We all want to find the Fountain of Youth, right? I found it in St Augustine, Florida, and learned a bit of history about it that was quite interesting, as well as unexpected.
Diving Komodo with Ray of Hope was a Powerful Experience!
Last month, July 2016, I traveled to Bali Indonesia to board The Arenui for a Ray of Hope Expedition with Marine Megafauna director Dr Andrea Marshall. The trip was nothing short of amazing. My dives with The Arenui and Ray of Hope Expeditions were so fabulous…I saw so many animals I’d never seen before, and I want to see them again (well, not the Komodo Dragons! Once is enough). I have posted so many dive photographs, and photos of the formidable Komodo Dragons, but not the life of the boat or the people who populated it, neither have I posted many photos of the incredible islands of Komodo National Park. Dive boats are a special experience because the bonding that takes place on board, even if only for the trip itself, is unusual. Just a day after boarding you have met everyone, and personalities emerge immediately. Divers get right to it, they don’t need to have a persona, or a social mask. We are all so excited to be on a dive boat, ready to go, that we start sharing information and experiences immediately. This trip was somewhat atypical for me because it had so many Americans on board. Usually it is the League of Nations, with several different nationalities and ethnicities. There was a lovely Australian couple on board, and they were hilarious and wonderful and fabulous divers. The cruise directors were Mexican and British, the crew was Indonesian. Hopefully this photo post will give you an idea of the trip overall! The Arenui is absolutely luxurious! I’m ready to do it again!
My Last Few Days in Komodo were Absolutely Blissful
Welcome to Fab Photos Friday! I doubt these photos do my trip justice. My last few days in Komodo were absolutely blissful! The beauty of Komodo National Park continues to amaze me. I confess that I love looking at the photos from every dive site and every moment of my Ray of Hope Expedition on The Arenui. The islands were also beautiful, and I took far too many photographs of them! I mean, how many times can you look at lush green islands and blue water?
Fab Photo Friday: Reef Mantas in Komodo National Park
It is Fab Photo Friday! On Day 4, the Ray of Hope Expedition caught up with Mantas! ROHE’s main goal is always to identify as many manta rays as possible, and records were broken on this trip! Takat Makkasar is a known Manta hangout, so day 4 was mostly spent on this reef. When we were not diving it, we snorkeled it. There were Reef Mantas everywhere. As a matter of interest, only Reef Mantas, or Manta Alfredi, live in Komodo. These mantas are a little smaller than the Giant Manta, or Manta Biostris, and instead of traveling the oceans, Reef Mantas tend to stay within a certain “home” area. Reef Mantas can grow to be 12 feet in wing span, while the Giants can be over 20 feet in wing span. This was my very first time to see Reef Mantas, and I love them every bit as much as the Giants I have seen all over the world.
It is so interesting to watch mantas being cleaned. Many pelagics require cleaning (as do many fish) in order to clean wounds, and remove parasites. Butterfly fish are avid cleaners, and in some areas, Angel Fish join in. The butterflies nibble parasites, wounds, and other detritus from the ray.
The number of Manta IDs was incredible! Komodo National Park yielded 80 individual identifications on one day, a record breaker! Andrea was thrilled with the productivity of the trip…and we had a wonderful time along the way. What could be better than citizen science and fun?
These Koalas and Kangaroos in the Blue Mountains are Amazing and Magical!
What comes to mind when you hear “Australia”? I’m betting that Koalas and Kangaroos are at the top of the list, along with the Great Barrier Reef and the Opera House. Australia has so many creatures who appear only on the Australian continent, and that alone makes these animals special…not to mention adorable. And they truly are adorable.
On my tour of the Blue Mountains with Blue Diamond Luxury Tours our last stop of the day was at an animal sanctuary. Many of the animals are not able to go back into the wild, though some are born onsite. To see Koalas (they aren’t bears, they are marsupials), Kangas, Wombats, and Wallabies is a rare treat. Just watching them brings joy!
Here are some awesome birds!
My First Look at Sydney, Australia was Sensational!
My First Look at Sydney, Australia was Sensational! Whenever I go to a new city, I take a bus tour in order to become familiar with the layout of the city. In Sydney, this included a wonderful harbor boat tour, which was awesome. Here is my first glimpse of Sydney Australia…inphotos! [Read more…] about My First Look at Sydney, Australia was Sensational!