Australian Trips into the Wild

I've been to Australia twice and both times was a trip to remember, the first time I was left out in the ocean off of Heron Island for over four hours, lets see when they offer the life jacket the answer is yes, I did get to swim with 10 manta rays in that period, funny thing is I read an article the other day that said a dozen manta rays will generally follow 2 to 3  large hammerhead sharks. yikes   While swimming in Shark Bay on Heron Island they said there was no sharks, wrong, when there fins stuck a foot out of the water I decided time to get out.  The second trip to Australia was even more fun second day just out of Melbourne hiking on a beautiful mountain trail I got real cozy with a taipan p.s don't throw rocks at that snake they will chase you.  Then I took a plane and went to Cairns and headed into the jungle and stayed in a tree house.  Sounds like fun, but did you know thats where the big crocs actually live, now add a flat bottom boat and go fishing in the Dantree River, lets see if the crocs don't get you the box jelly fish will when you get to the ocean.  Now most people would have went home, but I love a challenge so for the last part of our trip we booked a sail boat for eight days, upon arriving at the airport which was flooded and high winds and lighting which had canceled most boating trips, but not ours, we had a New Zealend Captain to train us for the first day.  So off into the lighting and wind sails up into the fog we go, I guarentee you will learn or die. lol  We sailed all day learning the ends and outs of sailing, that night the charts came out and in the morning she was gone.  Did I mention no GPS oh well that kind of stuff will make one soft.  So after some brief discussion with my dear wife and using terms like we are going to freaken die. :)  Off we go and sail we did, but as luck would have it more fun was on its way.  Lets start with fishing, did you know if you catch a fish, and it stings you

 it could be poisonus, ok so after the first sting that is over.  We encountered many wonderful things along the way, but nothing like the 6th day into the trip when my wife was cooking dinner one evening, and I said I'm going to go take the dingy into shore and take some pics, sounded like a great idea wading out into the tide pools chasing blue speckeled sting rays about 50 ft out in the middle of the tide pools, when out of the corner of my eye appeared this very large white snake coming at me quick, no time to run but react, as it started striking over and over, finally it turned to leave and as I was backing away with about 15 ft between us here it came again this time I ran to shore and grabbed a piece of drift wood to fight, but it turned and swam away.  I went back to the boat and opened the manual, did you know that the worse encounter of sea snake is between Whitsunday Island and Thailand, and we were as far north as we could go in the Whitsundays, also that they would chase you twice and just for good note they kill very quick something like 6 or 8 seconds.  Upon contacting the Australian Zoo they informed me that this was a beak sea snake and I was very lucky. Now ask me would I go back?  I sure would because the people are amazing and the wildlife and nature are some of the best to experience.  A truly beautiful and amazing place, but if you want crazy watch out for that lady Captain from New Zealend, they are on a whole nother level. :)

Where Penguins Fly!!

I took this photo on top of Queen Wilhelmina at Eagleton Vista right before sunset, the wind was cutting right through me and the clouds were zipping by in the foreground you can see large trees laying over each other as if they were nothing more than twigs, the sun finally dropped as did the temperature with icing on the road and the pink glow of sunset to photograph I did not stay long. :)

December 10, 2013

Fishing and kayaking in the winter.

It was truly a peaceful and relaxing evening made even more glorious by the amazing sunset.  We are so truly blessed to live in this great state of Arkansas.  Catching fish, shooting a few rapids and spending time with my wife, God has blessed me so much.  Christmas is upon us and will be gone in a flash, if I could only slow down and savor every moment like today.  I hope everyone has the most wonderful Christmas. 

A drive into new territory.

Well this is my first blog so here goes. Amazing how close these mountains were to my camper, we turned down county road 70 at cherry hill and in a short 20 min drive we were heading into deep woods if we just would get a decent amount of rain i'm sure we could get some decent stream shots. Anyway we didn't find anything to amazing but it's a start, would have had a better chance if we had left earlier, definitely will try this area again.

Does the Buffalo still flow if no one gets to see it?

The beautiful Buffalo River, here we are locked out and dreaming of Fall. To hear the slow flow of the river and the call of a hawk as it swoops by, or the bugle of a male Bull Elk. Sure we could get close but who wants to feel rushed like a thief in the night when all the river asks you to do is slow down and set a spell. We need to remember all the people before us that sacrificed a lot to give us this beautiful place. The beautiful Buffalo River has seen its share of battles but it has generally been supported by both sides of the government. It is a shame to block us out of something that is owned by the people, something that we pay taxes on to manage and maintain not a bargaining chip. A true American treasure that we should fight to protect even from our government if need be. We need to take a page from history and learn to stand up and protect once again our great treasures for if we loose one were does it stop.

Heavens Waiting on a Delivery

"Heaven Is Waiting For a Delivery" - Ouachitas

Early morning fog makes such an amazing photo if you can only capture it, the other morning I was blessed with beautiful display of light. Coming up with a name has always been a challenge and in someways is as important to a photo as the photo itself, as I was working on the photo the mailbox kept drawing me back in, and after talking to a friend today who is going through difficult times this was even more fitting of a name and I hope it touches others as well who are struggling. May you all be touched by Gods Love.

Dedicated to Joann Aynes

PLease share!!

Celebrating Our Fallen Heroes - Fort Smith National Cemetery July 7, 2013

Fort Smith National Cemetery

Fort Smith, Arkansas July 7, 2013

When the first Fort Smith was laid out in 1817, land was set aside for a military cemetery. Granted national status in 1867, the 21-acre U.S. National Cemetery contains almost 10,000 graves -- among them Judge Isaac Parker and "Darby's Rangers" founder William O. Darby. The colorful "Avenue of Flags" is displayed each year on patriotic holidays. It is the oldest national cemetery in the country and one of only two National Cemeteries in the South where both Union and Confederate Soldiers are buried, including some side by side.

This photo was taken a couple days after the fourth of July, but to me it was still an overwhelming experience, there is more than 10,000 headstones of soldiers going back over 200 years representing sacrafices that gives us our freedom today. When our freedoms our challenged I think it is very important to remember what has been given by our soldiers and there families. Maybe a visit to a place like this should be something that we all should be doing I'm glad that I did. This photo in black and white backlit by the sun is to date one of my favorite photos, haunting yet with the shadows very patriotic, I hope as you view this photo it stirs something inside you as it did me, and it makes you proud to be an American.