Whenever I am in Fort Myers seeing family, a visit to the JN “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge is always at the top of my to-do list. It’s a beautiful spot with walking trails, bike paths, an abundance of wildlife with over 245 species of birds. Ding Darling is located on Sanibel Island, a popular vacation destination […]
29
Sep
Sep
Astonished, I am overcome with excitement. Following me are nearly a dozen snow-white beluga whales close enough to touch. As a rule, boats must stay at least 50 meters from cetaceans, but evidently, the belugas have no such regulations about humans, and I couldn’t be happier. When we set out, Lazy Bear Expeditions guide Jason Ransom […]
18
Aug
Aug
Do you dream of being a photographer in Africa, making amazing pictures of some of the most incredible animals in the world? One of the best and most economical options (relatively speaking) is to join a group on an African photo safari (tour) led by a professional wildlife photographer whose job it is to help […]
26
Jun
Jun
One of the most memorable experiences you’ll ever have is one that frightens you at first and then ends up being tons of fun. Such was the case with the SkyRider, the zipline at Hunter Mountain in New York’s Northern Catskills, the fastest, highest and longest zipline in North America. I hate the sensation of […]
09
Jun
Jun
If you’ve never been on a safari, chances are you’re not really sure what takes place a game drive is like. Sure, you know you go out into the wild looking for animals, but there’s no way to say exactly what happens, mainly because it’s never the same. And THAT’S what makes the experience so […]
07
May
May
“Here they come!” Racing toward us was a huge pod of dolphins eager to play in the cruise ship’s bow waves, their dorsal fins slicing through the Sea of Cortez like hot knives through butter. Propelled by the swell, they weave in and around each other with the deftness of a con man’s shell game. […]
22
Apr
Apr
There are moments when the stars align and everything comes together and this is one of them. Above us, lounging in the crook of a sprawling jackalberry tree, an adult female leopard is bathed in golden light and to my delight, she knows how to work the camera. I can tell, it’s going to be […]
18
Mar
Mar
As the sea lions swim past me––banking, rolling, diving, zooming around in loop de loops like Hotwheels on a track––I am sure of one thing, even if this UnCruise adventure sucked (which it doesn’t), the trip would be worth it for this one hour. The Island of Los Islotes We are at the base of […]
03
Mar
Mar
It’s mid-morning, and I’m crossing the long, raised boardwalk leading to the island, my excitement building with each plank left behind. I’ve come to Duba Explorers Camp in Botswana, part of the Great Plains Conservation portfolio, one of the best camps in the Okavango Delta, and one of my first stops on an eight-day safari. […]
01
Mar
Mar
I was about to embark on the second half of my Holland America Alaska Land and Sea Cruise Adventure—the “sea” portion of my journey––and I all I could do was gape at the 10-deck Westerdam rising above the Seward pier. In the cruise industry, the Westerdam is considered a mid-sized vessel and carries a maximum […]