Nature in the New Year

Best wishes for the New Year – hope it brings magical moments in time!  Poet Ralph Waldo Emerson said:

“Live in the sunshine, swim in the sea, and drink the wild air!”

Get out and enjoy nature – it’s good for your health!

Royal Terns and Skimmers at Sebastian Beach, Florida

Ocean Wave Curl at Sebastian Beach, Florida

Sunset at Melbourne Beach, Florida

Ice on Diamond Beach, Jokulsarlon Lagoon, South Coast, Iceland

Wave Splash at Blowing Rocks Preserve, Jupiter, Florida

Pink Sand at Pfeiffer Beach, Big Sur, California

Calm Waves at Sebastian Beach, Florida

Florida “Snowman” on Beach

Warm wishes to you for the holidays from our Florida “Snowman”!

Florida “Snowman” at Sebastian Beach on Central Atlantic Coast

Our Florida Yard in Fall

The weather lately is perfect and we’re enjoying our home on the central east coast of Florida.  Lots of flowers are blooming, rainbows and rocket launches are a treat, and it’s a lovely time for a walk at the beach!

Red Hibiscus

Purple Cattleya Orchid by Pool

Fragrant Cattleya Orchid with Rainbow Prisms

Double Rainbow Over Yard

Our Florida Backyard Pond

SpaceX Launch December 8, 2022 – View from Backyard

SpaceX Launch December 8, 2022 – Zoomed View of Booster Separation

Sebastian Inlet State Park Dunes and Beach

Sebastian Inlet’s Beautiful Aqua Blue Water

Florida Beaches are Gorgeous in Fall!

Here in Florida the beach looks different every day.  My favorite of all is when the water turns this stunning aqua blue.  Makes for a great beach walk on our Space Coast!

Space Coast Beaches – Surf Fishing

Space Coast Beaches Shoreline

Space Coast Beaches – Waves Coming In

Florida: Sebastian Beach in August

Sebastian Inlet State Park, Florida, is a favorite of ours year round. In summer we especially enjoy walking out on the pier. It’s a great way to see the wildlife and enjoy the breeze. Great birds we’ve seen include royal terns, osprey carrying a black sea bass, and a rare black tern.

Sebastian Beach and Sky

Sebastian Inlet Bridge View

Rare Black Tern

Royal Tern in Flight

Osprey with Sea Bass

Seashell Valentine

Valentine Seashell Heart formed by Atlantic Giant Cockle Shells, Sebastian Beach, Florida

Warm wishes for a Happy Valentine’s Day from Florida!

California: Monterey Bay Aquarium

Author Photographing Sardines at Open Seas. “The sea is as near as we come to another world.”

Sea Pen Display

Chambered Nautilus (cousin of the octopus)

Green Moray Eels

Bigfin Reef Squid

Lookdown Fish

Stone Scorpionfish (looking left)

Orange Cup Coral

Southern Sea Otter

Avocet (at least 26 years old)

Marbled Godwit (at least 21 years old)

Black Oystercatcher ( at least 24 years old)

Semipalmated Sandpiper (at least 20 years old)

Beautiful California Coast South of Monterey

We visited the Monterey Bay Aquarium at the end of February.  It is always a delight – one of the best aquariums we’ve ever seen!  It is extra special because of its beautiful location on the central California coast.  Although temporarily closed now because of the pandemic, you can visit virtually through these live cams:  https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/animals/live-cams. 

Some of the birds at the aquarium are quite old  (https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/stories/the-aviarys-amazing-senior-citizens).  Each one was found injured and unable to be released back into the wild.  They have been happily living their lives in the aviary ever since.  I read that birdwatching and nature is good for the soul and health – agreed!  https://www.healthfitnessrevolution.com/top-10-health-benefits-of-bird-watching/

California: Pink Beach!

Short Walk to Pfeiffer Beach through Monterey Cypress Trees

Walk North on Beach

Pink Diamond Patterns in Sand

Pink Sand Around Rocks

Seaweed at Water’s Edge

Sea Stack with Keyhole Arch

Pfeiffer Beach is a real gem tucked away at the end of Sycamore Canyon Road at Big Sur, California (south of Monterey).  This spectacular beach is famous for its pink sand, formed by manganese garnet crystals that have washed down from the cliffs above. Look for ever-changing patterns of increasing pink sand as you walk north along the beach.  A bonus to your walk is the rocky sea arch offshore – watch for the waves to come roaring through its keyhole arch.  Don’t miss this hidden secret!  Learn more at:   https://www.hikespeak.com/trails/pfeiffer-beach-big-sur/  

A previous post about Pfeiffer Beach is at:  https://naturetime.wordpress.com/2012/08/17/big-sur-stunning-pink-sand-beach/

Iceland: Stunning Blue Ice!

Wonderful Zodiac Tour of Fjallsarlon Ice Lagoon

Blue Iceberg at Fjallsarlon Ice Lagoon

Black Marbled Iceberg at Fjallsarlon Ice Lagoon

Blue Iceberg with Glacial Scrapes at Fjallsarlon Ice Lagoon

Towering Iceberg with Holes at Fjallsarlon Ice Lagoon

Jokulsarlon Bridge

Glacial Ice Passing Under Jokulsarlon Bridge

Overview of Jokulsaron Ice Lagoon with Calving Glacier in Distance

Glacial Ice on Black Sand of Diamond Beach at Jokulsarlon Ice Lagoon

Glacial Ice with Ocean Wave at Diamond Beach

Long Exposure of Diamond Beach

Close-up of Glacial Ice

Seals at Jokulsarlon Ice Lagoon

View of Greenland from Airplane

Greenland’s Snow Covered Mountains

Greenland’s Blue Waterways with Ice

Greenland’s South Coast Mountains

Greenland’s South Coast Near Qaqortoq

The glaciers and ice on the south coast of Iceland are stunning!  Some of the icebergs are an incredible blue.  This area is one of our absolute favorites of anywhere we have ever been! When we flew home, we got super lucky and had a spectacular view of Greenland on the return flight.  Gorgeous!   We will definitely return –  nature photography is the best in Iceland!  Our updated Iceland slideshow / travel guide full of pictures, tips, and a custom google map is located at this link (click once, and then click again; wait a minute for it to load and open): ICELANDIC SLIDESHOW 2020

Merry Christmas from Florida

Warm wishes from the beach here in Florida for a wonderful holiday and happy new year!

Driftwood Tree at Sebastian Beach

Iceland: Magical Snaefellsnes Peninsula

Mount Stapafell (Home of Elves). Rocky Point on Top is called Fellskross – a Viking Sign of Holy Powers

Svodufoss Waterfall

Icelandic Sheep in Meadow

Northern Coast of Snaefellsnes Peninsula

Seagulls on Cliff Overlooking Ocean

Arnarstapi Cliff Nesting Birds

Black-Legged Kittiwake Eggshell Dropped on Land

Ondverdarnes Lighthouse at Western Tip of Snaefellsnes Peninsula

Striking Skardsvik Golden Sand Beach in Black Volcanic Landscape

Snaefellsjokull Volcano and Orange Sky at Midnight in June

Snaefellsjokull with Dramatic Clouds

Iceland’s Snaefellsnes Peninsula is an enchanting place.  We find more places to go every time we visit.  The birds – the sky – the coast – and the ever-present Snaefellsjokull volcano make for a magical place.

In the Sjominjasafn Maritime Museum we saw a display with a beautiful quote by Halldor Laxness, World Light:

“Where the glacier meets the sky, the land ceases to be earthly, and the earth becomes one with the heavens; no sorrows live there anymore, and therefore joy is not necessary; beauty alone reigns there, beyond all demands”.

 

Sebastian Inlet State Park Beach Collage

Sebastian Beach Collage

We enjoy going to Sebastian Inlet State Park on Florida’s central Atlantic coast.  It is a spectacular place to visit!  The weather this winter has been especially beautiful.  We made this collage of our favorite scenes at the inlet (click on the picture to enlarge and see details).  Info and live cam links are available at:  https://www.floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/sebastian-inlet-state-park

Warm Florida Beaches

Sebastian Beach Waves

View of Sebastian Beach from Pier

Seagull with Mouthful of Fish

Sanderling Running with Waves

Shell Pile-up Near Pier

Brown Pelican Flying

Inlet Side Opposite Beach

Two-Tone Water where Indian River Meets Atlantic Ocean

Gopher Tortoise Eating Grass

The weather is perfect here in Florida!  Migrating birds have arrived, and it is a beautiful time for a walk at Sebastian Inlet State Park.

Florida’s Space Coast: Beaches OK after Hurricane Irma

Path to Sebastian Beach before Hurricane Irma

Sebastian Inlet Calm Waves Before the Storm

Shell Bits on Beach

Beach Morning Glory and Hamburger Bean

Bunches of Sea Grapes

Melbourne Beach Waves

Melbourne Beach Dune Erosion after Irma

I am very happy to say that our beautiful beaches here on Florida’s Space Coast still look great after Hurricane Irma!  We were all nervous staring down a Category 5 hurricane  – at times the projected track went right over our coastal area east of Orlando.  There certainly was damage in Brevard County, but nothing that can’t be fixed.  Our house itself is fine, although we do have an enormous amount of yard work to do.  It is such a luxury now to have use of power, water, internet, gas, and grocery stores – makes you appreciate what surrounds you every day.  It was also nice to see people helping one another.  All our animals and birds are back too.  Great to get back to normal!

Florida: Cocoa Beach in Summer

Summer Walk on Cocoa Beach

Morning Waves

Sanderling Running

Ghost Crab

Florida in summer is a land of ocean breezes, afternoon showers, and warm nights.  A walk on Cocoa Beach in the morning is perfect!

Warm Wishes from Florida

Sebastian Beach and Birds

Birds in Surf

Pair of Willets

Trio of Sanderlings

Shells on Sand

Shell Bits on Beach

Our Photo on Sebastian Inlet Holiday Card 2015

Our Photo on Sebastian Inlet Holiday Card 2016

Warm wishes from Florida for a new year filled with peace, love, and happiness.

San Diego: Cabrillo National Monument and Point Loma Lighthouse

Rocky Tide Pool Area on Coast

Beautiful View of San Diego from
Cabrillo National Monument

Statue of Cabrillo

Point Loma Lighthouse

3rd Order Fresnel Lens In Lighthouse Museum

Prismatic Colors of Fresnel Lens

Overlook of Gray Whale “Highway”

A popular place to visit near San Diego is Cabrillo National Monument.   At the park’s southern end are some of the most accessible tidepools in southern California.  The rocky trails there overlooking the Pacific Ocean are very scenic.  Nearby stands a statue of Juan Cabrillo overlooking beautiful San Diego Bay.  It commemorates his landing there in 1542.  At the top of Point Loma Peninsula stands the old Point Loma Lighthouse.  It was in active service from 1855-1891, but was retired because the light was often above the fog line and was thus invisible.  A short stroll from the lighthouse leads to the Gray Whale Overlook.  It is an excellent place to watch for whale spouts in winter. 

Emma Minter, who lived at the lighthouse as a child in 1878, said:  “What had I for playthings?  The nicest in the world!  Pretty shells, colored stones, kelp babies.  It seems to me that I can remember every day of my young life there.”  

Information on visiting Cabrillo National Monument is at:  https://www.nps.gov/cabr/index.htm

Florida: Dramatic Beach Sky

Dramatic Beach Sky

Here is a dramatic panorama of Sebastian Beach today in Florida – blue sky to the north, and storm coming from the south. 

Iceland: Stunning Snaefellsjokull Glacier and Goodbye

Pink Midnight Sunset over Snaefellsjokull Glacier

Strawberry Moonrise over Ocean

Close-up of Strawberry Moon

Snaefellsjokull Glacier and Lupines

Close-up of Snaefellsjokull Glacier

Icelandic Mountain in Rear-View Mirror

The scenery on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula is stunning!  The Snaefellsjokull Glacier there dominates the landscape and was the entrance point for scientists in the Jules Verne classic “Journey to the Center of the Earth”.  Jokull in Icelandic means glacier.  

One evening at midnight in June the sunset turned the mountain pink, while a strawberry moon rose over the ocean.  The view from our beachfront cabin was magic!  Making it even better was when three wild horses galloped by on the beach.  Some people think the mountain has high magnetic energy.  Belief is strong in the area that elves and hidden people live in the lava.  Plans are currently underway to draw a map detailing the area’s enchanted and magical places: http://icelandmonitor.mbl.is/news/news/2016/06/06/belief_in_elves_very_strong_in_west_iceland/

Iceland is an amazing and must-see destination for any naturalist or photographer.  Although it is now in our rear-view window as I plan our next adventure, I am sure we will visit again someday.  I have prepared a custom Google map of places of interest to us in Iceland:   https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?hl=en&authuser=0&mid=1skvfqsNlWpCilCOaJc2tjreDGnc&ll=64.70735820733395%2C-19.523818050000045&z=7  Although we didn’t manage to see everything due to time or weather constraints, we did manage to see a majority of places.  Feel free to ask any questions you may have if you are planning your own trip.  I put together an Iceland travel guidebook illustrated with our best pictures here (PDF – click twice): ICELAND SLIDESHOW updated July 2019

Iceland: Arnarstapi Bird Cliffs and Dramatic Lava

Mountainous Landscape

Pebbly Beach with Whale Bone and Driftwood

Arnarstapi Bird Cliffs on Old Volcano

Kittiwakes with Newly Hatched Chick

Cliff Walk over Lava Cave

Columnar Lava at Ocean’s Edge

Seaweed Covered Rocks at Low Tide

Guardian Spirit of Mount Snaefell

Mount Stapefell (“Home of Elves”)

Beautiful Home by Harbor with Snaefellsjokull Glacier in Background

Arnarstapi Harbor

Birds Nesting on Rock Offshore

Cafe with Turf Roof

Path through Lava to Djupalonssandur Beach

Siberian Driftwood Log on Beach

Heavy Lifting Stones to Determine Strength

Lifting Stones Descriptive Sign

“Elf Church” Rock Formation Nearby

Longrangar Lighthouse on Coast

The Snaefellsnes Peninsula northwest of Reykjavik is one of our favorite places in Iceland.  The landscape is spectacular!  Gorgeous mountains and glaciers sit next to beaches where we saw driftwood, polished stones, and even old whale bones washed ashore.  In June the Arnarstapi bird cliffs have an amazing amount of nesting activity and cacophony of sound (turn up the volume and listen to video below).  Lava flows in some places there are condensed into dramatic pillars and columns.  Nearby stands a statue of stone that commemorates the Guardian Spirit of Mount Snaefell.  The town sits at the base of Mount Stapefell (known as the “Home of Elves”, composed of pillow lava and green olivine) and in the shadow of Snaefellsjokull Glacier.  The Arnarstapi harbor is particularly scenic, and the town café serves the best hot chocolate!

A bit further west is Djupalonssandur Beach, which is famous for its protected black pebbles and remains of a British trawler shipwrecked there in 1948.  Iceland has very few trees, so driftwood there floats all the way from Siberia!  Four large stones on the beach were used in the past to test the strength of fishermen.  If you couldn’t pick up the largest stone, you weren’t allowed on the boat!  Just picking up the smallest stone is quite an effort for the average person.  Nearby are Longrangar Lighthouse and a lava rock formation known as the “Elf Church”. 

Iceland: Colorful Lighthouses and Coastal Scenery

Twin Gardskagaviti Lighthouses

Statue of Fisherman’s Lady Looking out to Sea

Orange Stafnesviti Lighthouse in Field of Buttercups

Reflection of Stafnesviti Lighthouse in Tidepool Nearby

Unusual Sandgerdi Lighthouse

Fish Themed Murals on Warehouse attached to Sandgerdi Lighthouse

Fisherman with Fish Mural

Fisherman with Eider Duck Mural

Fishermen in Boat Mural

Ladies Processing Fish Mural

Lighthouse Theme on Vitinn Seafood Restaurant Sign

Longrangar Lighthouse

Reykjanes Lighthouse on Hill

Gunnuhver Fumerole at Reykjanes “Smokey Point” Geothermal Area

Richard by Life-Size Great Auk Statue

Akranes Lighthouse

Elves at Entrance

Photography Exhibit Inside

Steps to the Top

Lantern Room at Top

View from Top

Akranes: Poster on Display of Lighthouses of Iceland

We love lighthouses, and we enjoyed seeing a variety of them in Iceland.  Some lighthouses have bright colors for best contrast with the landscape.  All sit in beautiful locations by the sea.  The Reykjanes Lighthouse is particularly scenic because it sits in a geothermal area known as “Smokey Point”.  The Gunnuhver fumerole there produces a surprising amount of steam.  A life-size great auk statue stands nearby, marking the location where the last great auk lived in 1844.  A recent article discusses the possibility of using DNA to bring the great auk back from extinction:  http://www.earthtouchnews.com/all-articles/2016/september/01/can-the-great-auk-return-from-extinction/.

The Akranes lighthouse is fun because we think it looks like a rocket ship (we may be biased because we live on the Space Coast of Florida and see launches all the time).  There is a wonderful photography/poetry exhibition inside by Mak Jurgen called “I Miss the Days Chasing Lights”.  He also plans to publish a book called “Vitar” (lighthouse in Icelandic) by 2020. The view from the top is spectacular!

Mr. Ingvar Hreinsson has repaired all of Iceland’s 104 lighthouses spread out over 3,000 miles of coastline.  A recent article about him is at:  http://grapevine.is/mag/feature/2016/08/26/shine-a-light-the-icelander-who-repaired-every-single-lighthouse-in-the-country/

All of our posts about Iceland’s lighthouses are at:  https://naturetime.wordpress.com/?s=iceland+lighthouse.  “Viti” in Icelandic means lighthouse.

Florida: Beautiful Beach Weather!

Waves at Sebastian Beach

Green Sea Turtle

Manatee Snort

Spotted Ray

Snook Surrounded by Tiny Greenies

Needlefish

Orange Boring Sponge

Sebastian Inlet Bridge

Beautiful Turquoise Water

We make frequent trips to Sebastian Inlet State Park, Florida, to walk out on the fishing pier and stroll on the beach.  The water is especially pretty right now, and there is always lots to see!  You can view a live cam at:  http://www.sebastianinletcam.com/

Iceland: Dramatic Viking Movie Set and Black Sand Dune Beach

Viking Cafe

Viking Village Panorama

Approach to Viking Movie Set

Viking Long House

Viking Turf Houses

Viking Catapult

Viking Hut with Horns

Black Sand Dunes and Misty Vestrahorn Mountain

Richard and Dunes for Scale

Dune Covered with Green Grass

Sideswept Dune

Windswept Dunes

Single Blade of Grass in Black Volcanic Sand

Departure on Stokksnes Exit Road

Mist Flowing Down Mountain

Mist Flowing Over Mountain

Descriptive Map of Vestrahorn and Stokksnes Area

Viking Cafe Map of Area

An especially great place for photography in southeastern Iceland is Vestrahorn Mountain.  The 8-10 million year old gabbro and granophyre rocks are the remains of an ancient magma chamber of an extinct volcano.  To get to it, drive on Ring Road 1 about one hour east of Jokulsarlon and exit to Stokksnes (an old World War II NATO radar base).  The exit is just before the tunnel entrance east of Hofn.  Drive about 3 miles on the dirt road until you reach the remote family-owned Viking Café and pay a small entrance fee. 

A short hike through this stunning landscape leads to a former Viking movie set.  This Viking village was initially planned to be revived in 2017 to film the movie “Vikingr” by Universal Studios.  The movie is about epic Viking sagas by Icelandic director Baltasar Kormakur.   An initial article about the movie in October 2014 is at:  http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/moviesnow/la-et-mn-iceland-viking-movie-baltasar-kormakur-20141008-story.html   In a follow-up article dated September 2016 Kormakur says that he expected to start work and filming of the Viking movie in 2017:  http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/baltasar-kormakur-returning-iceland-oath-926795   An update in 2019 said that Vikingr is still under development by Universal Pictures.  

UPDATE:  In October 2019 it was announced that Baltasar Kormakur will begin production in 2020 on the supernatural volcano drama “Katla” for Netflix.  This eight part series “begins one year after the violent eruption of the subglacial volcano Katla….Mysterious elements that have been deeply frozen into the glacier from prehistoric times start to emerge from the melting ice and cause consequences that no one could have ever foreseen.”  Exciting!  Read more at:  https://grapevine.is/news/2019/10/10/baltasar-kormakur-making-supernatural-volcano-drama-series-for-netflix/

NEW UPDATE April/May 2020:  Filming for Katla will begin as soon as possible in Vik, Iceland.  The town is already being prepped for filiming by shoveling ash around buildings to similate fallout from the eruption.  Read more at:  https://www.vulture.com/2020/04/how-icelandic-director-baltasar-kormakur-lives-in-quarantine.html  and https://icelandmonitor.mbl.is/news/culture_and_living/2020/04/24/vik_i_myrdal_covered_in_volcanic_ash/  Filming in progress:  https://www.icelandreview.com/culture/baltasar-resumes-filming-of-supernatural-volcano-drama/ . 

Continuing your exploration, drive a very short distance in the other direction from the Viking Village to the sea to photograph the black volcanic sand dunes and mist-covered mountains.  The dunes are shaped by the wind and topography.  This place is stunning and embodies the wildness and drama of the Icelandic landscape – the owners consider it “Heaven on Earth”! 

Iceland: Stunning Jokulsarlon Ice Lagoon!

Stunning Jokulsarlon Ice Beach

Wave Crashing onto Ice

Blue Iceberg

Stunning Blue Ice

Close-up of Blue Ice

Iceberg on Black Volcanic Sand

Rippled Ice

Ice with Fish-like Shape

 

Ice with Cat-like Shape

Ice Completely Full of Frozen Bubbles

Close-up of Ice with Volcanic Sand and Pebbles

Jokulsarlon Ice Lagoon

Striated Glacial Icebergs

Long Exposure of Ice #1

Long Exposure of Ice #2

Long Exposure of Ice #3

Long Exposure of Ice #4

Jokulsarlon is one of those places you never forget.  The glaciers, icebergs, and crystalline ice on the volcanic black sand beach are stunning!  If the weather turns rainy, it only serves to make the blue ice even bluer (click on any of the images to enlarge).  If you visit Iceland, don’t miss this incredible place!   More info is at:  http://icelagoon.is/

Florida: Gorgeous Beach Day!

Boardwalk to Beach

Summer Day at Sebastian Beach

Marked Sea Turtle Nest Sites

Sea Turtle Nest Caution Sign

Sea Turtle Nest Totals

Today was a gorgeous day at Sebastian Beach, Florida.  The weather and water are warm, and the sea turtles are busy nesting at night.  In fact as of today, the area has recorded the second highest count ever of documented sea turtle nests.  Scientists rope off the nest sites to keep the eggs safe until the turtles hatch.  Great time of year!

UPDATE:  Final sea turtle nesting totals at Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge on August 27, 2016, are:  Loggerhead – 20,376; Green – 1,295; Leatherback – 72, and Kemp’s Ridley – 1.

Catalina Island: Flying Fish!

Historic Catalina Flying Fish Tour Boat Blanche W

Vintage Spotlights

Vintage Flying Fish Spotting Postcard

Vintage Catalina Flying Fish Postcard

Summer Flying Fish Festival Logo

1915 Postcard Featuring Child Feeding Old Ben the Sea Lion at Dock

The waters offshore Catalina Island deliver a special treat to visitors in summer – the chance to view flying fish at night. We went out on the historic wooden boat Blanche W. built in 1924. The boat was named after chewing gum magnate William Wrigley’s first granddaughter, and features open air mahogany benches in the back. Spotlights (vintage World War One, 40-million candle-power) mounted on the front of the boat were used to scan the water for fish. At one point we watched a pelican join in the fun by diving for fish when they jumped out of the water. What a memorable night! A wonderful TV show about Catalina’s flying fish by Huell Howser of “California’s Gold” is at:  https://blogs.chapman.edu/huell-howser-archives/1999/08/01/flying-fish-californias-gold-1009/

Catalina Island: Underwater Tour

Semi-Submersible Tour

Underwater Viewing

Abundant Fish by Windows

Kelp Bass

Bright Orange Garibaldi

Santa Catalina Island Kelp Forest Creatures Identification Guide

When we visited Catalina Island, we went on an underwater semi-submersible tour (other ways to view sea life include snorkeling, diving, and glass bottom kayaking). Numerous marine preserves surround the island and protect vast numbers of fish. Our favorite fish was the orange garibaldi – they are very feisty and often approach divers (learn more at http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/animal-guide/fishes/garibaldi). The fun part of the tour was never knowing what we’d see next!

California: Beautiful Catalina Island

View of Avalon from Hilltop

Avalon Harbor

Eagle Statue at Catalina Ferry Terminal

Catalina Sea Life Tile Mural

Historic Catalina Tile Fountain

Allen’s Hummingbird

Vintage 1930s Catalina Luggage Label

Catalina Island has been famous as an island getaway for southern Californians for over 100 years.  Early advertising boasted “In all the world, no trip like this!”  In 1957 the Four Preps sang “Twenty-six miles across the sea, Santa Catalina is a-waitin’ for me”.  Dick Clark dubbed it the first surfer song, and Brian Wilson said it was a major influence on the Beach Boys.  A fun LA Times article about the song is at:  http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-ca-socal15jul15-story.html.

The maritime distance from the Los Angeles mainland to Catalina Island is actually 22.3 miles, which is easily traversed these days by high speed ferry.  In 1894 messages were sent there via Carrier Pigeon Service.  Notes were printed on tiny oilskin squares, rolled up, and placed into little canisters on pigeon legs.  Within an hour a pigeon could complete the ocean crossing and deliver the message – twice as fast as steamships at the time!  By 1902 the service ended when wireless messaging became available.  We were charmed by the island’s beauty and landscape.  Visitor information is at:  http://www.visitcatalinaisland.com/.

Florida in Winter

Sebastian Beach Ocean Waves

Black Skimmers Sunbathe Flat on Sand

White Ibis at Lagoon

Laughing Gull with Mouth Open

Pink Spoonbill and Blue Water

Lesser Scaup at Backyard Pond

Tricolor Heron with Purple Eyes

Great Blue Heron with Windblown Feathers

Bald Eagle and Black Vultures Near Home

Alligator in Pond

Double Rainbow Over Backyard

In Florida we enjoy an outdoor lifestyle year round.  Although it may get chilly from time to time when winter cold fronts blow through from the north, the weather usually warms back up to 70°F within a few days.  That means we go outside and enjoy the beach, gardens, and wildlife. 

Florida is home to over 500 species of birds, which makes it one of the top birdwatching destinations in the world.  Our local birding and wildlife festival is the largest in the nation!  Info about the festival is at:  http://www.spacecoastbirdingandwildlifefestival.org/   Come on down and enjoy nature in the Sunshine State!  

Monterey Bay Aquarium: Wild Baby Sea Otter Born in Outdoor Tidepool

Holiday e-Card by Monterey Bay Aquarium

A wild baby sea otter was born in the outdoor tidepool at Monterey Bay Aquarium, California, on December 20, 2015.  The cutest present to the Aquarium ever!  The mother and pup have direct access to the ocean and are free to come and go as they please.  Links and adorable pictures are at:

http://montereybayaquarium.tumblr.com/post/135606363553/the-squee-heard-round-the-world

http://montereybayaquarium.tumblr.com/post/135726438723/wild-otter-mom-and-pup-update

The picture above was posted online by the Aquarium on Christmas Day:  http://montereybayaquarium.tumblr.com/post/135916080178/may-your-holiday-season-be-warm-and-bright-thank

UPDATE March 5, 2016:  Another wild mother sea otter gave birth in the Monterey Bay Aquarium tidepool!  Read about it and watch video at:  https://montereybayaquarium.tumblr.com/post/140578637168/welcome-to-the-world-little-otter