Big Island Hawaii

Late February/March we visited the Big Island of Hawaii with friends. We snorkeled with Manta Rays (this time with all the tour boats around - their light displays proofed much more effective than our tiny dive light) and biked/hiked in the rain to the lava flows. We watched big waves crash on the southwest shores and explored the Volcano Park. This was our third visit on the Big Island, which in our opinion has the most variety and the lowest tourist density of the Hawaiian Islands. We were there 4 weeks before the big 2018 lava outbreak which destroyed several hundred houses between March to June and only stopped about 200 meters away from the Bed & Breakfast we stayed at in Pahoa.

2018 lava flows on the Big Island. The red cross is were we stayed.

Big waves!

Life after lava

On the way to fresh lave flows

They are actually behind the lava... not on top ;-)

Manta Rays!

More big waves

Blanket New Years Powder

We started the New Year in the snow again. With the lowest temperature down to -26oC we didn't stay out quite as long as in previous years but still climbed a cumulative elevation gain of 10,000 meters over the week.

Unfortunately, this was our last visit at Blanket Glacier Chalet. Al, the owner, retired and has handed over the business to his son Marty. Since the interest in backcountry/powder skiing increased significantlyover the last several years Marty has many guests who are happy to pay for guiding and catering which almost doubles the price we pay for a self-guided self-catered week. But we are going skiing again, with the same group and at the same time, just at a different location in the Valkyr Mountains near Nakusp.

Hummingbird in Snow

Most Germans think of hummingbirds as tropical creatures so its surprising to see them in Vancouver. Ever since I found out that some of them even stay here over winter I wanted to take a photo of one in the snow. During our Christmas visit in Victoria this wish came true. When I woke up on Christmas Day a white blanket of snow covered the garden I got my camera gear quickly ready before all melted away. And sure enough, hummingbirds were already up and busy at the feeder!

Mexico - Paragliders and Monarch Butterflies

This year we made the trek to Valle de Bravo in a group of 7 Canucks. We rented house with big rooms and a nice sundeck for great views over the city. A cool place to watch the fireworks for the Lady of Guadalupe festivities on December 12 (and since the Mexicans like their fireworks, they start a week earlier and nights are a bit noisy). Flying conditions were great and many hours of airtime and cross-country kilometers were accumulated, including to 'new -to-me' locations Los Saucos and the antenna spot. And it was nice too to meet our Norwegian friend again.

We took a day off from flying and visited the Monarch butterflies that spend the winter in the nearby mountains. When we hiked up the mountain in the morning most butterflies were still sitting on branches and stems of trees but as it warmed up more and more of them took to the air. We hiked back down in a river of orange butterflies.