A DOLPHIN IN TIMES SQUARE

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  • On: 11/13/2009 06:13:43
  • In: News
  • Comments: 1

by Ben Lyons 

Members of our field staff are so enthusiastic about their jobs and where they travel that they can find a dolphin in New York City. This week, we enjoyed having National Geographic Explorer Hotel Manager Patrik Svardmyr, National Geographic Explorer Assistant Expedition Leader Kendra Nelsen and Photography Specialist Mike Nolan in the office for a few days of meetings in a setting that was far removed from their normal stomping grounds. (Although they could look out the windows in our office and see a bit of New York Harbor…they didn’t feel too landlocked.)

While Mike has traveled extensively to some of the most remote areas in the world, he had never been to New York before. Several of us took him to Times Square after dinner, and he became particularly excited when suddenly, one on of the many giant video screens, an image of a dolphin momentarily flashed up in an advertisement. Here, at last, was something he was familiar with. His reaction was instantaneous: “I knew if I waited long enough, I’d be able to find a cetacean in Times Square!”...

 

And while there is always excitement anytime our field staff visit the office, Marc, one of our Marketing Managers is himself a keen photographer, and was particularly excited to learn tips from Mike. In fact, both of them got up at 4:30 am and travelled to Hoboken, N.J. to photograph sunrise over Manhattan,

Mike, Marc, Kendra and Patrik joined a few others from the office on the evening “expedition” to Times Square.  As is typical for Mike, he had his camera out and was snapping away, but instead of taking shots of icebergs reflecting in the ocean, this time he was shooting the reflections of the billboards in the glass windows of the buildings.

I couldn’t help but wonder how many other people in Times Square that night were casually chatting about their many years spent in Antarctica. And for me, I admit I found it odd seeing my friends from Explorer surrounded not by penguins or ice, but by the urban wildlife of Times Square. (Combined with the first dispatches of the Antarctica season from the ship, it also made me realize how excited I am to head south in a few weeks!)

Photo: Marc Cappelletti

 

Comments

 
By: Michael Nolan
On: 11/13/2009 07:56:38
I wanted to take this opportunity to thank the entire New York Lindblad office for their exceeding hospitality to a "newbie" in their city. The sights and sounds of the Big Apple can simply be overwhelming, almost like the raucous calls and odiferous penguin colonies found in Antarctica. I too am looking forward to the coming Antarctic season, but it was absolutely amazing to spend some quality time with the "wildlife" of New York City. I am still on a Big Apple high, thank you!

- Michael

 

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