Contretemps in Jökulsárlón

March 2, 2011

On the morning of Oct 17, 2010, we arrived at Fellsfjara (nowadays popularly known as “Diamond Beach”), across from Jökulsárlón, to an atmospheric scene.

Barely able to contain myself, I advanced towards an iceberg with another composition in mind. I was so engrossed as to be oblivious to my surroundings. Crucially, I did not hear my guide hollering over the roar of the sea and his frantic pleas ordering me to retreat.

Next thing I know, a large wave washed over me. I took a pratfall, and my equipment and I were submerged in a soup of salt water and black sand. To cut a long story short – the 5D Mark II body met with instant death, and the 24-105L lens had to be sent to Canon Service for repairs. The tripod wasn’t a pretty picture either. Fortunately, my second DSLR body was not on my person at the time.

Mirabile dictu, back in the hotel room I discovered that my CompactFlash card had survived. The first image below was made moments before the disaster – and if you look just below the horizon, the wave that got me is seen in its incipient stage.