Chasing Mavericks

Mavericks Break

 “We all come from the sea, but we’re not all of the sea.  We children of the tides must return to it again and again.” -Chasing Mavericks

It's all about safety these days - Jet skies and Coast Guard

I saw the movie last night and while the critics are all panning the writing I have to admit that the opening line strikes a chord with me. I'm not a surfer, I wish I had the balance but I can't even roller skate without taking out a crowd of people and so I content myself with watching these incredible athletes and when the Mavericks Competition was called in 2010 I bee-lined to Half Moon Bay.

Thanks to my friend Jim Goldstein I knew exactly where to be to catch a ride out on a boat and before I knew it I was snapping happily away as the waves rolled past. A quick glance at the press boat made me feel sorry for the folks over there as they rolled with the waves, almost every face was green -- snap, snap, hurl -- they obviously weren't "of the sea" but they made a grand effort.

As the next competition season prepares to open I've got my fingers crossed that the winds will blow up some grand waves and that I will be in town when the 24 hour call goes out! I can feel the tide calling me.

 

Zach Wormhoudt drops into a Wave in the 2nd Heat of the 2010 Competition

Kenny “Skindog” Collins tackles a huge wave in the 3rd heat

Josh Loya riding with style in the 3rd heat

Greg Long dropping in the 3rd heat

Daryl “Flea” Virostko

Plovers!!

While on assignment in SoCal last week the team decided to head off site for lunch and I was introduced to Jalama Beach in Lompoc. As folks were heading off to find a nice picnic table and play with some California gulls I noticed an area that was literally jumping! Couldn't believe our luck when I saw the tiny balls of jumping feathers were Snowy Plovers -- Lunch was immediately forgotten as I snuggled deep into the warm sand, inching close enough to snap some pics of this adorable species.

Snowy Plover (Charadrius nivosus)

I'm Shy!

Morning Yoga

Who are YOU looking at?

Pretty Puffins

Another awesome critter that charms nature photographers when they make their way to Alaska is the horned puffin (Fratercula corniculata).  These comical members of the auk family nest in rocky colonies along the coasts of Siberia, Alaska and British Columbia. 

 

 Similar in looks to the Atlantic puffin, the horned puffin is larger and lacks blue coloring in his beak.  They are named for the fleshy horn above their eye.

 

 

Horned puffin are monogamous and raise one chick per breeding season. We thought that by the time we visited all of the chicks would have fledged. Only a few adults remained on the rocky colony, most were out at sea. As we took one last cruise around the puffin colony we found this last little fledgling ready to join his friends at sea.  I loved seeing his little beak - looking similar to the over-sized paws on a golden retriever puppy.  Super cute!

The Expo is Coming!!

Don't miss out on your chance to hear the latest field research and efforts to save some amazing endangered species straight from the worlds leading conservationists mouths.

Professor Claudio Sillero will be at the Expo to talk about his work with the Ethiopian wolf and I'll be at the Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Programme's table with lots of images from my time spent in Ethiopia with the wolves.  Aby stuffed plush toys, cards and more will be available for purchase with proceeds going straight to help the wolves!

Visit http://wildnet.org/ to get your tickets today!