Day: August 22, 2019

Thursday (22-August-2019) — New Jersey

Backyard Summertime Nature in New Jersey.

Daily Walkabout, today with a Nikon N1V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens. My favorite lightweight kit, with plenty of reach. The Snowberry Clearwing Moths (with the black legs) are back. They also like the Bee Balm flowers. Monarch Butterfly feeding on a Marigold flower, and Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly feeding on a Zinnia flower. There has been rain all around us, but not here. The pond level is down, and the frogs are skittish. A small sparrow (LBJ) and a fawn trying to hide behind some grass.

Snowberry Clearwing Moth feeding on a Bee Balm flower. Image taken with a Nikon N1V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (DAVID J MATHRE)
Snowberry Clearwing Moth feeding on a Bee Balm flower. Image taken with a Nikon N1V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (DAVID J MATHRE)
Snowberry Clearwing Moth feeding on a Bee Balm flower. Image taken with a Nikon N1V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (DAVID J MATHRE)
Snowberry Clearwing Moth feeding on a Bee Balm flower. Image taken with a Nikon N1V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (DAVID J MATHRE)
Monarch butterfly feeding on a Marigold flower. Image taken with a Nikon N1V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (DAVID J MATHRE)
Monarch butterfly feeding on a Marigold flower. Image taken with a Nikon N1V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (DAVID J MATHRE)
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly feeding on a Zinnia flower. Image taken with a Nikon N1V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (DAVID J MATHRE)
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly feeding on a Zinnia flower. Image taken with a Nikon N1V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (DAVID J MATHRE)
Kermit the Bullfrog. Image taken with a Nikon N1V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (DAVID J MATHRE)
Kermit the Bullfrog. Image taken with a Nikon N1V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (DAVID J MATHRE)
Little Sparrow. Image taken with a Nikon N1V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (DAVID J MATHRE)
Little Sparrow. Image taken with a Nikon N1V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (DAVID J MATHRE)
Fawn Hiding Image taken with a Nikon N1V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (DAVID J MATHRE)
Fawn Hiding Image taken with a Nikon N1V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (DAVID J MATHRE)

Daily Electric Energy Used (59.7 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (61.3 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. The WaterFurnace geothermal HVAC had to work hard (25 kWh) because the temperature outside went above 90°F. A bit more sun so a net surplus of 0.6 kWh. Cooler weather expected tomorrow!

One note — the WaterFurnace Symphony software indicated the system used 15 kWh, however the Sense Energy monitor indicated that the geothermal heat pump used 25 kWh. I tend to believe the Sense numbers since they more closely the energy being recorded at the external power company (PSE&G) meters. I’ve asked the WaterFurnace folks in the past about the discrepancy, but they didn’t have a good answer. The Sense folks told me they thought that the WaterFurnace/Symphony system was only measuring one phase of the energy even though the system is powered by the 220V circut (using two phases). I wish an electrical engineer that understands this better would correct me here.

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Seven-Years Ago (22-August-2012) — Canada

Gone to see Europe. Semester at Sea. Fall 2012 Semester Voyage on the MV Explorer. Day 00: Halifax, Canada.

Arrival of MV Explorer in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Overnight I received an e-mail from Michael Mariant that confirmed the MV Explorer would arrive in Halifax at 08:00 hours. I went down to the harbor early to watch the sunrise, and scout a good location to photography the ship when it arrived. When the ship did not arrive at 08:00, I walked to the Halifax casino, and then back to the cruise line terminal. Part way back, I saw the MV Explorer coming into port and started taking pictures. The ship went around an island in the harbor so it could dock on the port side of the ship. After waving to Michael and the other staff and faculty on deck that sailed from Boston to Halifax, I went back to the hotel to have breakfast and pick up my luggage.

The Life Long Learners and students with work-study assignments boarded the ship the day before departure. The boarding process included inspection by both Canadian immigration authorities and ship staff. Prior to leaving we were provided with a list of prohibited items, but I noticed some students giving items back to their parents when they realized that the luggage was going to be inspected. Passports were checked and those going to Ghana and Brazil needed their visas a yellow fever vaccination certificate. I did not need the visa and Yellow fever certificate since I would be departing the voyage in Casablanca, Morocco. We all received a ship ID with the picture we provided. The luggage was both scanned by x-ray and hand inspected. There even was a dog that sniffed the luggage. Finally, after going through a metal detector we were allowed to board the ship. The majority of the students board the ship tomorrow.

Once on board, I found my cabin on deck 4. For this voyage, my cabin was on the starboard side of the ship. This confused me a bit since I was on the port side on my previous Enrichment Voyages. I spent the afternoon wandering around reacquainting myself with the ship and its layout. I recognized many of the ship staff from my previous Enrichment Voyages. My suitcase was delivered to my cabin mid-afternoon. In the evening a reception was held on the ship for the parents of the students that would be on the Fall 2012 voyage. I am looking forward to meeting the students and getting on way to Europe.

M/V Explorer Turning to Dock in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Image taken with a Nikon D800 and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 110 mm, f/5, 1/400 sec). (David J Mathre)
MV Explorer Turning to Dock in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Image taken with a Nikon D800 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 110 mm, f/5, 1/400 sec). (David J Mathre)
Theodore Too and Lighthouse in the Halifax Harbor. The Theodore Too is an old tugboat that has been converted into a harbor tour boat. It looks like a cartoon character. We saw it go past the ship several times during the day. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V1 camera and 30-110 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 42.2 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 sec). (David J Mathre)
Theodore Too and Lighthouse in the Halifax Harbor. The Theodore Too is an old tugboat that has been converted into a harbor tour boat. It looks like a cartoon character. We saw it go past the ship several times during the day. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V1 camera and 30-110 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 42.2 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 sec). (David J Mathre)

Ten-Years Ago (22-August-2009) — New Jersey

Gone to See North America Road Trip. Day 01: New Jersey.

White Ram – My New Home. Three interior images of the “White Ram” My new Roadtrek RS Adventurous RV as I prepare to drive to Anchorage, Alaska to attend ANPAT 9 with my fellow Nikonians. All images taken with a fish-eye lens and thus the spaces look bigger than they really are! For the exterior view when I took delivery check out 15-August-2009.

Fish-eye View from the Rear of the White RAM. Road Trek RS Adventurous RV. Image from the rear, taken with a Nikon D300 and 10.5 mm fish-eye lens (ISO 200, 10.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/15 sec). (David J Mathre)
Fish-eye View from the Rear of the White RAM. Road Trek RS Adventurous RV. Image from the rear, taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 10.5 mm fish-eye lens (ISO 200, 10.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/15 sec). (David J Mathre)
Fish-eye View from the Rear of the White RAM. Road Trek RS Adventurous RV. Image from the front, taken with a Nikon D300 and 10.5 mm fish-eye lens (ISO 200, 10.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/15 sec). (David J Mathre)
Fish-eye View from the Rear of the White RAM. Road Trek RS Adventurous RV. Image from the front, taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 10.5 mm fish-eye lens (ISO 200, 10.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/15 sec). (David J Mathre)
Fish-eye View from the Rear of the White RAM. Road Trek RS Adventurous RV. Image of the cockpit, taken with a Nikon D300 and 10.5 mm fish-eye lens (ISO 200, 10.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/15 sec). (David J Mathre)
Fish-eye View from the Rear of the White RAM. Road Trek RS Adventurous RV. Image of the cockpit, taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 10.5 mm fish-eye lens (ISO 200, 10.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/15 sec). (David J Mathre)