Banner Left Side Complete List and Schedule Digital Photography Schedule Domestic Tours and Workshop Schedule Worldwide Safaris and Tours Flash Photography Instruction Personal Instruction in Photography or Photoshop Stock Photography and Sales Seminars, Assemblies, Fund Raisers frequently asked questions

 

 

 

 

 

 

Midway Atoll Photo Tour

Perhaps the Best Bird Photography
location in the world!

albatross
April 8-16, 2013

There is only 1 space
remaining for this tour!

Midway, actually a corol atoll comprised of two islands, is perhaps the greatest bird photography location in the world. Huge nesting colonies of Laysan and black-footed albatrosses, the largest in the world, plus tropicbirds, terns, boobies, and frigatebirds. In the waters, spinner dolphins, green sea turtles, and Hawaiian Monk Seals, and on the shoreline shorebirds like golden plovers, curlews, and turnstones.

Midway is one of the most exclusive photography locations in the world. In any given year, fewer than 300 people visit these islands, in contrast to a location like the Galapagos where 175,000 plus visit these islands each year, often on large tour boats.

For years, my friend and business competitor, Joe Van Os, has been trying to get Mary and me to these islands for, as he explains, Midway is 'totally knock-your-socks-off awesome!!' Joe has the only photography permits for visiting Midway, and next year, 2013, we'll be traveling to Midway under one of those permits. We'll be leading this trip, but Joe Van Os will be on the islands as well, hopefully vacationing a bit more than working, but Joe will be on hand for guiding, advising, and leading -- so this trip of only 14 participants will have, in the words of Joe, THREE amazing leaders!
Well, it is true.

Perhaps the MOST IMPORTANT THING TO KNOW about Midway is the fact that next year, or the year after, or some time in the near future, Midway could be closed to tourism! This has happened in the past, from 2002 to 2008 after only being open since 1996, and at some point in the future Midway may only be accessible to biologists, or to private boat owners who travel the 1,200 miles from Hawaii to reach it! Because of budget cuts, and the expense involved in maintaining Midway for tourism, it is almost inevitable that it will, once again, be closed at some point in the future. Don't miss out on one of the most spectacular bird photography locations on earth while it is still available.

albatrossIf you ever thought of visiting Midway, now is the time. Quite honestly, this trip may not be available in 2014 or thereafter. In fact, until only a few weeks ago we were not certain whether the proper permits would be reissued, but they were, for 2013. Traveling to Midway is expensive, and Joe Van Os has chartered a private jet for travel to and from the islands. This expense alone makes future travel always questionable, but the renewal of permits is the largest issue.

The Midway Islands, Sand, Eastern, and tiny Spit Island, comprise the Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge, now a part of the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument (formerly known as the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Maine National Monument), and the largest protected marine area in the world, and a World Heritage Site. The islands played a major role in the war in the Pacific in WWII, and some photographers really enjoy shooting some of the old buildings and, especially, learning about the history of the naval presence here.

The numbers of breeding birds present are simply incredible. Some nest on all three islands, some, and these are specially noted, only nest on Eastern Island, which we should be able to visit. The following are the rough numbers of breeding and non-breeding birds on Midway: Laysan Albatross, 1,300,000 -- that is One Million Three Hundred Thousand!; Black-footed Albatross, 61,000; Brown Noddy Tern, 3,000; Black Noddy Tern, 18,000; Sooty terns on Eastern Island, 135,000; Gray-backed Terns on Eastern, about 1,000; White Tern, about 22,000; Great Frigates, on Eastern, 300, and will be in courtship displays in Arpil; Red-footed Boobies, on Eastern 1,700; Red-tailed Tropicbirds, 15,000; Wedge-tailed Shearwater, 3,000; Bonin Petrel, 96,000; Short-tailed Albatross, 3.

Midway is the only US national wildlife refuge that offers overnight accommodations (except for some tent camping in Alaska), and with only 16 photographers on the islands at a time, we'll have the place to ourselves. As Joe Van Os says, imagine having the Galapagos Islands to yourself for an entire week! That's what it is like on Midway, while the opportunity lasts.

Itinerary:

albatross
April 7th. Although the tour begins with an evening flight to Midway on the 8th, we strongly recommended arriving in to Hawaii on the 7th. If you miss the flight on the 8th, you miss the trip. There is no recourse.

April 8th. We meet at our hotel and transfer to the air Charter hanger at the Honolulu airport in the afternoon for our flight, a chartered Gulfstream G-2B corporate jet. Luggage will be minimal, and we'll cover all of this with our participants, but the important thing is having the camera gear. Laundary services are available, so clothing can be minimized. We will arrive after dark on Midway.

April 9th. We'll have an orientation slide presentation about Midway's wildlife, history, and visitor etiquette. We'll have the options of renting bicycles, or simply using the 8 passenger golf carts for moving about the island. After lunch we'll do an orientation tour of Sand Island (one of three islands in the Atoll) and afterwards we'll be free to begin our photography.

April 10th-14th. Each day will be devoted to photographing the birds and wildlife of Sand Island, the largest of the three islands of Midway. Weather permitting, we'll also spend one day visiting nearby Eastern Island where several additional species of birds nest. These include red-footed, brown, and masked boobies, and sooty and gray-backed terns, and the spectacular great frigatebirds.

white ternOn Sand Island, we'll be free to roam from dawn to dusk as we photograph the world's largest colonies of Laysan and black-footed albatrosses, as well as red-tailed tropicbirds and the incredibly beautiful and delicate white tern (formerly called the fairy tern). Along the beach we should see Green sea turtles and the endangered Monk Seal, and perhaps sharks plying the waters off-shore. Sand Island is 2.5 square miles, about 1,200 acres, and most of the island is covered with birds. The island is flat, so walking, biking, or using the golf carts is easy, and it is impossible to get lost.

April 15th. We'll have most of the day on Midway for a final day of photography. Our flight departs Midway in the evening, and arrives in Honolulu in the early hours of April 16th, where we'll have day-rooms.

April 16th. You will have arrived in Honolulu in the early AM hours where day-rooms will be provided, and where the tour formerly ends. The hotoel offers a free shuttle service to the airport.

What's Included:

Round-trip Chartered Flight from Honolulu to Midway.
All meals and accommodations on Midway.
The rooms are surprising nice, with each room wired for the Internet,
satelite TV (like you'll have time!), in-room refrig with free juices and soft drinks,
and nice beds.
There are several choices of meal entrees, including American-style and
Thai, and the food is delicious.
Day-room in Honolulu on April 16th.
CD of Participants work.
Instruction, advice, tips on Midway.
tropicbird
All of the above photos are by Joe Van OS.

Tour Price: $7,595
Single Supplement: $635
As of April 24th we have only Four
Spaces
remaining.