George is a naturalist, photographer, and experienced destination lecturer who has informed and entertained thousands with his passion for science, nature and culture... presented with a twist of wry humor.
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.
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.
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.
Abundant with nectar, banksias play a vital role in the Australian bush
We enjoyed some amazing views during our recent visit to Western Australia in Oct/November. Explore some of my 360 photos with your mouse and view a short video clip of my climb up a giant Karri tree.
Look Up!!....WAAAY Up!! This is one of the giant old growth Karri trees in Western Australia.
Here's a short video showing my climb into the top of one of these giants.
As you can see, I had the fun and privilege of climbing the Dave Evans Bicentennial Tree, one of the remaining old growth Karri trees.
The karri tree, which grows in the forests of South-West Western
Australia, is the third tallest tree in Australia and one of the tallest
species in the world, reaching heights of ninety metres.
Here's a wonderful video exploring the world of the Karri trees posted by Australian Geographic.
