Album Africa from Gunnsteinn Jonsson

Having fun :-)

nobody@ipernity.com (Gunnsteinn Jonsson) — Wed, 13 May 2009 01:00:01 +0000

Gunnar and Varði having some fun :-) This photo was taken when we were discharging our fish outside Nouakchott in Mauritania. Gunnar is the Capitan on a same kind of ship as our ship and Varði is the chief engineer.

Traditional Arabic tent.

nobody@ipernity.com (Gunnsteinn Jonsson) — Tue, 05 May 2009 01:49:01 +0000

Gunnsteinn Jonsson has posted a doc:

Traditional Arabic tent is used by herdsmen in the desert but also by the city people for all kid of celebrations.

Walk a mile for a Camel :)

nobody@ipernity.com (Gunnsteinn Jonsson) — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 03:16:54 +0000

Gunnsteinn Jonsson has posted a doc:

We found a heard not far from the road so I was able to get my photos.

Looking for a Camel

nobody@ipernity.com (Gunnsteinn Jonsson) — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 03:16:54 +0000

Gunnsteinn Jonsson has posted a doc:

I asked this man to take me to the desert to look for a Camel.

Camel

nobody@ipernity.com (Gunnsteinn Jonsson) — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 03:16:54 +0000

Gunnsteinn Jonsson has posted a doc:

Here are some facts about this remarkable animal. The average life expectancy of a camel is 40 to 50 years. A fully grown adult camel stands 1.85 m at the shoulder and 2.15 m at the hump. Camels can run up to 65 km/h in short bursts and sustain speeds of up to 40 km/h. An estimated half of the worlds camel population are found in Somalia, where the camel is an important part of nomadic Somali life. They provide the Somali people with milk, food and transportation.

Camels do not store water in their humps as is commonly believed; the humps are actually a reservoir of fatty tissue. Their ability to withstand long periods without water is due to a series of physiological adaptations. Their red blood cells have an oval shape, unlike those of other mammals, which are circular. This is to facilitate their flow in a dehydrated state. These cells are also more stable in order to withstand high osmotic variation without rupturing when drinking large amounts of water 100 liters to 150 liters in one drink.

Camels are able to withstand changes in body temperature and water content that would kill most other animals. Their temperature ranges from 34 °C at night up to 41 °C during the day, and only above this threshold will they begin to sweat. The upper body temperature range is often not reached during the day in milder climatic conditions, and therefore, the camel may not sweat at all during the day.

They can withstand at least 20-25% weight loss due to sweating (most mammals can only withstand about 3-4% dehydration before cardiac failure results from the thickened blood. A camel's blood remains hydrated, even though the body fluids are lost, until this 25% limit is reached.

Helping out a tourist :-)

nobody@ipernity.com (Gunnsteinn Jonsson) — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 03:01:01 +0000

Gunnsteinn Jonsson has posted a doc:

I thought this photo was too funny not to post here. I asked this guy to drive me to the desert because I wanted to try to get a photo of a camel. When we finally spotted few animals we parked the car and walked few hundred meters into the desert to try to get close enough for me to take a picture. When we came closer to the animals they started to walk away. My friend wanted to make sure his tourist would get his photo so he caught up with one camel and held it while I took few photos. This is not what I pictured in my mind when we left for our short safari; a man in his jeans talking on the phone while holding the camel for me.

It looks like I took this photo in a zoo rather than in the desert of Sahara :) I wonder if the conversation he was having might have sounded something like this. "I am holding a camel for a tourist so he can take a photo,,,,, yes I said a camel hahahaha can you believe this hahahaha"

Different worlds

nobody@ipernity.com (Gunnsteinn Jonsson) — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 05:49:26 +0000

Gunnsteinn Jonsson has posted a doc:

I am back on the ship now. I was in Iceland in my last holidays and during my stay there I was reminded how bad the weather can sometimes be. In Iceland we get snow storm but here we get sandstorms :)

First encounter

nobody@ipernity.com (Gunnsteinn Jonsson) — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 03:12:24 +0000

Gunnsteinn Jonsson has posted a doc:

I have been working off the cost of Africa for over eight years but this is the first time I have been so close to these animals. We drove to the desert and went on foot to catch up with this heard.