Beyond The Launchpad

As I said right at the start of the Blog in March, there will be some shameless plugs on Beyond the Launchpad. Today, the absolutely brilliant Digital coverage of Formula One on the BBC. I'm not sure if it's being transmitted in HD yet but the 'Red Button' option of today's race was fantastic! On my 1080p Samsung I had Picture in Picture when I switched to the onboard Car Race coverage, showing the actual footage chosen for 'normal' televison, whilst I rushed around Monaco on several of the cars, a choice of commentaries (I stayed with the TV commentary) and indication of the race at the bottom of the screen. An absolute dream. Monaco is a race of dreams but so too is Monza, home of the Italian Grand Prix, where I went to see my only F1 race in 2006 and that was a real good couple of days... This really is akin to being there though: R. Kubica in Cruise Control: Picture Courtesy of BBC coverage, copyright 2010 Formula One Administration Limited. The image i...

Something of a pictureless post today, following a very interesting visit to Bluewater yesterday. No crowds, it was a weekday. Wouldn't want to be there on a weekend or Bank holiday... Saw Iron Man 2. Once again a very smart piece of work... Even if something happened in the film that really hit me hard. Whilst I'm on the matter here and in case anyone's listening out there: I like Rock 'n' Roll, I happen to like a lot of music (if anyone knows if or when Bear McCreary is playing the UK with his band LET ME KNOW ) AC/DC have done some okay tracks BUT! Can I see the REAL Iron Man 2 Soundtrack please? Also, a neat Robin Hood trailer but Russell Crowe is not Errol Flinn, it was like watching Gladiator in the Forest of Endor... Finally on this matter, a public apology and affirmation - Yes, I will see this at an IMAX...sorry I went on my day off. I also saw my first iPad out there. The hope is that I will be able to run Beyond The Launchpad from one of these ...

This is the wrap up session for the first new mission from Beyond The Launchpad. There were a lot of photographs taken on my voyage across the atolls of the Maldives - and the first of two images here is from my penultimate evening there. A magnificent skyline at the end of the day. This was something I attempted to see every day I was there. It was never the same, despite being in the same place. Yet nothing changed - how can you improve on brilliant? I came home on 10/04/2010. Days have passed. And it came to pass that a Volcano should erupt in Iceland. The skies became deserted and the evening was promising a 'lavender Skyline'. I returned home as quickly as possible to make good the opportunity to photograph a skyline here in the UK. My second picture shows the fall of night here at SafeHaven . It's been over a year now that I have been based here and the magnificent view is a good reason I think for it. So, what have I gained from this journey? A reacquired taste for ...

On the penultimate evening here I went Gecko hunting. Gecko are Lizards, whom in some SE Asian Cultures are believed to bring Good Luck, Fortune and fertility. I have sought out these creatures as I find them fascinating to watch, incomprehensible at times but a sure means to control pests, as can be seen as this little fella is eying up Dinner in front of him... The Gecko here are tiny, perhaps around 3 inches in length but move fast and have a high vocal call... This call is usually prevalent towards dusk and into the early evening, when these usually nocturnal creatures emerge -alertly- into the artificial light and feed on the insects drawn to the light. Gecko in the Maldives are usually to be found on the sides of buildings, seemingly defying gravity. As mentioned this is the first time I've really noticed these cute little critters and on previous visits I saw them virtually everywhere, on occasion within peoples homes. Now, they seem content to being outside... Thi...

First of two today. Last night I went out into a further Electrical Storm taking place around my Island Retreat. A screen capture of the night lights is below: There is a two minute HD video of the event and some other image captures...

My second forray into 'Natural History' on the Maldives, my first photo was taken a few days ago at a deserted beach, where by chance I was to come across a Crow, one of the rare Avian Lifeforms that traverse during the day, making some kind of victory dance across the beach. Magnification of this image will reveal it's beak wide open - I wondered what it was doing. The Crow holds kingship of the skyline and treeline during the day, but by night leathery wings take control of the sky, as giant Fruit Bats dominate the Heavens. I have as yet been unable to photograph these creatures in their aerial habitat - but should I do so... Whilst on the Dawn Patrol this morning I came across another of the diverse land-based lifeforms which frequent the island. This little Lizard had the good nature of pausing to allow me to photograph it and hence the inclusion here. These little beasties come in various sizes but nothing to the size of their ancestory, namely Dinosaur, scale. They ar...

Close to being the perfect reason for waking up in the morning, for the second of today's postings, Daybreak number ten for me here. So far I have observed all but two daybreaks: the first missed because I was too tired to see it (I was fighting to get into the right timeframe) and the second due to unexpected poor conditions (we had rain Monday - I got soaked!). But every day I have disciplined myself to get up and see this and it's something I intend to do until I leave. Flat on my back, somewhere. You'll need to enlarge this to see it, but hidden in the blue is a Cresent Moon, looking down on the bright, bright Earth. In a few days this will be gone, but I have intentions of more photography of the Celestial Body in the future. I think this won't be here though...