Kilimanjaro Sep, 2014 - Hiking Preparation

Three weeks until our East African trip, and we (Heather, Maria, Tim) have been completing a number of day walks with weighted packs on the weekends, to try and prepare in some way for the ascent. Along with known areas, we are also investigating new areas of the Niagara escarpment and Bruce Trail we had not seen before. Dundas Valley, Crawford Lake, Rattlesnake Point, Kelso, Scotsdale Farm, Mono Cliffs and Boyne Valley. Spectacular scenery and rugged terrain in places, but also lots and lots and lots of mosquitoes ! We are sure though that our challenge will really be the altitude, and we have added a day to the regular Lemosho Route up the mountain to add to the acclimatization time. 

Cool, cool concept - Solar Roadways !

So, after a long, long delay, I am going to make an effort to more regularly update the blog with topics related to our own trips and topics of interest. Read about this cool concept last week which I hope will become more than just a prototype - www.solarroadways.com. Very interesting when I live in a country, Canada, obsessed with oil and natural gas development to the detriment of investment in other energy technologies.  

Great White Sharks, Gansbaai, South Africa

Could not conclude this series of blog updates without a mention of our trip to view great white sharks offshore from Gansbaai. Many people don't agree with these trips, as a small bait is used to attract the sharks, and does anybody really know how their natural behaviour is being impacted. We can only say great things however about the trip we took with sharkwatchsa.com. My opinion is still that the broader positive impact in terms of awareness, education and support of research and scientific endeavours is worth it. Respect for the creatures is maintained. After a number of visits by smaller great whites, towards the end of our trip a large female came close to the boat, and estimates were 4.5 meters in length - just an amazing creature to see so close ! Visibility in the water was poor that day, and our best viewing was from deck outside of the shark cage.

Cape Point, South Africa

Well, having made it to the southern tip of the South American continent in 2008, (Close, Ushuaia was our furthest point south), Heather and I reached Cape Point in South Africa. Again, not the southern most point of the continent, that would be Cape Agulhas further east. We were just two of many, many tourists visiting on a terrific cape summer's day. We did manage to find a more secluded rocky picnic spot for a siesta. Since a large portion of the peninsula is now a national park, we encountered ostrich and bontebok close to the rocky Atlantic shores.

African Penguin Colony, Simon's Town, South Africa

On the first day of our trip to Cape Town in February this year, we stopped at the penguin colony in Simon's Town. A huge change, and improvement, to the infrastructure and protection of the land-based colony since I studied at university in Cape Town. Unfortunately as with most wildlife around the world, the continued survival of these penguins is threatened, since they have to swim further and further to fish in competition with commercial fishing fleets. The picture below of the parent and chicks is amusing though - I am not sure how much protection from the sun, the parent was actually providing !

 

Black Mamba, Limpopo-Lipadi, Botswana

Talked about often around bushveld camp fires, and in first aid courses, but not often seen ! After many visits and work in southern African game reserves, this is the first I have seen in the wild. The snake crossed the dirt road in front of the game drive vehicle, went through the game fence and up into a tree outside the reserve. With it's flared neck, the snake is upset with our presence, but the photo is misleading. It is a significantly cropped image from a 500mm telephoto lens image. We did not get to see the black mouth diagnostic for the species, but the "coffin shaped" head seemed to confirm the identification. The snake was probably close to 2m long. 

Algonquin Dog Sledding, New Year's Eve

An overnight dog sledding trip for New Year's Eve. The temperature dropped considerably overnight, and with emptier sleds and faster conditions, the dogs sped up and it was a struggle to control the sleds. The scenery was spectacular, especially the single track trails, with sunlight, fresh snow, and little wind.

Diving Humpack Whale, Bay of Fundy

Whale Watching, Bay of Fundy

During Sept, 2012, we took a week investigating New Brunswick, along the St. John River from Edmunston, to the coast east of Fundy National Park, and back along the coast through Saint John and to the island of Grand Manan where we took a whale watching trip. Saw a pod of fin whales in the distance, but they travel too fast to keep up with. Found a number of feeding humpbacks which we watched for almost an hour. They would rest on the surface before diving again to feed, one spyhopping through a mat of floating kelp.

Red-Billed Oxpecker .... unusually not on the back of an animal !