032) The MRC SEDEF (IMO 9335032) is a modern chemical and oil products tanker operating in the international tanker sector, transporting refined petroleum products and chemical cargoes between major ports worldwide. Designed for efficiency, cargo flexibility, and compliance with international maritime regulations, the vessel plays an important role in supporting the global movement of liquid bulk commodities. Built in 2007 by the renowned Hyundai Mipo Dockyard in Ulsan, South Korea, MRC SEDEF reflects the ...

Arum Lily Photography | Elegance in South African Nature Discover the beauty of Arum Lily photography through artistic images, botanical insights and photographic techniques celebrating South Africa's elegant indigenous flower. Arum Lilies Table Bay Nature Reserve, Woodbridge Island This article is based on original photographs captured by Vernon Chalmers in the Western Cape, South Africa. Drawing on years of practical photographic experience, it combines botanical context, field observation, and artistic interpretation to explore the Arum Lily ( Zantedeschia aethiopica ) as both a natural subject and an enduring source of photographic inspiration. Elegance, Simplicity and Quiet Beauty in Nature Photography Among the first signs of winter in the Western Cape is the graceful emergence of the Arum Lily ( Zantedeschia aethiopica ). As seasonal rainfall replenishes wetlands, streams, and shaded gardens, these elegant white flowers begin to transform the landscape. Their striking simpli...

Woodbridge Island Birding with Canon EOS 7D Mark II Looking out of my window this morning from Arnhem, Milnerton I could not resist spending an hour or so birding along the Diep River, Woodbridge Island Table Mountain view from across the Diep River : Samsung Galaxy Smartphone It was indeed a 'Sunday Beautiful Sunday' once I found myself hiking next to the Diep River, Woodbridge Island - with a soft South-Easterly wind giving the water tiny ripples across the river. Not the smooth conditions I prefer, but, nevertheless, more than adequate for birds in flight along the river and perched birds in the adjacent Table Bay Nature Reserve. My only concern was the ongoing  City of Cape Town Unsatisfactory Water Quality Management / Progress Milnerton diminishing bird species from about an average of 35 species per day (2016/17) to about 12 species per day (2025). Vernon Chalmers Birding Photography Training The Relevance of the Canon EOS 6D Mark II Birds and one Butterfly images durin...

Discover Table Bay Nature Reserve, a hidden urban treasure in Cape Town offering rich biodiversity, birdlife, and tranquil natural landscapes along the Atlantic coastline. Entrance to the Table Bay Nature Reserve, Woodbridge Island Cape Town Table Bay Nature Reserve / Wood bridge Island A short hike from Woodbridge Island, opposite Milnerton High School, is the entrance to the Milnerton Lagoon section of the Table Bay Nature Reserve conservation Biodiversity Network. A relatively small wetlands area, but part of the much wider geographical nature conservation zone covering the Rietvlei Wetlands, Milnerton Lagoon, Milnerton Beach, Milnerton Racecourse, Zoarvlei Wetlands, Diep River and the Parklands Fynbos Corridor. I frequently hike the Milnerton Lagoon / Diep River area in the hope of spotting some of the various bird species around the roadside of the Milnerton Lagoon, the Diep River and the tiny island (not Woodbridge Island) where I regularly photograph egyptian geese, grey herons,...

Table Bay Nature Reserve Role in Shaping Cape Town's History A detailed historical overview of Table Bay Nature Reserve, exploring its ecological origins, colonial transformation, marine biodiversity, and modern conservation efforts in Cape Town. Introduction Table Bay, located along the western coastline of South Africa, is among the most historically layered and ecologically significant maritime environments in the Southern Hemisphere. The Table Bay Nature Reserve—though less publicly defined as a singular, contiguous reserve compared to inland conservation areas—represents a network of protected coastal, estuarine, and marine zones that collectively preserve biodiversity while intersecting with centuries of human activity. Its history is inseparable from the development of Cape Town, maritime trade, colonial expansion, industrialization, and contemporary conservation ethics. This article traces the evolution of Table Bay’s natural and cultural landscape, situating the concept of...

Bird watching at Table Bay Nature Reserve near Woodbridge Island offers diverse wetland birdlife, scenic lagoon habitats, and rewarding photography opportunities throughout the year. Helmeted Guineafowl - Table Bay Nature Reserve On yet a glorious and crisp morning I went on my routine short walkabout around the Table Bay Nature Reserve Diep River, Woodbridge Island. Normally, I'm out looking out for birds in flight, but on this particular mid-morning most birds were settled in their feeding and 'doing-nothing' routine. I was very pleased to see a few helmeted guineafowl jogging along, at times, precariously close to Otto du Plessis Drive (on-route to the reserve). Making my way through the Reserve, and highlight of my morning, was a close encounter with a nesting / perched pair of pied kingfishers. I was fortunate enough to capture at least one of them. Towards the end of the gallery below are two birds in flight images captured of a Cape teal duck, Egyptian goose and D...

A glorious bird photography morning at Woodbridge Island captures beautiful wetland birdlife, soft sunrise light, and peaceful lagoon scenery along the Milnerton coastline. African Spoonbill Table Bay Nature Reserve, Woodbridge Island Vernon Chalmers Bird Photography - Table Bay Nature Reserve / Woodridge Island Another glorious morning along the Diep River, Table Bay Nature Reserve, Woodbridge Island. This morning I was greeted by the black-headed heron, the Cape spurfowls, quite a few grey herons, yellow-billed ducks, Egyptian geese and an African spoonbill or two. A Cape bulbul poked his head out from the reeds and I had an opportunity to see the Cape teal ducks and a few yellow-billed ducks frolicking in the early morning sun. Bird images of the morning : African spoonbill Little egret in flight Cape teal duck in flight African sacred ibis Pied crow Perched Cape bulbul Cape Town Location Table Bay Nature Reserve, Woodbridge Island, Milnerton Canon Camera / Lens Settings Canon EOS...