Category Archives: Nature

Attractions, Nature, South Carolina, Tours, USA

Dolphin Cruise on the Sea Thunder in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

17 Comments

For April vacation this year we needed something fun and kid friendly, and when it comes to the kids, especially our daughter, the thought of dolphins is never too far from the tip of the tongue.  We were spending the week at a resort in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and there are a number of options available.  We chose a ride on the Sea Thunder.

How to get to the Sea Thunder

Getting there wasn’t too difficult – it’s a short drive from the beach, less than ten minutes from our resort.

Be careful if you’re using Google Maps, though – it will send you to the wrong location.

Sea Thunder is at the Harbourgate Marina, directly behind the Harbourgate Resort, and the dock for the Sea Thunder is almost directly under the Rt. 17 bridge.

Google Maps will put you on a residential street on the other side of Rt. 17.

Instead, you should go down Little River Neck Road, and go past the entrance for the resort (even though the sign does say “Harbourgate Resort & Marina”). The turn for the Marina parking lot is just before you go under Rt. 17.

Do NOT turn down Sea Mountain Hwy, or you may end up stuck in traffic while an interesting drawbridge (which is actually a swivel bridge) lets the boating traffic pass in front of you.

location of the dock for the Sea Thunder Dolphin Cruises
location of the dock for the Sea Thunder Dolphin Cruises

Continue reading Dolphin Cruise on the Sea Thunder in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina →

Canada, Europe, Florida, Maine, Massachusetts, Mexico, Nature, Portugal, Prince Edward Island, South Carolina, Spain, USA

My Favorite Beaches: Photo Essay

11 Comments

I love beaches.

I love walking barefoot along the shore, water lapping at my feet, my toes squishing the wet sand, leaving footprints that will be gone with the next wave.

I love listening to the slow rhythm of the ocean or the sea, like breathing,receding its surf on the in breath, and swelling out onto the shore with an out breath.

All of it – the warmth of the sun, the gentle breeze of the wind tickling my face,  and the sound of the moving tide calms me, and while I love sightseeing, big cities, and beautiful museums, I feel most relaxed on a beach, the longer and the more empty the better.

Continue reading My Favorite Beaches: Photo Essay →

Attractions, Europe, Nature, Peniche, Portugal

The Rocky Coast of Peniche, Portugal

11 Comments

There’s something powerful and captivating about waves crashing into a rocky cliff, sending up a fountain of sea foam, then retreating back into the ocean.

It’s calming. It’s humbling. And it’s beautiful.

kids watching out onto the Atlantic from the rocky shore along the most westernmost part of N114 in Peniche, Portugal
kids watching out onto the Atlantic from the rocky shore along the most westernmost part of N114 in Peniche, Portugal

Continue reading The Rocky Coast of Peniche, Portugal →

Attractions, Massachusetts, Nature, USA

Flat Stanley’s visit to Garden in the Woods in Framingham, MA

13 Comments

One beautiful September Saturday, Flat Stanley, my daughter, and I went to a place called Garden in the Woods, a woodland botanic garden in Framingham, Massachusetts, 342 miles, or nearly six-hour-drive, from Stanley’s home in Charlestown, Maryland.

The garden is owned by the New England Wild Flower Society, which cultivates plants native to New England. The society  also offers instructional walks or hikes for children and families, as well as programs for adults  about horticulture and gardening, botany and conservation, and art in nature (photographing and drawing nature). Continue reading Flat Stanley’s visit to Garden in the Woods in Framingham, MA →

Attractions, Gibraltar, Nature, United Kingdom

The Monkeys of Gibraltar

2 Comments

The monkeys of Gibraltar are famous for their openness to human interaction and for their unique status as the only population of wild monkeys in Europe. Descended from monkeys in North Africa, they are one of the biggest tourist attractions in Gibraltar.

The territory of Gibraltar is just 2.3 square miles. It is located at the tip of the Iberian Peninsula and thus borders Spain, while Morocco lies across the Straits of Gibraltar. The straits separate the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea and have played an important role in world history. The territory of Gibraltar has been ruled by Britain since the early 1700s and is considered an overseas territory.

Continue reading The Monkeys of Gibraltar →

Amusement Parks, Attractions, Florida, Nature, Orlando, USA

Shark Eggs and Sea Dragons or #TravelSchooling at SeaWorld

6 Comments

Sure, SeaWorld is an amusement park. What with all the rides, performances, and all that, you can’t’ call it anything else.

However, SeaWorld is also an amazing place for kids to learn quite a bit about marine animals, and see for the first time some animals they might have never even heard of before.

Continue reading Shark Eggs and Sea Dragons or #TravelSchooling at SeaWorld →