Stranded Book Log Part 5
Back from Disasterby Dan Hartman
July 17, 2013
Day 13I climbed down and retrieved the pieces of what was once a proud outfit. Most of the fragments were from my shattered lens sunscreen. The battery door was gone from my camera, the battery I found farther downslope. With all my parts and pieces I returned to my car to assess the damage.
The metal surrounding my lens glass was bent in, but the glass itself seemed unharmed. I opened the pliers on my swiss army knife and slowly bent the edges back into place. I then snapped the battery door back in to place and inserted the battery. With a deep breath, I raised the camera and depressed the shutter button. Nothing.
OK. I dug out my backup camera and tried the lens again. It worked! Well at least I can keep working. I checked out my new camera again. You know, the camera I had purchased just for this project! Structually it looked fine other than the places where it looked like someone had taken a wood rasp to it. But it showed no life.
Back at the cabin I got out my can of PCV cement and using a q-tip carefully glued my lens shield back together. Heck, one time in Alaska I once took a muffler clamp off of my car and used it to repair a lens mount. The camera would have to be sent to Bozeman Camera repair.
That evening, I got a call from my friend Jeff. During our conversation, I told him of my bad luck. He has the same camera and said sometimes he has to bush up the power switch which is engaged when you close the camera door.
I cut a small piece of cardboard and using two tiny screwdrivers worked it down in the hole until it rested on top of the switch. I closed the door and "Wallah", power! I fired a few frames. It worked fine. I checked my lens shield. (It would cost over $500 to replace it.) It held!
Well, I'm now back to where I was. Non the worse for wear. (Except for lots of scratches.)
Day 14
Back at it again. Incredibly windy at the West Summit. I stuck it out for two hours, but with buring ears and watering eyes, I finally packed it in. Pika were out and I did grab a few new shots. The camera and lens worked like nothing had ever happened. I spent the rest of the morning photographing flowers.
Day 15
Banner day! The breeze was just enough to keep the mosquitoes honest. I've been wanting to get running or bounding shots of pika and this moring they gave me lots of opportunities. Today also seems to signal the beginning of food gathering for the upcoming winter. I got several great shots of that plus a cute photo of a baby pika smelling a flower before cutting it with his sharp teeth.
Saw my first weasel of the summer. Still no wolverines.
Photos
Stop And Smell The Flowers
Gathering Time
Mouthful
Youngster Calling
Eating
Gathering