Tagged With "Sea Otters"
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Re: St. Martins Sea Caves, New Brunswick
Fascinating place. I love the outside shot of people about to enter the cave. My first impression was that the rock was a large tree and dwarves were about to enter a hole right above its roots.
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Re: Sea World gives up its killer whale shows
I grow weary of political correctness. Orcas are highly intelligent animals, no doubt -- and have the "cruelty" we expect of intelligent animals (anyone who's seen them hunt a baby gray whale for hours, only to kill it, eat its tongue and let the rest go to waste knows what I mean). I never saw Blackfish, but I do recall at the old Marineland park in Southern California. The park was closed for a number of months, and the orcas got depressed. Listless, didn't eat, didn't look good. Someone...
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Re: Swimming with Galápagos Sea Lions (S. America, pt 2)
What a fun adventure! I had no idea sea lions had such a sexist culture. Thanks, Kirsten.
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Re: Swimming with Galápagos Sea Lions (S. America, pt 2)
Thank you Kirsten! Another great blog in your series!
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Re: South America, part 3 - Nesting Leatherback Sea Turtles
Bravo! Another excellent post...I learn so much from your pieces and photos!!
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Re: South America, part 3 - Nesting Leatherback Sea Turtles
Fascinating! I was just visiting Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia today and discovered that leatherbacks like to spend their summers off the coast feasting on jellyfish. Amazing what long journeys they make to lay their eggs.
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Re: Trainer for Day: Dolphinarium, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
That sure looks like a lot of fun! What was the temperature of the water?
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Re: Trainer for Day: Dolphinarium, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Great question -- and I should have put that in. The water was warm -- in the low to mid 80's ( Fahrenheit ). My wife is a woos, so she wore a skin (actually to prevent sun burn). You are not allowed to wear sun-screen as it contaminates the water for the dolphins!
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Re: Trainer for Day: Dolphinarium, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Great info! I feel like I've been through orientation and am ready to go! I hope Dolphinarium sees this great piece.
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Re: Punalu'u Black Sand Beach Park, Hawaii Island, Hawaii
Some beautiful photos, Ottoman! I'm fond of black sand beaches because you only find them in places with active volcanoes, and I love volcanoes. White sand beaches are generally formed from the breakdown of coral (often by parrotfish, who eat it and clear the fine particles out the other end). This beach isn't that large, but the black sand is striking. And the turtles -- how lovely they are. They look soooo relaxed. Makes me want to take a nap in that warm sand, too!
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Re: Punalu'u Black Sand Beach Park, Hawaii Island, Hawaii
You'd love the Canary Isles. Volcanic islands off the north west cost of Africa. Its a winter hotspot where the islands belong to Spain. Its party time all year and a favourite with the younger set. Its famous on Tenerife for young men to drive up Mount Teide in winter and collect snow from the peak in Cooler Boxes. Drive back down to the 77'f / 25'c beaches and throw snowballs at the topless sunbathers. Might be a bit too much for non-Europeans !!
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Re: Punalu'u Black Sand Beach Park, Hawaii Island, Hawaii
GarryRF -- I think non-Europeans can also enjoy the sight of sunbathers being pegged by snowballs! The first hit, especially, must be quite enjoyable as the injured party wonders "where did that cold hard thing come from"?
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Re: Punalu'u Black Sand Beach Park, Hawaii Island, Hawaii
Hi DrFumblefinger and Garry RF Thanks for the feedback. DrFumblefinger, you are so right about the relaxed turtles. If time would have permitted, I would've joined them for a nice nap. GarryRF, I have copied and pasted your comment into my "things to do" folder. I think I'll fit in quite nicely at Tenerife, for living in the Great White North (aka Canada) has given me a lot of practice at becoming a snowball sharpshooter.
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Re: How a super-ship manages 12-hour turnaround
Sometimes when I'm in Vancouver I head to Canada Place to watch the cruise ships coming and going. You actually get to see the belly of the ship being loaded. The dozens of palates of food that go on is amazing. Would you have thought a cruise ship would consume 3 massive containers of potatoes in a week? 2 of onions? Might even have been more, that's all I saw. It is truly a model of efficiency.
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Oct. 19, 2015: Giant ship, little town
It looks like the giant ship is there to feed on the small town, although I suppose in reality it's the other way around.
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Re: The Lucky Chair in Victoria by the Sea, P.E.I.
Interesting! Did the chair bring you luck yet? ;-)
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Re: Exploring the Baltic Coast. 1) Poland
Wonderful narrative and photos!. You make me want to go to Poland even more now.
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Re: Exploring the Baltic Coast. 1) Poland
Thank you for this. Poland really is wonderful and the people are some of the most generous in the world. I spent some time there in the 1980's, and at that time a tourist, could live on a dollar a day, although the government forced tourists to exchange more. Even though it was so cheap for me, my Polish friends insisted on paying and life there for them was expensive.
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Re: Exploring the Baltic Coast. 1) Poland
Great post and photos and a nice introduction to the Baltic region. I look forward to your second post next week on Latvia! I'm coincidentally in Krakow today, and there is a familiarity to the architecture here in this city with what's in your images. Having a nice time. They Polish people are very kind and the country certainly is a travel bargain.
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Re: Exploring the Baltic Coast. 1) Poland
I really love Krakow. Those colourful streets, little squares, amazing castle... Once while backpacking (it was supposed to be walking holidays in Lithuania ) I crossed Krakow and decided to stay there for all that time (10 days), I just went for hiking around, went to Warsaw and understood that Poland is the most amazing place in Europe! Everyone should visit it at least once!
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Re: Touch a Shark at Aquarium of the Pacific, Long Beach
I love visiting this aquarium, too, Samantha! The shark tank is extremely cool and there are lots of interesting exhibits to explore -- especially fun with kids. Still, my personal favorite is the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
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Re: Baja California: La Paz — John Steinbeck’s “The Pearl”
Thanks for the note, TravelandNature! AeroMexico has pretty regularly scheduled flights into La Paz, though through Mexico City, so you'll have to connect. Worth checking major search engines like Expedia or Kayak, though, because it is a rather long drive, though I enjoy the desert scenery of Baja California.
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New gonzo cruise ship even has sky-diving!
In the race to think up more features to add to cruise ships, Royal Caribbean is looking up...with a top-deck skydiving simulator on its newest ship, Quantum of the Seas, which has just started operating out of the New York area. Would you believe...
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Monterey Bay Aquarium: Oceans Apart
Located directly on the Monterey Bay just south of Santa Cruz is a sprawling complex of nearly 200 exhibits of more than 550 species in a 2 storey building nearly 30 years old: the Monterey Bay Aquarium (MBA). Started in 1978, and open to the...
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Punalu'u Black Sand Beach Park, Hawaii Island, Hawaii
I love visiting the state of Hawaii. Although I have enjoyed all the Hawaiian islands I have visited (Oahu, Kauai, and Hawaii Island), my favorite island would be Hawaii Island (aka the Big Island). The diversity of the Hawaii...
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Bosphorus Cruises in February (Turkey)
I'm preparing for a mid-February week in Istanbul, and would like to include a Bosphorus cruise, specifically one of the more-or-less all-day ones that goes up to the Black Sea, has a lunch break at a small port on the Black Sea, and then returns....
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How a super-ship manages 12-hour turnaround
Today's (Mar 22) NY Times has a fascinating article on the "backstage" operation involved in getting 6000 passengers off a ship, washing 93,000 pounds of linens, loading up all the food and water, and getting the next 6000 passengers out to...
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Gumbo's Pic of the Day, April 4, 2015: Sea Gull Inn, Mendocino, California
March 10, 2015 On my road trip to the Northern California coast in March, I stayed with a friend 17 miles down the road from Mendocino. But on 2 previous visits I’d stayed at the Sea Gull Inn . The first time was in...
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September 26, 2017: Saltburn by Night.
Night views of Saltburn give a different outlook to this Victorian North Yorkshire coastal town. Photos by Paul Hunter.
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Bombay Beach, CA : Where Gumbo Was (#214)
Gumbo was found in the unique desert community of Bombay Beach in California
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Saltburn by the Sea, North Yorkshire
Paul Hunter has visited Saltburn since his childhood, and finds it still holds its Victorian charm.
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March 16, 2020: International Banana Museum
Travel Rob visits another unique place near the Salton Sea. See more!
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December 22, 2019: Cook Islands - Rarotonga
Gilles shares some terrific photos of the beautiful island of Rarotonga, the largest of the Cook Islands.
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Cruise News: the biggest and the other biggest
There's news this week about two "biggest" ships. One is the Allure of the Seas, biggest cruise liner afloat, and the other is a ship under construction, but so far without a name that will be the largest square-rigger sailing ship ever built. Royal...
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Gumbo's Pic of the Day, August 31, 2015: California Sea Lions, Fanny Bay
Fanny Bay is a tiny oceanside town situated on pretty Baynes Sound, a sheltered, narrow strait. It's a popular place for fishermen, scuba divers, kayakers and paddle-boarders to use as a departure point. There's...
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Luxury cruise: Cabin as big as a house for $10,000
It seems as if there's no limit to the luxury market (after all, the 1% has most of the world's money), and here's the cruise accommodation to prove it. Regent Seven Seas next ship, now being built, has a $10,000 a night cabin that's already sold out...
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One Year Mission to Mars Underway in Hawaii
Last week, six people began a year-long mission to Mars simulation on the slopes of Mauna Loa Volcano in Hawaii. The volunteers sealed themselves inside a dome habitat intent on studying how deep space missions can maintain...
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Barcelona cruises to a new cruise record
Barcelona, which has expressed some doubts recently about just how much tourism to promote, has scored an all-time record for a weekend's worth of cruise ship visitors, with just under 60,000 arriving. That includes over 26,000 on Sunday alone...
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Exploring the Baltic Coast. 1) Poland
If you want to escape the crowded cities of Western Europe (and spend less money) head east! Eastern Europe has much to offer backpackers; cheap lodging, with ever more boutique hostels popping up in major cities, low transport costs, great...
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Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Oct 6, 2015: Dutch Cheeses
On a visit to the Netherlands we stayed in the seaside village of Wijk aan Zee on the North Sea, just north of Amsterdam . The village is small and quaint and is known for its wide beaches, bars and hotels and is popular as a holiday...
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Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Oct. 19, 2015: Giant ship, little town
Falmouth, Jamaica was once one of the island's prime ports, key to the trade in sugar and slaves, but has long since become a much smaller player—until recently, when Royal Caribbean built a berth there for the Oasis of the Seas and similar...
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Sea World gives up its killer whale shows
Sea World, which has been under attack for its treatment of animals, and especially of killer whales, or orcas, has announced it will end its killer whale shows by next year, starting with its San Diego park. The company said it...
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Grays Harbor: Sea Lions, Sandpipers and BBQ
Jonathan L takes a day trip from Aberdeen to the Pacific coast and encounters the local wildlife.
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Aquatic Creatures at the Sea Life Kansas City Aquarium
Join Samantha on a deep dive into the underwater world at a great aquarium.
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Kayaking among the Ghost Ships of Mallows Bay
A fascinating and not well known destination. Stephanie is introduced to kayaking in a place that is both historic and natural, and very near the nation's capitol.
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St Andrews, New Brunswick, Canada (Where Gumbo Was #266)
Gumbo was found in the cute historic town of St Andrews, New Brunswick. Learn more!
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Denver Museum of Nature and Science (Where Gumbo was #268)
Gumbo was visiting an excellent museum in Denver, its Nature and Science Museum. The museum has many galleries as part of its permanent exhibits and featured two interesting exhibits when DrFumblefinger visited, one on the Dead Sea Scrolls and one on Nature's Bioluminescence.