Jaffa Port

Jaffa Port, located at the foot of Old Jaffa, has always been a particularly magical place for me to wander and photograph. The port combines a rich history with a constant sense of movement, life, and a fresh Sea breeze. Over the years, I have found myself returning to this place again and again, taking a panorama from a new and different angle with each visit, and each time – the panorama tells a different story. Only some of the panoramas I have taken are presented here, just one perspective from several points from which I explored the port through my lens.  

One of the panoramas I always wanted to photograph is from the edge of the breakwater, where a small and rusty lighthouse stands proudly with a ladder and light at its tip, overlooking the sea and illuminating for boats the point they need to pass to enter the port. This dream accompanied me for a long time, and stirred my imagination every time I saw the lighthouse from afar. Eventually, despite all obstacles, literally speaking, I managed to get there – after climbing over barriers that initially seemed like an insurmountable obstacle. I climbed the ladder, and photographed frantically both in regular mode and you can see the result here above, and also with zoom but unfortunately I was missing a few photos for a panorama. I cannot repeat this experience because they replaced the rusty and crumbling lighthouse with a much more aesthetic one, painted green and white but without a ladder.

The boats in the port are a story unto themselves. They move at their own pace, some belonging to veteran fishermen who know the waves inside and out, and others belonging to tourist tours, like the famous tour boat at whose tip stands a golden and winged lion statue, a mythological figure that adds dramatic flair to the water views. The waves, breaking against the sides of the boats, sometimes gently and sometimes forcefully, accompany the scene with sounds of roaring and continuous rustling, as if they are an integral part of life in the port.

Between the crashing waves and the flight of birds circling overhead, there is a feeling of tranquility mixed with constant movement. Seagulls, pigeons and sometimes even storks during migration season – circle above my head, drawn to the waves and the abundance of life in the sea. Every detail in this port – from the pier, through the boats to the birds in the sky – contributes to the sense of place, combining the scent of history with the power of living, breathing nature.