Tag Archives: kindly boat captains
Dispatch One – Our Amazing Asian Cruise!
We’re taking you to Asia!Follow along LIVE with us as we discover Hong Kong, China, South Korea and Japan. We’ll be visiting Shanghai, Zhujiajiao Watertown with its traditional wooden boat markets, the Great Wall and Forbidden City in Beijing, the culture and beauty of Dalian, the amazing port city of Busan, the Peace Garden… CONTINUE READING >>
Man o’ Manatees
January is manatee mania month in Florida. There is no better time of year to see – and swim with (yes!) – these gentle giants in The Sunshine State, and Floridians go all out to show off the endangered sea cows, including throwing a festival or two.
Did someone say festival? No way we would miss that!
During the winter the… CONTINUE READING >>
Fear Conquering & Whitewater Rafting
In my never-ending quest to push the envelope, I figured my next challenge would be to tackle whitewater rafting.
My trepidation wasn’t what most people would expect. I love to swim, I love being out on the water and am generally fearless when boating. What I was frightfully anxious about was the coldness of the water.
I like my water warm. When I use the word “bracing” it is always in a negative context. Never the one to just dive into a pool — no — I… CONTINUE READING >>
Dispatch 2, The Galápagos, South America Live-Blog
Our South American live-blog continues with a week sailing in The Galápagos Islands!We are absolutely IN LOVE with the animals here – unbelievably friendly and so fun to photograph. The terrain is wild and the snorkeling unforgettable (and we’ve got underwater video!).
Join our adventure aboard the Yolita II… CONTINUE READING >>
Everglades Airboat Tour
Gator Park had something that we’d been wanting to try for years, airboats. We, like most folks I suppose, were more interested in careening through the swamp at insanely… CONTINUE READING >>
Fear Conquering & Scuba Diving
Learning to scuba dive has been a long dormant dream of mine. I’m a water person, a good swimmer and love to snorkel. Scuba seemed the next logical step.
So I crammed my not-so-perky butt into a wet suit, strapped 16 pounds of weight around my waist (apparently I’m very buoyant) and jumped in. And immediately FREAKED OUT.
There I was in the ocean, treading water like a madwomen, embarrassed and humbled. What happened? I had aced the pre-ocean part of the lesson. In the swimming pool I was amazing – a scuba diving machine if there ever was one. I was practically one of those Discovery Channel shark chasers.
My mind frantically tried to grasp where things went terribly awry… CONTINUE READING >>
Playing a Round of Gulf
The Gulf Coast has taken more than its share of beatings, Katrina was no doubt one of the worst. We were intimately acquainted with the destruction she caused in New Orleans from our daughter’s, 23, ill-fated attempt to attend Tulane University. But the worst of the storm’s fury was felt on Mississippi’s shores.The damage was still evident as we drove along the coast toward Biloxi. Massive broken pilings that…CONTINUE READING >>
Mississippi Gulf Coast Shrimp Boat!
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Billed as a Living Marine Adventure Cruise, we were given a taste of what happens on a working shrimp boat. Take a peek at the sea creatures… CONTINUE READING >>
Let Us Run This Bayou
In Louisiana, the area south of I-10 and west of New Orleans is a “whole ‘nudder t’ing.” Over the years we’ve made periodic pilgrimages and would be hard-pressed to come up with a part of this great country that we are more fond of. Through hardship and isolation, a society singular to this region has developed with its own food, music and unique language. We love spending time in amongst it allThe main factor in the… CONTINUE READING >>
Atchafalaya Swamp Tour in Louisiana
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At the western end of the Atchafalaya Basin Bridge of Interstate 10, an 18 mile run over Cyprus and gators, we met Ernest Couret and his little 16 ft swamp boat. After the usual “How y’all are?” greetings we climbed… CONTINUE READING >>
Revealing Victoria’s Secrets
Queen Victoria of England dubbed the westernmost region of Canada British Columbia in 1858 — in tribute, her name remains on B. C. ‘s capital city and our destination, Victoria.Just before our arrival we were treated to a breathtaking show. The captain announced that orcas were sighted… CONTINUE READING >>
Under Sea St. Croix
Like an iceberg in the tropics, only the tip of St. Croix is visible above the surface. To truly experience what the island has to offer one must look below the water line.
We returned to the island during the holidays and from previous trips were prepared to be flexible as the Christmas Winds are usually ablowin’. These annual “Jesus Breezes” produce high seas that make the water murky and boat rides stomach churning. Patience will pay. Just wait a day or two, there is there is always perfect water weather within any week’s span.
Buck Island National Park with… CONTINUE READING >>
Chocked Tentacle in Alghero, Sardinia
It’s a pleasant thirty minutes ride from Sassari, where we were staying, to the seaside gem of Alghero on the famous “Little Green Train” (Trenino Verde). This popular narrow gauge railroad serves Sardinia and dates back to 1888. In 1921, author D.H. Lawrence said of Trenino Verde, “It’s a strange railway. It shoots up hills and down into valleys and races around sudden curves with the greatest nonchalance…” Though we would have to leave the leg of the railroad that D.H. spoke of for a future trip, we were able to get our train fix with the shorter jaunt to…CONTINUE READING >>
