2014 Year in Review: Travel Pics

2014 Year in Review: Travel Pics

Well, looking through my photos from the past year is a bit overwhelming. I was planning on doing one year in review post, but now I am at a point where I think it's best to split into two...at least. So for the first post I will put up some memorable travel pictures, memories, and adventures from the past year. In the next post I will recap my first year spent living on Oahu.

  This year I was able to travel a bit around Indonesia, a few jaunts to Maui, and a big trip back east to visit Savannah and Vermont. Throw in a wild wedding in upstate Wisconsin and you've got some fun memories indeed. So here goes a throwback of pics from 2014...

Colorful Hypselodoris infucata

Creamy Nudibranch, Chromodoris fidelis

   Heidi and I revisited Indonesia this year with the goal of diving a ton, exploring some new places, and seeing some wild underwater creatures. We were not disappointed. With the addition of Phoebe and Erica to the Bali adventures it became a real party. We island hopped over to Sulawesi and the Lembeh Strait, and spent some quality time exploring the island of Bali. I sipped a few Bintangs, enjoyed a few massages, and was luckily able to scuba dive...I had busted my ear drum a few weeks before the trip.

Crested Nembrotha cristata

Glossodoris cincta

  Nudibranchs are always the star of the show in Indonesia and we found a lot. Pygmy sea horses, frog fish, and pipefish all showed up. And our efforts also produced hard to find critters like the wonderpus octopus, coconut octopus, blue ribbon eels, and the elusive blue harlequin shrimp. We stayed healthy and even spent a few days inland checking out the old temples and terraced rice fields of Ubud. I had more nescafe than I should have, but I couldn't think of anything better to wash down the nasi goreng in the morning. One of the most amazing sights was seeing the wreck of the US Liberty at night. With our underwater flashlights we were able to witness all the colors of the soft coral growing over every inch of the massive wreck. The dive resort here in Tulumben, called Liberty Dive Resort, is on our "must go back to" list.

Gold & Purple Chromodoris aureopurpurea

Fun with backlighting: Sea Horse

One of my most popular pics from Indonesia. Anemone fish with parasite

Got my wonderpus octopus finally!

Almost translucent ghost pipefish, backlit

Heidi happy to be back in Indo

Bumphead Parrotfish on the US Liberty Wreck

Pheobe and Erica explore the wreck of the US Liberty

Exploring Inner Bali rice paddies

Rice Planting

More exploration in Bali

Breaching Humpback Whale

rare I'iwi bird

Trips back to Maui were few and far between but were a great taste of what we had left behind, and are hopefully headed to in the future. Maui is such a great island for under and over water adventures. I found new waterfalls, swam with dolphins, and surfed the amazing Honolua Bay with good friends. The wildlife here on Maui varied from breaching humpbacks whales, tiny scarlet honeycreepers, and playful sea turtles. There are so many photo opportunities on this island. I am looking forward to more visits here in the new year!

Honolua Bay!

Playful Honu at Mala Pier

  

Finding the green room on Maui

Brave game at Turner Field

The Varsity, and Atlanta staple

  Late summer meant a break in work for some family time. I got a chance to visit friends and family in Savannah and Atlanta, before heading off to Vermont for the annual Stave Island Party. I made sure to get my mandatory visits to Waffle House, Cracker Barrel, Krispy Kreme, and the Varsity in. And I also played the tourist by going on a photo walking safari of beautiful downtown Savannah, which I had never really done before. It was a short but very sweet visit to a place I appreciate more and more every time I return.

Downtown Savannah charm

  There is a certain charm to Savannah that is amazing for photographers. Even though I specialize in underwater photography I can't help become a landscape photography enthusiast in a place this beautiful. The live oak trees covered in moss, arcing over old plantation style homes is something you have to see.

Walk on the bluff with Mom

Like a new house. Go Blue.

Sunrise on the Bluff

Moving fast because its cold!

Summer Sessions Surf Shop, N.H.

The old Barn House

  My trip to Vermont this year turned into a Vermont/New Hampshire escape. Stand up paddle boarding on Lake Champlain was followed by

Main House at Night, Stave Island, VT

surfing the frigid waters of Rye, New Hampshire. Stave Island was just as beautiful and serene as ever. I tried to capture the tranquility of the island by staying up late into the night and doing some night photography and light painting. The stars here are absolutely amazing. I also had a fun time getting to know the Miller's new puppy, Kula.

Talking story at the farmhouse on Stave Island

Heidi and her water dog in training

Sunset Reflections

   Our last big travel was at the beginning of the summer for a long weekend in Door County Wisconsin. It was pretty wild to fly from Bali to Hawaii to Wisconsin for a wedding....especially since the two people getting married live in Maui! But I would do it again in a heartbeat for Nate and Kelly. The wedding brought together an amazing group of people. We all stayed in an old farmhouse while exploring the countryside by car, bike, bus, and boat. And we made sure to spend an overnight in Chicago on our way out to enjoy some deep dish pizza and all the sights.

The wedding crowd!

Ben and some Gino's East

   The wedding of the year happened early in the Wisconsin summer for our good friends Nate and Kelly. A bunch of us flew from around the world to be back in time to party it up with these two newlyweds and to finally see this fabled Wisconsin that Kelly always talked so much about. It definitely lived up to the hype. We had a wonderful time exploring Door County and renewing alot of old bonds while making new one in the process. A quick stopover in Chicago before flying back out really sealed the deal on this epic extended weekend. Deep dish pizza was passed all around while the famous "Bean" in downtown provided some pretty stunning picture opportunities.
   All in all 2014 was a very fun year for traveling. We'll have to wait and see what 2015 brings...

Chicago's Famous Bean and City Skyline