Visit to the states: Off on a cruise week visiting amongst other places Jamaica and parts of the Southern states New Orleans and Charleston overnight. Key West, Port Everglades, and...

Forest Squirrel Loc: Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, England

Off on a cruise week visiting amongst other places Jamaica and parts of the Southern states New Orleans and Charleston overnight. Key West, Port Everglades, and Port Canaveral.
Is there any wildlife to be seen near to any of these cruise terminals ? is it sensible to walk around any of these places carrying a Large Canon 600 prime lens ?
We do hear of scare stories especially about Jamaica any advise very welcome

Ted H. Funk

The "scare stories" you hear about Jamaica are really true since it's the "Drug Capital" of the Caribbean, with drug-pushers all over the place and they just might accost you. Also, Jamaican
Police set up "sting" operations in which they get someone to offer you something and then he
says "Catch this" and tosses you a small pouch. If you catch it, the Police immediately arrest you
and you end up in a Jamaican prison---where you don't want to spend your vacation! If that should happen, just let it fall to the ground and go quickly on, ignoring anything like that. Take a
Shore Excursion with a group from the ship with your camera gear and don't wander from them!
Jamaica used to be a beautiful island to visit, but now most cruise lines have given up on it. I'm
guessing your ship might be with Carnival, one of the few which still goes there.

Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.

Forest Squirrel wrote:

Off on a cruise week visiting amongst other places Jamaica and parts of the Southern states New Orleans and Charleston overnight. Key West, Port Everglades, and Port Canaveral.
Is there any wildlife to be seen near to any of these cruise terminals ? is it sensible to walk around any of these places carrying a Large Canon 600 prime lens ?
We do hear of scare stories especially about Jamaica any advise very welcome

Oh my! Are your cruise people organizing tours at your destination points? For wildlife you clearly want to be away from a cruise terminal. Closer by, you'll definitely find life, or at least signs of it, some of it may be quite wild!

Above all, don't look like a target or behave like a victim, there are usually predators in such places. The arrival of a cruise ship creates a target rich environment for them.

I love New Orleans, but a few street smarts are required. Organized tours will likely be your best and safest bet, since you appear to have limited time.

Sreno Loc: Northern Michigan

Born and raised in the States, I have been fortunate enough to have lived in about half of them, coast to coast. Cannot emphasize enough, the importance of the first response. Had a company cruise to the Bahamas a couple years ago. Wife couldn't understand why I wouldn't allow us to go far enough inland to be out of sight of the ship. That's why. Good luck! As previously said, you may luck into some unintended "wildlife". 😏

tradio Loc: Oxford, Ohio

Trump had a term for places like Jamaica but, it has slipped my mind at the moment....

Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.

tradio wrote:

Trump had a term for places like Jamaica but, it has slipped my mind at the moment....

If you don't remember then maybe you were just passing through!

pesfls Loc: Oregon, USA

If you are considering packing a 600 prime you would be better off with a LAW in Jamaica & you would find the weight with the projectile similar. There are plenty of great buildings and homes to be seen in Key West but I'd sure pack something lighter. Whatever zoom you've got. Key West is very colorful with lots of great architecture to shoot. A wide zoom or 24mm (roughly) would serve you well. It's a safe place. Spent a lot of time in the Keys. As mentioned N.O. is OK but some street smarts, as mentioned is appropriate. It is a big city so you won't have time to see much of it. We have family in the area so speak from experience about N.O. Follow cruise personnel's advice and you should be fine.

Ted H. Funk

P.S. Forgot to add that you won't see any "wildlife" (except perhaps for some birds) in or near
any of these port stopovers. I've been to all of them several times. Interesting architecture on
Bermuda, in particular, and in Key West (National Historic Sites). Also, be careful while in Barcelona in which street theft is rampant (my wife was robbed twice there on two different trips, both in broad daylight). Take the "sled" rides on Funchal, Madeira, which are a thrill and provide good pictures.

Martino Loc: Northwest Florida

You won’t see much wildlife around cruise terminals.

Jamaica has a deserved reputation for crime. Stay with your tours.

New Orleans is a great city, but it is a city. You won’t need a long lens in town. A wide angle would be better. Stay on the tourist routes and as ever, be aware of your surroundings and be ‘street wise’.

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

If you're looking for birds, Black Point Wildlife Drive, Merritt Island is less than an hour away and is usually quite productive.

http://www.merrittislandwildlifeassociation.org/black-point-wildlife-drive.asp

PhotoKurtz Loc: Carterville, IL

New Orleans wildlife... see if you can book a Swamp Tour!!? We did one and came back with tons of pics.

Don't do an airboat tour... to fast and noisy. They will pick you up at your hotel!!

Here's a good one: http://cajunencounters.com/tours/swamp/

btbg

Forest Squirrel wrote:

Off on a cruise week visiting amongst other places Jamaica and parts of the Southern states New Orleans and Charleston overnight. Key West, Port Everglades, and Port Canaveral.
Is there any wildlife to be seen near to any of these cruise terminals ? is it sensible to walk around any of these places carrying a Large Canon 600 prime lens ?
We do hear of scare stories especially about Jamaica any advise very welcome

Lots of birds in or near several of the ports you are going to. I agree that you need to exercise care in some of the places that you are going, but I have taken my biggest lens on every cruise we have been on and am glad that I have.

Look for wildlife tours near each of the ports, because there is safety in numbers. You should see a large number of birds in particular, including many that you have probably not seen before.

As mentioned earlier the Meritt Wildlife Refuge is a good place to shoot. Jamaica has a lot of birds, as do Key West, Port Canveral, and the Charleston area.

Haven't been to the other places on your list. Don't let the naysayers discourage you. Take your lens and come home with some beautiful bird pictures. Who knows what else you might see to use the lens on. I know that a lot of sea birds follow ships, and I have taken a lot of birds in flight from the deck of the cruise ships we have been on.

Have fun, enjoy the cruise, and come home with some great wildlife photos.

Forest Squirrel Loc: Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, England

Many thanks for the great replies, I have pondered for a long time about taking the 600 lens and had decided not to, until the last reply from btbg , Antigua is a good chance to use this lens from the boat and possibly ashore.
have been on many cruises but have never taken the big lens.

sb Loc: Florida's East Coast

Probably the only place for wildlife would be near Port Everglades - if they offer an excursion into the Everglades, that would be good. But otherwise, I would not want to lug a 600mm prime around. A wide-angle to normal lens would be perfect - a 24-105 for example. And personally, I would leave my camera on the ship when stopping at Jamaica! In New Orleans you might be offered a "Swamp Tour", but if you have never been to N.O before, you should spend time in the French Quarter.

jccash Loc: Longwood, Florida

Forest Squirrel wrote:

Off on a cruise week visiting amongst other places Jamaica and parts of the Southern states New Orleans and Charleston overnight. Key West, Port Everglades, and Port Canaveral.
Is there any wildlife to be seen near to any of these cruise terminals ? is it sensible to walk around any of these places carrying a Large Canon 600 prime lens ?
We do hear of scare stories especially about Jamaica any advise very welcome

When in Key West if you have time visit Dry Tortuga island.

Here is a YouTube from Mark Smith about birding in the Dry Totugas:

https://youtu.be/VY6CjWJ7xG4