Back in 2016, I was heading to Lake Kerkini Greece with a small group to photograph beautiful Dalmatian Pelicans. My co-leader bailed on me a week before the trip. And a big winter storm was threatening to pound the East Coast. My flight was in jeopardy of cancelling. Things were not looking good. It was then that I made the decision to “Get Out of Dodge” before the big storm hit and fly out of JFK a day early. One of the participants who lived on the East Coast decided to join me. Neither one of us wanted to risk a cancelled flight. Things worked out great and we had a very productive workshop.
Then in 2017, I was returning to Greece with another group. I had friends/clients that were visiting the area a week before my arrival and they said that the lake was frozen solid and not too many pelicans were to be found…oh no, my heart sunk. I contacted my local guide, he reassured me that things would work out.
When my group and I arrived at the lake we saw that things were not good. The boat we had planned to use was frozen in the lake. (see photo above). Again, I asked my local guide what we were going to do as we had our first photo session scheduled for the next morning. He said, don’t worry, if I have to dig it out myself I will. Overnight the weather warmed, and the lake was only partially frozen. This meant that the boats were able to take us out and the fishermen were able to get their lines in for fish. The birds would be there as soon as the activity starts on the lake.
All things worked out and from that time on, I try to never worry until it is time to worry. Worry never changes things and things always have a way of working out. Our photography was of course different because of the ice on the lake—they were much, much better as the ice added an additional element. It turned out to be one of my favorite trips.
