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Archive 2012 · Any idea what HIppo Bloat is all about?

  
 
Andrwe Bazeley
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Any idea what HIppo Bloat is all about?


Me neither -- turns out it is a large group of hippos -- like more than 20. Also called a pod, herd or dale -- but bloat sounds more size appropriate.

Was on a 20ft pontoon boat on the Chobe River -- just my guide and myself -- and the wind was blowing pretty hard. That meant that as we approached the edge of a bloat and cut the engines, we would prety quickly get blown into and through the bloat (damn I love that word). Anyway, reason these bloats would be hanging out in the spots they were hanging out in was they were eating the underwater grasses that would grow near the shore. So anyway, we have been blown through the bloat -- D3X & 600mm sitting on beanbag as low to the water as could get -- and eventually end up against the shore. Try starting the outboard to move away, but immediately the underwater grass wraps up in the prop and the engine stalls. Try poling out to clearer water -- but the wind is blowing too hard. So guide holds the pontoon boat from blowing any further into shore using a pole and I go about pulling the grass out of the propeller. Not just regular grass -- but razor grass. Really cuts into the hands trying to pull it out of the prop. And then there is the strange brown goo, kind of chunky, that's mixed in with the grass - finally figure out what that is -- trust me, a hippo bloat makes lots and lots of that stuff. So get the prop cleared and start the engine again and move maybe another fifty feet before the prop is jammed solid and I have to repeat the fun and games with the grass and the goo. Eventually get out and everything is good. Funny thing is, the photography was so good and the up close contact with the hippos so much fun, we did the same thing over and over again for the next several days.

Hope you enjoy the shot, Andrew



Jan 23, 2012 at 10:46 AM
dalongfellow
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Any idea what HIppo Bloat is all about?


Good story; sounds like a great experience. I would have thought those guys could have thrown all that expensive gear in the river if they had gotten tired of you passing through! The last hippo (background) in your image looks really big.

Dave



Jan 23, 2012 at 10:53 AM
birdied
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Any idea what HIppo Bloat is all about?


Great story, but weren't you concerned about being tipped over by one of them?
Nice shot by the way. That last one looks huge !

Birdie



Jan 23, 2012 at 11:37 AM
marklankton
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Any idea what HIppo Bloat is all about?


Some shots you luck into, and some shots you earn. Sounds like you earned this one.
That _huge_ face in the background really makes the shot.

Mark



Jan 23, 2012 at 01:42 PM
Martin Good
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Any idea what HIppo Bloat is all about?


Great story and a great shot too Andrew.
From what I've read those guys are deadly to mess around with in or out of the water.
Martin



Jan 23, 2012 at 01:51 PM
Conrad Tan
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Any idea what HIppo Bloat is all about?


Crazy low angle


Jan 23, 2012 at 05:08 PM
Howard Kearley
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Any idea what HIppo Bloat is all about?


Low and close
Sweet!

Howard



Jan 23, 2012 at 05:33 PM
kmunroe
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Any idea what HIppo Bloat is all about?


great story Andrew .. i like the image also


Jan 23, 2012 at 05:45 PM
Shane F
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Any idea what HIppo Bloat is all about?


Fantastic story behind the shot....but way to scary to even think about being in the same area as these guys.


Jan 23, 2012 at 06:44 PM
morris
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Any idea what HIppo Bloat is all about?


This is great Andrew. You took it from a wonderful angel.

Morris



Jan 23, 2012 at 06:51 PM
timgriffin
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Any idea what HIppo Bloat is all about?


Haha - good story and great shot!


Jan 23, 2012 at 06:54 PM
surfnron
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Any idea what HIppo Bloat is all about?


Great low angle shot Andrew, and a fun story to go with it ~ Ron


Jan 23, 2012 at 08:12 PM
marc2307
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Any idea what HIppo Bloat is all about?


Love the perspective with nice use of DOF Andrew, would like it a touch wider for mine.
TFS



Jan 23, 2012 at 08:29 PM
KCollett
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Any idea what HIppo Bloat is all about?


Neat shot Andrew. Looks like you were in the water with them your angle is so low.


Jan 23, 2012 at 09:12 PM
eyelaser
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Any idea what HIppo Bloat is all about?


A very cool shot and a great story to boot. I hope you had some tequila in your system...I hear it not only makes you bullet proof but hippo proof as well....I'm not sure if I would be more scared for my life or $15K worth of equipment...
Eric



Jan 23, 2012 at 09:25 PM
Gyroscope
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Any idea what HIppo Bloat is all about?


Great shot but isn't your 'horizon' a little crooked? Loved shooting hippos when I was there. Well done and a fun story


Jan 24, 2012 at 12:51 AM





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