Capturing the Moment

  Having fun with the school kids, just outside the boundaries of Lake Manyara park. We had a wonderful walking tour of the village, medical center, and school with a local guide. The hits just keep coming. We've followed cheetah in the Masai Mara, we've cheered on migrating wildebeest swimming across the Mara river in the Serengeti, and now we are living in tree houses, scanning the darkness for nocturnal creatures, and hanging with some of the friendliest kids around in Lake Manyara National Park. Our guide, Aron, took us out on a relaxing drive in the morning. We added new birds to our list, and had our first good look at a mature bateleur eagle. We had rare barbets and fire finches, and lots of colorful kingfishers. We checked the area where we found the tree climbing lions the evening before, but they were nowhere to be found. Just a reminder of how lucky we were to see them at all. It is easy for animals to disappear into the dense bush here. The real jewel of the morning...

  With the morning off I had my pick of adventures. I knew the waves would be big on the North Shore, it is that season, but I hadn't been under the water in a while. So I grabbed my underwater camera housing and headed off to the southeast corner of Oahu. There are a couple of decent snorkeling and scuba sites around this side of the island, as long as it isn't too windy or wavy. I like the little beach next to the Halona blowhole, and the area under the Makapu'u Lighthouse is beautiful as well. But I figured enough time had passed since I had been to Hanauma Bay that I should give it another chance. When Heidi and I first moved out here we went scuba diving in Hanauma and were pretty underwhelmed. This time was much better. The visibility was pretty darn good, about 60 feet and once I was out of the cut into the deeper water I started to find some interesting marine life. Green Sea Turtle in Flight   I stuck with this young green sea turtle for quite awhile. ...