TULE LAKE #7

Cool Cave!

Lava Beds National Monument is as much about what's underground as above. With over 700 caves the Monument has largest concentration of lava tube caves in North America. Tennessee takes top honors for total number of caves of all kind as it averages 4 for every square mile in the state. This is Valentine Cave, so named for the date it was discovered in 1933.

The ceiling varied from smooth to stippled, as above. In the small area we explored near the entrance, portions of the cave roof were iridescent when hit by light. In another area, you could see where chunks had not long ago fallen off. You want a quick dose of spooky? Just turn your flashlight off.

Trying to persuade those a wee bit afraid of the dark. Better flashlights would have helped.

Whether is is a function of the cave or something else, we noticed a number of Juniper trees near the mouth of Valentine cave with a parasitic growths.

A closer look and it appeared to be mistletoe-like.

Something new to me - "Wag Bags." No need to explain further.

TULE LAKE #6

Facing West

Sunset on "The Peninsula" and a revelation of different activities than on the east face. Less than 100 years ago the waters of Tule Lake surrounded this prominence.

Low to the ground and up close, first to be noticed are a long parade of petroglyphs. The Native Americans who predated the local Modoc and Klamath bands of tribes left these behind.

Coming by canoe, they paddled out to this place and a left what is now an indecipherable record of their existence. People who know this field of study, admit being puzzled by their meaning. When I first saw these some years ago, they were unprotected by this fence.

Watching over this heritage for perhaps as many centuries has been a series of birds. This Great Horned Owl awaits the dark to begin foraging.

For how many seasons have these big birds been here? Who knows but you can certainly pick out all the rodent skulls at the bottom of the cliff face.

Just as the sun is setting we see the return of a Prairie Falcon. There is a small lizard or rodent in its beak. 

We can't see its nest until it lands as they are pretty well hidden in the countless crevices. Suddenly the falcon flares and does a pinpoint landing at the edge its aerie. Quite a show. Quite a place.

ALONG THE INTRACOASTAL

Flyways, Byways & Highways

Not only is the Intracoastal Waterway a wonderful place to watch the world go by, it is also a great perch for sunsets. Here the long thin clouds mark a byway of a different sort - these are jet contrails of all the air traffic that runs north and south along the Atlantic coast.

We made one passage along the Pamlico Sound where there appeared to be lots of obstructions along one side of the ship channel.

They turned out to be duck blinds. Since the iCW also parallels the East Coast's biggest migratory bird flyway, it makes sense that you want to be out from shore for the waterfowl. Bet it can get cold out here in the early morning hours awaiting the start of the hunting day.

At times you seem to be surrounded by water in some of the larger sounds. It seems like there is no other way to get around than by boat. Emerging from an empty horizon is a bridge. You can't hardly see where it begins and you sure can't see where it ends but it provides a way for those wanting to get to the Outer Banks Islands in North Carolina from interior lands.

A bridge also provides a social hub for the gulls. In many places they would put on an aerial show as we passed over the shallow waters. Our prop would stir up goodies for their next meal and, not unlike the output from the kitchen here onboard, there was always enough for everyone. No one goes away hungry if you get close to this boat.

Not everything on the ICW was a sleek pleasure craft. This was just one of the many odd ducks we saw as we bobbed our way south.

Getting The Bugs Out

Since Apple is no longer supporting iWeb and there are ample blogging alternatives, it is time to begin anew. First order of business - get the bugs out.

Every year about this time we get a short shot of hot weather that brings on a hatch of grasshoppers. This year we got a bonus along with the grasshoppers - peculiar clouds of small flying insects. You can see mini swarms within the cloud.