Tag Archives: Whales

Things are Happening Here

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Things are Happening

I may have been MIA the past 2 weeks but that’s not to say things aren’t happening here. Where should I begin? Maybe with the excuses on why I haven’t posted lately. 

The Annual HOA Meeting

The first miss was 2 Saturdays ago. I had planned to write something after the HOA meeting. I hate these meetings but go because I think owners need to be aware of what their board is doing. We just had an assessment for new decks but nothing has been done so far and I wanted an update. I never dreamed that before the meeting was over that the police would be called when a 40ish unit owner provoked a fight with our 70 year old property manager. Basically we have two loud mouth bullies that hijacked the meeting. They yelled over everyone else and were disrespectful of our board. Our 1 hour meeting lasted 4 hours! In the end the new owners were intimated into voting most of the old board off the island. I am sick over it. If I could sell my unit and move I would.

So what about Sunday

2021 Equinox

Well I could have taken time for a post on Sunday but I had an appointment at the car dealership. I guess there is a big demand for used cars so the dealership called me to see if I’d like to upgrade to a 2021 vehicle. I agreed to take a look at what they had available on the lot. My last 2 cars had been a dark gray and a black but I’ve always loved white cars. Sure enough, they had 1 white Equinox left. I couldn’t say no. So after about 4 hours of doing paperwork and a short test drive we moved my personal belongings from my black 2019 Equinox to my new 2021 White Equinox. It always amazes me that I can just drive right off the lot with the new car. Of course I’ll need to go back on a weekday to get my inspection sticker but other than that, I’m good to go. 

Basking Shark

Meanwhile off Cape Cod

Captain John’s Boats are posting lots of Whale pictures. One research boat spotted a Basking Shark! Very rare in Cape waters but the big news was the lobster fisherman who tried to imitate Jonah. Yup Unbelievable. He actually got “eaten” by a humpback whale.  The whales feed by opening their mouths and lunging though schools of fish scooping up anything in front of them. He was in the wrong place at  the wrong time. Luckily he was spit back out with only some bumps and bruises. Now he’s telling his story on the late night talk shows.  

So you see, in spite of my silence, things are happening here!

Humpback Whale feeding

Any New Year Resolutions?

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New Year Resolutions

Ok, the big question…did you make any New Year Resolutions? 2020 was certainly a weird year when I look back on it. But I found myself wondering how you can make a resolution when the future is so unknown. I’m not ready to resolve to join a gym even though I need more exercise.  We have a light at the end of the COVID tunnel but its too soon to tell if its going to work. I miss traveling but I’m not sure I’m willing to risk my life for a little excitement. Hanging out at home isn’t so bad especially since I have my little buddies to amuse me. 

Travel Resolutions in 2021

If I do take a trip in 2021 I think it will be near the end of the year. I’m not making any reservations yet. Hopefully things will begin to ease up over the summer. I can do some day trips locally with my camera. I live in a beautiful part of the country. With The White Mountains of New Hampshire to the north and the rugged coast of Maine to the northeast Opportunity abounds. I can go south to Cape Cod and the National Sea Shore. Or take a boat trip to Stellwagen Bank to watch the whales.

Whale Breach off Cape Cod – 2017

 

Go west and we have the rolling mountains of the Berkshires.  So many day trips, so little time. 

Where to go for a “Big” trip in 2021

I’m not sure where I’ll go if I do take a trip in 2021. I might go back to Hawaii but part of me thinks I’ve been there too much and should take a break.

Dreaming of Hawaii

I was looking for a specific photo recently and couldn’t find it. The photo was from one of my trips to Sedona, AZ. I was thinking I might need to go back there again so that I can capture the missing picture again. It’s of Montezuma’s Castle  That’s not really a castle.

Montezuma’s Castle-By Tomas Castelazo – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10142804

Its a cliff dwelling and I know I had a picture.

The Bottom Line on Resolutions this year

 

Skip the usual resolutions!
I’m going to spend more time with my cats

 

Travels of an Alaska Moose

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Bull MooseTravels of an Alaska Moose

Marvelous Marvin is a traveling Alaska Moose down to his snowshoed hoofs. For years Marvin roamed the frozen Alaska tundra enduring the cold and snow and wind. Each year, especially in spring, he’d see buses of tourists drive through Denali looking for glimpses of wildlife. Marvin wondered where they came from and where they went when they left.  Was there more to the world than this rugged life he lived?

Escape from Denali

It took Marvin a while but he finally got hooked up with an entrepreneur type who knew just what the tourists would like. Before he knew it Marvin was starting on his first travel as an Alaska Moose. He was headed to a new home in Massachusetts.  It was still cold and snowy there in winter so Marvin felt quite at home. Summers were hotter and more humid than Alaska but the sun didn’t stay out as late so he got more sleep. But Marvin was still restless. You’d think a move of more than 3000 miles would satisfy his wanderlust but noooo, not Marvin. He wanted more.

Deb 1 & Deb 2 with Marvin at Mercedes Benz Stadium

Marvin’s Little Adventure

Marvin got his chance for a little adventure when he accompanied his human to Atlanta in Jan 2020. His head is still spinning about his visit to the Mercedes Benz stadium. He was really in demand there! He made so many friends. That place was huge. Still that trip was too short. Marvin was still restless.

Marvin’s Big Adventure

Marvin was thrilled and excited to learn that his human was making another trip to Maui, HI. Would she take him along? Marvin couldn’t wait. He was giddy with anticipation! Finally the day came. It was still dark out when he was bundled into the car for the drive to the airport. He was really going to get to go! What an adventure.

Maui

Marvin wasn’t prepared for Maui. It was beautiful. The airport was open to the breezes. The sun was shining and it was warm but not too warm because the winds were blowing. Driving to the resort Marvin saw whales splashing in the ocean. There were rainbows everywhere! Soo much water! And people stood on boards and seemed to fly over the waves! Amazing. So much to see and so much to do! Marvin was a very happy traveling Alaska Moose.

 

Whale Watching in February

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Watch out for the Whales

February is the highpoint of the whale season in Maui. The whale season is said to run from Mid December to Mid May but I can vouch for February. You can even watch the whales from shore! I love the whales. I think they are amazing animals and here you get to see the tiny babies as well as the adults. Of course “tiny” is relative. A 2 ton baby isn’t tiny by human standards but next to its mama, its just a bit of a thing.

Whales

What’s a Little Motion Sickness?

My dinner cruise price included a whale watch trip. I hadn’t planned on going whale watching this visit because I forgot to pack my motion sickness patches. The whale watches can get a little rough and I am prone to sea sickness. How many people do you know that can get sea sick while scuba diving? I did!  But that’s a story for another day! Anyway I had a whale watch coming to me so I decided to cross my fingers and take a chance.

Stock Photo

Whale Watching with Hawaii Ocean Project

The Whale watch boat was berthed in Lahaina Harbor, a very popular starting point for many whale watching companies. To pull out of the harbor everyone has to be seated. This is true for all of the cruises. The crew of our ship made all the proper announcements but they didn’t enforce them. Adults and children were still wandering the decks as we cast off. They went on to announce that serious photographers should be seated on the lower deck in the bow. I found my seat in the bow and prepared my camera. I shouldn’t have bothered.

Were there Whales?

just missed but got the splash

We saw whales. There was a lot of breaching and tail slapping. I can’t criticize the trip for that. But I will say I won’t go on this trip again. Getting shots of whales is hard enough without playing a dodge game with people holding their cell phones up in front of everyone. I was competing with heads, elbows and children being lifted on shoulders. This is not a trip for a serious photographer. There are other whale watching boats that have stadium seating so no one has an obstructed view. Or I’ll take one of the smaller rafting tours. All the seats on those are good and its very exciting. Let the families go out on this trip. I’ll find a different one next time.

Tail Slapping

What’s the Next Experience?

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Moulton Barn with Tetons in the backgroundEach Vacation is a New Experience.

Wyoming was quite the experience. From start to finish it had something new and different. It’s hard to beat the beautiful Teton Mountains, Yellowstone geysers and falls and all of the wild animals. But all good things must end and now I’m back home again.

 

 

Old Faithful Erupts

Next up on the vacation agenda

As you may have gathered from some of my posts I’m having a tough time with my back right now. It makes everything from hiking to swimming a challenge. I’m not one to sit on the beach when I go on vacation. I get bored on cruise ships but this mobility issue has defiantly put a cramp in my vacation style. Still I book my vacations way in advance so I have another one on the books.

Lets go to Maui Wowie againOn The Road To Hana

I do love Hawaii. The climate is as close to perfect as you can get. I have a Maui vacation just waiting for me in February.  The peak month for shark encounters off Maui is October and since my next excursion is February I’m probably ok with sharks. Besides, I’m not sure I’ll be cleared to swim or snorkel yet. It’s all pending doctor’s orders. Did you know that scuba divers are almost never shark attack victims? “They” think it might be the bubbles from the air tanks or possibly that they are often vertical in the water. In any case I probably won’t be scuba diving.

The Maui Experience

I’ve been to Maui several times now. I’ve taken a helicopter tour, traveled the Road to Hana, gone snorkeling and whale watching. I even took a ride on a submarine. So what’s left for someone who can’t get out there with a surfboard. Maybe I could try body surfing or using a “boogie board”. I still want to see Iao State park and the Iao Needle. That’s been closed due to mudslides every time I’ve been there but I think it’s open now. Since it is the height of whale watch season I’ll probably do that again. I can never get enough of those amazing animals.

Breaching baby Humpback