The island of El Hierro (in English: the iron) is the smallest and westernmost of the Canary Islands. Among the Spaniards it is known as the diving paradise par excellence. In contrast to the other islands, it is not overrun by mass tourism. The beautiful landscape is especially popular among hikers. We spent a week in the small village of La Restinga on the southernmost tip of the island and, with Günter from Fan Diving Hierro, did many beautiful dives experienced.
Fig. 1:Silverline on Horizon: On the ferry from Tenerife to El Hierro. (Fujichrome Provia 100F, Nikon F100, Nikkor ED AF-S 2.8/80-200mm, September 2003)Fig. 2:Ships: On the ferry from Tenerife to El Hierro. (Fujichrome Provia 100F, Nikon F100, Nikkor ED AF-S 2.8/80-200mm, September 2003)Fig. 3: Sunset from the ferry from Tenerife to El Hierro. (Fujichrome Provia 100F, Nikon F100, Nikkor ED AF-S 2.8/80-200mm, September 2003)Fig. 4:La Restinga: View from our apartment's balcony at La Restinga. What you don't see are the many building sites around in the small village. (Fujichrome Provia 100F, Nikon F100, Nikkor ED AF-S 2.8/80-200mm, El Hierro, September 2003)Fig. 5:La Restinga: View from our apartment's balcony at La Restinga. What you don't see are the many building sites around in the small village. (Fujichrome Provia 100F, Nikon F100, Nikkor ED AF-S 2.8/80-200mm, El Hierro, September 2003)Fig. 6:Landscape with Fog Cloud: Welcome to Mordor. The fog is coming over the hills. (Fujichrome Provia 100F, Nikon F100, Nikkor ED AF-S 2.8/80-200mm, El Hierro, September 2003)Fig. 7:Spray: The little village La Restinga on the southern end of El Hierro. (Fujichrome Provia 100F, Nikon F100, Nikkor MF 1.2/50mm AI-S lens, El Hierro, September 2003)Fig. 8:House with Balcony: Corner of an appartment building at La Restinga in the evening sun. This image is slightly retouched: in the lower left corner I removed a shadow of an electric wire. (Fujichrome Provia 100F, Nikon F100, Nikkor MF 1.2/50mm AI-S, El Hierro, September 2003)Fig. 9:Great view: Los Llanillos seen from La Frontera. (Fujichrome Provia 100F, Nikon F100, Nikkor MF 1.2/50mm AI-S, El Hierro, September 2003)Fig. 10:El Golfo: Looking towards the village Las Puntas and the rocks Roques de Salmor. (Fujichrome Provia 100F, Nikon F100, Nikkor MF 1.2/50mm AI-S, El Hierro, September 2003)Fig. 11:Church: The little church of La Frontera. (Fujichrome Provia 100F, Nikon F100, Nikkor MF 1.2/50mm AI-S, El Hierro, September 2003)Fig. 12: Serpentines climbing up El Sabinar through fields of lava. (Fujichrome Provia 100F, Nikon F100, Nikkor MF 1.2/50mm AI-S, El Hierro, September 2003)Fig. 13: Fields fenced with stone walls on the coast of El Hierro. What is grown here? Fujichrome Provia 100F, Nikon F100, Nikkor MF 50mm f/1.2 AI-S, El Hierro, September 2003Fig. 14:Dry Bushes: Withered bushes on El Hierro. Fujichrome Provia 100F, Nikon F100, Nikkor MF 50mm f/1.2 AI-S, El Hierro, September 2003Fig. 15:Lighthouse: The lighthouse Faro de Orchilla. (Fujichrome Provia 100F, Nikon F100, Nikkor MF 1.2/50mm, El Hierro, September 2003)Fig. 16:Pine Forest: The pine forest in the mountains of El Hierro.Fig. 17:Dry Forest: Dry forest on El Hierro. It doesn't seem to have rained here for a long time.Fig. 18:Dry Forest: Dry forest on El Hierro. It doesn't seem to have rained here for a long time.Fig. 19:Fog Cover: Fog blanket. Clouds often gather in the northwest of the island while the southeast is dry.Fig. 20:Slope: Wooded hillside on El Hierro.Fig. 21:Fog Sea: View of the sea of fog in the north-west of the island, while the south-east is mostly sunny and dry.Fig. 22:Trees on Mountainridge: Trees lined up along a mountain ridge.Fig. 23:Mirador de la Peña: View down the cliffs towards Las Playas Bay from Mirador de Las Playas. — Nikon F100, El Hierro, Canary Islands, Spain, September 2003Fig. 24:Wafts of Mist: Wafts of fog drift over the mountain ridge, which divides the small island into two climatic zones. — Nikon F100, El Hierro, Canary Islands, Spain, September 2003Fig. 25:Mirador de Las Playas: View down the cliffs towards Las Playas Bay from Mirador de Las Playas. — Nikon F100, El Hierro, Canary Islands, Spain, September 2003Fig. 26:Strait of Gibraltar: Gibraltar - the African / Spanish conjunction (Fujichrome Provia 100F, Nikon F100, Nikkor 3.5/35-105mm zoom lens, September 2003)Fig. 27:Pyrenees: Sunset above the Pyrenees (Fujichrome Provia 100F, Nikon F100, Nikkor 3.5/35-105mm zoom lens, September 2003)Fig. 28:Pyrenees: Sunset above the Pyrenees (Fujichrome Provia 100F, Nikon F100, Nikkor 3.5/35-105mm zoom lens, September 2003)Fig. 29:Pyrenees: Sunset above the Pyrenees (Fujichrome Provia 100F, Nikon F100, Nikkor 3.5/35-105mm zoom lens, September 2003)Fig. 30:Crane Scoop: The claw of the Big Crane in the port of La Restinga, with which a new pier was built from concrete elements to protect against the surf of the Atlantic. — Nikon D70, AF-S 28-70mm 1:2.8, La Restinga, El Hierro, Canary Islands, October 2005Fig. 31:Promenade La Restinga: Evening mood on the promenade of La Restinga — Nikon D70, AF-S 28-70mm 1:2.8, La Restinga, El Hierro, Canary Islands, October 2005Fig. 32:Lava Field: The lava field at La Restinga in the morning light. From the looks of it here, the last eruption must have been a few centuries ago. — Nikon D70, AF-S 12-24mm, La Restinga, El Hierro, Canary Islands, October 2005Fig. 33:Lava Field: The lava field at La Restinga in the morning light. From the looks of it here, the last eruption must have been a few centuries ago. — Nikon D70, AF-S 12-24mm, La Restinga, El Hierro, Canary Islands, October 2005Fig. 34:Lava Field: The lava field at La Restinga in the morning light. From the looks of it here, the last eruption must have been a few centuries ago. — Nikon D70, AF-S 12-24mm, La Restinga, El Hierro, Canary Islands, October 2005Fig. 35:Lava Field: The lava field at La Restinga in the morning light. From the looks of it here, the last eruption must have been a few centuries ago. — Nikon D70, AF-S 12-24mm, La Restinga, El Hierro, Canary Islands, October 2005Fig. 36:Dragonfly: A dragonfly on the lava field at La Restinga — Nikon D70, AF Micro 105mm 1:2.8, La Restinga, El Hierro, Canary Islands, October 2005Fig. 37:Volcanic Cone: The overgrown cinder cone at La Restinga on the southern tip of El Hierro. — Nikon D70, AF-S 28-70mm 1:2.8, La Restinga, El Hierro, Canary Islands, October 2005Fig. 38:La Restinga Harbour: The Port of La Restinga — Nikon D70, AF-S 12-24mm 1:2.8, La Restinga, El Hierro, Canary Islands, October 2005Fig. 39: Sunset in the port of La Restinga — Nikon D70, AF Micro 105mm 1:2.8, La Restinga, El Hierro, Canary Islands, October 2005Fig. 40:Volcanic Cone: The volcanic cone at La Restinga — Nikon D70, AF-S 12-24mm 1:2.8, La Restinga, El Hierro, Canary Islands, October 2005Fig. 41:Waves around Rocks: Long exposure of the cliffs of the lava field at La Restinga. Due to the movement of the waves, the sea looks like a fog &md; Nikon D70, AF-S 12-24mm 1:2.8, La Restinga, El Hierro, Canary Islands, October 2005Fig. 42:Sunset: The disk of the sun touches the horizon with a mirage. Unfortunately, the following photo of the Green Flash is blurred — Nikon D70, AF-S 80-200mm, 2x teleconverter, La Restinga, El Hierro, Canary Islands, October 2005Fig. 43:Moon Crescent: The crescent moon and something you can still see the earthshine — Nikon D70, AF-S 80-200mm, 2x teleconverter, La Restinga, El Hierro, Canary Islands, October 2005Fig. 44:Moon Crescent and Boat: Almost surreally kitschy: setting of the crescent moon with earth lights and a brightly lit fishing boat on the horizon at dusk — Nikon D70, AF-S 80-200mm, La Restinga, El Hierro, Canary Islands, October 2005Fig. 45:Milky Way and Venus: The Milky Way with Venus reflected in the water. On the horizon you can see the setting crescent moon and a brightly lit fishing boat — Nikon D70, AF-S 12-24mm, La Restinga, El Hierro, Canary Islands, October 2005Fig. 46:La Restinga: The small beach in the port of La Restinga — Nikon D70, AF-S 28-70mm, La Restinga, El Hierro, Canary Islands, October 2005Fig. 47:La Restinga: The small beach in the port of La Restinga — Nikon D70, AF-S 28-70mm, La Restinga, El Hierro, Canary Islands, October 2005Fig. 48:La Restinga: Evening mood in the port of La Restinga — Nikon D70, AF-S 12-24mm, La Restinga, El Hierro, Canary Islands, October 2005Fig. 49:La Restinga: Evening mood in the port of La Restinga — Nikon D70, AF-S 12-24mm, La Restinga, El Hierro, Canary Islands, October 2005Fig. 50:La Restinga: Evening mood in the port of La Restinga — Nikon D70, AF-S 12-24mm, La Restinga, El Hierro, Canary Islands, October 2005Fig. 51:Forest in the Mist: Pine forest in the fog — Nikon D70, AF-S 28-70mm, El Hierro, Canary Islands, October 2005Fig. 52:Forest in the Mist: Pine forest in the fog — Nikon D70, AF-S 12-24mm, El Hierro, Canary Islands, October 2005Fig. 53:Forest in the Mist: Pine forest in the fog — Nikon D70, AF-S 12-24mm, El Hierro, Canary Islands, October 2005Fig. 54:Fog Line: Fog line to El Golfo. Foreground is brightened with flash. — Nikon D70, AF-S 12-24mm, El Hierro, Canary Islands, October 2005Fig. 55:Trees in the Mist: Trees on Malpaso in the fog — Nikon D70, AF-S 12-24mm, El Hierro, Canary Islands, October 2005Fig. 56:Trees in the Mist: Trees on Malpaso in the fog — Nikon D70, AF-S 12-24mm, El Hierro, Canary Islands, October 2005Fig. 57:El Golfo: View of the valley 'El Golfo'. The foreground was flashed. — Nikon D70, AF-S 12-24mm, SB-800, El Hierro, Canary Islands, October 2005Fig. 58:Church at Frontera: The church tower of Frontera. Through a play of light from the passing clouds, the church stands in sunshine while the rock face behind lies in shadow — Nikon D70, AF-S 80-200mm, El Hierro, Canary Islands, October 2005Fig. 59:Valverde: The capital Villa Valverde — Nikon D70, AF-S 28-70mm, El Hierro, Canary Islands, October 2005Fig. 60:Valverde: The capital Villa Valverde — Nikon D70, AF-S 28-70mm, El Hierro, Canary Islands, October 2005Fig. 61:Valverde: The capital Villa Valverde — Nikon D70, AF-S 28-70mm, El Hierro, Canary Islands, October 2005Fig. 62:Valverde: The capital Villa Valverde — Nikon D70, AF-S 28-70mm, El Hierro, Canary Islands, October 2005Fig. 63:Valverde Street: The capital Villa Valverde — Nikon D70, AF-S 28-70mm, El Hierro, Canary Islands, October 2005Fig. 64:Valverde Church: The capital Villa Valverde — Nikon D70, AF-S 28-70mm, El Hierro, Canary Islands, October 2005