Introduction to the Amazon Basin - November 6, 2024

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Danum Valley - Borneo Rainforest Lodge - March 13th

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Chris with leech socks We got up early and headed to breakfast around 7:00 AM.  As we had a schedule hike, we put on our leech socks before heading out. The dining area is all open air and has a great view of the river. So while eating our breakfast we watched for birds and listened to the morning chorus. There were 6 other people in our group with Donny our guide…a couple from England and a family with two girls ages 8 and 10 from Malaysia.  Our scheduled activity for 8:30 AM was a hike up to the lodge viewpoint.  It was steep uphill climb (and very hot and humid), we decided not to go.  The couple from England had the same thought and the lodge found us another guide for a morning hike.   Trail  We walked through the jungle for 3 hours (about 2 miles) at a slow pace to watch for birds, animals, and insects.   We had on our leech socks and did encounter some leeches.  The tiger leeches sit on leaves 3 feet above...
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At Sea - Norwegian Mainland to the Svalbard Archipelago - Day 12 - July 13, 2023

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We woke up this morning to dense fog which followed us until late afternoon as we sailed north in the Barents Sea heading for the Svalbard Archipelago in the Arctic Ocean. Both the air and water temperatures had dropped by at least 15F since we left Norway's mainland and passed from the warmer Gulf Stream current into a cold arm of the south flowing Arctic current. We passed by Bear Island which is supposed to have lots of nesting birds, but the fog was too dense to even see the island.  It is the southern most island of the Norwegian Svalbard Archipelago which  was discovered in 1596 by Dutch Explorers and named after a polar bear they saw swimming nearby. "Despite its remote location and barren nature, the island has seen commercial activities in past centuries, such as coal mining, fishing and whaling. However, no settlements have lasted more than a few years, and Bear Island is now uninhabited except for personnel working at the island's meteorological station Herwigh...
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Narvik, Norway - Day 8 - July 9, 2023

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This morning we docked here in Narvik, Norway about 8 AM.  Narvik is located on the shores of the Ofotfjorden and has a population of just over 20,000.   Narvik is an ice free port year round (despite its location 140 miles above the Arctic Circle) because of the influence of the gulf stream. The mean temperatures vary from 28 F in January to 58 F in July. The port can accommodate ships of any size and was considered a strategic port during WWII due to the iron ore that is shipped from Sweden.  See more about the Narvik battles here . Our excursion "Visiting with the Wolves" started at 9 AM.  We had an hour's drive north to reach the Polar Park - Arctic Wildlife Center.  It is the world's northernmost wildlife park.  The animals live in large, spacious enclosures where they are free to roam. The park is open year round and brown bears, wolves, wolverines, arctic foxes, lynx, musk ox, red deer and reindeer are the only animals found here.  We...
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