Gut and some luck: Ras ir- Raħeb
December 10, 2017
This photo is a classic tale of scrapping plans and trusting your gut. The original idea was to trek down to the elusive Il- Blata tal- Melħ from Il- Qlejgħa tal- Baħrija. I had come close to the islet many times. However, I never felt comfortable jumping across the storey-high gorge onto a ledge the width of an armchair. With camera equipment, it felt too risky.
Not one to give up easily however, I decided to try a trail from Il- Qlejgħa tal- Baħrija. First few meters went alright. I could see the islet’s tip and that gave me the confidence to walk on. Soon, however, a dog came barking. With some trepidation, I kept walking but it just would not stop harrying me. Clearly, I was stepping on someone’s territory… Next thing I know, I ended up running into the land’s owners. Sensing I wasn’t welcome, I kindly asked them to suggest an alternative path, at which point they told me to take one cutting through their neighbour’s field instead (the irony…) There I realized I was fighting a losing battle.
Clueless, I looked at the horizon and noticed some dramatic clouds forming. With only half an hour of light left, it was time to cut my losses and trust my gut. Ten minutes later, I was at a crossroad between Fomm ir- Riħ and Ras ir- Raħeb. Having photographed Fomm ir- Riħ in similar conditions, I knew I would get a good photo… But that felt like ‘same shit different day’. I wanted something new so I gambled on Ras ir- Raħeb instead.
The gamble paid off big time! As luck would have it, the conditions combined to set up the perfect scene. The atmosphere was clear and a slight drizzle gave the polished rocks some sheen. All that was left was for the sun to break through the clouds. Sure enough, it did, turning the landscape into one giant fireball. Mesmerizing beauty!
So as they say, when life gives you lemons… :)
More work on:
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PS. I did not give up on making it across the gorge with my camera. Six days later, with a combination of balls and some physical improvisation, I made it. Getting on the islet felt like visiting a new world and it was a hell of an adrenaline rush. :D