The Big Island

I joined friends on the big island of Hawaii and basked in Paradise for one week. As it was a last minute trip, I made it an adventure by having very few plans. Thanks to my friends, the iPhone, Yelp and word of mouth, I found great places to stay and took some wonderful hikes and swims.

As Yelp was so helpful I created an account and added reviews: Yelp Reviews.

Our trip to the Green Sand Beach was incredible. We hiked in along the coast watching humpback whales breach and then dove into the water as our reward. I swam underwater and thought I heard a goat bleating; of course it was really a whale sounding from outside the bay, but at first I was shocked as it seemed to be right next to me!

The picture of these whales as taken right off the deck of a house I shared with my friends at Moiliili, the last fishing village on the Big Island. As one local said, however, it is important to get off the deck and onto the lava.

Trip to Makah Bay

I drove to Salt Creek for my first evening on the Olympic Peninsula.

I woke early to a pink sunrise, but too tired to get up, I contentedly went back to sleep. To make up for it, Ci Ci and I walked Crescent Beach - a magical place no matter what the weather or swell.

In the morning I ran into a kayak friend at the Joyce store - he had a prototype carbon fiber touring kayak with a planing hull.

I drove to Neah Bay and bought a pound of smoked salmon from the famous shop that was featured in the New York Times.




Thus prepared, I went out for a warm-up paddle in the surf in my EzG, now wishing I had stayed out longer! The weather was perfect - sunny, glassy waves with a nice period - only to by followed by lesser quality swells and fog (still fun, but).

One of my goals was to try out my new Impex Mystic in the surf. Granted we had from two to four feet over the weekend - but I still had a chance to play around with it!

The next two days were a blast, and too soon I had to head for the ferry.

First iPhone 3G Movie

First day with my iPhone 3G - just had to play with the video while leading a Rainier tour. Here we are at the Nisqually River. Needs a bit of editing; maybe I should dive into Final Cut Express...

I later shot footage of Sunbeam Creek - love the sound of the river:

Instructor certification course for coastal kayaking

Alki Beach provides a lot of distraction during this inner-city workshop!

Puget Sound Sea Kayak Symposium

Heading to Tacoma today for the spring symposium. Great time to run into friends and kick off the season! I'll be teaching Tides and Currents, Basic Strokes and Refining the forward Stroke.

First Mount Rainier Tours of 2009!

Introducing people to Mount Rainier, our third national park is a wonderful experience. Plus I get to meet interesting people from around the world.

Sunny Seattle Tour

Had fun with my Nikon and the 18mm lense while leading a tour - had to be quick...

Glass gallery in Pioneer Square

The Smith Tower "lined up" with the Columbia Towers

Young man posing at the Seattle Troll
(wish it still had the California plates)

Memorial to lost fisherman

Daffodils and poppies at the Ballard locks

Is this the Adventuress sailing in?
Reminds me of the first tall ship that sailed around Alki Point (in the distance)

Finally got a shot I wanted of Mount Rainier
behind Harbor Island and the West Seattle Bridge (from Magnolia)

...and of course the Space Needle and Mt. Rainier from Kerry Park

Weather

Here is Ci Ci unhappily posing next to the river.

We certainly have seen extremes in weather lately. From wondering when the snow in the cascades was going to come (so we could start skiing) to the deep chill with several feet of snow in the lowlands, and now the flooding! What excitement will the Northwest see next?










I drove to town (Fall City) to get gas and this is the picture I took while the tank was filling. The Snoqualamie seems to have crested it's hundred-year flood level.

Ci Ci's Ruffwear Sunshower jacket comes in handy!

EMT

I always feel a little inspired after attending the annual EMT CBT instructor workshop. Dr. Eisenberg opens with a review of programs in King County, discusses how far ahead the county is in some areas and areas that need improvement. This is followed by the workshop which is presented using different styles - scenarios, hands-on, round table and my least favorite - a multiple choice test - which are hopefully used by the various instructors when they go back to their departments. Questions are encouraged, treated respectfully, and answered thoroughly.

After the two medical incidents I had in wilderness situations this year I was glad to hear the doctor encouraging trips to the hospital by private vehicle if the situation wasn't life-threatening. The cost is so great to the injured and they often don't expect the bill.

The downside might be a longer wait time to get into the emergency room, but he pointed out a good triage nurse should be able to take care of that.

Viaduct

I sent this letter to the viaduct project today as they are accepting comments:

The Alaska Way Viaduct has always been my favorite drive in Seattle (other than Chuckanut Drive near Bellingham). It has also been the best way to get downtown and to the airport. I cringe whenever I have to take Five as an option!

Recently I have become a tour guide. I now showcase Seattle to the east and our wonderful waters and mountains to the west. I talk out seeing some of Seattle's old and more preserved architecture juxtaposed against the new. Or how the Olympic mountain range is within a national park right on the other side of the Puget Sound and is another great destination.

With Seattle having become so elegant in recent years I would hope the viaduct would be replaced with something modern that has a vision and a mission, similar to the ideals behind the Olympic Sculpture Park - a showcase as well as a highway.

(Image taken with a Blackberry)