Sea Lion colony & Albatross - Short Videos - South America

Islets in the Beagle Channel near Ushuaia, Argentina

We've just returned home from South America after a terrific cruise on board the Zaandam!  Thank you to all those guests who sailed with us for your amazing support during my series of presentations.  As you know, I love researching the latest scientific findings for the presentations I give around the world.  We had an abundance of amazing stories for this cruise, from the experiences of early seamen rounding the Horn, Darwin's travels in Patagonia... to the Yaghan canoe people who adapted to living in the windswept islands and channels of Tierra del Fuego over the past 6,000 years.

I usually include short videos that I create during each voyage in my presentations and have two for this post: Sea Lions on the Valdes Peninsula and the Black-browed Albatross.  Please enjoy!

South American Sea Lion Colony at Punta Norte

If you are wondering how I achieved some of those crazy camera angles, my new go-to travel camera has become the Insta360 one X.  An amazing camera that takes 360 videos in high-def and allows us to select our point of view after taking the shot.  Opens up a whole new world of neat visuals.

The following video shows how tricky it can be for an Albatross to become airborne!

Wishing you many happy adventures!  Hope to see you again soon.

George & Jan

PS: My next series of presentations will be on board the Viking Sun April 13 - May 11, Durban, South Africa to London, England.

Fly over Buenos Aires to Cape Horn, South America

Buenos Aires from Google Earth

Here's a short video that I've prepared for my next lecture series on board Holland America's Zaandam.  We're joining the ship in Buenos Aires and I often like to provide a Google Earth overview in my first presentation.  On this cruise we will be visiting Montevideo, Puerto Madryn, Falkland Islands (Maldivas), Punta Arenas, and Ushuaia before proceeding up the coast of Chile to Puerto Montt and San Antonio.



Here's a second video of our planned route sailing into the Strait of Magellan, past Tierra del Fuego, and then rounding Cape Horn at the southern tip of South America.

There are some interesting tales regarding the rounding of the Horn. A sailor who rounds the Horn is entitled to wear a gold loop earring. Tradition has it that this should be worn in the ear that faced the Horn as it was rounded.  I've always wondered if left vs right meant anything!

Rumor has it that there were also various privileges accorded to sailors who had rounded the horn. They included being allowed to dine with one foot on the table.  OK - I believe that one... but this next one seems far-fetched.  Guess who would be permitted to put both feet on the table?  A sailor who has rounded both Cape Horn AND the Cape of Good Hope in Africa.  Good luck using your knife and fork, I say!

It was quite a trick just to survive rounding the Horn back in the days of sail...so recognition really meant something!  Apparently 10,000 sailors lost their lives in those treacherous waters over the centuries.  That number is difficult to fathom, but it seems to be the accepted estimate based on my research.

Apparently a sailor could also get a tattoo of a fully rigged sailing ship after rounding Cape Horn (if they survived).  I have already sailed around the Cape of Good Hope twice... once I've rounded the Horn I wonder if I would qualify for a fully rigged ship on each cheek!?  Derriere that is! 

Hope you enjoy!  Thanks for visiting.

Cheers, George

PS: Music for both videos is 7th Floor Tango by Silent Partner from the YouTube Audio Library.

Orcas of Peninsula Valdes (HD)

Video courtesy of Cheesemans' Ecology Safaris

I'm currently preparing lecture presentations for Holland America's South American Passage on board the Zaandam, beginning February 21st from Buenos Aires to San Antonio.  We're looking forward to witnessing the amazing scenery and wildlife in this region.  One of the highlights is wildlife-rich Peninsula Valdes near Puerto Madryn, Argentina.  The dramatic video, courtesy of Cheesemans', shows the spectacular hunting method of Orcas intentionally charging onto the beach to catch young Southern Sea Lions and Southern Elephant Seals.

Península Valdés is a World Heritage site of global significance for the conservation of marine mammals. It is home to an important breeding population of the endangered southern right whale as well as important breeding populations of southern elephant seals and southern sea lions.

Hope to see you on board!!
Cheers, George

Transpacific Vancouver to Yokohama on board Westerdam

In late September I will be joining Holland America's cruise ship Westerdam to present a series of 10 lectures as we cross the Pacific Ocean from Vancouver to Yokohama (Sept 31 - Oct 15). 

On most cruises I like to present short video clips that I produce using Google Earth to highlight each specific itinerary.  Here's one that I've produced for the Westerdam cruise:

My lectures will highlight some of the fascinating creatures and shifting ecosystems as these northern waters and the Arctic, in particular, experience rapid warming with climate change.  My topics include:

Undersea Societies of the Pacific Northwest

Meet the Masterminds of the Pacific Ocean!

Alaskan Ecosystems: Adapting to a New Planet

Who Owns the Arctic Ocean, Northwest Passage and the Fish Below?

Japanese Jellies are a Stinging Success!

Hokkaido and the Kuroshio Current

Japan: Life on an Unstable Island

Perhaps you will be joining Jan and I!? If so, we look forward to renewing past acquaintances!  And, of course, we have the joy of making new friends!

African Post Card with Thanks to guests on the 2018 Grand World Cruise

Thank you to the many great friends we met on our segment of the Holland American Grand World cruise, from Cape Town to Dakar Senegal.

Jan and I truly appreciate your wonderful support and attendance during my lecture series on board the ms Amsterdam.

Wishing you happy travels in the future... and the sincere hope that we meet again on a future cruise!

Best wishes from George & Jan

PS: Please feel free to download the zebra postcard above by right-clicking and saving to your device.  And check out my other postcards on the "Postcards" title along the top of this page. 

Cape Town 360 Photo

My 360 photo taken in Cape Town, South Africa, is proving very popular with over 100,000 views in a couple of weeks.  Take it for a spin by moving your cursor around on the image!!

Dunes of the Namib Sand Sea - one of the most spectacular features on our planet

On our up coming segment of Holland America's world cruise in April, we will be stopping at Walvis Bay, Namibia.  The photo above was taken by an astronaut aboard the International Space Station (ISS) used a long lens.  Astronauts consider this one of the most spectacular features of the planet.

Here's a short 2 min video fly-over of the Sand Sea and nearby Walvis Bay that I've prepared using Google Earth Pro.  The dunes can be immense... 300 m high x 32 km long (980' high X 20 mi long)... starkly beautiful and other-worldly in appearance!  The dunes extend right into the sea, south of Walvis Bay.  This town of approx 60,000 is about the only natural deep water port for large cruise ships along the coast of Namibia.

The Namib Sand Sea is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

UNESCO
Copyright: © Paul van Schalkwyk
Permanent URL: whc.unesco.org/en/documents/123187

Photo by Luca Galuzzi CC BY-SA 2.5

Here's the location of the Dunes of the Sand Sea in Google Maps:

Upcoming Cruise along the West Coast of Africa

In April we will be joining Holland America's world cruise on board the ms Amsterdam.  I've prepared a short google earth fly-over as an intro to Cape Town where we join the ship.  We will be disembarking in Dakar, Senegal.

On our last visit to Cape Town, we drove to see the African Penguin colony at Boulders Beach.  They nest among the Granite boulders and the South African Parks Service has made it very easy to see them up close, so it is a fascinating wildlife experience.  Unfortunately the penguins are in trouble.

See the interesting article in the NY Times on efforts to save the species:

To Save African Penguins, Humans Set Up a Dating Service

South Pacific Crossing - Noordam

Photo Mo'orea, French Polynesia by George Sranko

My next lecture assignment will be in April, on board the Noordam from Sydney Australia to Honolulu Hawaii.  We're looking forward to some amazing South Pacific scenery including the ports shown in the map below. 

South Pacific Crossing April 2017 on board the Noordam

Here's a quick little video that I've prepared with Google Earth Pro to provide some context for the upcoming cruise.  We're looking forward to meeting you on board!

Leaning tower of Pisa

Hello friends!
I've just returned from the Mediterranean on a fantastic cruise with Holland America on board the ms Rotterdam.  During my lecture series I presented this short video that I created using Google Earth Pro.

Statendam Farewell Voyage

Dear friends from the Statendam -- thank you so much for your kind support and amazing attendance during my lecture series, as we crossed the Pacific from Hawaii to Singapore.  We had a lot of fun, didn't we! 

Here are a couple of the quotes that I used during my presentations... please feel free to download copies.

I managed to capture photos of an Oriental Pied Hornbill and Java Sparrow while we were in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia.

Oriental Pied Hornbill

Java Sparrow

 Can you believe we were wandering the wilds of Borneo just a few days ago!  (Ok -- perhaps we weren't exactly in the wilds, but we did manage to hang onto our heads, so that makes for a good story!)

Happy travels wherever you may be in the world.  Please sign up for email updates over on the right.

Thanks again!
George

PS: my next post will be on some of the Photospheres that I captured on our voyage.

Amazing Australian Lyrebird

In Australia, we're off to the home of the Superb Lyrebird -- one of the most amazing vocalists and mimics on our planet.

Photo by Fir0002/Flagstaffotos CC BY-NC

Anastasia Dalziell, from the ANU's Research School of Biology, says the skill does not come naturally, but is the result of years of practice.
"The young [lyrebirds] are incredibly vocal but don't mimic at all," she says. It was possible to "get an idea of what they are doing about the age of five", but it was not until they were adults - around age seven - that they had perfected the skill.

One of the most famous clips of David Attenborough is this one covering the Lyrebird:

Here's another short clip to give some idea of the sounds this remarkable bird can reproduce:

 

For more on the the amazing Lyrebird and the research by Anastasia Dalziell, see the excellent article on ABC:  Lyrebirds prove they're masters of karaoke

Now we're off to the Blue Mountains near Sydney Australia.  In a few days we join the Amsterdam on a segment of the Grand World cruise from Sydney to Singapore, via Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth.

 

Whistled Language of La Gomera, Canary Islands

Known as the Silbo Gomero...

On our recent transatlantic cruise on board the Maasdam, I was lecturing about the ecology, culture and geology of the Canary Islands.  I presented a clip from the following excellent UNESCO video on the unique and amazing "Whistled Language of Gomera" 

UNESCO: Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity - 2009:  Visit the UNESCO website to learn more: http://www.unesco.org/culture/ich/RL/...
Description: The whistled language of La Gomera Island in the Canaries, the Silbo Gomero, replicates the islanders habitual language (Castilian Spanish) with whistling. Handed down over centuries from master to pupil, it is the only whistled language in the world that is fully developed and practised by a large community (more than 22,000 inhabitants). The whistled language replaces each vowel or consonant with a whistling sound: two distinct whistles replace the five Spanish vowels, and there are four whistles for consonants. The whistles can be distinguished according to pitch and whether they are interrupted or continuous. With practice, whistlers can convey any message. Some local variations even point to their origin.
Taught in schools since 1999, the Silbo Gomero is understood by almost all islanders and practised by the vast majority, particularly the elderly and the young. It is also used during festivities and ceremonies, including religious occasions. To prevent it from disappearing like the other whistled languages of the Canary Islands, it is important to do more for its transmission and promote the Silbo Gomero as intangible cultural heritage cherished by the inhabitants of La Gomera and the Canary Islands as a whole.

Maasdam Lectures Nov 15 - Dec 6

Preparing for my next exciting lecture series on board the ms Maasdam from Civitavecchia to Fort Lauderdale, Nov 15 - Dec 6, 2013.  Lots of really interesting updates on the latest research concerning everything from the status of the endangered Blue Fin Tuna (see an excellent update by PEW) and octopus that are smarter than your average dog... to the mysteries of the coral reef.  Here's a list of my upcoming lectures for this cruise:

Dangerous Volcanoes & Ancient Time Capsules

We've sailed past some of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world.  Learn about the secrets of long-buried civilizations, including the oldest computer -- built 2,000 years BG (before Gates)!

Wealth from the Mediterranean

Wealth comes in many forms…   but empires built on smelly fish intestines, colorful dyes, and stunning sea creatures… Come on… what next…?

Who Owns the Sea… and the Fish Below?

What's the connection between bustling ecosystems, boatloads of tourists, and plentiful fish??   Who owns all the Fish in the sea...?  Who makes the rules out here anyway!!?

Ocean Currents & Your Skyrocketing Insurance!!

 What's up with shrinking icecaps, rising seas, storm surge, extreme weather events and changing ocean currents?!  And what are the costs and impacts…?

We are not the only Smart Suckers on the Planet

 Discover creatures without bones that are as smart as your average dog!  Just muscles, guts & Big Brains!  (OK - don't forget thousands of razor-sharp claws)

Stinging Balls of Slime (and other tasty Treats!)

Meet some creatures that are truly spineless and heartless… and a great source of protein.  Jelly sandwich, anyone...? 

Some of the Biggest and Ugliest Creatures You'll Never Meet

Huge reptiles from the age of the dinosaurs and sharks the size of whales… in the Atlantic ocean?  Could truth be stranger than fiction!?

Cavorting with the Big Ones

Learn about the true giants of the Atlantic.  One species is the loudest creature on the planet… and another can go two hours without taking a breath!  (Sound like someone in your family?)

Romance and Mystery on the Coral Reef

Coral reefs provide some of the richest ecosystems on earth.  Are corals animal or vegetable?  Discover some of the magic and mystery of life among the polyps.

Best Fishes from George, <))))><

Seychelles to South Africa

I'm currently researching lectures for an upcoming segment of Holland America's Grand World Cruise.  Jan and I will be joining the ms Amsterdam in the Seychelles on March 28, visiting Madagascar and several ports along the east coast of Africa, before disembarking in Cape Town on April 7.  These places abound with amazing creatures and wildlife -- a dream trip for naturalists!!



We're looking forward to seeing friends we've met on previous cruises.

Lecture Series - Madagascar to Africa

In the weeks ahead I will be posting about some exciting and interesting topics to be covered in my lecture series:

Unique Wildlife of Madagascar

From Lemurs to fascinating Geckos and Chameleons, Madagascar is home to some of the most unique creatures on the planet and some of the highest biodiversity, with about 150,000 species that exist nowhere else.

Madagascar: Escape from Africa! 

How can islands float…?  Madagascar continues to drift away from the African continent … where did it come from and where is it headed…? 

Mighty Ocean Currents and Feeding Frenzies

We’re sailing near one of the most powerful ocean currents in the world, the Agulhas Current.  Learn how these rich waters produce one of the greatest feeding frenzies on earth!

In the Realm of the Great White Shark

This coast is home to one of the greatest carnivores on the planet.  Discover some fascinating insights into the life of these top predators and the ecosystems they help create and maintain! 

Apex Predators of Africa

Discover the fascinating role of the largest carnivores in Africa… and their valuable ecological roles in “top-down” structuring of the ecosystem.  Without Lions… would their prey survive?

Caribbean Odyssey

Just returned from a Transatlantic crossing lecturing aboard the ms Rotterdam.  A great crossing without too much "motion of the ocean!"  We embarked in Rotterdam and disembarked in Barbados.  It was a pleasure to meet so many great folks!  Thank you for attending my lectures and for your support and enthusiasm.   We had the opportunity to meet many interesting creatures in the rainforests and crystal clear waters of the Caribbean.

While in Southampton, we took the opportunity to drive through the New Forest and up to see the Salisbury Cathedral.

Salisbury Cathedral

Curious Donkey in the New Forest near Southampton

Caribbean Delights

If you are ever looking for a wild adventure -- look no further than a rental car on Tortola, British Virgin Islands.  Take North American cars with left hand drive and drive them on the British (some would say 'wrong' side of the road).  Add narrow, twisty roads - often without center lines -- and you have a recipe for excitement!!

We enjoyed some wonderful snorkeling in the waters of Bonaire and Aruba. Bonaire, in particular, is special because the entire reef system surrounding the island is protected within the Bonaire Marine Park .  The reefs are still in fairly good shape, given the threats to corals throughout the world, with ocean acidification, warming oceans, and rising sea levels.

Snorkeling in the Marine Park that encompasses Bonaire

The Asa Wright Nature Centre in Trinidad proved to be a great place to experience some interesting rainforest birds.  I managed to photograph a few of these, including the Golden-headed Manakin (read more about this fascinating species).

Golden-headed Manikin

Green Honeycreeper, Asa Wright Nature Centre, Trinidad

Purple Honeycreeper, Asa Wright Nature Centre, Trinidad

Looking for your Ship??

Lost your mother on a cruise ship??  Wondering where in the world she's off to this time?  There are some excellent resources online for discovering the current location of almost any cruise ship in the world.  One good website is www.sailwx.info.

sailwx.info website showing the location of cruise ships around northern Europe in early June 2012.

You can also search for your ship by name and discover it's current location that way.  Here's the current location and track of ms Rotterdam, for example.

If you are at sea, this is also a good way of letting friends and relatives know where you are sailing... send them an email link for your ship; i.e., the link for the chart above is http://www.sailwx.info/shiptrack/shipposition.phtml?call=PDGS.  The last four letters provide the 'call sign' for the Rotterdam: PDGS.  There are a lot of ships named Rotterdam, so the call sign really saves time in finding Holland America's Rotterdam.

This website, sailwx.info, provides a good resource for call signs for most cruise ships.  Go to the link for "Cruise Ships" under "Shiptracker" on the left side, and you'll see the large-scale chart such as the one at the top of this post.  Scroll down below the chart (map) and you'll see a long list of cruise ships by name along with their call signs.

Cruise ships with location and call sign.  There's ms Rotterdam, call sign PDGS.

Good luck finding those long-lost cruisers in your life!!