The Travel Snob

Raft Maine's Dead River, the Longest Stretch of Whitewater in the Eastern U.S. TRAVEL SNOB TRAVEL BLOG

Maine's Dead River, which flows from Flagstaff Lake, offers the longest continuous stretch of Class III to V whitewater in the East. The sixteen-mile trip begins below Grand Falls, culminating at the the confluence with the Kennebec River in The Forks and Big Poplar Falls. Melt waters from Maine's deep snow pack insure high water levels throughout the spring, and the Dead River releases high water only ten times a season, six of which are in the spring. "Lake refills are right on target," confirms Wes Hallowell, river engineer for Kennebec Water Power that oversees the Kennebec and Flagstaff watershed reports. "We can expect to have all high water releases as scheduled."

This year's spring high water release dates:

• May 5, 12 & 27
• June 2, 9 & 17

One of the fun benefits of rafting in the spring is the wildlife; eagles and osprey build their nests high above the river gorges, while moose feed along the rivers before they head deep into the forest to escape the summer heat. The season traditionally begins May 1st, some hardy souls have been known to push the season right after ice-out in April. The water is chilly and wet suits are mandatory, but the rides are thrilling with the added volume of the spring run-off.

For more info on whitewater rafting in Maine, visit RaftMaine.com, an association of professional whitewater outfitters. They can provide maps of the Dead River locating the rapids, as well as their Class levels, current river flow, water temperature and wave height.

- The Travel Snob

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A New Resource Devoted to Diving the Red Sea's "Corridor of Marvels" - TRAVEL SNOB TRAVEL BLOG

Recent years have seen the discovery of new shipwrecks, reefs and animal gatherings along what Jacques Cousteau called 'the corridor of marvels' in the Red Sea, the number one destination for divers in Europe and the UK. The newly published Dive Red Sea: The Ultimate Guide (Ultimate Sports) brings to life over 100 of the Red Sea's top dive locations, combining the snappy writing, images by award-winning photographers Alex Mustard, Charles Hood, Jane Morgan & JP Trenque, and high quality mapping, and specially commissioned graphic illustrations of the region's most important shipwrecks.

In addition to covering the popular dive sites of Egypt, the authors explore all eight nations with Red Sea coastlines, including the wilder zones of the sea in countries such as Sudan and Djibouti, Saudi Arabia's "forbidden zone", newly discovered wreck dives in Egypt, new dive sites in Jordan's Gulf of Aqaba, whale shark aggregation in Djibouti, and the first major account of Sudan's manta ray site. There are also special sections on the formation, history and natural history of the Red Sea, marine life identification, advice about photography and videography and getting the best from the Red Sea including how to stay safe in the water, even on the most demanding dives. Essential advice on travel, diving etiquette and local culture is included, along with details of marine conservation organisations. For non-diving days, there is coverage of land-based attractions such as Petra and Wadi Rum in Jordan and The Valley of the Kings and Mount Sinai and St Catherine's in Egypt.

For more information, visit ArtOfDiving.com.

- The Travel Snob

The Nature Conservancy Teams up with Abercrombie & Kent to Offer Luxurious Conservation Adventures in Cool Places. TRAVEL SNOB TRAVEL BLOG

 
For 2007, The Nature Conservancy and Abercrombie & Kent journeys include:

• Brazil’s Pantanal (May 14-26)
• the remote highlands of Papua New Guinea (June 17-29)
• mainland Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands (August 11-21)
• Southern Africa (September 23-October 4)
• tropical rainforests of the Peruvian Amazon (October 19-November 1)

A portion of the proceeds from each trip directly benefits The Nature Conservancy programs in that region. Program participants automatically receive a one-year membership to The Nature Conservancy and subscription to the organization’s award-winning magazine. More at Nature.org  & AbercrombieKent.com.

- The Travel Snob

If a Tame Vacation Just Won't Suffice, Maybe it's Time for an Extreme Jungle Adventure in Belize. TRAVEL SNOB TRAVEL BLOG

   

Belize Travel Agent and Tour Operator Green Dragon Adventure Travel recently announced their new travel package: a 5 Night Extreme Jungle Adventure. Based out of their Belize Jungle Dome in the adventure center of Belize, it's a comfortable, tranquil sanctuary in the heart of the Cayo District. "We provide very comfortable surroundings for our guests, with modern conveniences at the Belize Jungle Dome," explains owner Andy Hunt, a former British Professional football player. "We encourage our guests to spend every day meeting local people, exploring the region, discovering the deep history and culture of Belize and of course having an adrenalin filled adventure on the way. It is our intention to take care of everything our guests need so that all they have to do is turn up at the airport and have fun."

While not suitable for children, this package - which features the steamy jungle, wildlife-rich rivers, and sacred caves - is replete with adventure galore, as well as Mayan history and archaeology.  Additional days can be added on to relax and enjoy the beautiful beaches and reef system the country is famous for.

5 Night Extreme Jungle Adventure:

• DAY 1 Arrive in Belize City. Transfer to the Belize Jungle Dome
• DAY 2 Actun Tunichil Muknal Caving and Jungle Hike. A trip into the depths of the Belize Jungle to visit sacred saves and explore an untouched Mayan Site - a cave system consisting of a series of chambers, ending in a 300 by 50 meter Cathedral where sacrificial ceremonies once took place
• DAY 3 Kayaking Day Trip Rapids. A combination of rapids and plenty of calm water, with lunch and swimming at Clarissa Falls Resort, followed by a full day of kayaking.
• DAY 4 Hiking & Jungle Rappelling Adventure. A hike through the jungle to the infamous Black Hole Drop - 200 feet above the rainforest canopy - that grows out from the basin. After abseiling down into the jungle canopy and enjoying the sound of your own screams echoing back at you, a mouth-watering picnic awaits at the bottom, along with a scenic cave. (If you opt for the romantic overnight caving adventure, you'll stay inside a Mayan underworld complete with dinner, candles, and even a flower-strewn bed.) A hike back to base camp follows.
• DAY 5 Cave Tubing & Zip Line Adventure Tour. Go cave tubing along underground waterways just like the Mayans who used these caves a thousand years ago (fascinating artifacts remain). The cave walls glisten, showing off their crystal formations, and beautiful stalactites & stalagmites. Then enjoy zipping through the canopy of trees from platform to platform on cables! 
• DAY 6 Adios! Transfer back to Belize International Airport for connecting flight or transfer.

For more information, visit Green Dragon Belize Adventure Travel or their Belize Travel Blog.

- The Travel Snob

 

Cute but Maybe Not So Cuddly, Canada's Polar Bears Are Worth the Trek Across the Tundra. TRAVEL SNOB TRAVEL BLOG

Fun polar bear factoids from MercuryNews.com:

• males weigh between 900 to 1,600 pounds (females are half that)
• they measure from 8 to 10 feet long
• a polar bear's oversized paws enable them to swim up to 6 mph, spread their XXL weight across thin ice, avoid wiping out on slippery surfaces, and contain claws that measure in excess of 2 inches - perfect for hunting (and keeping) prey
• mating occurs on the ice in April or May, and the fertilized egg attaches at the end of late September
• polar bear moms-to-be excavate birthing dens in the snow banks in October and fast until they give birth to twins, between late November and early January
• blind upon birth, it takes polar bear cubs two months before they can venture out onto the ice
• babies nurse up to 20 months, and stay with month for 2.5 years
• there are 20,000 - 40,000 polar bears worldwide
• what do polar bears eat? typically, they wait patiently by breathing holes in the ice for ringed seals to pop up...so they can pounce on their 200 pound meal

To find out more about seeing them for yourself, check out the article in MercuryNews.com.

- The Travel Snob

(photos: Biology.McGill.ca)