DRAKENSBERG ESCARPMENT - Kingdom of Lesotho, Africa. Lesotho rises dramatically away from South Africa like an island amidst the smoke and a setting sun. The jagged peaks are as high as 11,400 feet, and the smoke is blown from burning grazeland in the mountains by the strong westerly berg wind. Claytor circled above this turbulent precipice in pursuit of a photograph. The difficulty in obtaining an image like this one is that all concentration must be focused through the lens so as to release the camera shutter at the correct moment. However, the airplane must also be flown, and in the severe winds along such a steep escarpment, this alone can be challenging. Sometimes, this escarpment is referred to as "the barrier of spears."
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