Nature Lover – On The Road with Tall Guy & JET

My Amazing Technicolor Dream Adventure

Puffins have always seemed nearly impossible creatures that look more like children’s toys than real birds. Their colorful beaks and triangular eyes stand out against sturdy black-and-white bodies, and their name perfectly captures their roly-poly look. As if that weren’t enough, their chicks are called “pufflings.”

These pelagic birds are masters of the air, sea, and land,

Flying thousands of miles over the ocean,

Diving to catch fish (click on photos to enlarge),

And burrowing to nest.

Despite the remote locations where puffins are typically found, I was determined to capture their beauty through my lens. The viewing site in Elliston, Newfoundland, is one of North America’s best places to observe puffins, especially from May to September when they breed on a rocky outcrop, allowing for close encounters.

Since the best times to photograph the puffins are early morning or late afternoon, I looked for other interesting ways to occupy my days. The surrounding area offers beautiful hikes and plenty of photo opportunities, so we booked a week at an Airbnb in Bonavista, just five miles from the Elliston site.

Johanna’s spacious BnB featured a private bedroom and bath, as well as a shared kitchen, and was conveniently located near restaurants and the harbor. Her mi-casa-es-tu-casa hospitality instantly made me feel like family. And the location was a perfect base for exploring all that the Bonavista Peninsula had to offer.

You can find her listing here:

Bonavista BnB Blue Room Double & Single – Houses for Rent in Bonavista, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada – Airbnb

I flew WestJet’s direct morning flight from Orlando to St. John’s, picked up my rental car, and drove the 3 1/2 hours to Bonavista. The route was scenic and colorful — azure lakes nestled between lush green hills with bright yellow, pink, and purple flowers growing wild alongside the road.

A red fox darted into the bushes as I drove by, and a bit further along, a second fox stayed long enough for me to snap a quick proof-of-life photo through the windshield as I zipped past.

a quick proof-of-life shot through the windshield!

The coastline is filled with charming towns featuring brightly painted buildings that line blue harbors, where equally colorful boats bob in the waves.

My first day was overcast, and after visiting the puffins in the morning, I spent the afternoon exploring. The Puffin Craft Shop in Maberly offers a selection of handmade items and photographs. I had a wonderful conversation with the owner, Bernice, while choosing a knit cap – embellished with a puffin, of course. I immediately put it on and wore it for the rest of my trip. (Arrow through gallery set)

Puffin Craft Shop, Maberly
Pte. Puffin Pete
my new knit cap

At one of my stops, I happened upon the Sealers Memorial, a powerful seaside statue and monument honoring those who died in the 1914 Newfoundland sealing disaster. (click on photos to enlarge)

Every town has at least one cemetery with tombstones dating back to the 1800s. Many were overgrown, with ancient stone crosses tilted on their sides, and on the oldest, the writing had eroded from decades of wind and sea. (Arrow through gallery set)

Bonavista

On a whim, I turned down Dungeon Road and came upon a herd of beautiful horses in the community pasture. I couldn’t help but snap a few photos as they grazed on the green hillsides against the blue ocean backdrop.

Later, I drove to Cape Bonavista and the lighthouse. From high up on the hill, I watched two humpback whales slowly meander in the bay below me as a bright orange tour boat followed behind. (click on photos to enlarge)

I returned to the lighthouse for the sunset. While I waited, whales entertained me, tails slapping as huge flocks of birds circled above.

One morning, I stopped to photograph the inuksuks on Sandy Cove Beach. These traditional stone markers, which I first learned about during my visit to Churchill in November 2024, are a significant part of Indigenous culture. I was delighted to find them on a beach in Elliston, pointing the way to the puffin site!

inuksuk on Sandy Cove Beach with puffin site in the distance

I returned to Dungeon Road and visited The Dungeon, a massive, heart-shaped crater with two separate openings to the sea. I enjoyed watching as the waves crashed in, the same waves that had carved out this breathtaking sea cave millions of years ago.

Besides being famous for its puffins, Elliston is also known as the Root Cellar Capitol of the World. So, of course, I had to snap a few obligatory root cellar pics! (Arrow through gallery set)

“That’s all fine and good, but what about the puffins?” you ask. The puffin viewing site is located at the end of a short hike along a rocky, uneven path. Until I was up and over the last hill, I had no idea what to expect. (click on photos to enlarge)

What I was given on my first foggy morning were more puffins than I could have hoped for! The rookery itself is located on an island offshore, at a reach of only the longest lens.

However, there were hundreds of puffins on the mainland, so close that I had to back up to capture them with my 100-400mm!

hundreds of puffins on the mainland! (July 2025)

Although there were several photographers already milling around, there were more than enough puffins for everyone. I was in puffin heaven, enjoying their roly-poly, comical beauty.

puffin heaven! Elliston, July 2025

Wednesday morning dawned sunny and bright. I was back at the site by 6:45 and was greeted once again by hundreds of puffins on the mainland side. I had switched to my fixed 500mm lens this morning and needed to stay back even further to get my subjects in the frame! (click on photos to enlarge)

There were dozens of puffins floating in the bay, looking like miniature rubber duckies.

enjoy the beauty of the bay

I watched them for the longest time, even attempting a few shots of birds in flight – but photographing puffins in flight is like trying to capture a speeding bullet! So, I sat back and enjoyed the beauty surrounding me.

As I watched from my little rock perch, two beautiful black guillemots landed no more than ten feet away.

Finally, the sun was high enough that I could move back to the east side of the mainland to shoot a few more close-ups, as close-up as my lens would allow.

A circus (yes, “circus” and “improbability” are both collective names for a group of puffins) had gathered on the cliffside several yards from me, and I was at a good vantage point with the sun at my back. It was indeed a circus as I tried to video a bit of their antics.

Elliston puffin site, July 2025

Suddenly, one brave puffin hopped up on the rocky ledge and waddled so close I had to put my camera down – I could not get her in my frame!

this puffin came too close for me to capture with my lens! Elliston, July 2025

After two morning sessions with the puffins, I had filled two 32GB memory cards. Although I was, for now, puff-full, I was smitten with these birds and could hardly wait to visit them again.

The Klondike Trail is an easy 3km out-and-back hike that runs from Spillars Cove to Elliston. The Spillars Cove trailhead begins at a famous rock formation called “The Chimney” and offers sweeping views of the cove, coastline, and a shorebird rookery. (click on photos to enlarge)

I chose to hike the trail to Elliston while the morning was still cool, as it promised to be a warm, sunny day. The trail led me inland, away from the rugged coastline, and I enjoyed the fresh, sweet air, as well as the many chirping birds, (click on photos to enlarge)

And a snowshoe hare modeling her summer coat.

Upon my return, I followed a well-worn path of flattened grass down to the edge of the cliffs directly across from the rookery.

There were hundreds of puffins flitting around the island and swimming in the cove.

In 2017, we journeyed to Antarctica for our 35^th wedding anniversary. I “penguined” for much of the time – I put down my camera and simply enjoyed the penguins and the beautiful scenery. This morning, I “puffined.” Unlike the sometimes-frenetic photographer activity at the Elliston site, I had Spillars Cove to myself.

As I quietly watched, the puffins flew back and forth to burrows on the mainland, some even landing on a ledge directly beneath me.

as I quietly puffined, she landed on a ledge directly beneath me

The world’s largest population of humpback whales returns to Newfoundland each year between May and September, and tour boats run daily trips to watch them frolic and feed near shore. I did not want to book a whale tour until I was certain I had all my puffin “money shots.” But after that spectacular first session on Tuesday morning, I booked a Friday tour with Discovery Sea Adventures.

Discovery Sea Adventure Tours, Bonavista

After everyone was dressed in a brightly colored survival suit, we boarded our zodiac and headed out to sea.

Within minutes, Captain Bob spotted a minke whale. These whales are very shy, and it was just a quick glimpse before she disappeared beneath the waves. Next up, a pod of Atlantic white-sided dolphins, but at the same time, a mother and baby humpback breached in the distance.

Leaving the dolphins behind, we raced to the whales, as there is never a guarantee of how long they might continue this behavior.

Mama jumped a few times, but the calf jumped over and over again. I missed a few breaches as I was distracted by more whales off in the distance, but in the end, everyone got their money shots. (click on photos to enlarge)

Finally, after more than an hour of continuous breaches, we left the whales. We headed to the seabird colony below the lighthouse, a bustling community of puffins, razorbills, and murres, among others.

Captain Bob wanted to find us more dolphins,

But we were diverted by three fin whales, the second-largest whale on the planet. These mighty whales rarely show their tails or breach, but they did show us their distinctive dorsal fins.

Suddenly, Patti, a fellow passenger, cried, “What is that fin?!?” It turned out to be a porbeagle shark playing with a piece of kelp, adding even more excitement to an already fantastic day.

As we turned back towards Bonavista Harbor, we found our dolphins. They raced around the boat – almost too fast to photograph, but a thrill, nonetheless.

At the end of our adventure, Captain Bob instructed us to look up. A friend was flying a drone overhead and snapped a quick photo of our group – a special keepsake from our special day. (arrow through gallery set)

drone shot of our group
Dean & Patti & me seriously focused (photo by Dean)
what a day! (photo courtesy of fellow traveler)

Later that afternoon, I returned to Cape Bonavista to search for a fox family that lives in the grassy meadow below the lighthouse. After 90 minutes of fox-less waiting, I walked up to the rookery. I was delighted to find a large group of puffins on the mainland, happily going about their evening business while cameras clicked away. (Arrow through gallery set)

With the weekend upon me, I decided to explore more of the area. Johanna had given me a list of “must-sees,” and I planned routes that would cover most of them. As I drove along, I realized I was following part of the “Discovery Trail,” a 425km route that circles the Bonavista Peninsula.

I realized I was following part of the “Discovery Trail”

My first stop on Saturday was the charming town of Kings Cove and the Lighthouse Trail.

I chose the longer, 3.5km loop and was rewarded with a beautiful view from the lighthouse,

Another snowshoe hare,

the poor thing was trying to rub ticks off her nose

And a moose!

I had planned to stop at Maudie’s Tea Room in Keels for breakfast, but I was too early for their noon opening. I missed their sign on my way in and stumbled upon another interesting site: Devil’s Footprints.

While geological studies attribute these cloven, hoof-shaped indentations to natural causes, locals claim that the tracks were made by the Devil dancing over Keels. I found the local version a much better story!

My journey then took me to Tickle Cove and the awe-inspiring Sea Arch, a magnificent rock formation.

I scrambled to the top of the hill above the arch and, lying on my stomach, gazed straight down at the sheer drop! (click on photos to enlarge)

Below the Sea Arch was a small rocky beach filled with wishing stones – rocks with continuous lines of quartz running around them. Folklore says if you’re lucky enough to find one with unbroken lines and make a wish while throwing it into the ocean, your wish will come true.

I spent an hour on the beach searching for a few stones that were just the right size to carry home. While I was there, I also threw one into the sea with a wish to return to Newfoundland someday. (click on photos to enlarge)

After a quick lunch in picturesque Trinity, I climbed the Gun Hill Trail for a panoramic view of the town.

And then, because I could not help myself, I returned to the Elliston puffin site. It was crowded this Saturday afternoon, and after snapping a few more photos of these captivating birds, I returned home to Bonavista. (Arrow through gallery set)

Sunday had me out the door before dawn, and I watched the sunrise over the ocean as I drove to Port Union and the Murphy’s Cove Trail.

This 7.7km hike features multiple ocean views and an interesting fossil story.

Murphys Cove trail

In 2008, scientists discovered the fossil of one of the world’s oldest living animals: a 560-million-year-old sea creature called a Haootia quadriformis. This ancient cousin to jellyfish is significant in understanding the origins of life. The fossil is on display in a museum in St. John’s, but it was fascinating to learn about it on this remote trail! (click on photos to enlarge)

However, the most exciting part of my hike was the sudden appearance of a red fox darting across the path in front of me! I had given up on seeing another one on my trip, and this unexpected moment made my day.

Port Union is North America’s first and, to this day, only union-built town. I checked out the historical Factory and Coaker Manor, and scrambled about on the rocks behind the Factory building, searching for (and failing to find) more fossils.

My next stop was the Skerwink Trail in Port Rexton. The Skerwink Trail is continually ranked in the top 35 trails in North America and Europe, and rightly so. As the founder of the trail, John Vivian, said, “This trail offers more scenery per linear foot than any other trail in Newfoundland.”

I followed the 5.3km route up and down steep hills that hugged the rugged coastline, offering breathtaking views of the ocean that on this day was an impossible shade of blue.

the steep up & down trail followed the rugged coastline

After two somewhat strenuous back-to-back hikes, I was ready for lunch! I stopped at the famous “Oh My Cheeses” food truck in Port Rexton and splurged on “The Gull” – grilled brie with Newfoundland partridge berry jam on toasted bread. Yum!!

grilled brie & partridge berry jam from Oh My Cheeses in Port Rexton

On my way back to Bonavista, I swung by the Elliston puffin site one last time. The puffins were not putting on a show like they had earlier in the week. But Newfoundland had one final surprise in store: an iceberg!

I traveled to Newfoundland for the puffins and went home with so much more: whales, dolphins, foxes, a moose, countless stunning landscapes, rewarding hikes, delicious seafood, picturesque towns, spectacular sunrises and sunsets, and an iceberg – the final icing(berg) on the cake!

Bonavista Peninsula landscapes (with “Up She Rises” sung by Jason Ryan during my dinner at Skipper’s Restaurant)

And although I didn’t have the opportunity to get properly “screeched in” on this trip, in my heart, I am an honorary “Newfie.”

To view all my puffin photos arrow through the set or click to open a new tab in Flickr:

To view my whale and other Newfoundland photos arrow through the set or click to open a new tab in Flickr:

🎵Fun is a Manatee-Splendored Thing🎵

Manatees congregate in the springs in Central Florida every winter when the ocean temps drop. And for the past two decades, I have traveled to the area around my January birthday to swim with them.

my annual birthday swim with the manatees, January 2025

This year, we booked an Airbnb in Fort McCoy and invited a friend to join us. “Kerr Camp” ended up being a perfect choice. It was clean, comfy, and cozy, with plenty of room to spread out and a big backyard for Oscar and Maddie.

You can find DeeAnn’s listing here:

Kerr Camp – Houses for Rent in Fort McCoy, Florida, United States – Airbnb

I also invited another SoFL couple to join us at the springs – friends I had not seen since we moved from Okeechobee in 2023. And much to my delight, they agreed! Hooray – the band was getting back together!

We met at the park when it opened at 8 a.m. It was a bright, cold morning with air temps in the 30s, and we knew the constant 72-degree water would feel warm!

As we made our way to the entry point, I could already see several round, gray blobs in the crystal-clear water, a sure sign that manatees were present.

I counted at least 25-30 in the swim area close to the spring. Although plenty of other people were enjoying the chilly morning with us, there were more than enough manatees for everyone!

Most of the manatees in the swim area were curious and friendly, and welcomed all the attention. I even had the joy of receiving a few affectionate nose-bonks,

And John found a “girlfriend” who seemed smitten with him and would not leave him alone!

At one point, I swam to the opposite shoreline and spotted an alligator snapping turtle, the largest freshwater turtle in North America!

alligator snapping turtle

After taking a few shots, we returned to enjoying the manatees.

John getting a shot of the snapping turtle

Armored catfish surrounded the manatees. Many appeared to be cleaners, eating the algae off the manatee’s backs and around their eyes. But now and then, one would give a quick roll or shudder to shake off the pesky fish.

The park has established a roped-off zone to help fragile sea grass grow, and manatees wanting peace and quiet were resting in that “no swim” area.

PVC pipes mark the protected sea grass area

Despite the fun, we eventually got cold enough to call it quits. We agreed to meet that evening for dinner at a local pizza restaurant and then go to bed early—we had another full day of manatees to look forward to tomorrow!

The next morning was just as cold, but the sun shone brightly, making it feel a bit warmer.

mist rising off the spring on this chilly morning!

When we first entered the water, we spotted a mama with a tiny newborn baby, but they did not stick around long enough for more than a quick proof of life shot. We did, however, see at least two more moms nursing their young.

The sunshine was so bright it created diamond patterns on the manatees, making them beautiful to see but difficult to photograph.

the bright sunshine created diamond patterns on the manatees

There were even more in the spring than the day before, and we spent almost five hours enjoying their company.

swimmers free diving down into the spring

Not a big fan of cold water or wetsuits, TG opted for a lunch meet up with some South Florida friends we hadn’t seen since our move.

TG opted to meet up with friends for lunch at Alligator Joe’s in Ocklawaha

That afternoon we walked to Kerr Lake,

Enjoying all the neighborhood sandhill cranes along the way.

After another quiet evening at the Airbnb, it was time to pack up and head home.

What a fun trip we had – made even more so by the good friends who joined us!

thanks for a manatee-splendid early birthday!

As we packed up the car, I couldn’t help but feel grateful for the opportunity to reconnect with dear friends and with my beloved manatees. It was a birthday trip I will always cherish.

manatees in the spring

To see all the photos from my two days, click here:

Florida manatees — hover on photo to arrow through the set or click to open a new tab in Flickr

Yes We Canada! Part I: Prince Rupert

When TG and I planned our “Westward Ho II” road trip, we had two goals: desert snakes, lizards, & toads – and bears. We successfully achieved the first during our month in New Mexico.

western diamondback rattlesnake, New Mexico, May 2024

And the bear encounters during our eleven days in Yellowstone were extraordinary!

grizzly mama and cub, Yellowstone National Park, June 2024

While in New Mexico, TG cashed in frequent flyer miles and flew up to Prince Rupert, British Columbia for a grizzly bear day tour in the Khutzeymateen. You can read about his solo adventure here:

https://ontheroadwithtallguyandjet.blog/2024/05/19/murals-and-eagles-and-bears-oh-my/

We also mapped out a drive into Canada for later in our trip to experience the beauty of B. C. together.

We left our cozy apartment in Mica, Washington early Monday morning with two planned stops along the way. We crossed the border into Canada without issue and spent the first night in Kelowna, B.C.

We were up early the following day and on our way to Prince George for night #2. The slogan on B.C.’s license plates is “Beautiful British Columbia,” and it is indeed a place that inspires awe. The majestic mountains, the lush greenery, and the crystal-clear lakes all contribute to its breathtaking beauty.

I found myself snapping photos at almost every curve in the road, and TG stopped to shoot a few panos, too.

There are yellow wildlife corridor signs all along the drive.

As we made our way up and over the mountains, we spied a moose, multiple deer, and bald eagles.

One of the biggest industries in B.C. is forestry. We passed pulp mills, sawmills, plywood mills, and dozens of huge trucks carrying heavy loads of timber. However, British Columbia is a world leader in sustainable forest management, as 94% of B.C. is designated Crown land. This allows the province to manage forest resources sustainably despite the almost overwhelming number of logging trucks you see on the roads.

The first five nights of our B.C. leg were in Prince Rupert, and TG picked out a perfect home for our stay. Coastal Bliss was a charming cottage in a quiet neighborhood in Port Edward, a 15-minute drive to Prince Rupert, with plenty of room to spread out and a private area for Oscar and Maddie.

You can find Lindsay’s listing here:

Coastal Bliss – Houses for Rent in Port Edward, British Columbia, Canada – Airbnb

We booked a tour with Prince Rupert Adventure Tours on our first full day. This was the same company TG went out with on his solo trip, so we knew what to expect.

As we parked the car, I noticed a mural across the street and snapped a quick photo. “I hope we see orcas!” I exclaimed.

We were underway before our 7:00 am departure and, soon into the voyage, spotted a pod of orcas! It was exciting for both of us as it was our first time seeing these animals in the wild. We were off to a great start!

Not long after that, we spied the spouts of two humpback whales, but they never gave us anything more than a quick glimpse of their humped backs.

By now we were in the Steamer Passage, nearing the mouth of the Khutzeymateen Inlet. Everyone quieted down and began scanning the shoreline for bears. The anticipation was palpable.

everyone scanned the shoreline looking for bears

We traveled almost to the end of the inlet before we saw our first bear, a sweet female named “Summer.” But by the end of our trip through the inlet, we had spotted six different bears in eight sightings, including a male named “Big Papa” and another female they call “Marshmallow.”

the Khutzeymateen Inlet

Most of the bears were at the far reach of our lenses, but Marshmallow gave us some nice close-ups.

We spied two more humpbacks and some Dall’s porpoises on our return to Prince Rupert.

And then, the pièce de résistance: 20 bald eagles flew towards the boat, diving and dipping for the chunks of pork fat the crew threw overboard. It was a 10-minute bald eagle frenzy!

a bald eagle frenzy!

We were back at the dock by 3:00 pm, tired and happy from our day in the “Khutz.”

We hung around the house all day on Friday, processing photos, doing laundry, and unwinding. We had a 5:30 reservation at a Japanese seafood restaurant in Prince Rupert: Fukasaku. I don’t usually delve too much into food in my blogs, but this dining experience was too exceptional not to share.

The mastermind behind Fukasaku is Dai Fukasaku, a Japanese native who initially came to Prince Rupert as a sushi chef for another establishment. In 2013, he decided to open his own place. What sets Fukasaku apart is their commitment to serving only sustainable seafood, sourced from Northwest B.C. by local fishermen.

We started with an appetizer of Hot N’ Crazy sushi—cucumber, avocado, carrot, walnuts, and a spicy sauce. Then, we had the signature miso-glazed black cod—broiled black cod marinated in a miso marinade for seven days. It was served in traditional Japanese style with a bowl of rice, miso soup, green trio, and edamame.

The spruce-tip crème brulee we had for dessert was the perfect ending to a wonderful meal. We enjoyed our delicious food while taking in the beautiful view of the harbor from our window-side table.

When we stopped into the office at Prince Rupert Adventure Tours after our fun day on Thursday, we had casually mentioned that we might like to go out again on Saturday, depending on how our photos turned out. The office manager said that because we were such loyal customers, she would give us a 20% discount if we booked another tour. The savings were too good to turn down—it almost paid for our dinner at Fukasaku!

So, on Saturday we were on the boat again for the 7:00 am departure. On our way to the Khutzeymateen, we saw humpback whales and harbor seals, but the captain wanted to get to the Inlet as quickly as possible, so we didn’t stop.

a quick glimpse of harbor seals as we sped by

Today’s low tide was a bit later than Thursday’s, which meant we might have more – or better – bear activity. And we were not disappointed. We had five separate sightings of four different bears, one of them digging for clams right along the shoreline. It was a thrilling sight, as the magnificent animal went about her morning activities, oblivious to our presence.

But on our way back, we were treated to something that surpassed even the bear sightings. Whales were spotted off the starboard side, in the middle of the channel. The captain said it appeared they might be group hunting.

We were in for a truly rare and awe-inspiring sight as a group of 4-5 humpbacks proceeded to feed in front of us. They engaged in a behavior called “bubble-net feeding.” This is something that even seasoned wildlife enthusiasts rarely get to witness. A group of whales will circle a school of small fish such as salmon or krill and, using a team effort, corral the fish into a “net” of bubbles. The size of the net can range from three to 30 meters, depending on the number of whales participating. At some point in the bubble-blowing process, one whale will sound the feeding call, and all the whales will simultaneously swim up to the surface, mouths wide open, to feed on the trapped fish.

8-image gif of humpback whales bubble-net feeding

It was raining steadily at this point, but we didn’t care. In a dozen years of photographing humpback whales in Ecuador, we had never observed this behavior. It was a thrilling sight, something that will forever stand out in our travel memories.

But the day wasn’t over. Twenty or more bald eagles once again bombarded us as we neared Prince Rupert harbor, giving us more photo opportunities than we knew what to do with.

We met two brothers on this trip – fellow world travelers Mitch and Jeremy. They taught us a new term: “chimping,” which means you’re grinning at the photos in your camera so much you look like a chimpanzee. By the time we returned to our seats after the eagles, everyone was chimping!

On our last day we visited the Sunken Gardens in Prince Rupert. This garden, located downtown next to the harbor, is a stunning tapestry of lush, vibrant flowers, shrubs, and trees.

As its name suggests, it’s nestled in a cavity behind the courthouse, a secret oasis that might go unnoticed if you’re not aware of its existence.

You can view our photos from the Sunken Gardens here:

sunken garden-07131 — hover on photo to arrow through the set or click on any photo to open a new tab in Flickr

After a halibut burger at Smiles Seafood Cafe, we got ready for another moving day. Beginning on Monday, we had reserved four nights at an Airbnb in Stewart, about a 4 1/2-hour drive north.

Our five days in Prince Rupert were beyond expectations! We came for the grizzly bears and were rewarded with so much more – beautiful landscapes, orcas, bald eagles, and humpback whales bubble-net feeding! We are already dreaming of a return trip next year.

Click below to see the photos from our five nights in Prince Rupert.

TG’s grizzlies and bald eagles:

bald eagle-05822-SharpenAI-Standard-DeNoiseAI-standard — hover on photo to arrow through the set or click on any photo to open a new tab in Flickr

TG’s landscapes and Prince Rupert murals (including photos from his embedded trip in May, 2024):

inside passage pano 23-SharpenAI-Standard-DeNoiseAI-standard — hover on photo to arrow through the set or click on any photo to open a new tab in Flickr

JET:

Coming next … Yes We Canada! Part II: To Stewart and Beyond

Sax-Zim Bog: Three Times A Charm?

“The art of travel lies in the willingness to deviate from your plans and embrace spontaneity.” (author unknown)

It is unplanned moments that have shaped some of our most treasured travel memories: a harrowing plane ride through the jungles of Guatemala when a military coup shut down the airport,

An unexpected and delightful lunch with Don and Virginia, a charming couple in the tiny Canadian village of Waldron, Saskatchewan.

In February 2022, we spent a month in northern Minnesota exploring the Sax-Zim Bog. The Bog is famous for its winter birds, especially great gray owls, and we had a fantastic time.

great gray owl, Sax-Zim Bog, February 2022

We had so much fun that we added a week in the Bog onto our way home from Canada in January 2023. Although that week wasn’t quite as productive as the year before, we enjoyed our stay in a cozy two-bedroom Airbnb conveniently located in the nearby town of Hibbing.

You can find the listing here:

NO FEES Lovely 2 Bedroom Ground Level Downtown – Apartments for Rent in Hibbing, Minnesota, United States – Airbnb

When we mapped out our travel itinerary for 2024, we planned a week in Mobile, AL for Mardi Gras. But at the last minute, TG noticed that the Airbnb in Hibbing was available for February. We jumped at the chance to revisit the Bog, canceled our Mobile reservation, and eight days after swimming with the manatees in Crystal River, we were on our way north to Minnesota.

TG wrote the following at the end of Day 3 in the Bog:

“We cleared everything off JET’s wish list today. Yesterday was the northern hawk owl.

Today it was a twofer – a pine marten and an ermine, a critter we had not seen on previous trips because there was too much snow. The pressure is off with a month to go!”

Going forward, we would simply take what the road gave us.

Speaking of which, many were in terrible condition. There was little snow on the ground and there had been multiple freezes/thaws over the winter months. The roads were full of deep ruts and potholes.

take a bumpy 20-second ride on Kolu Road!

Ditches, usually full of snow this time of year, were empty, revealing just how deep they were.

the ditch on the Arkola Road curve in 2022 and 2024

So, we limited ourselves to the best roads and were rewarded with a close-up photo op of the most magnificent snowy owl we had ever seen on our fifth full day in the Bog.

Wow! A pine marten,

pine marten on Admiral Road

An ermine, daily sightings of the northern hawk and snowy owl

snowy owl taking off from a treetop on Hwy 7

And several common winter birds … we finished our first week thrilled with all that we had been able to see.

We started week two with a new wish list: a snowshoe hare, a great gray owl, and a barred owl. Someone recommended a likely spot for snowshoes, so we headed in that direction after a quick breakfast at Wilbert Café.

We were greeted with a cacophony of barking dogs as soon as we got out of the car. “What the heck?” we asked each other. Although we saw plenty of tracks, the bunnies proved elusive, so finally I told TG “I’m walking up the hill to see what all that barking is about.”

I had barely reached the edge of the property when a woman came running out, motioning me to move to the opposite side of the road. “They’re coming, they’re coming,” she cried. And just then, a pack of 15 Siberian huskies came around the corner, running at full speed in front of an ATV. Mush! Mush!

The woman told us to hang around if we wanted more photos, as they would be back soon, so TG waited at the end of the driveway while she and I searched for bunny tracks in the snow.

The road did not give us a snowshoe hare that day, but we did spend a wonderful morning with Tim and Amy, chatting about their huskies, dog racing in Minnesota, and the lack of snow this year.

The next day, we searched for a snowshoe again, but instead, the road gave us a beautiful little red fox, white-tailed deer peacefully grazing in a golden field,

And the snowy owl in a gnarly old tree against a dramatic sky.

We switched gears on Monday to run an errand in a nearby town and were rewarded with four bald eagles on the drive, one flying directly over our car.

Later that afternoon, we spent a couple of hours photographing the TTBs (tiny twitchy birds) that visit Mary Lou’s.

Mary Lou is a resident of the Bog and has turned her yard into a giant bird feeder.

She welcomes birders to watch – and photograph – all the birds that visit the multiple feeding stations she’s staged around her property, much to the chagrin of the neighbor across the street.

“much to the chagrin of the neighbor across the street”

And then, just before we drove home that evening, we found our snowshoe hare.

The next day, we had a minor car issue, and we weren’t sure we’d make it to the Bog. But the good folks at O’Reilly Auto Parts had us ready to go in no time. We spent a few minutes with the snowy before heading to Admiral Road, where someone had spied a great gray owl on the prior evening.

snowy owl at the very top of the tree (note lack of snow)

We were almost there when the ping came through on the Telegram App: “GGOW at Admiral Road feeders.” We joined a caravan of cars and along with a group of quiet and respectful observers,

a group of very quiet and respectful observers

We were lucky enough to spy him just after sunset.

great gray owl at the top of a small pine tree on Admiral Road

We had to push our cameras to the limit. But considering how rare great gray sightings were this year and how dark it was when we saw this beauty, we were both thrilled with what we captured.

great gray owl around 6pm on Admiral Road

As we checked things off our wish list, we began to think about pointing ourselves towards home a little earlier than we had initially planned. The lack of snow meant birds did not have to visit the feeders to find food, and sightings of typically plentiful winter birds were rare. Temps whiplashed from the 50s one day to below zero a few days later!

Trees were budding … in Northern Minnesota … in February!

And fields usually covered with snow were bare.

This gave us plenty of sightings of rough-legged hawks and northern harriers, but the great grays did not need to hunt along the roads.

It took a lot of early morning and dusk drives to find our barred owl. But finally, on February 29, TG spied one sitting quietly in a tree on the side of the road. We had just enough time to snap a few pics before she disappeared into the woods. Week Two wish list complete!

Sometimes, when you least expect it, a critter will capture your heart, and you can’t shake the desire to get a photo. That happened with the mink. Before this trip, I didn’t even know I wanted a mink – but after seeing a little cinnamon-colored butt disappear into a creek one day, I was obsessed.

We identified a few likely spots and staked out the locations, hoping to catch a glimpse of one long enough to snap a photo.

We spied plenty of muskrats on our stakeouts,

We even got a pair of beautiful trumpeter swans.

And one morning while waiting we struck up a conversation with Travis, an 84-year-old resident of Stone Lake. After chatting for a bit, TG casually asked him about his license plate: FTL 1.

A retired commercial truck driver, Travis told us that in 2014 he was given a ticket for going eleven miles over the limit. The police officer assured him it would not go on his CD license, but it did. Travis was so angry he purchased FTL plates for all his vehicles. “F—k The Law!” he said with enthusiasm.

In the end, after hours of watching and waiting, not only did we get our mink, but she gifted us with almost a full hour of playful running alongside the creek.

As TG has said, “If you allow yourself enough time, the Bog delivers, even in crazy, non-winter weather.” We compiled the following list of all the birds and animals we identified during our three-week stay.

One Saturday, we met up with TG’s grade school friend, Jenny, and her partner, Dick.

It was a fun lunch, and afterward, we decided to do a quick run out to the Bog. Once again, we were rewarded with a great gray owl! He was hiding behind a web of branches, but let’s face it, any great gray owl sighting is GREAT!!

hiding behind a web of branches in Indian Pipe Bog

TG wrote the following about this encounter:

On Saturday 2/24/2024, we received notification of a great gray owl at Indian Pipe Bog off Arkola Road. We made our way there to find many cars parked near the trailhead.

This bumpy, undulating, and mogul-filled trail is a prime example of “unmaintained.” It requires constant attention to where you are stepping.

the bumpy, undulating, mogul-filled trail

The cool, dark forest canopy protects the ice pads that form in the trail pockets from melting, making for treacherous footing.

About a 10-minute walk into the bog, we encountered a sizeable group of people trying to see the owl. I say “trying” because this is hardly the “fish-in-a-barrel” sighting that the snowy owl has been providing of late. This majestic owl was sitting at eye level in a thickly branched tree about 60 meters from the group.

To the naked eye, it was nothing more than a dark blob. My 15-year-old camera struggled to focus automatically, wanting to highlight the myriad of branches rather than Señor Owl.

I walked back to the trailhead, wondering how folks found the owl in the first place. We returned the next day because I wanted to take landscape panos of the bog interior. We went back to where the owl had been 24 hours earlier, but alas, the needle was safely hidden in the haystack.

Despite all that we had seen and photographed thus far, the vibe of the Bog had changed. We saw more bad manners from photographers than ever before. And worst of all, the disrespect for wildlife and private property was shocking.

huge crowd standing in a driveway at the northern hawk owl on Hwy 7

We stayed away from the crowds to avoid contributing to– or being associated with – particularly egregious behavior. But it pained us to witness it in a place where we had so many fond memories.

cars parked on both sides of a two-lane road, on a curve!

Case in point: For two weeks, the snowy owl stayed in an approximately two square mile area, and photographers traveled from near and far, stalking him from dawn to dusk.

As we transited around the Bog, TG & I drove by his roosting spots on Hwy 7 multiple times, marveling at how close folks were crowding the bird and how tolerant he seemed to be of all the attention.

the snowy appeared tolerant of all the attention

On February 26, 2024, the following message appeared on the Telegram:

Feb 26, 2024 message on the SZB Telegram

No one can say for certain how this happened, but one cannot help but wonder if the absolute fervor his presence generated wasn’t partially responsible for his demise.

TG and I had visited Snowy four times before the crowds became too much for us. You can view our photos here:

smowy owl-2646-topaz-denoise-enhance-2.6x — hover on photo and then arrow through the set

It felt like nearly everyone left the Bog after Snowy’s death. It was a quieter, gentler place, and the few remaining visitors were more respectful of each other and the wildlife. We enjoyed some marvelous sightings that week, including sharing our last great gray owl with only six other cars. But by then, we had already decided to head home early.

So, fellow travelers, embrace deviations. Let go of rigid itineraries and make time for spontaneity. Do we regret changing our plans from Mobile, Alabama to Northern Minnesota? Not for a second! In this detour, we photographed almost everything we had hoped to, including four different species of owls.

We met many interesting people along the way — people like Tim & Amy and their pack of Siberian huskies, Travis, and Marshall, who travels all over the USA photographing “paws and claws” for his art shows back in Washington State.

And we learned, perhaps more than ever, to take what the road gives us: on one of our many mink stakeouts, we saw a pile of thick, plush fur lying on the ice. Not wanting to get too close, we knew it was otters and watched as the pile separated into three animals before disappearing into the tall grass.

It wasn’t until we got home and could look at our computer screens that we were able to discern that we had come upon a mama nursing her two babies.

Will there be a fourth visit to the Bog? Only time will tell, as there are many other places we still want to travel. But whether we return or not, we have stories, laughter, and moments to last a lifetime.

a Canada goose, trumpeter swan, and mink in the creek off Stone Lake Road

You can view all of our photos from the Bog here:

TG:

anything for the shot-3331-topaz-denoise — hover on photo to arrow through the set or double-click to open a new tab in Flickr

JET:

Sax-Zim Bog — hover on photo to arrow through the set or double-click to open a new tab in Flickr

2024: Let the Adventure Begin!

In January 2023 we returned home from a 4 ½ month, 23,000-mile road trip, covering 27 states and two Canadian provinces. We had such a great time that before we even pulled into our driveway we were saying “let’s do this again!”

While on the road, we decided to sell our house in Florida and move to an area with a lower cost of living. So, upon our return, we immediately set to work getting the house ready for the market. Much to our surprise, it sold in just 8 days, and we were officially “house-less” by early May.

We booked an Airbnb in Pensacola for three months and began house-hunting in the Panhandle and southern Alabama. By mid-June, we had found something that checked all the boxes: a tiny house sitting on just under an acre of land; a place we could easily button up while on the long road trips we planned to take, but comfy and cozy enough to retire in place once that time came.

We spent the last six months of 2023 making “Casa-Bama” our own, including planting 37 trees, creating a butterfly garden, and building a 10×10 gazebo on our deck.

building the gazebo!

By Christmas, our project list was complete, and we were ready to start planning 2024. My friend Jessie gave me a “junk journal” for Christmas and I decided to fill the pages with all the things we’ll do and places we’ll go this year. Included in upcoming “On the Road” blogs you can expect to see pages of the “junk” we’ll collect along the way.

Over the two decades we lived in Florida, we traveled to Crystal River every year to swim with the manatees. We timed this annual pilgrimage around my birthday as nose-bumping with these gentle giants is (for me) a heart-warming treat. My 65^th birthday is in January, so it’s only appropriate that our first trip of 2024 is a week-long stay in Crystal River, where we’ll be joined by some dear friends from Florida.

bumping noses with a manatee in Crystal River, FL

Since moving to Southern Alabama, we’ve learned that Mobile, not New Orleans, is the birthplace of Mardi Gras. There are krewes dating back to the 1800’s! We’ve booked an Airbnb close to the festivities in hopes of capturing a little of the excitement of the season. As an added bonus, the Airbnb is called “The Owl’s Nest” because there is an active barred owl’s nest on the property!

a barred owl in our backyard in Okeechobee

April puts us back in Pensacola for a short stay: a chance to catch the Blue Angels practice plus an oil change and new tires for the Jetta before embarking on Westward Ho II.

We’ve always wanted to visit Yellowstone in the spring when the park is full of babies, including bear cubs. So, we’re spending a month at Domenick’s condo in Big Sky, Montana, located approximately 50 minutes from the park’s west entrance.

But the timing is perfect for a brief detour through Houston to catch the opening night of the Rolling Stones Hackney Diamonds Tour. Which, if you didn’t already know, is sponsored by AARP!

Once we leave Domenick’s we’re toying with a few nights outside of Grand Teton National Park on our way to Lemitar, New Mexico. We’ve been to Pam’s casita twice before but always in the cold, winter months. Summer is the time to see the beautiful snakes, lizards, and toads that inhabit the desert and our buddy, Bob, at the Rattlesnake Museum in Albuquerque has promised to take us out for a day.

“the most dangerous museum in the world”

We’ll return home in enough time to spend most of the summer at Casa-Bama and give us a chance to enjoy the warm, emerald waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

But come October we are on the road again. All reports indicate that 2024 will be a banner year for the aurora borealis. Solar activity has picked up and it appears will peak in the next 12-15 months. Although seeing the northern lights in Canora over Christmas last year was a thrill, we both long to see and photograph more of the beautiful Lady dancing. We’ve booked two months at an Airbnb in Ninga, Manitoba.

During that time, we’ve also embedded two flights up to Churchill. Polar bears in the wild are high on our “Before I Die” bucket lists but traveling with two pups complicates the logistics. So, we’ve booked two consecutive five-night/six-day “Lords of the Arctic” learning vacations at the Churchill Northern Studies Center. A chance to see polar bears right outside our window, tundra buggy rides through the WMA, lectures every evening, dogsledding, and a 45-minute helicopter ride!

Churchill Northern Studies Center Welcome package

Finally, we’re heading back to Hibbing, Minnesota for one more visit to the Sax-Zim Bog and the great gray owls. Quite honestly, we’re getting too old for these wintry weather destinations and want to get them in while we still have the fortitude to do so!

one more chance to see the Great Gray Owls!

Before we left on Westward Ho I back in September 2022, I wrote “Buckle your seatbelts, you’re in for quite the ride.”

we’ve lost count of the number of hotels!

We’ll still fine-tuning some of the details, but as we turn our calendars to 2024, I’ll say it again “Buckle your seatbelts, you’re in for quite the ride!”

Happy New Year and be sure to follow along with us in 2024!

Westward Ho(ly Cow)! Episode 4: “Christmas Lights, Northern Style”

After a successful detour to South Dakota’s Badlands for bighorn sheep, we continued with our original itinerary north to Canora, Saskatchewan in search of the Aurora Borealis.

The drive through the Dakotas is beautiful – reminiscent of the Palouse Region in the Pacific Northwest with miles of gentle, rolling hills.

And – an abundance of wildlife! On our drives both north and back south, we spied multiple deer, including a large buck that crossed the road directly in front of our car, an elk, a bighorn ram, two foxes, a herd of pronghorns, bald eagles, a golden eagle in aerial combat with a peregrine falcon, and dozens of ruffed grouse and pheasants running alongside the road.

The further north we drove, the more wintery it became but the roads were clear with no traffic.

Heart Butte Dam at Lake Tschida, North Dakota

We crossed the border at Northgate,

Entered Canada with no delay and were comfortably settled into our cozy Airbnb in Canora by late afternoon.

Faustino’s home was perfect: warm and cozy with everything we needed for our stay. We could not have found a better, more convenient place for us and Oscar and Maddie! You can find his listing here (click on link to open a new tab): https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/48015023?adults=2&check_in=2023-08-01&check_out=2023-09-30&source_impression_id=p3_1672925397_HSQFHY5gOVgdcBS3

We took our time getting to know the charming little town. We went to the Ukrainian Catholic Church’s bake sale for cabbage rolls and to chat with the local ladies – who were amazed that we had driven all the way from Florida with our two pups!

Welcome to Canora sign, church bake sale, Ukrainian Catholic Church

We scouted out various dark sky locations for Northern Lights — should Lady Aurora decide to dance,

the perfect place to catch Lady Aurora dancing and a cool old truck to mark the spot!

And photographed the beautiful Christmas lights on Main Street.

One morning we drove to the Whistle Stop, a small diner in Norquay. Over breakfast, we struck up a conversation with a local couple, Livia and Rick.

the Whistle Stop in Norquay and egg & cheese breakfast skillet

Livia insisted on hurrying home for some of her freshly baked skuffles – a type of Ukrainian cinnamon roll. “I’ll be right back,” she promised.

Livia with her home-made skuffles, Rick, & TG

Sure enough, ten minutes later she was back with a package of tiny, cinnamon-sugar deliciousness. OMG!

Another evening we enjoyed the annual Christmas Lights Festival in Sturgis, a small town to the north. Horse-drawn carriage rides …

carriage rides through the snow and twinkling lights

Hot cocoa …

A warm fire …

And beautiful lights …

It was ♪♪ beginning to look a lot like Christmas! ♪♪

selfie at the Sturgis Christmas Lights Festival

Clouds continued to blanket all of Canada, and thus far our Northern Lights quest was unsuccessful. Who could have predicted so many nights of overcast skies?!?

But we are not ones to sit around and mope. We quickly shifted gears and focused our attention on the 90ft grain elevators that stand guard over every town.

Historically, Saskatchewan’s economy was based on agriculture, producing a significant percentage of Canada’s wheat and other grains. Grain elevators were iconic symbols of Saskatchewan and synonymous with the province’s agricultural roots. By 1960, the number of these “prairie sentinels” had peaked at close to 3000.

But as farmers moved to steel silos, the wooden elevators became obsolete and expensive to maintain. They are now a dying breed; it is estimated that 10-20 are lost every year to demolition, fires, or natural disasters, and only about 300 remain standing.

We wanted to capture a little of this history before it is gone forever. TG plotted multiple routes and we spent days driving from town to town, photographing the vintage towers,

Along with cool old barns, beautiful churches,

And interesting buildings.

One day we drove east into Manitoba to photograph the Inglis National Historic Site, the last complete row of vintage grain elevators in Canada, and a rare survivor of the long rows that once dominated the prairie towns.

The Inglis row was built between 1922 and 1941, Manitoba’s golden age of elevators. The buildings have been preserved in their original positions and restored to original condition.

On another snowy day, TG plotted a route that ended up with too many roads that had not been plowed. I had more luck shooting wildlife photos than he did with the grain elevators!

After back-tracking twice we finally arrived at the grain elevator in Waldron.

As we snapped away a man asked what we were doing and then invited us into his home for a cup of coffee. Our hearts — and our toes — were warmed by an hour of delightful conversation in Don and Virginia’s kitchen!

You can view all of our “prairie sentinel” photos here:

invermay elevator pano 2-DeNoiseAI-low-light resize — hover on photo to arrow through the set or click on any photo to open a new tab in Flickr

While we waited for conditions to improve, we found other interesting things to photograph. Light pillars happen on cold winter nights when there are ice crystals in the air. Lights that point straight down reflect off the snow on the ground, and the reflected light lights up the crystals.

Light pillars from the corner of Charter and George Street, Canora

Sun dogs, or parhelions, are formed by ice crystals suspended in clouds that drift in the air at lower levels. These ice crystals act as a prism, bending the light rays that pass through them.

a sun dog in Nut Mountain (around 9:30am)

And we were pleasantly surprised by all the wildlife we saw while out and about!

Although I would not recommend traveling to Canada in the dead of winter just for the wildlife, we regularly spied moose, foxes, coyote, deer, and many species of birds while out on our photo safaris.

You can view all of our wildlife photos here:

Saskatchewan Wildlife — hover on photo to arrow through the set or click on any photo to open a new tab in Flickr

And we celebrated Christmas dinner at Lynn’s, a little Chinese restaurant in Sturgis … because nothing says “Christmas” like veggie chow mein! We actually made Lynn’s a regular stop for reasonable and good food!

But this trip was all about capturing the Northern Lights. Our friend Janet lived in Alaska for 28 years and she had warned us that there were many winters when they never saw any lights. So, we came to Canora with high – but realistic – hopes and agreed that even one good night would make the drive worth it. The night of Dec 22 looked promising. The skies were finally clear, the solar wind speeds had picked up, and the BZ numbers were dropping – all indications of increased aurora activity.

Sure enough, our “Aurora Alert” app chimed around midnight. We bundled up and headed out to our dark-sky spot. We could see the shimmering lights before we even got out of the car, and they grew more brilliant as we watched.

Despite the -15° temps and 20mph wind, it was everything we could have hoped for. We both stood in awe, hearts caught in our throats as we watched Lady Aurora’s beautiful dance for the first time.

The next night she danced again, and we were there to capture her.

She appeared for a third night on Christmas Eve. The Christmas Lights (northern style) we had hoped to see!

“Stars don’t beg the world for attention: their beauty forces us to look up.” (Matshona Dhliwayo)

December 29 gave us a relatively weak night, but if it had been our only sighting, we would have been thrilled.

The Space Weather Prediction Center issued a G1 geomagnetic storm watch for the night of January 3, 2023. Without getting too technical this meant that, if the skies were clear, we were sure to see a show. Although we were heading back to North Dakota the following morning, we drove out to our dark sky spot at midnight.

Lady Aurora’s dance was the best thus far, and two hours in the cold passed quickly.

30-second timelapse of 199 images shot over approximately one hour

She was still dancing when we returned home, and we captured a few more images above the house.

33-image pano looking north from the corner of Charter and George Street

Capturing the Aurora is not easy. It is a ballet between the cold, the clouds, and the light. But nothing in the sky can compare to the beauty of what we saw on those five magical nights in Canora. As we watched the Lady dance, it felt at times like my very soul was being drawn out of my chest and into the stars.

“It is a ballet between the cold, the clouds, and the light” … And your camera settings!

You can view all of our “CanorAurora” photos here:

January 4, 2023 — hover on photo to arrow through the set or click on any photo to open a new tab in Flickr

We traveled to Canada for the “Christmas Lights, Northern Style” but experienced so much more: historical grain elevators, wonderful wildlife, and beautiful, pristine landscapes. As we say au revoir, we cannot help but be enchanted by this Land of Living Skies.

Coming soon: Westward Ho(ly Cow)! Episode 5: “Saw-Whet, Say What?!?”