Category Archives: beach vacation

Jaws Turns 50—And Contender Takes the Crown

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🦈 Jaws Turns 50: Meet Contender, the Real-Life Ocean Giant

 

Fifty years ago, Jaws sank its teeth into the public imagination, turning the great white shark into a symbol of fear and fascination. Today, as we celebrate the cinematic legend’s golden anniversary, a new marine marvel is stealing the spotlight—not from Hollywood, but from the depths of the Atlantic.

📣 Enter Contender: The Atlantic’s King of Sharks

Earlier this year, a behemoth was tagged off the Florida-Georgia coast that’s making Jaws look almost modest. Named Contender, this great white shark is officially the largest ever tagged in the North Atlantic. Here are the jaw-dropping stats:

  • Length: 13 feet, 9 inches
  • Weight: 1,653 pounds
  • Age: Estimated at 32 years old
  • Tagged: January 17, 2025, roughly 45 miles offshore

North Carolina coast: Great white shark 'Contender' heads to ...

Contender was named by OCEARCH, the marine research group responsible for tagging him, after one of their longtime partners—Contender Boats—whose vessels support these vital expeditions.

🗺️ His Journey: From the Deep to Our Doorstep

Since being tagged, Contender has taken quite the tour:

  • He swam south to Vero Beach, Florida, before making a turn north
  • Passed through Cape Hatteras, North Carolina
  • Most recently, he’s been cruising near Nantucket, Massachusetts, between Nantucket Shoals and Georges Bank

Contender: Largest Known Male Great White Shark in the North ...

Contender’s movements are tracked via a SPOT tag, a high-tech device that sends a signal every time his dorsal fin breaches the surface, letting researchers and enthusiasts follow his oceanic adventure in real time.

🔬 Beyond the Bite: The Science Behind the Tag

OCEARCH scientists aren’t just tracking Contender for thrills. They’re collecting data to unlock secrets about:

  • Shark migration patterns
  • Breeding behaviors and reproductive health
  • Long-term oceanic ecosystem impacts

Contender’s tag is expected to deliver insights for five years, offering a rare peek into the life of one of the ocean’s most elusive and majestic creatures.

Record-Breaking Great White Shark Found Off Florida Coast ...

🎥 From Fiction to Fact

The film Jaws was inspired by real sightings and fears, but the anniversary serves as a perfect moment to shift from fear to fascination.  Sharks like Contender remind us that the ocean isn’t just home to legends—it’s home to living marvels that deserve our awe, curiosity, and protection.

Curious to see where Contender swims next? Track him live on the OCEARCH Shark Tracker.

Considering Delaware

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How about Delaware

Does Delaware get missed because it’s such a tiny state? It hardly shows up as white space on my map. It feels like it should be a quick stop to somewhere else. Sorry Delaware! Don’t mean to be insulting. There’s only 1 resort and it’s on Fenwick Island.

Mallard Lakes at Fenwick Island

Mallard Lakes at Fenwick Island

Photo from the resort website

Mallard Lakes at Fenwick Island, 297 Cardinal Lane, Fenwick Island, Delaware, 19944, United States

Relax in the peaceful, serene environment of Mallard Lakes on Fenwick Island in Delaware. Shops and restaurants surround the area, or travel to nearby Ocean City and traverse the boardwalk. Golf courses, boating excursions, horseback riding, seashore parks and beaches are just a short drive away. Whether you want to participate in fishing or just some relaxation at one of the four stocked lakes, Mallard Lakes will provide you entertainment with a touch of solitude.

What to do in Delaware

Like most states I research there is a list of things to do on the internet. The list for Delaware has a lot of mansions and museums. One that caught my eye is the Delaware Art Museum located in Wilmington.  “As you approach the building, you can’t help seeing the Dale Chihuly arrangement of brilliant glass flowers, each several feet across.”  I am a huge Chihuly fan. Love his glassworks. I’ve been to exhibits and the MFA (Museum of Fine Arts) Boston and Chihuly Garden & Glass in Seattle. Plus those brilliant , twisty glass chandeliers in many casinos are Chihuly too!

2017 MFA Exhibit Boston – Photo by Deb Neumann

Other Attractions on the list

The #1 attraction according to trip advisor is  FUNLAND. “This park as been a family owned and operated attraction for decades. Wonderful place to spend the day and get out of the sun. Very reasonable pricing.”  Not something I would be interested in but maybe if I had children with me? 

#2 is more to my liking. Bombay Hook National Wildlife Sanctuary. Bombay Hook is 14000 acres of Wetlands preserve and home to many migratory birds.

#3 Cape May-Lewes Ferry.  “Whether you’re crossing the Delaware Bay for a fun day trip or as part of a long-distance trip, on the Cape May-Lewes Ferry, your journey is sure to be a memorable one. Enjoy historic lighthouses, picturesque harbors, oceangoing vessels, unique seabirds and, just maybe, your very own dolphin escort! The 17-mile, 85-minute cruise between New Jersey and Delaware can cut miles off a trip along the Atlantic Coast, connecting points like Wildwood, Stone Harbor, Avalon, Ocean City and the rest of the Jersey Shore with Rehoboth Beach, Dewey Beach, Sussex Shores, Bethany Beach, Fenwick Island, Ocean City, MD, and destinations throughout Virginia. Our welcoming, modern terminals are a destination in and of themselves, with enjoyable restaurants and lounges, and well-stocked gift shops!”

That sounds interesting!

So more to see and do than I expected from such a tiny state.

Where to next? Alabama?

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Where should I go next?

As my State list shrinks it is harder to decide where to go next. I’ll share my thoughts along with more photos from the trips I’ve taken.  My first step was to check for time share resorts. There are other exchanges I can use but the easiest to get a reservation for are the  “Destinations” so I have split my list into  primary locations , those with a timeshare resort, and secondary locations. Places I will need either an exchange or a local motel.

North Carolina 2021

Primary States

  1. Alabama
  2. Arkansas
  3. Delaware
  4. Idaho
  5. Indiana
  6. Missouri
  7. New Mexico
  8. Oregon
  9. Utah
  10. West Virginia

Carriage Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia 2018

Colonial Williamsburg 2018

Secondary Locations

  1. Iowa
  2. Kansas
  3. Kentucky
  4. Michigan
  5. Mississippi
  6. Montana
  7. Nebraska
  8. North Dakota
  9. Ohio
  10. Oklahoma
Elk Migration

Elk Migration Wyoming 2017

Alabama

The resort is the Shores located in Orange Beach.

The Shores, 24060 Perdido Beach Blvd, Orange Beach, Alabama, 36561, United States

The Shores provides the finest in beachfront relaxation, with easy access to local dining and attractions. Spend the day lounging by the large outdoor pool with waterfall, fishing at the nearby marinas, exploring the area’s theme parks and enjoying the best seafood Alabama has to offer. In the evening, relax by the beachfront fireplace, lounge and grilling areas, or watch the sunset from your spacious balcony overlooking the Gulf.

ANNUAL EVENTS

January – Snowbird Fest

February – Annual Orange Beach Seafood Festival & Car Show

March – Orange Beach Mardi Gras, Orange Beach Festival of Art

April – Annual Bama Coast Cruising, Waterway Village & Crawfish Festival

May – Hangout Music Festival, Orange Beach Billfish Classic

July – Blue Marlin Grand Championship

September – Alabama Coastal Triathlon, The Wharf Uncorked Food & Wine Festival 

October – Annual National Shrimp Festival

November – Annual Oyster Cook Off and Craft Beer Weekend, World Food Championships

December – Annual Lighted Boat Christmas Parade

Another interesting activity is a day trip to Dauphin Island. It’s about an hour and 30 minutes from Orange Beach and a 40 minute ferry ride but on Dauphin Island is the Audubon Bird Sanctuary, one of the largest of its kind on the east coast.  I’m already itching to get my camera out. Some of the best bird pictures I’ve ever taken were in sanctuaries!

Gatorland Florida 2020

A Hawaiian Slideshow

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A Hawaiian Slideshow

Hawaii is a state of the United States of America located in the Pacific Ocean. It is the only U.S. state located outside North America and the only island state.  Distant and exotic it is on everyone’s bucket list.  While travel is at a standstill, I thought I’d share a slide show from my trips to Hawaii. The photos are from Oahu, Maui and The Big Island. They include landscapes, water sports, flora and fauna. There is so much in Hawaii to see. 

 

 

 

 

The Hana Highway Finale

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 The Hana Highway Finale

As you know by now The Hana Highway aka The Road to Hana is a repeat adventure. I seem to end up taking that trip either by tour or by accident on every visit to Maui. When I got stuck on my rock on a one lane road I was looking for a beach on the Road to Hana that I had seen on a previous tour. We were nearing the end of this tour and I almost missed it. The tour bus drove right by. I blinked and tried to look quick as we shot past. Was it the same beach? I thought so but why weren’t we stopping? Time for the Hana Highway Finale.

Hana Highway Windsufers

We were well past the turn off when the tour bus finally pulled over. I had to ask. Was there a beach with lots of vendors behind us? The driver said yes but new ordinances prevent tour buses from stopping there now. It was such a popular stop that it just got too congested so the tour buses were banned. Violators received hefty fines.  When he saw the room on the road shoulder to pull over he did so we could watch the windsurfers. The last time I was here it was all about surfing but today it was windsurfers.

 

Windsurfing Competitions

Jeff, the driver, went on to tell us that large windsurfing contests were held here every year and these windsurfers were here to practice their moves. Sometimes they went far out and came racing back. Jeff said they were practicing their speed runs. More fun was watching them ride the waves like surfers with sails. They would be on a crest of a breaking wave and pull the sail over. This made them flip sometimes completely over. It was awesome when they were successful but there were far more failures. That’s when we watched the brightly colored sails splash into the water and the wave break over it. But like a phoenix the surfers got back up and tried again. This was a colorful wrap up to our daylong tour of the Hana Highway and back.

Hookipa Beach Park

I’m not sure but I think this is Hookipa Beach Park. Now I’ll need to return to Maui and the Hana Highway to confirm this for you. See how easy it is to convince me to go back! And you can see why I always end up on the Road to Hana- so much to see.