A bit different for me. But that’s what this is all about, stretching and growing.
We’re “Under the Sea” in a submarine. A shipwreck comes into view through the porthole. At 127 ft, the only colors are blue.
Category Archives: attraction
Christmas Eve
It’s Christmas Eve day and I have the tree lights on and carols playing in the background. I’m making my list for one last run to the grocery store. But I want to take a minute to share my adopted home town through the years. I live in Taunton, MA nicknamed “The Christmas City.
Taunton Green 2010
Long before I moved here Taunton earned the name Christmas City for it’s Holiday display at the intersection of Routs 44 and 138. All roads led to Taunton back in those days. In 1914 when the tradition began there was no Route 24, 95 , 495 or 128. If you wanted to get someplace south of Boston you probably had to go through Taunton.
Taunton Green 2011
I moved to Taunton in 2006 but I didn’t start photographing the “Green” with it’s Christmas Display until 2010. But I have made an effort to document the different displays every year since.
Taunton Green 2012
I hope you enjoy this visual visit to The Christmas City, past and present.
Taunton Green 2013
Taunton Green 2014
Taunton Green 2015
And last but not least, this year, 2016. The Holiday Train, Polar Express or however you want to think of this iconic Christmas Present, is the theme this year.
Taunton Green 2016
Nice Job Taunton. Easy to see why you are The Christmas City!
Maui Ocean Center Revisited
Vacation was nearing its inevitable conclusion. Time was running out.
Kathy had leave the next day. It seemed suitable to attend a Luau for her last evening on Maui but we needed to keep busy until then.
First stop was Lahina to pick up some souvenirs.
A pair of grass skirts and coconut bras for the little grand girls would be perfect.
From there we made our way to the Maui Ocean Center. I know we told you about our previous visit but Kathy hadn’t arrived then. It was time to show our cuz the cute aquarium.
It’s taken a quarter of a century for the aquarium to grow to its current size. Maui Ocean Center isn’t just an aquarium, it focuses on the flora and fauna of the oceans surrounding the Hawaiian Islands. Many of the species are found no other place on earth.
All of the exhibits faithfully replicate the natural environment. Its one of the only aquariums that specialize in caring for live corals. In the living reef building all of the corals are alive, not imitations.
The official sate fish of Hawaii is the reef triggerfish.
Its Hawaiian name is Humuhumu-nukunuku-a-pua’a. It means trigger fish with snout like pig. Now That’s a mouthful!
The Maui Ocean Center takes part in the Hawaiian Green Sea Turtle Educational Loan Program. They host baby sea turtles from hatchlings up to 2 years old when they are released into the ocean.
That’s just touching on the Aquarium, from surge zone to ocean depths it’s all here for you to see and experience.
Under the Sea
I’d like to be under the sea
In an octopus’ garden in the shade
He’d let us in, knows where we’ve been
In his octopus’ garden in the shade
After my solo adventure you’d think I’d have had enough of being underwater but no. I love the ocean with all the fish. I miss scuba diving. I think it is much easier than snorkeling. I forget that I have to keep the snorkel tip above the water in order to get air. I’m just so used to being able to breathe easily through a regulator!
Anyway, we scheduled a ride on a submarine and it was today! Sandy’s willing to go “Under the Sea” as long as she doesn’t get wet. Kathy said she had been on a submarine before so she stayed behind.
We’ll be going more than 100 ft below the surface. That means entering a blue world as colors will slowly filter out as we descend.
To get to the submarine we boarded a smaller boat to cruise out to the dive site.
Once there, the surface support boat let the Atlantis know that the next group had arrived.
Roxie, the surface support boat
Pretty soon we could see a ghostly outline as the gleaming white sub rose toward the surface.
Then there was bubbling and rushing water as it broke the surface.
Hatches were opened and the previous group transferred from the sub to our boat. Then it was our turn to board the sub.
Inside seats run down the center of the sub facing the portholes.
There’s room for 2 people per window.
There was a map on the wall between the port holes of our undersea cruise. I forget if there were 4 or 5 stops before we had to surface. At one point the depth gauge read 127 ft.
My favorite was the artificial reef called the Carthaginian. This ship was scuttled in 2005 and it hasn’t taken long for the fish in the area to take up residence.
As long as we were on or near a reef, there was plenty of activity. We saw a huge puffer fish, some reef sharks and even some spotted eagle rays.
Lots of reef fish schooled around but the minute we left a reef and headed over the sandy bottom we left the fish behind.
Our 50 minutes under the sea passed quickly. Too soon we were the ones making an exit so the next tour could board.
Going down! Dive, Dive Dive!
Some Final Thoughts on The Road to Hana
Early on in our drive we stopped at a park. I wish I had written down the name for you. Sandy and I had found it the week before in our explorations. It’s on the left as you travel toward Hana. If you like big waves, this is a spot to check out. When we first found it, it was so wild that there weren’t any surfers but the waves were mesmerizing.
It was a calmer day when we stopped with the tour and surfers were out in force. Some were very young.
There were also vendors with things like jewelry and souvenirs on display.
We made a stop at a red sand beach. It gets its color from the iron in the sand. It rusts!
The little coral church we stopped at is Palapala Ho’omau Church, built in 1857, it’s known as the burial ground of prominent aviator, inventor, explorer, author and activist Charles Lindbergh.
Forty-one years after his infamous non-stop solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean in 1927, Charles moved to Maui and settled in the remote area of Kipahulu, seeking privacy, beauty and simplicity. You can find the grave of both Charles and his wife under the shade of a Java plum tree at the limestone coral church.
A small choral group was practicing when we arrived. It was beautiful. We all stood respectfully while they sang Amazing Grace.
Our guide skipped the Garden of Eden stop which surprised me. I’d heard a lot about this attraction. Maybe he skipped it because there is a fee.
“It’s worth paying to enjoy walking the grounds, which are immaculately kept up and offer all kinds of photo opportunities. Here you can see an 100 year-old mango tree, bamboo, ocean views and Puohokamoa Falls.”
You can find a list of stops online and many shops sell ‘Guided tour” CD’s but everything takes time.
Our guide did as best he could with the amount of time allowed. The 8 hour tour ended up being 12 hours so I’d have to say we got our money’s worth.