Capturing the Moment

Protea in full bloom Bromeliad Bloom   The last few days have been spent part way up Haleakala Volcano on the island of Maui in an area locals simply refer to as 'upcountry.' The weather ranges from mild to downright cold, and it boast a wide range of flora and fauna to go with it. Lavender Garden, Maui Looking down at the valley   Our first spot to check for unusual plants was the beautiful lavender farms in Kula. Blooming jacaranda trees and rows of different species of lavender showered the garden in shades of purple. And with all the other blooming flowers of proteas, bromeliads, and others there was a rainbow of colors.   We searched high and low for the resident Jackson's chameleons in the area but could not find any. A couple of purple finches watched us hungrily as we enjoyed our lavender tea and scone but we did not share. Juvenile I'iwi I'iwi, not too close   Next we were off to the last remaining stronghold of the honeycree...

Safari Quest in Fishermens Terminal, Seattle   The Hawaii season is finished, the whales are all headed north back to their feeding grounds in Alaska, so that is where I am headed as well. It was a great winter season leading trips in Hawaii onboard the Safari Explorer, followed by a multi-island private trip for a family that I will only say was... educational for all involved. But now it is on to new adventures, onboard a new boat.   You may even call this one a yatch. The Safari Quest is a beautiful boat inside and out, with all the amenities you could ask for, including a pastry chef. We can take a maximum of 22 passengers with a compliment of 10 crew. We have a shoulder season itinerary of the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia. Then we will spend the greater part of the summer sailing through Alaska's Inside Passage. British Columbia Wildlife   I am still the expedition leader, however now I am also the guide. I'm familiar with this set up in Hawaii...

We just completed our first week of the season sailing the Safari Quest through British Columbia and the San Juan islands. We will run this itinerary during the shoulder seasons before and after our Alaska summer.  I had not spent much time in British Columbia so I was anxious to get out and see it from the water. I had sped through the channels before on our way to Alaska in previous seasons but was never allowed to stop. The Quest is a SOLAS boat which allows us to take her internationally into Canada waters. This does mean a few stops during the week are planned for customs and such but they work pretty seamlessly into a very fun itinerary.   The first stop in Canadian waters is Victoria, on the southern tip of Vancouver Island. Its a beautiful first view of British Columbia and everyone enjoys a bit of High Tea at the Empress Hotel. But then in typical UnCruise fashion we head off into the wilderness. We run the rapids at Skookumchuk and continue on to the crown ...

Jess: Local Knowledge Entry at Koloa Landing, Kauai    For shore diving the south side of Kauai there is one solid option that will satisfy beginners and experts alike.The name of the place is Koloa Landing. Located in between the resorts of Poipu and the famous blow hole, Koloa Landing provides an easy boat ramp access and gravel parking lot right next to the water. My friend Jess has been working as a dive instructor in Kauai so knows the waters pretty well. She agreed to take me out for a crepuscular/night dive to see what kinds of interesting creatures we could find. Potter's Angelfish   After a very easy entry and a short kick out we submerged to a find a large school of blue stripe snapper. Large boulders were strewn about the site with some nice looking coral sporadically among them. It was in and among the coral and crevices that we wanted to search for the rarer species. Leaf Scorpionfish Jeweled Anemone Crab   And fine them we did....