Exploring tidepools on Puako Beach (Emily Brendler Shoff)
Traveling to Hawaii with children can seem daunting. The flights are long and can get expensive. Oceanfront lodging can cost you a bundle, and planning affordable activities that make everyone happy can seem trickier than keeping salt water out of a kid’s snorkel.
But a trip to Hawaii doesn’t have to be hard. My husband and I have gone to the Big Island for the past decade, and in recent years, have taken our girls, ages 2 and 5. Whether we’re exploring lava tubes, chasing waterfalls, snorkeling turquoise waters, relaxing on white sand beaches, or meandering through farmer’s markets, we always leave the Big Island a little more in love with it and each other.
On Sunday, National Geographic Channel will premiere The Man Who Can Fly, a special featuring climber and BASE jumper Dean Potter. The program follows Potter as he attempts to climb and BASE jump from Canada's Mt. Bute. But the hype around the special's premiere has barely touched on an even more important ascent Potter made during filming: the first free solo of El Cap.
Nancy Black, a 49-year-old marine biologist and the co-owner of a whale watching operation in Monterey, California, has pleaded not guilty to charges that she was feeding killer whales during two filming expeditions. According to the Monterey County Herald, the government has also been investigating the Jean-Michel Cousteau Ocean Futures organization, which was filming in the same area at the same time, for its PBS show, The Gray Whale Obstacle Course. But the group has not been indicted. Black has worked as an expedition team member for the Jean-Michel Cousteau Ocean Adventures team.
The charges stem from incidents in 2004 and 2005. Black says that after a group of killer whales had killed a gray whale, she took some of the dead whale's blubber that was floating in the water and put a line through it, holding one end of the line so that the blubber would float in the water near the boat. She then filmed the orcas grabbing the blubber.
Okay guys: Valentines Day is next week. It's time to stop procrastinating, and start shopping. Stuck on what to get the outdoorsy lady in your life? Here's what we recommend:
Kelty Supernova 30 Three-In-One Sleeping Bag: Zipping in together makes camping more fun. The Supenova 30° is made for spring and summer outtings. The deep hood keeps warmth in; pillow pockets and external storage pockets keep all the comforts of home at hand. And, when you're not enjoying together time, the top and bottom zip into a sleeping bag and a blanket. $300, kelty.com
Icebreaker Siren Cami and Bikini: Lacy underwear has its moments, but sexy wool is wearable in the frontcountry or backcountry all year long. Icebreaker's Siren cami and bikini are breathable, wispy merino that add warmth in winter, but won't overheat her the rest of the year. Thanks to a touch of lycra, it's sexy and functional, and it's not itchy. $50/$28, us.icebreaker.com
Last night, at a small bar in Marfa, Texas, I sat down at a table with a friend who was already talking to the two sun-soaked gentlemen pictured above. A few minutes of conversation and a half of Lone Star later, I found out that they were brothers Tim and Noah Hussin (also known as The Coyote Brothers), creators of America reCycled. The Florida natives left Asheville in 2010 and have been making their way across the U.S. of A. documenting Americans that are "yearning to rebuild space, community, and local culture, each in our own way." Their website is full of films (check out the footage from The Recyclery in Asheville and their Notes From The Road), photos, and journals from their travels. Though it hasn't been updated in the last few months, they assured me that they were doing an overhaul of the site soon and would have a ton of new material.
