Gone to See America. January 2013 Florida Road Trip. Day 8: Merritt Island National Wildlife Reserve.
After sunrise at Playalinda beach, I went went for a drive on Biolab road. A lot of birds were out in the early morning sun. Birds observed with images include Great Blue Heron, Roseate Spoonbill, Peregrine Falcon, Pied-beak Grebe, Ring-billed Gull, Great Egret, Northern Cardinal, American White Pelican, Snowy Egret, Tricolored Heron, Turkey Vulture, and Red Shouldered Hawk.
Daily Walkabout: I went out with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 200 mm f/2 OIS lens. Butterflies (Spicebush Swallowtail, Silver-spotted Skipper, Monarch, Painted Lady, Common Buckeye, and Tiger Swallowtail). Bumble Bees on a variety of Sunflowers. Leaf-legged Bug on a Thistle, and an ant on a Bee Balm.
Click on the above image to access the images in the slideshow.
Click on the above image to access the images in the slideshow.
Daily Electric Energy Used (60.3 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (25.5 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. A load of Laundry (3.7 kWh) and two loads in the dishwasher contributed to the increased energy used. The sky was cloudy most of the day (but no measurable rain) impacted the solar production. Daily net deficit 34.8 kWh.
Gone to See Norway 2013 Chasing the Northern Lights. Day 6: Hurtigruten MS Nordkapp Norwegian Coastal Voyage Northbound (Brønnøysund to Svolvær).
On the third full day of the northbound Hurtigruten voyage, the ship stopped in seven ports: Brønnøysund (00:30-01:00); Sandnessjøen (03:45-04:15); Nesna (05:25-05:30); Ørnes (09:00-09:30); Bodø (12:30-15:00); Stamsund (19:00-19:30); and Svolvær (21:00-22:00).
The ship crossed the Arctic Circle at 07:20, while it was still dark out. Champagne was served for those up early enough. Baptism for those that were crossing the Arctic Circle for the first time would be celebrated later in the afternoon. At this time of the year, and this far north dawn lasts a long time. The panorama view at dawn shows the unique pink color of the Belt of Venus and blue Earth Shadow below. Conditions have to be right to see these colors.
While in Bodø I took the bus tour — the city and out to the Saltstraumen. When conditions are right this has one of the worlds strongest tidal currents causing whirlpools or maelstroms. We weren’t there at the right time, and the weather was deteriorating. The bus driver wanted to make sure we got back to the ship before it left. Watch the time-lapse video, a scary ride in a snowstorm.
In addition to all of the crickets making noise outside, I heard one in the house last night. When I woke up this morning, I found Jiminy in the laundry room. He stayed still long enough for me to grab a camera with a macro lens. Afterwards, I helped him find his way back outside to be with his friends.
Gone to See Europe 2014. Day 36: Semester at Sea, Summer 2014 Semester Voyage. Scotland.
Ten, Twelve, Eighteen, and Twenty One Year Old Glengoyne Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky. Image taken with a Fuji XT-1 camera and 32 mm f/1.2 lens (ISO 800, 32 mm, f/1.8, 1/60 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro and Photoshop CC.