Cruise Over to Garrafon Natural Reef Park For Some Family Fun
Posted on | February 22, 2010 | No Comments
Located just 25 minutes by cruise from Cancun, the Garrafon Natural Reef Park is one of the region’s best places to experience all the wonders of the Caribbean Sea. From kayaking and hiking to snorkeling and swimming with dolphins, the park offers a wealth of activities for all ages. Best of all, the Garrafon Natural Reef Park now features an array of affordable day-trip packages that include transportation, meals and activities. If you want to enjoy everything the Mexican Caribbean has to offer, hop aboard a cruise and spend an afternoon at the Garrafon Natural Reef Park.
Garrafon Natural Reef Park – sometimes referred to as El Garrafon National Park – lies on Isla Mujeres (”Island of Women”) just offshore from Cancun. The island features the remains of a Mayan temple overlooking the sea, a site popular for hiking and photography. Amongst the ruins, visitors will also find the Punta Sur Sculpture Park, a collection of 23 modern art sculptures by local and international artists. As the sculptures rest above a remarkable cliff, the scenery provided by the Caribbean Sea often steals the show.
The most enticing attraction at Garrafon Natural Reef Park is the warm, crystal-clear water. Averaging a depth of just 13 feet with calm conditions, the water at Garrafon is perfect for families hoping to enjoy the beautiful Caribbean Sea together. Beneath the shallow water near the shore – and further out along the coral reef – swimmers and snorkelers can watch tropical fish and other sea creatures darting through the sea. The calm waters at the park also provide the perfect conditions for kayaking or simply floating along and enjoying the sunshine. Regardless of how you choose to enjoy the beautiful waters here, all the equipment you need will be provided as part of your day-trip tour from Cancun.
The park’s most popular day-trip packages include a guided encounter or swim with local dolphins. The Dolphin Encounter allows visitors to get up close to the dolphins and watch them perform from in the water. This package is recommended by the park for families with small children. The Dolphin Swim package takes the fun one step further by offering families a chance to take a ride with the friendly creatures. The park’s best day-trip option is known as the Royal Swim and features two dolphin rides. The first ride lets swimmers coast through the water while grasping the fins of two dolphins. Afterwards, visitors are able to complete the experience by standing upright and allowing the dolphins to propel them across the water’s surface.
Adventurous types might also want to try scaling the Climbing Tower at Garrafon Natural Reef Park. Though the 50 foot climb might seem too much for some visitors, everyone that reaches the top is greeted by unrivaled panoramic views of the Caribbean Sea. The zip-line over the warm water is another great option for the thrill seekers of the family. As the zip-line allows you to cruise through the air and splash down in the sea, some visitors might find that this activity is both more exhilarating and less exhausting than the Climbing Tower.
If you have some time left over to relax in the park or elsewhere on the island, you might want to consider taking a leisurely hike or bike ride along one of the picturesque trails. If you really want to relax, however, recline in one of the park’s deck chairs or hammocks. The park also offers visitors the use of a beautiful 35-meter swimming pool. Set against the backdrop of the scenic coastline, the swimming pool is a great place for families to cool off as they wait for their cruise back to Cancun.
Garrafon Natural Reef Park offers all-inclusive day-trip packages starting at $65 for adults and $49 for children. The fee includes round trip transportation from Cancun via the park’s ferry boat, continental breakfast at the park, buffet lunch, drinks at the bar, all rental equipment (includes snorkeling gear, life jackets and kayaks) and access to all the park’s activities (includes the Climbing Tower, swimming pool and all leisure opportunities). If you want to participate in any of the park’s dolphin activities, the packages will be priced slightly higher.
If your family wants to spend a quiet day in the sun amongst the wonders of the Caribbean, Garrafon Natural Reef Park is the perfect Cancun day-trip.
Backpacking in High Mountains
Posted on | February 22, 2010 | 2 Comments
The high mountains of Colorado still had a lot of snow in mid June. In fact, the Arkansas river was close to flooding here in Canon City, despite there being no rain in weeks. The snow melt was enough to raise it to its highest level in years. But my friend Mike and I were still hoping to go backpacking up high.
We had been up to 9,000 feet a couple weeks earlier and saw just one snowbank in the woods. Driving home we could see that though there was a lot of snow in the high peaks of the northern Sangre De Christo mountains, it was in patches. There were large areas without snow, even above 13,000 feet. It was time to give it a try.
We decided on a two night trip to Bushnell Lakes and possibly to the top of Bushnell Peak (13,105 feet). About this time I received a phone call. I own a backpacking website, so I get emails with questions all the time, but this was only the second time someone had called me at home. The man on the other end was calling from Texas, wondering about the conditions in the Sangre De Christos – was there too much snow?
“I hope not,” I told him. “Me and a friend are headed up there tomorrow.” He said he had called the forest service rangers for an area south of where we would be, and they had told him everything was still snowed in up high. He was going for a week, starting a few days after us, and wondered if they might be exaggerating. We agreed that they probably were.
Challenges Of High Mountains
It was hot when we started, even with only 13 pounds on my back (I like to go light). Where the trail split we decided to go to the Stout Lakes instead, by the Twin Sisters Peaks. This was the next valley over from Bushnell Lakes, and a shorter hike. When we came to a trail register we noted that only a couple people had been up there this year. One had left an entry on the way down: “Lost the trail in the snow at 10,800 feet.” It was dated just a few days earlier.
We headed up the trail, soon hearing the roaring stream it follows. We saw the first small patches of snow before we crossed it at about 9,600 feet. Then we were hiking on a trail that doubled as a stream itself, complete with small waterfalls. The snow patches were more frequent, and we walked over the stream/path on a snow bridge at one point before realizing that it was a three-foot fall if it had broken.
Several hours up the trail there was no trail. It was somewhere under several feet of snow. It is hard to get too lost following a stream up a valley, though, so we kicked steps into the hard snow and continued on. In places we found the trail again, and even had long dry stretches to hike. The melting process is very irregular. In one of our photos Mike is standing on dry grass next to a seven-foot high wall of snow. In another, I’m trying to climb a twenty-foot snow-cliff.
Then there is the photo from the first lake. It is of myself, standing on it. There was dry ground around half of it, but it was frozen. We headed back down to a small pond that was only partially covered in ice. It had been a hot day of backpacking in deep snow. We put our water bottles in a snowbank and set up the tarp on the grass. Marmots came near to investigate.
The next day we hiked up past the first and second lakes, both above tree line. We followed a stream up a steep hill and into a meadow full of wildflowers at about 12,000 feet. There were frozen lakes below, flowers around us, and a 13,012-foot mountain waiting above, past rocky climbs and slippery fields of snow. We made it to the top – the highest Mike had ever climbed – and signed the register. We could see mountains in all directions, some of them over 60 miles away.
By the time we made it back to the camp, I was sick. I hadn’t anticipated the effect of the sun. I had a hat and sunglasses, but the sunlight reflects at you from all sides when you cross snow and ice. It wasn’t just a sunburn, but sun-sickness. I spent the night alternating between feeling on fire and having chills run through my body. Mike got the chills the following day. With that in mind, here are some tips for backpacking in the high mountains.
1. Call the forest service. Find out what the conditions are where you plan to hike, so you can bring the proper equipment and clothing.
2. Have a good map and know how to use it. This is especially important in early summer, when you might lose the trail in the snow.
3. Sun block is just a start. Where a hat, sunglasses and long sleeves.
4. GPS your car location. If you have a GPS device, mark your car in case you lose the trail.
5. Check the trailhead register. Those backpacking before you may have stopped on the way out to note that a bridge is washed out, fallen trees have covered the trail, or something else you should know.
6. Climb high early. Afternoon thunderstorms are common in many high mountain ranges. If you want to go to the summits and high ridges, it’s best to do it early and be lower before noon.
It’s great to have meadows and valleys to yourself. That’s one of the advantages of backpacking in the high mountains early in the season. Just be ready for a wide variety of hiking conditions.
Some Considerations When Making a Reptile Terrarium
Posted on | February 22, 2010 | No Comments
Housing for a reptile will, of course, vary with the type and size of your pet. A tree dwelling or climbing reptile will be happiest in a tall narrow cage with branches for climbing. A terrestrial reptile will be happiest in a wide, low cage. Aquariums with screen covers or glass fronted wooden cages make suitable housing or you can purchase a specially made terrarium.
Some considerations before you purchase your reptile terrarium
The cage must be:
Escape proof
Draft proof
Heat resistant
Well lighted
Moisture resistant
As large as you can make it
Some reptiles that need extra consideration:
Boas and Pythons – can grow to over 20 ft
Green iguanas – can grow to 6 ft
Some considerations before you purchase your reptile
Only mix reptiles that are known to be compatible
House reptiles by their kind and size
Types of Terrariums
Aquatic Terrariums
An aquatic terrarium is similar to an aquarium but usually has only four to six inches of water. Like an aquarium it needs a filter and a heater and gravel on the bottom but needs a raised area above the water for a basking area and a vented or wire screen lid. A basking area can be a rock protruding from the water or piece of bark. The vented lid should have a lamp for basking and a background should be added, not only to look nice but to help your pet to feel secure.
Pets that are at home in an aquatic terrarium include turtles, newts, frogs, salamanders and water snakes.
Semi-aquatic Terrariums
This type of terrarium is a mixture of water and a dry area. The two areas are separated by glass or by using a water container that is removable. The water area is set up as in an aquarium and needs a heater, filter and gravel on the bottom. The land area is best made by placing a layer of charcoal, covered by a thin layer of filter material then covered in sphagnum moss and potting compost. Decorate the land area with rocks, driftwood or other decorations and add some moss and plants.
For some reptiles you will need to provide a basking area by attaching a lamp to the lid. Place this at one end of the terrarium to provide a warm area under the lamp and cooler areas at the other ends.
Pets that are at home in a semi-aquatic terrarium include any of the aquatic reptiles plus crocodile lizards, basilsks, some turtles and especially newts and frogs.
Woodland Terrariums
A woodland terrarium is a land terrarium with plants and/or ornaments. A source of water for the pets is also needed. The terrarium can have gravel or reptile carpet as a base or potting soil if you are adding plants. Depending on the reptiles you are keeping decide if you will have just gravel and rocks, suitable for ground dwellers, or plants and branches for climbing for an arboreal (climbing) species. Plants that are suitable include fittonias, philodendrons and other plants suitable for plant terrariums. They need very little maintenance apart from a light misting occasionally.
Depending on the pet you may need to provide a basking lamp and basking area. as in other types of terrarium ensure that it is warm under the lamp but cooler in other parts of the enclosure. Some pets also need full spectrum lighting.
Pets that are at home in a woodland terrarium include salamanders, anoles, snakes and many types of frogs including green tree frogs and barking tree frogs.
Desert Terrariums
Desert Terrariums are very dry and may have desert loving plants such as cacti and other succulents. Substrates suitable for a desert terrarium include sand, reptile carpet or bark. A heat source is needed as in other types of terrariums and full spectrum lighting is required for almost all desert type reptiles.
Pets that are at home in a desert terrarium include desert iguanas, collared lizards, leapard geckos and spiny lizards.
Cats Training Myths
Posted on | February 21, 2010 | 1 Comment
There are many people out there that are surprised to find out that cats CAN be trained. It is a very slow, and lengthy process and can only be done at the speed the cat is comfortable with, but no the less very possible.
First, the cat owner needs to know that cats don’t speak our language, so we need to familiarize ourselves with how a cat thinks and learns. cats become skillful. Cats learn by familiarity. If the experience is agreeable they will attempt to replicate, but if the experience makes them gloomy they will stay away from doing it in the future. Cats also learn by the course of rewards and praises.
However, the rewards need to be reserved for special occasions and not an everyday affair. For good results you should reward your feline friend with a genuine incentive like her preferred delicacy. While training a cat, penalty is out of bounds. Physical punishments can add to the violent streak in your pet and make her a rebel. She may also start avoiding you as a result of the spanking.
If her intentions are merely good-humored but are violent, you have to be firm with your reaction; so don’t reward her with attention sometimes and overlook other times. She will be perplexed and will learn to control her violent actions.
Cats run away or show the symptoms of nervousness and gloominess, even if slightly punished. Scolding, shouting, physical penalty and holding the incentive will not encourage the cat to change her behavior.
Therefore the training needs to be reward based with apparent indication and high-quality timing.Focus on creating an enjoyable, satisfying, humorous and motivating rapport. Be convinced that no matter what the cat does, it is worthwhile and pleasing. Every cat is unique. If your problem is that your cat scratches on your furniture then you can try covering it up or spraying a menthol or citrus aroma. These are unpleasant smells for kitty and they will avoid them.
After some time your cat will come to the conclusion that your furniture is an unhappy place to play and go somewhere else to amuse themselves.Cats are very smart and at times will use other means of getting your attention. So if they are running around, pouncing, climbing, and acting otherwise like they’ve lost their minds, DO NOT give them any attention.
Get up and walk away from them. They will learn that this is not the correct way to get your attention, and will learn to play it your way.Their boredom can be relieved by every day playing and soothing messages that help to cool down. While playing, keep in mind the predatory character of the cat. Behaviors like stalking, biting, pouncing, chasing, leaping, etc., are key factors of any play session.
Because of this, throughout the training, supply them with toys that look like prey. Try toys like ping pong balls, cardboard boxes, hanging ropes, scratching posts, false mice or anything that rolls.
If the cat likes to climb and walk around, it can be trained by creating a barrier track. Like loop up some twigs, pillars, shelves or climbing ramps. Hiding small, delicious preferred treats to cheer her to get climbing can be built-in as an element of the training.Cats are very enjoyable and they can really be your best friend if you just handle them with care and diplomacy.