Dean Saffron
IT WAS WITH a mixture of trepidation and curiosity that I
was welcomed aboard the Diana, a deep-sea trawler, by
her crew, to head out into Bass Strait on an assignment. I
felt like a Hemingway character following schools of fish
and fixated on the hunt. Conditions in the open ocean
were so varied. One moment it was a vast glassy lake
teaming with birds gliding the thermals and within hours
10m waves were threatening to engulf us. This contrast is
probably why this is my favourite AG shoot.
One day the crew finished work and indulged in a bit of
thrill seeking. Wearing raincoats, they stood on the bow
while the ship heaved through the heavy swell. I was high
on the observation deck when suddenly a huge wave
enveloped the lads. I was looking through the lens as the
wave also broke over me, completely ruining my lens. I
was lucky to save the memory card and this image.
I have immense respect for the crews labouring at the
mercy of the elements. It’s not easy being on a small
vessel, with five other guys for weeks at a time, out in
dangerous seas. It teaches you about yourself, reliance on
others, the division of roles, hunting and foraging and the
link between these things and the natural world.Rogue wave AG 107, 2012
90 Australian Geographic