Flying Over the Grand Canyon
Category Archives: Travel Blogs
The Hobbies of May
May is when the memories of winter start to fade as plants start to grow and flower, the leaves of the trees become large enough to provide shade, and natures orchestra begins playing once again with the birds singing, frogs croaking, and the breeze moving through the trees. There are many things about this time of year that I truly enjoy. Flowers gracing us with their beauty and fragrance, the smell of freshly mowed grass, and the warmth provided by the sun. While these are great moments to enjoy one of the things I enjoy most about May is going on a darter hunt.
What’s a darter hunt you ask? Well it’s not really hunting as there are no guns or arrows. Instead a group of people are armed with the appreciation of nature and a few nets. A darter is a relatively small fish related to perch that are native to North America. Every May the Minnesota Aquarium Society plans a few trips near the Twin Cities in search of the different darter species that are native to this area. Along with members of the aquarium society they also invite members of the North American Native Fishes Association to participate of which I am a member.
Members of these two organizations get to take some of these darters along with other minnow species home to learn about and enjoy in aquariums. Some of these fish end up in school aquariums or even at the Minnesota Zoo allowing more people the opportunity to see native fish they probably never new existed. I do have an aquarium dedicated to native fish and will bring some home from these darter hunts but mostly I participate because I enjoy seeing what fish are in area lakes, rivers, and streams. A special permit is required by the MN Department of Natural Resources in order to keep these darters which the aquarium society obtains every year so this is the one time of year I can get this unique fish.
A darter hunt begins by donning waders or hip boots for those that do not want to get wet. The water is usually a little on the cold side but there are those that don’t mind getting wet so go without waders or hip boots. Once dressed for the water we grab a couple of nets and minnow buckets to put in our catch and head for the stream. Or lake. Or River. And don’t forget the cameras but the real trick is to keep them from getting wet. A couple of people go a short distance downstream and hold a net across a portion of the river or stream keeping the bottom secured to the stream bed and the top above water if possible while a few other people begin chasing fish into the net by shuffling feet across the stream bed. Once this group chasing the fish gets to the net they quickly reach down and grab the bottom of the net and pull this whole thing up above the water to see what was caught. If this is not done in unison with those holding the net the likely scenario is escape. Fish are quite adept at escaping and only require the chance to do so.
As the hunters begin combing through the debris caught in the net to reveal fish the look on their faces is almost always the same – amazement. Amazement at success of actually catching some fish, amazement at how colorful some of these fish are, and amazement that these fish actually live in these bodies of water. As soon as first timers actually see and hold some of these darters for the first time they are hooked and ready to spend an entire day searching for more. Sometimes they are ready to hunt for much more than a day. Watching someone’s reaction to this success may be the best part of a darter hunt. Although, the beautiful surrounding could also be the best part. I can’t really decide.
My first darter hunt took place a number of years ago now. I remember the hunt but I don’t remember which year it was. I was hooked on native fish and prefer to keep native fish above tropical fresh water fish and even saltwater fish. Mostly this is because very few people have or even know about these fish and knowing exactly where this fish was collected makes keeping them more memorable. There are many people who would like to collect tropical fish that they see and buy in fish stores but are unable to. Native fish allow a person to experience fish collecting without arranging a trip to some tropical place. This being written, I do still have a tropical fish aquarium and a saltwater aquarium.
Pennekamp State Park in Key Largo part III…
Soon I came upon some cannons that had been put there from a shipwreck for people to explore. There were some fish swimming in and out of these objects. I was following one fish trying to get a nice photo of it when all of a sudden it took off. I didn’t move enough to cause it to disappear so what scared it. Immediately I looked behind me and saw what it was. A larger school of fish coming right at me. These fish were about 18 inches long or so and there were hundreds of them. At first I wasn’t sure if I should try and swim away quickly or if it was to late and they were going to hit me. After considering the situation for a few seconds I calmed down and just watched as I became a part of their school and they swam all around me. Above me, below, and on both sides. What an amazing experience something of which I have never been a part of before.
Once the school had vanished out of sight I quickly looked around for Karen who was snorkeling with me and could not find her. Popping my head above the surface I saw she was closer to shore and swam to talk to her. Excitedly I asked if she had seen the school of fish which see hadn’t however she did see one or two of them and wasn’t overly thrilled by it. She continued to explain that while she was watching a fish swim around a larger one came from behind and ate it. I realized at that point those fish had seeked us out because we were disturbing fish as we swam making them easier prey. I began to laugh at the circle of life and shared the experience of being engulfed in hundreds of fish. After a few minutes we continued swimming to see what else there may be to find and also search for a stingray if it was near.
There were some really interesting looking fish hiding out around the shipwreck pieces and around the ledge of the drop-off. I did build up the courage to go a little distance beyond this wall into the unknown but wasn’t really able to see much so returned to exploring shallower areas. After continuing on this little underwater adventure for awhile the school of fish returned and this time Karen also became part of the school. At first she was startled but then took it all in like I had the first time around. This time I was able to just enjoy the experience and take a few photographs. Once they had left Karen and I shared our experiences with each other for a few minutes and decided we have been shivering long enough that it was time to get out of the water and warm up.
While swimming back towards shore I was feeling extremely satisfied with the decision to enter the water in spite of the cold and potential disappointment of the area reserved for this. I also felt a little disappointed for those who were in the water before us and did not get to see the giant school of fish. We did mention it to another couple that had just entered the water in hopes they would get to experience becoming a part of a school if only for a few brief moments. We washed off and cleaned our gear allowing it to dry for a few minutes before walking saying good bye to the Florida Keys. In the end our decision to take to the water came down to one thing – would we regret it if we never tried to snorkel in this beautiful place? Without a doubt the answer would have been YES! Who knows if we will ever make it back to do it again and look at all the things we would have missed out on.
Pennekamp State Park in Key Largo part II…
Out in the middle of this designated swimming/snorkeling area a stingray came flying above the surface and splashed down back into the water. I’ve read about this and heard about it but never actually saw it myself. Now the decision to stay dry didn’t seem as important. There was the possibility of swimming with stingrays again. After a few minutes of conversation and thought it was decided that we came all this way, we have the gear with us, let’s use it and warm up later. It’s not like the water was cold enough to produce hyperthermia … was it? So off to the car to fetch our equipment and change into swimming attire.
After getting set up to go into the water we got to the waters edge and then the cold hit. Motivation was waning. Another step in and stop to acclimate. Another step. And then another. Now I was in water almost to my waist and I wasn’t sure I could go any further. It had taken about 10 minutes just to get this far into the water. Knowing the afternoon was speeding by and time to leave would come faster than we wanted I was trying to push on and acclimate a little faster but my shivering was increasing in intensity pushing me to get out of the water. Finally I took another step into deeper water and stood there for a a minute or two more. The water kept moving higher on me taking my breath away with each wave. After deciding enough time had been wasted by slowly moving into the water along knowing there were sights under water that I was missing I took the plunge and dived in. It was painful and I couldn’t get above the surface fast enough to take in the warmth of the sun. Standing again for a minute or two I dove in again and this time took off swimming while looking for creatures of the deep (or at least underwater).
At first there were several small fish without much color but not a lot to view as had been mentioned other snorkelers. Swimming further out from shore I came upon a huge drop-off where the ground gave away and I could barely see a bottom. This caught me by surprise as a drop-off of this magnitude was not expected this close to shore. I couldn’t bring myself to go over the edge of this underwater wall because I couldn’t see the bottom. What if another stingray made its’ way to the surface and smacked into me? Or worse, what if something scared the stingray to the surface and that was still down there? No, I’m definitely staying where I can see what’s going on.
Continue on to the next post to read about the most spectacular experience of this afternoon….
Pennekamp State Park in Key Largo
This park first came up while researching things to do in the Florida Keys a couple of years ago but we ran out of time so were never able to visit. There is a trail or two to hike and a visitors center to explore but John Pennekamp State Park is all about the water. One trail meandering through the mangroves needs some maintenance with broken and rotting boards and an entire section of the trail closed. Unfortunately the section that is closed includes an observation tower where you could look over the mangroves out towards the ocean reefs. Once your focus turns to the water though this park shines.
While exploring Pennekamp we kept trying to decide if we wanted to go snorkeling and if so where. The water in Dry Tortugas National Park was cold and that was further south indicating that the water in Key Largo must be even colder. Enjoying the reefs is something we rarely get to do so when the opportunity arrives we try to take advantage. There was still plenty of hesitation do to a couple of factors. First, the water was cold as people continued to remind us as they were coming out of it. Secondly, in order to snorkel the reefs you need to purchase a snorkeling or scuba tour and we had already spent what is a lot of money to do this already on this trip. So if we weren’t going to snorkel why did we go to Pennekamp State Park?
There was never really the intention to go snorkeling with a paid tour however through researching this place there were reports of designated snorkeling areas right from the shore. Our hope was find some of the colorful reefs near shore however after arriving we found that the designated swimming/snorkeling areas where sea grass beds which tend not to be as colorful thus reducing the motivation even further to enter the water. Back to trying to justify spending more money on a snorkeling tour. While exploring the park and discussing our options to spend our last afternoon in the keys we went into the visitor center. This is a nice building with several aquariums to display the ocean habitats around this part of Florida. Yes, the motivation to go snorkeling increased while looking at these reef aquariums but not yet enough to get our gear.
Walking around the visitor center and exploring the park on foot seeing the swimming areas and mangrove trail was a nice way to spend the day. Fortunately it was sunny and warm and we were content just enjoying the scenery and weather without getting our gear wet which would require us to wash and dry it so it could be packed for our flight home the next morning. After strolling around John Pennekamp for an hour or two we sat down on one of the beaches taking in the views and talking with a few people who had braved the cold water to snorkel. They mentioned seeing some fish but nothing really extraordinary and getting use to the water took some time. That about seals it, we’ll enjoy this place from the land for today.
And then we witnessed something I have never seen before…. Check out the next post for more on this story.
Why Are Sunsets So Popular?
Many of the most popular photographs include a sunset. Do an internet search for sunsets and there are many choices of sunset pictures to choose from. We have many choices for viewing sunsets. Many businesses are centered around these from sunset cruises to the best places to see a setting sun. Often on a trip to a national park I search for the best day and place to photograph a sunset. While taking this video of all the people joined together to celebrate the sunset got me wondering ‘why?’. In an effort to find out I did a search for why are sunsets so popular. Guess what I found. Yep, a lot of links for sunset photographs, how to take sunset photographs, places to view a sunset, and sunset excursions. Not much information on why we enjoy doing all of these things. So I’ll give you my thoughts and opinions on the subject.
First of all I believe sunsets are important just because of the spectacular colors they present. These colors are not found anywhere else in nature together at one time. As the sun sets these colors constantly evolve from one color to another over a period of minutes. This whole explosion of colors occur over only a few minutes each day. This is likely another reason we take time to view a great sunset. They only occur over a few minute period of time on the days where the sun is shining. And better yet the best pictures include the right mix of clouds on the horizon and sun peaking through those clouds. Days when this occurs are even rarer.
Another reason sunsets are so enjoyed is the psychological meaning behind the setting sun. This signifies the end of a day. A time to spend a few moments to reflect on the accomplishments of that day. What you did or didn’t do. What you witnessed and the memories that were made that day. This is a transition from the animals of the daytime retreating to their shelters for a safe evening of sleep and the creatures of the night beginning to prowl. If you ever have the opportunity to go out into the quiet wilderness just before sunset it is amazing all of the activity that is going on around you as the animals prepare for the night. Yes, this is also a metaphor for people as well. The daytime events and the night creatures we become. This end of the day also allows for reflections on the promise of tomorrow as the sun rises once again.
While a sun rise is not nearly as celebrated it can provide just as spectacular of scenery to be captured in a photograph or your memory. I like to witness the rising sun even more than a sunset because it signifies the beginning of the day and the promise of all that you are capable of doing in that day. Why do you enjoy the setting sun?
*All of these photos are the way they were photographed. There has not been any digital enhancements done to improve these photos. If you can believe it these photos were taken with 3 different cameras – an HD video camera, a digital photo camera, and a cell phone camera. Can you tell me which cameras took which photos? I can’t tell unless I look at the meta data.
Orchids A Year Later
Late winter a year ago I wrote a post about becoming a little stir crazy after being cooped up inside during a particular cold and snowy season longing for a little greenery. Orchids were the key to keeping my sanity at that time and a year later I get to enjoy the fruits of growing these orchids for the past year. Of course many would say that my orchid craze has caused insanity instead of cured it. A year later here are a couple of photos of those orchids.
What a contrast to last year. This time around the grass is green and the hyacinth are in full bloom.
Amazing how many different colors and textures of orchid flowers there are.
The ladyslipper orchids are probably my favorite. Especially when some of the petals curl as they do here.
There are so many colors in this one that it requires an inspection close up.
Now this orchid thing may be starting to get out of hand. They’re all over the house.
Even my perennial ladyslipper orchids are beginning to grow. I’m certainly looking forward to watching these grow and bloom this spring.
Another tropical ladyslipper orchid.
This orchid has such a great WOW! factor both as a whole plant and close up with each individual bloom.
If these don’t cure the winter time blues than I can only think of one other thing that can. A trip to a tropical destination where they grow wild.
Underwater Photos at Garden Key in Dry Tortugas National Park
This was the first time I’ve seen a live conch scooting across the bottom. The intense red foot was surprising and amazing. Unfortunately I didn’t get a good photograph of that.
The color and variety of fish in the ocean is incredible. I love all the patterns on this fish. How do these patterns and colors benefit this species of fish? In the right location it becomes easier to figure out but no so much in this picture.
They are a little hard to see but there are several squid watching you. There are a couple of yellow stripes in the center of this photo. That is a squid. There are at least two more, one on each side of the most colorful one. Can you find them? I was surprised by these. At first I saw one swimming in front of me and all of a sudden I noticed a school of them. Once I stopped close enough and they stopped I realized what they were as they would move what appeared to be backwards.
A piece of the moat wall of Fort Jefferson which has fallen into the water. It is surrounded by fish and coral.
A specimen piece of coral. I could have spent a lot of time observing and photographing these corals. Unfortunately time was short.
Another larger seafan.
There is a lot going on around this rock. There are a number of smaller fish searching for food and/or shelter among some smaller corals and algae.
Brain coral with feather dusters emerged.
A red sea star or starfish sifting through the sand.
A large purple seafan moving with the ocean currents. Surrounded by a number of other corals together creating a beautiful underwater landscape.
Dry Tortugas Photo Essay
The Yankee Freedom II heading out to Garden Key where Fort Jefferson is built.
Inside of Dry Tortugas National Park Fort Jefferson is visible. Loggerhead Key can be seen in the background on the right with a tall lighthouse built on it. Loggerhead Key is not connected to Garden Key. For a map of Dry Tortugas National Park go here….
Loggerhead Key closer up. The only think on this island is the lighthouse.
As Fort Jefferson gets closer you can see the different in brick colors resulting from the different locations materials came from while this was being built. This beach is where we snorkeled from.
The Fort Jefferson Lighthouse. This is built inside the fort walls.
The Courtyard of the fort. Officers quarters are visible at the far end.
Fort Jefferson had many cannons. Here is an example of how they were set up. This fort was never fully armed due to the weight of the cannons which would cause Garden Key to sink even further.
Some of the many frigate birds that reside near Garden Key.
Bush Key is the closer island with Long Key further out. Long Key is where the frigate birds reside and is closed to public exploration in order to preserve the bird habitats.
As the Yankee Freedom II returned to Key West you can see the people beginning to gather to celebrate the sunset at Mallory Square.
Dry Tortugas
On our last voyage to Southern Florida the main goal was to visit Everglades National Park. When planning a park trip we look at nearby national parks as well and in the process explored Biscayne National Park which we would never have gone to due to lack of knowledge about it. Another park that came up was Dry Tortugas National Park. This requires a boat ride or seaplane ride to get there as it is 70 miles off the coast of Key West . Due to the difficulty and expense in getting there we took it off the list. Having another opportunity this past winter we decided to plan a trip to Dry Tortugas if the weather was going to cooperate. This means warm, sunny, and low winds.
I was in Ft. Lauderdale for a convention and decided to extend the trip for a couple more days. Near the end of the convention I started watching the weather forecasts a little closer and saw expected highs in the upper 70’s with minimal wind. It couldn’t possible get any better so off to Key West to catch the Yankee Freedom II for a 2 1/2 hour boat ride to Fort Jefferson. The morning starts early with boarding at 7:30 am in order to get to the island and back before sunset. We had a beautiful trip with plenty of sun although it was a touch cool requiring sweatshirts. During our voyage out to Dry Tortugas National Park we saw a ship with a long trail of white debris behind it. Turns out this was a crew working to recover items off a Spanish shipwreck. They were out on a weekend because of the calm water from lack of wind. It was certainly interesting to see an actual shipwreck recovery in process.
Finally we arrived in the Dry Tortugas! These are a chain of very small islands but extremely beautiful. Docking at Fort Jefferson we quickly got off the boat as there were only 4 hours to explore this place. First we wanted to snorkel for an hour or so in these tropical waters. For being tropical waters it sure took some time to get use to the cool water. There were some great things to see such as a conch slowly moving along the sandy bottom and some squid in the sea grass but very little coral. After swimming for some time we heading in a different direction and discovered the coral. While enjoying the fish swimming in amongst the coral I noticed we were being watched by a barracuda. I get a little nervous around these fish as they have a reputation for being a little aggressive and seeing the rows of teeth covering their mouth just adds to that reputation. Fortunately this fish just continued to move ahead of us. After this short time in the cool water we dried off and got something to eat before touring Fort Jefferson.
Fort Jefferson was constructed around the civil war and was one of the few southern locations aligned with the Union armies. This fort takes up almost the entire island and was built to house up to 2,000 soldiers however it was never completed. As the construction continued the island began to settle (sink) under the weight of all the bricks and other construction materials used. Prisoners were kept here and the most famous of those were 4 men convicted of helping in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. There is some fascinating history being preserved at Dry Tortugas National Park. I understand why this was placed under the national park system.
After learning about this fort and it’s history and exploring under the surface of the ocean it was time for the journey back to Key West. I would have liked to stay longer and take more time to explore but we did not plan for it on this trip. Camping is possible and would give more time for snorkeling and exploring the fort along with experiencing the peacefulness and solitude of the Dry Tortugas. This is one of the least visited national parks for obvious reasons. If you are ever in the area, I highly recommend this opportunity!
