[ d u n g c a r t d o t c o m ]A place for the stuff that leaks out of my head

On The Trail from duncmc via flickr.

Something a little different to the stuff I normally post. At 6.45pm tonight the Hull Freedom Trail left Victoria Square in Hull for the city’s twin town Freetown in Sierra Leone. The mission is to deliver five 4×4 vehicles to aid agencies working there to reunite victims of human trafficking, many of them children, with their families. In the process they also hope to raise awareness of modern day slavery.

This is vehicle L200 Number 4 “Hannah More” (each of the vehicles is named after a famous abolitionist). The journey will last three weeks and takes the trailblazers down through Europe, via Gibralter to north Africa. Across northern Sahara and down the west coast of Africa to Sierra Leone. Each of the five vehicles is manned by local people – some from the business community, some are specialists (medics, mechanics, etc.) and some are young people from some of the more deprived areas of Hull.

That‘s my wife looking out of the rear passenger window. She is on the trip as a nominated driver and one of official photographers. So for the next three weeks I wil be fending for myself as a temporarily single parent. The worst of it is that she’s taken my 10-22mm lens with her – well, it’s the trip of a lifetime innit.

You can find out more about the Hull Freedom Trail at www.hullfreedomtrail.co.uk. The team will be posting a blog daily when possible, and there will be video diaries and photos going up regularly. Legendary cameraman Claudio von Planta (who filmed Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman’s Long Way Round and Long Way Down) is on the trip, and he will be posting short episodes along the way as well.

MySpace users can also check out www.myspace.com/hullfreedomtrail and there is also a dedicated group on FaceBook but you have to be a FaceBook member to get access to that one.

Another shot from tonight’s departure event for the Hull Freedom Trail. TV presenter Helen Philpot took to the stage under the big screen in Victoria Square and interviewed various team members who are on the journey, as well as keeping the public abreast of what was going on. Here she is seen speaking to Philip Dean who helps to run the St George Foundation in Freetown, Sierra Leone. The foundation reunite street children with their familes, and currently rely on four clapped out motorcycles for transport. The Hull Freedom Trail will donate one of the five Mitsubishi L200 vehicles to the foundation when they arrive in Freetown in three weeks time. This will make a huge difference to Philip’s work.

Claudio von Planta filmed the event, and as the convoy left Victoria Square tonight for the ferry it was flanked by motorcyle outriders from Rotary International. The lead rider carried Claudio as pillion and he will be joining the five vehicles for the three week journey.

Above And Beyond from duncmc via flickr.

Here’s another view of the Humber Bridge in that incredible fog last Friday morning. I had the luxury of a little more time on this one. It’s had more processing and a more judicious crop, and for me it’s a better image.

Your Clouded Judgement from duncmc via flickr.

The fog rolling down the river this morning was awesome. I rattled off several shots, but this one grabbed me first, and there’s only time to process one before hitting the town tonight for a friend’s birthday drinks. More sunset pics to follow as well from tonight – another spectacle of nature, and quite different from the last few evenings.

But That’s All It Was And Ever Will Be from duncmc via flickr.

Another of last night’s spectacular sunset – one of those that just keeps getting better as the sun goes down. I ended up taking about 65 pictures of maybe just three slightly different views.

There’s No Time For Dreams from duncmc via flickr.

I had to stop at Brough Haven again on the way home from work tonight. The sunset was a real corker. This long shot of the distant power stations belching their clouds smoke and steam drew my attention. As the sun sank below the horizon the lighting subtly shifted and altered. Of the many shots I took this one stood out from the rest due to the backlighting on those plumes. From left to right the three power stations are at Ferrybridge, Eggborough and Drax. To see how this works on Google Maps go here

You Offer Infrared from duncmc via flickr.

The Humber from Brough Haven, just after tonight’s sunset. Now the evenings are drawing in it’s pretty easy to get these on the way home from work.

Night Tyne from duncmc via flickr.

And the obligatory night shot from the Tyne Bridge. There’s the Millennium Bridge to the left, next to it the Baltic, and the fabuous Sage up ther on the hill to the right. I was hoping the vertical beam of light projected from the Baltic would be more clearly visible, but as it isn’t I thought I would draw attention to it in this blurb.

In The Blink Of An Eye from duncmc via flickr.

Probably my favourite of this series from Newcastle. The Millennium Bridge on Gateshead Quays, with the Baltic Centre For Contemporary Art behind.

Malmaison from duncmc via flickr.

The Malmaison in Gateshead, Newcastle. A strange name for a chain of such swanky hotels as it translates to something like “bad house” from the French. This shot was taken from the opposite side of the Tyne, looking through the supporting cables of the landmark Millennium Bridge.

Dark Angel from duncmc via flickr.

Here’s a little tribute to all those who ran the Great North Run last Sunday. This was taken on a visit to Newcastle a couple of weeks ago to the opening of a short film “About Running” by Suky Best at the Baltic Centre For Contemporary Art. The wife ran the GNR last year and was interviewed by the artist making the fim. Her voice was one of many used on the final soundtrack.