Flying Five Springs Falls

Andrew is always searching for "quiet" flying sites. i.e. not too many people around. He found Five Springs Falls, Wyoming, on paraglidingmap.com and, having been here a few times now, we have yet to see any other paragliders. But it's a very nice site with nice launch and landing areas and a beautiful campground.

I'm usually the one taking photographs when we fly but Andrew actually remembered to take a few of me this time!

The main (new) highway is shown in the photo above but the old highway is a paved and very winding road that goes to the lower and upper campgrounds. The launch site is at the upper campground. With both of us wanting to fly, we had to hike back up. Thankfully, a guy (who happens to be on their local Search and Rescue team!) who lives just across the highway came along once and gave us a ride back up. And for evening flights, when we knew we wouldn't be in the air very long, we took turns flying or driving. 

On the hour long hike back up to launch and our vehicle.

The launch area

Sadly, after a few awesome flights, I twisted an ankle on one of my landings (not the same ankle I broke last year!) I'm walking fine but don't really want to take any chances so will be Andrew's retrieve driver likely for the remainder of the trip. Bummer! Oh well, I'm just happy to be on the road again and will enjoy the sites, being outdoors and taking photos and video.

First Flights

Andrew and I have finally escaped Saskatoon and we're on the road! 

First super fun flights near Havre, Montana. The smokey sky in the evening resulted in a bright red hazy sun. (It wasn't as dark as it looks.)

In the morning we hiked up another peak and found a launch area in the direction the wind was coming from (not ideal) and got short sled rides.

Andrew -- another smokey day

Me and my SAR orange wing 

The wild flowers are in full bloom. This is just a very small sample! 

Belize Dive Videos

It's fun taking some video while we're diving and, while cutting it down to something even remotely worth watching is a bit tedious, I enjoy the end results. Even if it's only for me to watch later and reminisce about the beautiful underwater creatures we've seen. But really, I do hope others enjoy as well! 

Diving in Belize (4 minutes)

Turtles (1 minute)

Rays (30 seconds) 

Sharks (12 seconds)

Eels (30 seconds)

More Diving and Birds at Blackbird Caye

Our dive trip to Belize is at an end. It’s been wonderful to rest and relax for a couple weeks. Thankfully I think we missed the worst of the extremely cold weather back in Saskatoon (i.e. -40 to -50 degress C; 100-year record-setting low temperatures). 

While the first week and a half on Blackbird Caye was quite windy, we then experienced what it is like when the wind shifts to the opposite direction and the island and palm trees block the breeze. The mosquitoes and other insects are ferocious! I usually don’t get bothered too much but now have several large red welts wherever I got bit and I have to try not to scratch. Ugh! Now I know what Andrew goes through much more often. 

We continued to have really nice dives (more turtles and spotted eagle rays) and go for walks each afternoon to search for birds and other creatures such as iguanas, lizards, snakes and hermit crabs. 

"Splish splash I was takin' a bath."

Hello! Hello? Please let me in!

Diving Blackbird Caye

Hooded Oriole

The past few days have settled into a nice routine. We do two dives in the morning and, although a third dive is scheduled, take the afternoon off to nap, read, review photos and video, and go for a walk to search out birds and other wildlife. Of course, the palapa bar for a drink and socializing before supper is mandatory!

Of the four people who arrived on Wednesday, two are divers but one is taking his rescue diver course, so it’s been interesting seeing and learning about what is required. It looks exhausting! And you definitely need to be a strong swimmer (which I’m not). 

The dives have continued to be very good with healthy reef and lots of underwater life. More spotted eagle rays, sting rays and very large green moray eels, in addition to some small things such as jawfish and sailfin blennies have been fun to see. 

Our divemaster, Cardinal, always takes a spear with him and catches lionfish (an invasive species that tends to wipe out local species) so the non-vegetarians have had lots of fish fingers as the happy hour appetizer. The chef has been amazing at providing delicious vegetarian meals for us. We are eating very well!!!

I mostly take video under water but the odd  photo turns out ok.

I like the bright yellow "feathers" (for lack of a better term.)

In addition to diving, one of the other guests was into fishing. Catch and release but he was pretty happy about it. 

On the other end of the island is an abandoned research station that lost their funding.

Just the foundations of some of the buildings remain.

Coconuts

There are lots of great tailed grackles on the island.

Cat tails

Cormorant

Showing off his wing span

The catch of the day

The crocodile lives in the lagoon west of the island but comes around for the cast offs from fish cleaning.

A spiky tail

The resident little blue heron

Frigate bird

Little blue heron in flight

Pelican