Monday, September 8, 2008
Sad News
I think I finally managed to break my digital camera. The blog is on a hiatus until I win the lottery.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Also...
Kim just showed me how to stitch a panorama together in Photoshop. If you click on it it gets bigger.
In this photo I am standing with a "world famous" banana daquiri at some weird tourist trap called Mountaintop, which is, you guessed it, at the top of a mountain.
That's Magen's Bay down below, and you can see the side bits of some hurricane (Gustav?) blowing quickly through in the background. Magen's Bay, incidentally, is named after the daughter of some famous Florida guy named Fairchild (can't figure out his first name...). The Fairchilds, who created the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in South Florida, lived in St. Thomas, or had a house there, and have bequeathed a large swath of property to the government of the U.S. Virgin Islands to preserve in perpetuity. Alex said this land is actually totally neglected -- there is no management plan -- and no public outreach and education, which is sad.
In this photo I am standing with a "world famous" banana daquiri at some weird tourist trap called Mountaintop, which is, you guessed it, at the top of a mountain.
That's Magen's Bay down below, and you can see the side bits of some hurricane (Gustav?) blowing quickly through in the background. Magen's Bay, incidentally, is named after the daughter of some famous Florida guy named Fairchild (can't figure out his first name...). The Fairchilds, who created the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in South Florida, lived in St. Thomas, or had a house there, and have bequeathed a large swath of property to the government of the U.S. Virgin Islands to preserve in perpetuity. Alex said this land is actually totally neglected -- there is no management plan -- and no public outreach and education, which is sad.
Back, with Gills
I have returned from my trip to the U.S. Virgin Islands.
I visited my friend Alex, who lives on St. Thomas. She is a scuba instructor and got me my open-water certification!
Scuba diving is amazing. Breathing underwater and coming close to all of these otherwise inaccessible plants and animals is indescribably cool.
We also went snorkeling about three different times, once after we took a kayak out in a bay on a beautiful day.
It's unbelievably beautiful there.
Then I left. :(
Thanks, Alex and Ed!
I visited my friend Alex, who lives on St. Thomas. She is a scuba instructor and got me my open-water certification!
Scuba diving is amazing. Breathing underwater and coming close to all of these otherwise inaccessible plants and animals is indescribably cool.
We also went snorkeling about three different times, once after we took a kayak out in a bay on a beautiful day.
It's unbelievably beautiful there.
Then I left. :(
Thanks, Alex and Ed!
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Fay
Yesterday when I left work Tropical Storm Fay was blowing in.
I left early to beat the rain.
It looks bad, doesn't it?
But the rain never came -- not until today, when it rained for about one hour. It looks like Fay is a big dud blowing in a disorganized fashion right past us. Which is good! I'm driving to Tampa tomorrow evening and I would rather not be caught in a bunch of blinding tropical storm rain.
Vacation, here I come!
I left early to beat the rain.
It looks bad, doesn't it?
But the rain never came -- not until today, when it rained for about one hour. It looks like Fay is a big dud blowing in a disorganized fashion right past us. Which is good! I'm driving to Tampa tomorrow evening and I would rather not be caught in a bunch of blinding tropical storm rain.
Vacation, here I come!
Monday, August 18, 2008
Hurricanes
I have been avoiding posting because I haven't done anything outdoorsy lately and all I've been thinking about is my upcoming vacation to the Virgin Islands.
I was supposed to fly out from Tampa on Wednesday.
Tropical Storm Fay is on track to hit Tampa on Wednesday.
I was supposed to fly out from Tampa on Wednesday.
Tropical Storm Fay is on track to hit Tampa on Wednesday.
Monday, August 4, 2008
New Experiences
Two amazing things happened this weekend but I don't have any photos.
I went to St. Pete to visit my friend Sheila and her husband took us out in their boat. We chummed for sharks (just to look at, not to kill) and fished (I caught something!) but didn't see any sharks or any other really cool marine-dwelling wildlife -- ooh, except Nathan caught an ENORMOUS sting ray that must have weighed over 100 lbs. And it bled all over the boat deck before he shoved it off, line cut. Fishing is brutal business, people.
Anyway, at sunset we were headed in when I saw a -- what was it? A flipper? A fin?
We turned around and went closer. We were in really shallow grass flats and the tide was low. Nathan's boat doesn't have a propeller, and no I don't know how it works either. While we cruised along slowly trying to see what was down there we went over a bump! A group of manatees was grazing in the bay! (We didn't harm them.) We eventually counted at least seven or eight in two herds, or whatever you call a group of manatees. I'd never seen a manatee before despite being a native Floridian. I didn't realize how big they are or that their breathing makes boils that look like spring boils. Nathan said he'd never seen them in that area. We watched them for a while, then went in.
Confidential to the kayaker we passed: You're so lame for not getting excited and racing over to see the manatees! Why are you even in a kayak?!?
The other cool thing that happened is I tried some of Sheila's natural deodorant. It goes on like a lotion. It's like a miracle paste. I feel like my life has been changed forever. There is NO ODOR under my arms. Even after running around in the sun for a couple hours, sweat pouring off of me. It's a bloody miracle.
I went to St. Pete to visit my friend Sheila and her husband took us out in their boat. We chummed for sharks (just to look at, not to kill) and fished (I caught something!) but didn't see any sharks or any other really cool marine-dwelling wildlife -- ooh, except Nathan caught an ENORMOUS sting ray that must have weighed over 100 lbs. And it bled all over the boat deck before he shoved it off, line cut. Fishing is brutal business, people.
Anyway, at sunset we were headed in when I saw a -- what was it? A flipper? A fin?
We turned around and went closer. We were in really shallow grass flats and the tide was low. Nathan's boat doesn't have a propeller, and no I don't know how it works either. While we cruised along slowly trying to see what was down there we went over a bump! A group of manatees was grazing in the bay! (We didn't harm them.) We eventually counted at least seven or eight in two herds, or whatever you call a group of manatees. I'd never seen a manatee before despite being a native Floridian. I didn't realize how big they are or that their breathing makes boils that look like spring boils. Nathan said he'd never seen them in that area. We watched them for a while, then went in.
Confidential to the kayaker we passed: You're so lame for not getting excited and racing over to see the manatees! Why are you even in a kayak?!?
The other cool thing that happened is I tried some of Sheila's natural deodorant. It goes on like a lotion. It's like a miracle paste. I feel like my life has been changed forever. There is NO ODOR under my arms. Even after running around in the sun for a couple hours, sweat pouring off of me. It's a bloody miracle.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Beach Day
This weekend I went to St. Augustine Beach with some friends. I got sunburned. (Yes, I used sunscreen -- 30 SPF. It was very hot and bright.) We played in the waves like five-year-olds.
Florida has the best beaches! After living in Seattle and L.A., I will never take our beaches for granted again.
I haven't been feeling terribly inspired to write in this blog lately, but don't give up on me. I'm sure I will return to being more diligent about posting soon.
Florida has the best beaches! After living in Seattle and L.A., I will never take our beaches for granted again.
I haven't been feeling terribly inspired to write in this blog lately, but don't give up on me. I'm sure I will return to being more diligent about posting soon.
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