Humpback Whale Resources

There are some great Whale Watching Videos on the web, here are a few more that we think all you “whale watching fans” will really enjoy:

• Watch as National Geographic photographer and Whale Trust co-founder Flip Nicklin reveals the mysteries of Hawaii’s humpback whales. Then go on an amazing whale watching tour in the channel – Watch Here
• A good amateur video of a whale watching tour – Watch Here
• National Geographic has some great information beside the video above. Here are some facts and an audio clip of the Humpback Whale song.

Traveling takes us away from who we have become, allowing us to remember who we want to be.  ~Gary A Reichel

Find Yourself Again

While on this journey of life, the curiosity to learn seems to wane. I don’t think it is a situation of not wanting to learn, or that we get tired of learning …I think we just get tired. Work is seldom 9 to 5, and the pressures that go along with most jobs are NOT easily left at the office. With all the stress and responsibility the weekends are usually spent trying to catch-up on sleep and household projects.

There is little that can be done about the limitations on our time, but at what cost are we just “surviving”? At what point does a job start to encroach upon life? When is enough, enough? The answer is not simple, but let me try, “You know work has become too great a part of your life when there is nothing else to talk about. Everything you do is work related. If you are not talking about work, you have nothing to say. Your conversation at the dinner table is, about work. Work. Work, work.”

More Than A Vacation

The line between the home and office has become blurred and there is no time for growing or learning. With one exception …your next vacation! Time off. Ahhhh -the gooood life. Sleeping in and staying up late. Maybe drinking a little too much, but there is no boss. No meetings. Nothing really matters, because you are on -VACATION.

But once you are recharged, how about adding something a little extra special to your vacation. A vacation where you learn something new. A vacation where you get a new skill that allows you to explore a new world. I’m not just talking about a foreign place, I’m talking about SCUBA Diving on Maui.

As a diver you are weightless and can move in all directions. You approach the freedom of a bird as you move in three dimensions in a fluid environment. DENNIS GRAVER, Scuba Diving

A New World.

SUCBA Diving. Suiting up and descending 60 feet with compressed air on your back, a mask, fins and a regulator. Weightless. Everything is quiet except for the sound of your breathing and bubbles. The world is your oyster. Become an Open Water Diver -get SCUBA certified.

SCUBA Diving Maui

There is book work, but nothing too difficult. There is some physical activity, but that should not be a problem if you are in moderate shape. There is the trill of the unknown. A new experience. It is not dangerous, but …there is some risk. And as exciting as the certification process is, once all the training is completed the real fun begins. Exploring the reef. Swimming with the fishes. Adventure while you travel. An opportunity to float weightless above coral and lava rock formations with fish, turtles, eels and invertebrates peering back at  you. It can will change your life. The colors, sounds and sights are truly like nothing experienced from the surface.

SCUBA Diving On Maui

The certification process varies depending on where you get certified. However, typically it begins with “…a few days of classroom sessions …and confined water sessions. Two thirds of your course will be conducted at one of several beautiful diving sites -depending on conditions. Upon completion of the course, as a Certified Open Water Diver, you will be qualified to participate in SCUBA diving worldwide.”

There is also an option called referral certification. This is when you do your course work and confined water dives at home, allowing you to finish the open water portion in Maui. This is a great option, so look into this as you plan your vacation.

SCUBA Divers

Activities On Maui -SCUBA

I’m not promoting any diving companies, but here are a few Maui SCUBA Diving resources:

• SCUBA diving on Maui
• Ed Robinsons
• Lahaina Divers
• Maui Dive Shop
• Photos of diving in Maui

More Than A Vacation

Maui and Kaanapali Beach have some great SCUBA diving. I’ve written quite a bit about diving on Maui (I was a Divemaster on Maui for about 3.5 years)  and I have stayed at Gail’s Maui Vacation Condo. Both the diving and condo are wonderful and I’m sure you will enjoy both.

If you have any diving stories, or there is something you learned while traveling -our guest would enjoy reading about it below.

Artist on Maui

Art enthusiast who enjoy visiting small local galleries will enjoy a website called, Maui Info Source. The site offers links to over 60 Hawaiian artist from, Anna Gold to Wyland. Furthermore, Maui-Info-Source provides a small thumbnail of the artist work providing a clue to the style and technique of the artist. There is also a link to the artist’s website where the visitor can view a portfolio; all in all, this is a great place to start searching for that perfect work of art.

Maui Info Source

The Maui Arts And Cultural Center is another great web site that offers information on Maui events. That being said, if you decide to visit Maui, to either attend an event (or just visit the island), Gail’s Maui Condo is a beautiful studio on Kaanapali Beach, located at The Whaler. The unit is on the seventh floor facing the courtyard with an ocean view. It’s paradise. For more info visit – Maui Vacation Condo

Maui Vacation Condo

Art In Southern California

For travelers looking to visit Southern California, ArtSceneCal has links and information about regional art galleries and museums, this includes the western contiguous states. The site also has some obscure galleries with a wide variety of styles and taste. Some of the galleries require an open mind -to put it objectively.

Southern California Art Scene

Art in Charleston South Carolina

The art scene in Charleston, South Carolina, is very active. For travelers wanting to visit a museum, the Gibbes Museum of Art is a good option. The museum offers special tours of Colonial, Charleston Renaissance, and Contemporary art collections. Charleston also offers a lot of smaller galleries featuring local artist. Generally, these South Carolina artist are influenced by: contemporary at, the civil war, east-coast beaches and southern living.

Gibbs Museum Of Art

Since I currently live in Charleston, I want to add a comment about The Spoleto Festival. The festival takes place during spring, attracting thousands of visitors. The organizers of the Spoleto Festival describe the event as, “…a dedication to young artists, a fascination with contemporary effort, an enthusiasm for providing unusual performance opportunities to recognized masters in their fields, and a commitment to all forms of the performing arts.” This 17 day festival is an exciting time around Charleston and for the art lover it is a great opportunity to enjoy the arts.

Spoleto Festival Charleston SC

Museums And Galleries In Europe

It is hard to beat Europe when talking about museums. Europe is home to many museums and galleries that exhibit some of the greatest works of art in the world. With such a variety of museums to choose from, knowing what exhibit is “coming soon” can be valuable information when planning a trip. Thankfully there is a website called ArtCyclopedia. Specifically, there is a section dedicated to art museums in Europe.  It should also be noted, ArtCyclopedia is a good resource when searching for museums in the United States; so be sure to explore the site -lots of good stuff.

Art-Cyclopedia

For a lot of people traveling and art go hand in hand. Some travelers prefer museums, while other like galleries, events and festivals. No matter the preference, depending on the city, country or time of year, travelers can enjoy “their idea of art” while traveling the world.

Art Links

Here are some other links to a few interesting art sites:

• This is a fun web page, it lists the most expensive paintings sold. Visit here – Paintings Sold
• For something a little different, here is some good digital art. Visit here – Digital Artist
• Hotel art is a very interesting site, showing how artist have designed various hotel rooms. Visit here – Hotel Art
• For artist around the world, this site is a good place to start. Visit here – World Artist
• Finally, here is an artist that specializes in urinals. Yep. You gott’a see these. Visit here – Urinal Art

As always, if you have a favorite artist, or you are an artist -make sure to tell our readers in the comment section below.