Driving from Nanaimo to Port McNeill on Vancouver Island After an in-room coffee courtesy of the Yeti, we set off around 9 a.m. for Port McNeill, on the far north of Vancouver Island. At just over four hours, it was one of the longest drives of our trip. It might have made more sense to […]
Flying from Kona to Vancouver via Honolulu on Westjet Flying out of Kona meant retracing our steps. With separate tickets, we left a buffer and did the reverse of our arrival: collected our bags, walked over to the international terminal, and checked in for our WestJet flight. Only difference was that WestJet was tucked away […]
Stargazing at Mauna Kea Of course we had pool time today, but the highlight was heading up to Mauna Kea for some night sky photography. From the Kohala Coast it is a little over an hour’s drive, and you quickly learn to keep your eyes peeled for free-range goats on the highway. They wander across […]
First, Some Context When we returned from our trip to New Zealand, the only trip we had booked was the Quest for Snow Hill, which was 10 months away. Having no trips in the immediate future is one of the few things that causes me anxiety. If you are curious, another thing which causes me […]
This trip wasn’t about ticking off a long list of wildlife sightings or firing off thousands of frames. It was about chasing Arctic light, slowing down, and experiencing one of the most remote, surreal landscapes on Earth. Svalbard Pre-Trip I’m so glad we arrived in Svalbard a few days before our expedition. It gave us […]
Svalbard’s remote and icy landscapes are home to a surprisingly rich bird community. Some were graceful, while others seemed almost clumsy. Birds of Svalbard Glaucous Gull Glaucous gulls are one of the most common seabirds in Svalbard — but I love any bird that is in focus and well lit. Ivory Gull The Ivory Gull […]
In 2025, Norway introduced stricter regulations on viewing polar bears in Svalbard, aimed at protecting the animals from unnecessary disturbance. The new rules require visitors to stay at least 500 meters away from polar bears between March 1 and June 30, and 300 meters from July 1 to February 28. While I completely support protecting […]
We were at the front of the ship photographing a walrus when, out of nowhere, a minke whale sighting! It surfaced right in front of the bow. We heard the explosive exhale first, then saw its head break the surface — so close I could barely react. I pointed frantically but the only thing that […]
My first bearded seal sighting was pure luck — and honestly, a little accidental. I was on the wrong side of the ship, scanning for a walrus, when a seal popped its head up out of the water. I assumed it was the walrus I was looking for, but later, when reviewing my photos, I […]
I’ve never seen a walrus before. It is risky to get your hopes up in wildlife photography, but I was REALLY hoping to capture photos of walrus on this trip. Svalbard didn’t disappoint. It is hard not to love these blubbery potatoes with tusks. We had several memorable walrus encounters throughout the trip. One of […]