Matador Network's Blog, page 833

Get paid to eat cheese

If you’ve been sitting around your house since March eating nothing but cheese and waiting for bars to reopen, you’ve unwittingly been training for this dream job. Whisps, a cheese crisps snack company, is looking for someone to join the Whisps Cheese Board. If chosen, you will be paid $5,000 in cash and perks to eat cheese for a year.

On July 25, National Wine and Cheese day, Whisps will select one cheese lover to join the board for a year. The lucky winner will be paid to partake in monthly product quality tests, new flavor evaluations, and brainstorm new products. They will also become a Whisps brand ambassador. New board members will be given a free trip to the World Championship Cheese Contest in 2022, a $2,000 stipend, and receive training from an artisan cheesemaker on how to evaluate cheese like a pro.

Ilana Fischer, CEO of Whisps, said in a statement, “As Whisps original cheese fanatic, I was able to make my cheese dream a reality: making — and eating — delicious, quality cheese snacks. I’m excited to find someone who loves cheese as much as me and my team to help us evaluate different cheeses to explore for innovation in the future. Plus, I’m excited to make someone else’s dream a reality!”

To apply, just visit Whisps’ website, provide basic personal information, and answer some cheese-related questions like, “If you were a cheese, what would you be and why?”

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Spain reopening on June 30

Spain just announced that it will open its borders to tourists from outside the European Union and Schengen area on June 30. Spain was one of the countries most severely impacted by the coronavirus, and its imminent reopening is an encouraging sign that the country is getting back on its feet. The announcement shouldn’t excite international tourists too much, however, as the EU is about to issue recommendations for member states regarding which visitors should be allowed to enter.

According to a source from the Interior and Foreign ministries, Spain’s government has not yet made distinctions between which non-Schengen countries should be allowed to enter, meaning that entry rules are still a bit vague. Regular flight routes are also set to be reestablished with countries that have COVID-19 infections under control, but the definition of “under control” remains unclear.

Many Americans are likely wondering if they will be allowed to visit after this June 30 reopening, and unfortunately, the answer isn’t exactly clear. The United States currently has the highest rate of COVID-19 infections in the world, and probably wouldn’t meet any reasonable threshold for bringing the virus “under control” at this time. Draft guidelines from the EU seem to suggest that the US will not be included in this phase of the reopening, but since countries aren’t required to adhere to those guidelines, Spain could theoretically make its own determination regarding US visitors.

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British 10-year-old saves kayaker

Everyone’s heard the expression, “not all heroes wear capes.” Well, apparently a lifejacket will suffice. Ten-year-old Jay Springall from Devon, England, overheard a conversation about a kayaker in distress and immediately dropped what he was doing and motored out in his boat to save her.

He found the woman in the water, hanging on her kayak and drifting out to sea. He tried to get on board using a ladder but she was too weak to climb, so he tied her kayak to his boat and towed her to shore, where a lifeboat arrived to complete the rescue.

“I am a very proud mum,” said Katie Davis, Jay’s mother. “He was so brave doing what he did. The currents are quite strong there and he was not sure about himself at first, but he did the right thing.”

Jay is young, and the water in that area can be treacherous, but the 10-year-old spends most of his spare time on the water with his parents, so he is familiar with the currents, which equipped him to lend a hand.

The kayaker came to visit Jay later on to thank him for his heroic actions and bring him some gifts.

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Chirs Burkard photography tips

Adventure photographer and now filmmaker Chris Burkard is living the dream. The California native has traveled the world on assignment for publications like National Geographic, recently released a coffee table book documenting Iceland’s glacial rivers and the fight to protect them, and just debuted a new film, Unnur, at the 2020 Mountainfilm Festival.

Burkard first made his name in the surf world, interning with Transworld Surf and selling shots to other publications in that space. From there, he transitioned into the larger world of adventure and travel, always keeping striking natural backdrops as his focus.

Many aspiring photographers look to seasoned veterans like Burkard for inspiration and ideas. And sure, the polished work donning his portfolio can make even the hardiest of land-dwellers want to grab a surfboard and push offshore. As hard as it is to believe, not every photo Burkard has taken in his career is jaw-dropping. Like all photographers, he had to start at the beginning, awkwardly holding a camera while learning the basics of shutter speed and white balancing.

Matador Network spoke with Burkard about those early days to gather his tips on getting started as an adventure photographer. He encourages aspiring photographers to keep it simple, at least straight out of the gate.

“Remember the camera is just a tool,” Burkard says. “What is more important is how you look at the world. Curiosity and a desire to explore, as well as passion, are a huge necessity when it comes to photography. If you start off with a basic camera that doesn’t have too many controls or functions, you can focus on light and composition.”

After one grasps the basic tenets of photography, they can move onto more expensive equipment.

“Once you get to the point where you’ve mastered your camera as a tool, and want more control, then it’s a good time to upgrade. If you start off with lots of complex gear, it can be overwhelming,” he said.

When purchasing equipment, shop for what is needed to bring your specific goals to fruition, Burkard advises.

“I only tell people to upgrade or spend more money if their current gear truly isn’t capable of doing what they need,” Burkard says. “If people want prints but your images aren’t sharp enough to be blown up, that could be a good time; or if your camera isn’t working in situations that you need it to, like in low light, that might make sense too. But unless you have really outgrown your gear, I don’t think it makes sense to spend more money. That money could be better used to just get out there and shoot.”

For optimal value based on its performance, Burkard recommends the Sony Alpha A6500, which starts at about $1,200 new, though used options are available through various websites. In addition to its affordability, Burkard is a fan of the camera’s fast frame rate and calls it the “best in its class” for FPS, autofocus, and sensor size.

“I have shot this camera on commercial and editorial assignments all over the globe,” Burkard says. “I’ve shot covers, billboards, and large prints with it with no problems.”

Photo: Chris Burkard

With a camera in hand, the best thing a photographer at any level can do is just get out there and shoot.

“Trial and error is your best friend when you are teaching yourself,” Burkard says. “Try different angles and different lighting. Keep an open mind, explore, and be willing to put yourself in lots of different situations. Getting out there and shooting outweighs almost any camera gear upgrades. That opinion has only grown throughout my years in this profession.”

Once a photographer has a collection of shots worth showing off, the next step is to create a portfolio of the best work, Burkard notes. Then, start putting yourself out there.

“You should be constantly shooting and trying to improve your portfolio,” Burkard says. “It is also a great idea to intern and assist for someone whenever you can. Learning the business side of things as well as seeing how someone earns a living doing what they love can be a huge help.”

And, don’t worry if your Instagram channel doesn’t blow up.

Photo: Madalin Olariu/Shutterstock

“While building your portfolio you should try and promote your work through as many channels as you can,” Burkard says. “Don’t limit yourself to social media. Try and submit as many publications/ blogs/ websites as possible. You can’t put food on the table with followers.”

Rather than spend a bunch of time online, it’s more important to connect with fellow photographers, publishers, and adventurers in person. Networking, Burkard explains, is key in an industry of self-made professionals.

“Who you know definitely helps as well,” Burkard says. “My internship at Transworld Surf helped me get my name out there. Working for Surfer magazine also helped me gain a lot of connections that I still use today. Reach out to people you admire and see if they need an assistant or see if there are any internship opportunities. This is how I first got my name out there and was able to make connections within the industry. Once I made these connections I was able to turn that into profit through the quality of my portfolio.”

“Both making connections and having a good portfolio are what is going to get you consistent work. I would say it would be more important to grow your talent and portfolio rather than knowing more people. You could have all the connections in the world, but if you don’t have the talent to perform on a professional level then you will not get very much work.”v

But how does one go about choosing what’s in that portfolio?

“The best thing that you can do as an aspiring photographer is to identify a style that represents you well, develop within that style, and keep shooting to perfect it,” Burkard says. “Editors and art directors want creatives who are the best in their niche, not someone who is okay at everything. It’s super important to have your images be recognizable by editors and others who are looking at your work. With the large number of photographers that are out there now you must find ways to stand out. The best compliment I can ever receive is when people know my photography work instantly when they see it.”

Photo: rdonar/Shutterstock

It can be tough to know when it’s time to turn a passionate hobby into something more. Getting published is a great feeling, but the rejections that tend to come alongside successful placements can be discouraging. This is why it’s so helpful to have a specific niche, Burkard explains. Start by observing what those a few steps ahead of you are doing — where they’re publishing, how they’re selling — and try to replicate it. Then, after a photographer has a specific style down and has identified outlets that publish work similar to theirs, the next step is submitting.

“A big part of this is experiencing the industry,” Burkard says. “Learn from a magazine setting or an editorial conference. Study a photographer you like and really understand the hustle it takes to do what they do. Understand what it’s like to be in those commercial and editorial situations where you’re trying to make it all work for a client. I look back at the time I spent driving down to Oceanside every week to intern at Transworld Surf, and a summer I interned with a landscape photographer. That’s where I feel like I gained the biggest understanding of what photography was really like. I realized what it means to run your own business. And if you still want to do it after that, you should.”

Burkard mentions the “business” here for the first time, but it’s a term anyone hoping to become a professional photographer must learn to know intimately.

“If you do decide to pursue it as a career, know that 50 percent of photography is the business side of things,” Burkard says. “Emails, outreach, marketing, etc. are absolute necessities that can be tough to begin with, but will enable you to do what you love. Keep exploring, follow your passions and photograph what you love. In the beginning you may need to also photograph things that don’t particularly interest you in order to fund what you want to shoot, but eventually you’ll be able to focus on your passions. Be good to people, make connections, be honest, and work hard. Promote yourself, and share your work.”

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World's oldest heli-skier

Heli-skiing is the ultimate adrenaline rush, and despite what you may think, it’s not just reserved for 20-something adventure junkies. Gordon Precious of Hamilton, Ontario, decided to celebrate his 95th birthday in style by heli-skiing in the Cariboo Mountains of British Columbia. In doing so, he set a Guinness World Record as the oldest person to ever heli-ski.

Photo: CMH Heli-Skiing & Summer Adventures

“When we first arrived at CMH Cariboos,” he said, “ I was just delighted with the reception. The manager came to the helicopter and hugged me … It was my first run by helicopter in five years. When the helicopter takes off, you think oh my goodness how am I going to get down from way up here. Then you recall that you have a very experienced guide with you, and you know that it’s within your scope.”

Photo: CMH Heli-Skiing & Summer Adventures

Undaunted after the epic heli-skiing run, Precious continued shredding for three days alongside his wife Tracy and grandson Trevor.

“It’s so inspirational to see the unbridled joy that skiing can bring to people at any age,” said Trevor. “Whether it’s my kids learning to ski at Caledon on the 100 metre Ontario hill or a 95-year-old who has skied most of the world, it’s still that same exhilarating delight of careening down a mountain on snow.”

And Precious isn’t done yet — he’s already planning another heli-skiing adventure when he turns 100. “I’m looking forward to my 100th year heli-skiing,” he said.

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EU borders might stay closed to US

As the European Union sets guidelines for reopening borders to visitors from non-European countries, there’s one conspicuous absence from the list: the United States. Due to the US’ poor coronavirus response, and the continued surge of cases, the country is joining the ranks of Russia and Brazil on the EU’s blacklist, according to draft lists obtained by The New York Times.

Although travelers from pretty much everywhere have been barred from visiting Europe since March, external borders are expected to reopen on July 1, allowing tourists to visit once again.

Countries that did make the EU draft lists have been designated as safe based on a series of epidemiological criteria, including average number of new infections. The EU’s average number of new infections is 16 per 100,000 people, while the US has 107 new infections per 100,000.

While the EU can’t force member countries to abide by the list — Portugal and Greece have notably already reopened their borders to US citizens — officials warn that failure to do so could lead to the reintroduction of borders within the union. This would be an attempt to prevent visitors from unapproved nations from traveling unchecked throughout Europe.

The official list is set to be finalized and released before July 1.

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La Luna brings Michoacán mezcal

Around 2015, Salvador Picazo Chavez came across a story that mentioned mezcal was a quickly growing spirit category. It could have been from a number of sources — everywhere from food-centric places like Eater and Food & Wine to general interest magazines like Vogue and Forbes was trying to explain mezcal to their audience that year — but one thing stood out.

“It was a corny headline and a corny story,” Chavez says, “but what hit me is that they mentioned Oaxaca as the only place to get mezcal.”

Chavez grew up taking trips from his home in Sonoma County in northern California to the Mexican state of Michoacán to visit family. He knows that Oaxaca is indeed famous for its mezcal (it’s estimated that more than 90 percent of mezcal imported to the United States comes from Oaxaca) but also that there are other regions producing quality mezcal. For Chavez, the most stand out among them is Michoacán, the region where his parents are from.

In 2016, Chavez launched to highlight the flavors of Michoacán mezcal. A dual citizen, Chavez works hand in hand with family producers for the La Luna line of mezcals — including on a Cotija, Mexico, distillery on the same property where Chavez’s father was raised. Through La Luna, he’s showing mezcal lovers in the US that there’s more to try than the many best selling brands out of Oaxaca.

Mezcal, like tequila and Champagne and many other wines and spirits, is regulated by production laws. Mezcal is made in nine states in Mexico from around 40 different varieties of the agave plant (also known as the maguey). The most common varieties seen in the US are made with espadin agave from Oaxaca.

Mezcal has been made in Mexico for centuries. It’s historically been less of a commercial product than the most famous agave spirit, tequila, and more widespread than other agave spirits like sotol and raicilla. Yet over the past decade, in trendy cocktail bars and high-end liquor stores around the world, mezcal has become the agave spirit to know.

“If you’re in a bar, no matter if you are in London, Chicago, LA — mezcal is the best ambassador [for Mexican spirits],” Xaime Niembro, the cofounder of the Oaxacan mezcal brand Gracias a Dios, says. “For a lot of people, the first thing to know about Oaxaca is mezcal, so it’s a great ambassador.”

Photo: Gracias a Dios

Niembro has seen firsthand how the mezcal boom has helped people economically. The state of Oaxaca has widely benefited from the renown of its food and drinks. Before the coronavirus pandemic slowed, and then halted, travel, gastronomic trips to Oaxaca for everything from mole to mezcal bolstered the local economy. In Matatlan, where Gracias a Dios is based, Niembro says the vast majority of the population relies on mezcal, from the producers to the bottlers to the people who serve food to the workers. If you’ve sipped a mezcal in the past five years, it was almost surely from Oaxaca.

So it’s hard to imagine another region overtaking Oaxaca in terms of the amount of mezcal produced and the degree of international recognition it has received. Yet the success is proof that there’s enough demand for more than one mezcal region to thrive.

“Our history of mezcal production here is deep and rich, yet a lot of people overlook it,” Chavez says. “There’s not the allure of Oaxaca [in Michoacán], and Oaxaca is the center of mezcal for the world — I understand that. But Michoacán is strong.”

Michoacán is around four hours west of Mexico City, and the edge of the state touches the Pacific. The region is a verdant farmland, farmers grow more avocados in Michoacán than anywhere else in the world, along with fruit, sugarcane, and, of course, agave.

Mezcal making in Michoacán dates back at least 400 years, though there’s some evidence of pre-Hispanic distillation that could make agave spirits even older. Distillation techniques, including the style of wooden still used at La Luna’s distilleries, came from Filipinos taken to Mexico by the Spanish.

“At La Luna, we use the pine stills because the region’s producers know it, and that’s what is traditional,” Chavez says. “It pays homage to the state.”

Photo: /Facebook

Today, the most important varieties of agave in Michoacán are the cupreata, inaequidens, cenizo, and tequilana (also known as blue weber, which is the only agave allowed to be used for tequila). La Luna makes five main expressions with these agave species.

There’s the Cupreata, an affordable option made for sipping that can be used in cocktails, as well, and the Chino Silvestre, which is made with wild cupreata agave. La Luna’s Manso Sahuayo is made with cenizo and has a slight cheesy savoriness to it as well as mint and fresh fruit. Bruto is a big, high-end sipping mezcal made from inaequidens and fermented with help from pulque made by the same agave plant. Finally, there’s Tequilana, which is made from the same agave species as your favorite tequilas. Tequilana is made in the style of the other mezcals and gives some insight into what tequila tasted like before the spirit became a mass-produced commodity.

All of the mezcals are made by first roasting the agave in stone-lined earth pits and fermenting them in open-air wooden vats before reaching the pinewood stills. The mezcaleros are part of the Scott and Perez families, both of which have made Michoacán mezcal for generations.

This tradition-first and local-first mentality is part of what makes almost all mezcal special. Yet with the massive international interest over the past decade, some of the mezcal making it to the US has lost that connection. That’s why Niembro stresses the importance of learning about the people behind a mezcal brand to ensure what you’re drinking supports the local producers and continues centuries-old mezcal-making traditions.

“In my opinion,” Niembro says, “Michoacán is one of the best after Oaxaca. And the reason is because they have never lost the tradition of doing it themselves.”

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Botched Virgin Mary art restoration

Art restoration is a tricky and delicate business. Maintaining a piece’s aesthetic integrity, while also preserving its condition, is not a job for amateurs. This is exemplified by the recent failed restoration attempt of a painting by artist Bartolomé Esteban Murillo in Spain.

The anonymous owner commissioned an amateur restorer to restore a copy of Murillo’s “The Immaculate Conception of Los Venerables,” which resulted in a misshapen Virgin Mary that looks more like the central character in Edvard Munch’s “The Scream” than the Virgin Mary.

The owner had paid a furniture restorer $1,350 for the painting to be cleaned, but after two failed attempts, the restorer left the painting worse than he found it.

Left: The original, from a copy of Bartolomé Esteban Murillo’s work. Right: The two restoration attempts by an amateur. (Photo: Cedida por Coleccionista/Europa Press 2020)

Fernando Carrera, former president of the Professional Association of Conservative Restorers of Spain, told The Guardian, “I don’t think this guy — or these people — should be referred to as restorers…they’re bodgers who botch things up. They destroy things. Can you imagine just anyone being allowed to operate on other people? Or someone being allowed to sell medicine without a pharmacist’s license?” Carrera added, noting that while he understands restorers are not as critical to society as doctors, “we need to focus society’s attention on this…this is our history.”

Carrera argues that restoration is vital to the preservation of a nation’s cultural past, and as such, should only be practiced by those expertly trained in the craft. The botched Virgin Mary serves as a pretty glaring case in point.

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‘Fly Brother’ host Ernest White II

Few people have what it takes to turn a personal blog into a nationally broadcasted travel show. Ernest White II, who has circumnavigated the globe six times and visited some 70 countries, is one of those few.

We caught up with Ernest White II, the creator and host of the new travel show Fly Brother with Ernest White II, which airs on various public television stations. He shared what it took to turn his personal blog into a travel show. Ernest recalled the exact moment he realized the importance of his work — 12,000 feet up in a Tajikistan castle as the first US crew to explore the remote destination.

Falling in love with travel early on, Earnest collected maps and travel brochures as a child. He lived abroad for the first time as a high school exchange student in Sweden, which further ignited his passion for exploration. To date, Ernest has visited over 70 countries, lived in five, and filmed in 10. While the pandemic has delayed the production of the show’s second season, the travel pause has been somewhat of a blessing in disguise for Ernest and his crew.

Tell us a bit about your upbringing and how you got into traveling.

I’m originally from Jacksonville, Florida. Both of my parents are teachers, so I grew up in a solid, middle-class household with all of my needs and a few of my wants met. From a very early age, I was really interested in reading books about different cultures, travel, and escapes.

When I was a kid, the wife of the preacher of my church gave me this book called Free Stuff for Kids. In that book, you can order all kinds of stuff through the mail, but what really interested me were the addresses of the tourism boards of different states, cities, and countries. You could send them a postcard, and they would send you all the stuff in the mail — that was all before the Internet. So, I’d get maps and guides and posters, and I liked collecting all of that in a huge file cabinet that my mom got me. Anything that was a travel brochure about going somewhere, I collected.

Eventually, I had the opportunity to study abroad in Sweden as a foreign exchange student when I was 16, and that’s when everything just changed.

How did you get into the travel show industry?

I always wanted to be a writer and to live abroad. I got my degree in political science and was looking at foreign service at a certain point, but then ended up getting my master’s in creative writing and got certified to teach English as a second language. By the time I graduated, I moved to Colombia to teach while I wrote. While I was there, I started a blog that soon moved from a personal journal to travel advice. Eventually, it gained some traction, and I participated in a couple of TV show episodes on the Travel Channel.

Then, a couple of years later while I was living in Brazil as a journalist, a buddy from college needed travel content for his network. He said that they couldn’t pay me, but they’d give me all the support I needed. I resisted it at first because I didn’t want to be on TV; I wanted to write. Eventually, I used some industry connections to get a little bit of funding and put a production team together.

While we were filming that first season, sadly that start-up network went dark — they ran out of money. But a friend of mine in the travel industry suggested public television, and we started a couple of conversations, and that’s how we ended up on public television.

You’ve filmed at a range of destinations. Is there a moment you can recall as your proudest?

In Tajikistan. We ended up at this 3,000-year-old Silk Road castle. It was at 12,000 feet of altitude. We were the third camera crew ever to visit that place; the first was from Russia, the second from South Korea, and we were the first English-speaking team to visit. The experience of being alone there in itself was quite humbling. They call it the Machu Picchu of Central Asia, and the seclusion plus mountain views both on the Tajik and Afghan side were just spectacular. It showed me just how ground-breaking this project is.

What challenges have you faced while filming the show?

The funding just wasn’t there. This started as an independent, boot-strapped production. We didn’t have a major investor behind us. We did it all piece by piece. Our first investor was a wonderful lady, Dr. Yvette McQueen who believed in the mission of connectivity. She traveled as well and had some resources she could devote to what we were doing, and so it’s been that kind of thing — people who aren’t necessarily media investors who up to now have been supportive. That’s phenomenal but also challenging. There were lots of times when we were operating on the faith that the resources would just show up, and they have, but sometimes it’s the very last minute and can be stressful.

How big is your crew?

At times, we’ve had just me and my cameraman, Pedro Serra who’s phenomenal. Then, when we are especially lucky, we can bring in a camera and sound person. We were able to take Juliana Nicolini to Tajikistan. It was wonderful to have her and it was unique to have a woman in this role. Even in the US, people usually don’t associate women with production even though there have always been women in production. It’s important for people on the ground to see that we have different types of people working towards a singular goal.

How are you dealing with COVID-19 putting everything on pause? Do you think that you’ll still be able to accomplish some of the goals you set for yourself for 2020?

We were set to film the first episode of season two in April and, of course, that trip got canceled. We didn’t realize how much work was going to go into the roll-out of season one on public television. I imagine it would have been even more stressful to release the first season while filming the second simultaneously. This has altered our plan and stretched our timeline a bit, but not in a bad way.

The other aspect is that the pandemic got people at home in front of the TV, so we’ve had a more attentive audience.

Where can we watch Fly Brother with Ernest White II?

At the moment, it’s broadcast only on Public Television Station; however, we are in negotiation for streaming, which means that we’re hoping that you’d be able to see it on streaming platforms later in the year. Stay tuned and visit our website, Fly Brother.

Given everything that’s happening in the US and around the world with the Black Lives Matter movement, do you have anything you want to share on the subject?

Absolutely! Visibility is crucial. Without the visibility of the videos that we have showing abuses, without the camera footage, there wouldn’t be awareness of where things need to be changing. I think that visibility is required on every level, not just when you got abuses but also when you’ve got wins and celebrations.

You need visibility in places when diversity isn’t historically represented, such as having women in production. It’s important to see Black doctors and Latino attorneys and Asian basketball players, in every field of human endeavor, no matter what they look like and no matter where they are from. The more we see that, the more it becomes normalized, as it should be. I’m a Black, gay, American travel host, one of the first, and it makes me special because it makes me relatable, and that is empowering people by showing them that they too can do and be anything they want.

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Sahara dust cloud coming to the US

You wouldn’t think that a dust storm in the Sahara Desert could have much impact on the US, but that’s exactly what’s happening this week. While it’s not uncommon for dust plumes to travel across the Atlantic Ocean, one particularly large dust cloud from the Sahara is passing through the Caribbean right now and heading for the southeastern US.

Dan Kottlowski, AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist and lead hurricane expert, said, “According to scientists that I have gotten some information from, they’re saying this is an abnormally large dust cloud. One of the things I noticed from this is the dust started coming off the coast of Africa several days ago, in fact maybe over a week ago. And it’s still coming. It’s almost like a prolonged area of dust.”

Photo: NOAA

These dust clouds are being called the Saharan Air Layer by meteorologists and were stirred up by strong winds across the Sahara Desert. The dust entered the Atlantic Ocean near the Cape Verde Islands and rode the trade winds across the ocean. The dust layer was so widespread that it could be captured clearly by satellite images.

Today's view of a large Saharan dust plume.

Watch in near-realtime: https://t.co/mtWrgxAxqY. pic.twitter.com/aq4Ozto4Ng

— CIRA (@CIRA_CSU) June 19, 2020

Dust clouds usually disperse by the time they reach the Caribbean, but this dust storm has remained intact.

“I was amazed that the dust is still coming off the coast,” said Kottlowski. “You don’t see a break in it, so it’s just a sort of long-lasting area of dust. We’re going to see hazy skies across the Caribbean, probably into Florida into parts of the Gulf of Mexico area, probably for a week or two.”

According to the New York Times, the dust cloud is likely to arrive in the Gulf Coast states on Wednesday and Thursday.

If you live in one of the affected areas, it’s important to keep in mind that the dust cloud can cause poor air quality and pose health concerns for those prone to respiratory issues. But it can also create vibrant sunsets and sunrises.

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