Natural Wonder – Deano In America

Lone Humpback

Whilst heading back to Seattle from the San Juan Islands on a summer whale watching cruise I had not expected to see anymore whales. The day had been a good one with plenty of Orca sightings in small transient pods off Lopez Island and now it was just time to enjoy the scenery. As we departed Friday Harbor we…

Stellar Sea Lions – The Big Dogs of the Sea

A cruise through the San Juan Islands of Washington state is not all about whale watching. On this summer voyage, briefly after leaving Friday Harbor, I got the opportunity to see up close a large group of Stellar Sea Lions at rest, work and play on and near a rocky outcrop just off San Juan…

Wolves of the Sea IV

Whale watching cruises in the Pacific Northwest provide a great opportunity to see Orca (Killer Whales) in abundance. That first fin sighting is a rush and seeing the Orca swimming so close always puts a smile on your face. Even more so when they pop up to take a look at you too! My summer…

The Tyrant Lizard Kings of Montana

Despite those stumpy little arms the Tyrannosaurus rex (tyrant lizard king) must have been an awesome beast when roaming the earth some 65 million years ago. Even today when you come face to face with all those huge teeth its hard not to think about the damage this thing could have unleashed on its dinosaur prey including…

An Epic 12 Hours

Depart Seattle aboard a Victoria Clipper whale watching cruise at 8:15am bound for Friday Harbor and the San Juan Islands. Let 12 hours of epic adventure unfold… This cruise had it all – perfect weather, plenty of wonderful scenery, amazing wildlife and even some aircraft action overhead for good measure. A perfect day for me!

Seattle Day & Night

My favourite place to view Seattle is from Kerry Park. With the sun slowly setting on a good summers day like this recent one, you can get a spectacular view across the city, the Space Needle, Elliot Bay and the mighty Mount Ranier off in the distance.

Crater Lake National Park – Down by the Water

So blue, so clean, so cold… To gain access to the lake you need to take the Cleetwood Cove trail. It starts at the northern end of the Crater Lake National Park East Rim Drive. Be sure to stop somewhere before the trail though to take in the view above Cleetwood Cove. Now it’s pretty easy-going down…

Crater Lake National Park – The Phantom Ship

The other island of Crater Lake, the Phantom Ship seems to just be sailing away. That “small sailboat” is in fact the height of a 16 story building and being made of 400,000 year old erosion resistant lava rock, it’s not going anywhere, anytime soon! Beautiful to look at though!

Crater Lake National Park – That Deep Blue Lake Takes Your Breath Away!

This majestic lake has gone by many names but first it was known as Giiwaas (a most sacred place). Named so by the Klamath people long ago who believed the giant volcanic caldera in which the lakes sits was created during an epic battle between their spirit gods. Later as gold prospectors started to come through…

Crater Lake National Park – Wizard Island

Possibly one of the coolest named landmarks in a national park is Wizard Island which dominates the western rim of Crater Lake National Park. It sits there proudly rising out of the water with its Witches Cauldron crater sitting at the top to remind you it’s actually a remainder of a volcanic cinder cone. The island and…

Crater Lake National Park – Stunning!

Crater Lake National Park in Oregon is a place I have wanted to visit for many years. I remember flying over it on a passenger flight from LA to Seattle a few years back and looking down in wonder. Now I have finally been to the lake, stood on the massive volcanic rim and felt how…