Photo of the Day – Sea turtle in action

by Jeremy Kressmann on

Snorkeling is one of my favorite travel activities, especially because it’s such a visual feast. Simply grab a mask and some fins, stick your head underwater and suddenly you’re staring at an alien world: bright neon-striped fish, strange wispy corals and of course, the graceful sea turtle. Flickr user kumukulanui snapped this beautiful specimen in action just off the coast of the Big Island in Hawaii. Of all the spots I’ve been snorkeling, the Big Island has to be one of the best, particularly to get up close with these amazing, beautiful creatures.

Taken any great travel photos recently? Why not share them with us by adding them to the Gadling group on Flickr? We might just pick one of yours as our Photo of the Day.

Take a women’s only winter adventure with Call of the Wild

by Kraig Becker on

Women’s only adventure travel is one of the fastest growing segments in the entire industry and U.S. based Call of the Wild is a company that specializes in delivering fantastic ladies only options. The company has been in business for more than 30 years, and during that time it has pioneered this style of travel, offering trips to far flung places, both domestically and abroad.

This winter, Call of the Wild is offering some great trips that are sure to appeal to the active traveler looking for a little adventure. For instance, their Snowshoes and Sequoias Weekend is a three day expedition to Sequoia National Park during which time the ladies will have the opportunity to learn how to snowshoe in a breathtaking mountain setting. And at the end of a busy day, they’ll return to their rustic lodge for a fantastic meal and a glass of wine around the fireplace. This trip is scheduled to take place from February 11-13 and costs just $650.

If you’re in the mood for something a little more tropical this winter, than perhaps the Hawaii Explorer will be more to your liking. This seven day vacation sends travelers to Kauai, otherwise known as the Garden Isle, for a little fun in the sun. Visitors will take day hikes to visit some of the islands most breathtaking vistas and stunning beaches, while humpback whales play off shore and the island blooms with life. This trip runs from March 6-12 and can be booked for $2195.

New to Call of the Wild’s 2011 winter catalog is their Discovering Death Valley option. This trip sends a small group of adventurous women to Death Valley National Park, where they’ll soak up the natural beauty of the place while exploring the sand dunes and rocky canyons located there. And when they’ve had enough excitement for one day, they’ll return to a comfortable hotel and enjoy fine meals at local restaurants. The Discovering Death Valley trip is $1315 and will take place February 26 – March 2, when temperatures in the park are comfortable and moderate.

If you haven’t planned your winter escape for 2011 yet, then perhaps its time you gathered up a few girlfriends, picked an adventure, and heeded the call of the wild. After all, we can all use a little more adventure in our lives.

Australia floods leave tourist industry in peril

by Sean McLachlan on


The terrible floods in Queensland, Australia, have destroyed thousands of homes, done billions of dollars of damage, and have left at least a dozen people dead. Queensland is a major coal exporter, and with the rising waters hampering shipments and flooding mines, world coal prices have risen. A major consumer of Queensland coal are Asian steel mills, which are already feeling the pinch. This has led to a rise in steel prices. That’s a double dose of bad news for the economic recovery.

Another Queensland industry has also been hard hit–tourism. The tourists have fled along with the residents, but it’s the long-term effects that are more harmful. If rising coal and steel prices hurt the economic recovery, that’s bound to hurt the tourism industry pretty much everywhere. Brisbane, Australia’s third-largest city, is the center for Australia’s Gold Coast, a major draw for Australia’s $32 billion tourist industry. Floods are damaging popular beaches and will require costly repairs. Coastal and riverside hotels and shops are being destroyed. The Brisbane Times reports that toxic materials washed into the sea could have an effect on delicate coral reefs and fish populations. With snorkeling and scuba diving such popular activities on the Gold and Sunshine Coasts, this could do long-term damage to tourism.

Meanwhile, airlines are worried about how this will affect them. Virgin Blue has already seen its shares drop by 3.4 percent today because investors fear there will be a drop in bookings. Qantas shares also dipped slightly. Airlines are issuing fee waivers for passengers who want to change their flights to, from, or through Brisbane.

It looks like Queensland residents will suffer from the flood long after the waters recede.

[Photo of Brisbane sunset courtesy user t i m m a y via Gadling’s flickr pool]

Red Sea beaches add safety measures against shark attacks

by Sean McLachlan on

Beaches at the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh will reopen after officials ordered new safety measures following a recent series of shark attacks.

One swimmer was killed and four others injured in attacks by at least two sharks.

The new safety measures include patrol boats and onshore viewing stations. Swimmers, divers, and snorkelers will be reminded to stay within certain areas and not to feed the sharks.

Sharm el-Sheikh hasn’t had a fatal shark attack since 2004 and it’s unclear why so many incidents have happened in so short a time. One theory is that a boat carrying animals threw some dead carcasses overboard and that encouraged the predators. Another theory says that overfishing has forced sharks to hunt closer to shore, bringing them in contact with humans.

Deadly Red Sea shark attacks puzzle scientists

by Sean McLachlan on


Marine biologists are scratching their heads over the spate of shark attacks near Egypt’s Red Sea port of Sharm El-Sheikh, the BBC reports. The waters near the city, which are popular for swimmers, snorkelers, and scuba divers, have seen attacks that have left one tourist dead and four injured in the past week.

The attacks started last week when a shark bit three tourists in a single day. Since then another swimmer has been injured and last Sunday a German woman was killed very close to the shore. Most of the beaches are now closed and authorities are warning people to swim in groups and avoid swimming at night.

The attacks were carried out by more than one shark from more than one species, including an oceanic whitetip and a mako. Marine biologists say this is “highly unusual”. They’re unsure what has caused the attacks, but suspect that when a cargo ship dumped a load of animal carcasses overboard near the shore it might convinced the sharks that it was a new feeding ground.

The mako has since been caught, but the oceanic whitetip, which is believed to have killed the German woman, is still at large.

[Photo courtesy Johanlantz via Wikimedia Commons]