Iceland New Year’s Eve 2017

We have recently returned from our annual trip to Iceland for the New Year celebration and what a great trip!  I have posted a few videos on YouTube; search for “Kaiyote Snow” and you will find my channel.  Below you will find photos from the trip.  The weather this year was warmer than usual, but much more snowy than in past years and it was beautiful.  One evening as we walked from dinner, along the edge of the marina to see a show at the Harpa Performing Arts Center, within the 10 minute walk we were covered in snow, it was wonderful.  Part of the group was from Florida and they were so very happy to be outside in the midst of a heavy snow squall and to experience an Icelandic snow storm. 

 This year we had several new activities added to the schedule, we did more indoor things than usual.  There were two great comedic performances at the Harpa.  One was “How to Become Icelandic in 60 Minutes”.  This one man show is hilarious and teaches you all the small details and idiosyncrasies of the Icelandic people.  The other show, “The Greatest Hits of the Icelandic Sagas” is also a comedy and condenses the many volumes of Icelandic history into 75 minutes of theatrics performed by a tag team couple.  The show moves fast and often includes members of the audience to help complete the stories.

New to the schedule was a visit to the Fákasel Horse Park for a performance by Icelandic horses and staff that showed the importance of the Icelandic horse to the history and culture of the Icelandic people.  After the show we had a tour of the barn and got to meet all the horses and staff, including the barn cats and herding dog.    After the show was a great dinner.  Everyone really enjoyed this excursion and it will definitely be included in next year’s winter tours.  The night we were there it was cloudy, but on clear sky night, it is an excellent place to see the northern lights.

Speaking of northern lights, we had one of the best sightings in Reykjavik on New Year’s Eve.  After dinner we went to the university bonfire for the start of the New Year’s celebration and of course, there were a lot of fireworks going off at the same time and then out of nowhere, streaking across the sky, came a beautiful green ribbon of the aurora borealis.  It was incredible to have everything happening at once.  It was really amazing to see the northern lights, while standing next to a 30 foot bonfire in the city of Reykjavík, while fireworks are going off all around, I will never forget it. 

Birds!!  We always go birding and this year we added a few new species to our winter list.  Reykjavik harbor is very large and there are always winter sea birds like Common Eiders, Shags, Great Cormorant, Little Auks, Long-tailed Ducks and many species of gulls.  On the shore there are a few shore birds that stay for the winter; Eurasian Oyster Catchers and Purple Sandpipers.  Even Redwing Thrushes and Eurasian Common Blackbirds stay the winter. You can check our complete list of winter birds by clicking here:  Winter Bird List

Another addition to our winter activity schedule was a visit to the Golden Circle to visit Þingvellir National Park, Gullfoss and to the Geyser area.  These areas in the winter landscape with much snow and ice are very beautiful and we will be adding this activity again next winter. 

Included in our winter tours are activities such as visits to the Saga Museum, the Northern Lights Center, the National Museum, the Whales of Iceland Exhibit, the John Lennon Imagine Peace Monument, the Maritime Museum and a tour of the coastguard ship Odin.  There are always outside activities such as hiking, walks to the lighthouse, Super-Jeep tours, horseback riding and much time spent swimming and soaking in geo-thermal pools. 

There is no way to explain how amazing the firework display is in Iceland.  You have to see it for yourself.  Every year, the search and rescue teams across the country sell fireworks to raise money to support the crews and equipment.  This past year they sold 600 tons of fireworks and while most of these are lit on New Year’s Eve, many are saved for the week that follows.  January 6^th is the last day of celebration and then there are more bonfires and more fireworks on that day to close the holiday season.  Iceland is truly amazing. 

Videos on YouTube

I post videos on YouTube: My channel is "Kaiyote Snow" and if you search for my channel you will find my videos.  Some are personal videos that I share with my friends and other videos are from my international tours and tours in Olympic National Park.  The quality is better on YouTube.

Most of the videos are too large a file to post on the blog. Below are a few short versions.

Puffins in Iceland 

Dynjandi Falls in Iceland

Skogafoss in Iceland

Driving in Iceland

Snowing at Lake Angeles in Olympic National Park

Sol Duc Falls in Olympic National Park

Summertime Snow in Olympic National Park

You will find more videos on the "Kaiyote Snow" channel on YouTube

Thanks for Watching!

Olympic National Park 2016

Please visit us in 2017!  

Click on the links below for details about our private and custom tours:  

Birding and Nature Walks     Hiking    Overnight Backpacking     Snowshoeing and Skiing

I hope everyone is enjoying the beginning of the winter season. Here in Port Angeles and Olympic National Park, summer was so busy and wonderful, that I am now just sorting through all the great photos.  This past year was our busiest year on record and we have big plans for 2017.    We will be offering more tours and also offering guided fly-fishing for both day tours and over-night trips. We will have more info about fishing in January.  I have hundreds of great photos from 2016, I want to share a few to tell the story of outdoor activities for the past year on the Olympic Peninsula.  We met so many great people and had so much fun, we can't wait to see everyone again next year.  

Please email me at Info@KaiyoteTours.com or call me at 970-556-6103 for questions and to make reservations for Olympic National Park.

Click on the links at the start of the page for more info about all the different types of tours we offer in Olympic National Park.

Pictured to the right is your hiking guide and tour leader, Kaiyote Snow. The photo was taken hiking through the Seven Lakes Basin area in Olympic National Park in August.  This trail makes a great 20 mile loop through some very beautiful terrain in the Sol Duc Valley and High Divide areas.  We usually backpack this loop in 3 - 4 days, because we like to take our time to see it all, but the loop can be done in 2 days.  

The west side of the Olympic Peninsula is part of the largest temperate rainforest in the world.  The Hoh Rainforest within Olympic National Park receives 140 - 180 inches of rain a year on average.  Some of the largest trees in the world are still growing larger in the park. Summers can be dry and warm.  The best time to see the rainforest is during the rainy seasons of winter and spring when the ferns and mosses are green and shinny with fresh rain.  The rain is usually a soft misty drizzle and often the trees catch most of the precipitation.  The sounds of the dripping rainforest are wonderful!

The east side of the Olympic Peninsula is on the rain shadow side of the Olympic Mountains.  Port Angeles receives only 26 inches of rain a year and so we have lots of sunny days and with mild winter temperatures that rarely dip below freezing, there is great birding, hiking and backpacking year round.  Just a 20 minute drive from Port Angeles is the start of Little River trail which meanders through many habitats as it ascends through the lowland forest of ferns and mossy trees up to the alpine world of Hurricane Ridge. This beautiful eight mile trail delights as it passes waterfalls and cascades. We often see black bear and black-tailed deer in the upper basin of the Little River.  

Pictured above is a Tufted Puffin (Fratercula cirrhata).  These beautiful birds,weighing up to 2 pounds, with a wing span of 25 inches, reside only in the north Pacific. Puffins can live 20 - 30 years. They feed on small fish and can dive down 80 feet or more to feed.  They mate for life and nest in burrows, up to 5 feet deep, that are located at the edges of sea cliffs. The female lays one egg a year. There is a nesting colony of Tufted Puffins and Rhinoceros Auklets on Protection Island, just off the coast in the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

Harbor seal (Phoca vitulina): Females give birth to one pup a year, which is born on land and can weigh up to 35 pounds. The pups are weaned at 4 - 6 weeks. Harbor seals are very common in the Port Angeles waterfront area. We always use the spotting scope to get a good view of the seals when they are out of the water and resting on the harbor logs. 

Pictured above is 2nd beach located along the Pacific coast of Olympic National Park. This stretch of beach has great tide-pooling when low tide exposes amazing life in the inter-tidal zone. It is a great place for a day hike any time of year. The trail starts near the town of La Push and it is a one mile walk through the coastal forest to the beach.  

Deer Park Road, in Olympic National Park, is closed in the winter and makes for great hiking, snowshoeing and stunning views.  The Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center averages 20 - 30 feet of snow each year and offers great snowshoeing and cross-country skiing for both beginners and experienced outdoor adventurers who love snow.    Here on the Olympic Peninsula it is possible to spend the morning snowshoeing on 20 feet of snow and then drive down to the rainforest for a snow free picnic lunch surrounded by beautiful green ferns and big moss covered trees in the old growth forest of Lake Crescent. 

Pictured below is a Surf Scoter, Melanitta perspicillata; these sea ducks breed on fresh water lakes and tundra in northern Canada and Alaska. Many Surf Scoters of the , winter in the waters just off the Olympic Peninsula along the Strait of Juan de Fuca.  They feed by diving for invertebrates in shallow waters. Scoters are a common winter visitor. 

Winter birding is excellent in the Port Angeles area as thousands of birds head south out of Alaska and Canada for the winter.  Many birds winter along the Strait of Juan de Fuca and shoreline of the north coast of Port Angeles and the Olympic Peninsula.  The Olympic Peninsula has very mild winter temperatures, which makes for great winter birding.

Pictured above is the start of the 9 mile Ozette Coastal Loop with beautiful falls colors. 

Although the lower elevations and coastal areas of Olympic National Park receive very little snow and sometimes none at all, the highest mountains in the park, might receive as much as 50 feet of snow and it sometimes takes until mid July for most of the snow to melt. On a warm July day, we are often hiking on wonderful snow!

Pictured to the left is the Blue Glacier and Mount Olympus.  Getting to this spectacular place can be a five to six day backpacking trip.  Starting in the Hoh Rainforest Valley, it is 20 miles to the top of the glacial moraine and overlook ridge. 

Pictured above is a Ruffed Grouse, Bonasa umbellus: The males are unique in that they "drum" by beating their feathers against the air to create a low frequency "drum" sound. This drumming serves as both a mating and territorial statement.  After hatching, the chicks can walk and feed themselves within 24 hours. (Photo by Ron Wheeler)

Pictured on the left, we are on our way to the alpine zone of the Blue Glacier. An evening campfire at the Martin Creek site, including hot cocoa and s’mores, it is always a pleasure to have a fire at night.  We also see a lot of stars at night!

Pictured to the right:  A campfire and a card game along the Hoh River after a long day of hiking. Whenever possible in Olympic National Park, we have campfires and it is always enjoyable and comforting as well.

Picture above: Backpacking the Seven Lakes Basin, including Appleton Pass, in August

Sea Stars and Anemone are predatory animals which have adapted to the ever changing tidal conditions.  Olympic National Park has nearly 70 miles of Pacific coastline and the tide-pooling is excellent. From shore we have seen whales, sea otters and sea lions.

Pictured to the left is the southern edge of Point of Arches near Shi Shi beach.  Great hiking, tide-pooling and birding at this location.  With beautiful rocky sea stacks this beach has some of the best sunsets too!   

Pictured above is the hiking trail leading to the High Divide with great views of the snow-capped summit and glaciers of Mount Olympus.  This is one of our favorite places!

Pictured above, winter camping along the Pacific Coast.  Winter often brings wind and big waves along the coast and we love being there for the excitement of a winter storm.

Olympic National Park has over 600 miles of hiking trails many of which follow along beautiful rolling rivers and waterfalls. From easy nature trails to steep and rugged mountain terrain, there is a lot to see and do and we look forward to more adventures.

The end of a great day: camping at the Happy Four site along the Hoh River in April.  It is always a good night's sleep while listening to the sounds of the river all night.

Thank you for a great and memorable year!

Nicaragua and the Power of Reputation

Say the word Nicaragua and mentioned that you have traveled there and the first response will be:  “Isn't it dangerous? What about the Sandinista and Contra war? Ah, the reputation continues. We all do it, we get an idea in our head and we are reluctant to ever change or to take the time to understand the situation from a new perspective or even find the truth. 

I first traveled to Nicaragua in February 2005; it now has been six trips over the past ten years for me.  On my first trip, everyone said I probably would never make it back alive….no kidding.  But I had done my research and I was an experienced traveler, so I had no concerns.  So what’s up with Nicaragua; a tropical paradise or a war torn country? 

Political History

First, let’s get the Iran-Contra incident out of the way because it is the most common question I hear.  The native people of Nicaragua were colonized by the Spanish, having been visited by Christopher Columbus in 1502. The beautiful and well preserved city of Granada, which now is a major tourist destination, is the oldest permanent settlement in the Americas having been founded in 1524.  In the year 1821 Nicaragua achieved its independence from the Spanish and life was good for a long time.  But in the early 1900s, economic problems created political turmoil and the United States sent help in the form of “boots on the ground” and U.S Marines occupied Nicaragua from 1912 to 1933.  The leader of the rebellion against the U.S. occupation was Augusto César Sandino (1895–1934), from who the Sandinistas get their name. In 1933 an agreement was met and a cease fire achieved, but in 1934 Augusto Sandino was assassinated by the Nicaraguan National Guard, which was the U.S. backed police force of the ruling Somoza family who ruled Nicaragua as a dictatorship from 1936 to 1979.

The beginning of the end of the Somoza dynasty started with a very powerful earthquake that hit the capitol city of Managua in 1972. Eighty percent of the city was leveled, leaving over 10,000 people dead. Millions of dollars in aid was sent, largely from the United States, but the Somoza family kept most of the money for themselves and spent little to help the Nicaragua people who had already been suffering under the Somoza regime for several generations.  This was the breaking point and thousands of young Nicaraguan men organized and fought to overthrow the government to achieve freedom and democracy. They became known as the Sandinistas.  In 1979, the Somoza family fled to Paraguay and "Tachito” Somoza was assassinated there in 1980. With the Somoza family gone, the Sandinistas were in power. 

Here is where the story of the “Contras” begins.  In opposition to the new Sandinista government the Contras were formed in 1979 with help from the CIA, which provided funding and training. The backlash the Nicaraguan people received from the Contras was severe and nearly 30,000 people were murdered in rural areas during the war.  In 1983 the United States Congress stopped U.S. funding of the Contras, but some within the U.S. military decided to proceed on their own by selling arms to Iran and using the money to continue to fund the Contras.  You know…like a bake sale for the military. It is now referred to as the Iran-Contra affair. In 1984 the Sandinistas won the general election and took power once again in Nicaragua.

I was in Nicaragua during the 2011 general election when President Daniel Ortega was re-elected for a second term in a landslide victory for the Sandinista party.  I can tell you that everyone was dancing in the streets and the party went on for days.  For those that do not like President Ortega, he is often referred to as a benevolent dictator, although every election meets international standards of fairness. 

Nature and Beauty

Nicaragua is nearly the size of the state of Washington and has a population of six million. It is the largest country in Central America and is bordered to the north by Honduras, to south by Costa Rica, to the east by the tranquil calm Caribbean seacoast and to the west by the strong waves of the Pacific Ocean.   One fifth of the country is designated as a protected national park or reserve and the whole country is located within the tropic zone. So if you love traveling amongst abundant pristine nature, Nicaragua is a wonderful option and has a lot to offer. For birders, there are over 700 different species of birds to find and observe. 

Western Nicaragua is located along the Pacific “Ring of Fire” and has forty volcanoes within in its borders, many of which are still active.  A visit to the top of the Mombacho Volcano offers great views of the Pacific lowlands and Lake Nicaragua. You can walk the trails at the edge of the crater and see and smell the beautiful tropical plants and flowers as hummingbirds zip past you.  Lake Nicaragua is the largest lake in Central America and is home to a population of fresh water “bull sharks” with lengths up to eight feet. I have gone swimming in the lake many times and I will admit it makes me a little nervous.  Along the west coast you will find migrating whales and if you time it right, you can watch thousands of Olive Ridley Turtles come ashore in mass to lay eggs. 

The rainforest of the Atlantic lowlands along the 120 mile long Rio San Juan River is spectacular.  Most of the Rio San Juan is the border between Nicaragua and Costa Rica.  There are no roads, only boats to get you up and down the river. In addition to an abundance of birds, amphibians and reptiles, you will find three species of monkeys.  In the Sabalos area, the Howler monkeys will sit in the trees above your jungle cabin and through the night they howl and call. It is an amazing experience to be awakened in the middle of the night to the songs of the midnight jungle. Any visit to the Atlantic lowlands should include a day or more at the Indio Maíz Biological Reserve.  The rainforest here is pristine and abundant with magnificent trees and a wide range of wildlife.  

The stunning central highlands of Nicaragua rise to elevations of 5,900 feet in the cloud forest, which is also the coffee growing region.  In some areas this is more of a deciduous dry forest with a thin understory.  The Peñas Blancas Massif is part of the huge Bosawas Biosphere Reserve and here the rainy season is longer and wetter and so you will find amazing waterfalls and tranquility.  This area has just recently opened up to tourism due to better road construction and there are already several eco-lodges and educational centers here. It is definitely worth a visit if you travel to Nicaragua. 

Culture

All my best memories of Nicaragua are of the people.  In the early days of my travels to Nicaragua, I knew very little Spanish and it was the local people who showed tremendous kindness in helping me as I traveled through the country.  The people I met were proud of their communities and eager to show me the beauty of their land.  They always fed me well and gave me great advice, although much communication was done via drawing pictures as I stumbled through my Spanish phrase book. 

The people of Nicaragua, also called “Nicas”, are a diverse group.  The population is a mix between Spanish and indigenous people.  Spanish is the main language, but there are four indigenous languages which are still spoken.  Along the Caribbean coast, many Afro-Nicaraguans speak English as their first language.  In the late 1800’s many immigrants from Germany and The Netherlands settled in Nicaragua.

Unlike most Latin America countries where soccer is the dominate sport, Nicaraguans love American-style baseball.  It is the country’s most popular sport and 12 major league baseball players in the U.S. have come from Nicaragua. 

Economy

Nicaragua’s main industry is agriculture with the main exports being coffee, bananas and sugar cane.  Logging is declining due to increased environmental concerns about destruction of the rain forests. Plans to construct a canal to connect the Atlantic and Pacific oceans are in motion with a Chinese company as the contractor.  It is very controversial; many are concerned about the environment and that the economic benefits are short sighted. 

Tourism has become the second largest industry and increases significantly every year.  The increase in tourism has also brought more foreign investment to the country. Last year about 60,000 U.S. citizens visited Nicaragua. When I travel to Nicaragua I rarely meet Americans, most of the foreigners I meet are Europeans and Canadians.  I think it is unfortunate, but for many Americans, Nicaragua still has a reputation of being a dangerous war torn place.  One thing I love about Nicaragua is that the tourist infrastructure is still developing.  You can visit Nicaragua and still feel the culture and its natural beauty.  So let it go and think again:  Nicaragua is a wonderful place to visit.

If you would like to visit Nicaragua and join a tour, considering traveling with me at Kaiyote Tours.  You can check out tours to Nicaragua at KaiyoteTours.com.