Well Hello folks.

It's been one hell of a summer! (If you'll pardon the yankee jargon.)

I think I mentioned the Florida fun.

A big thanks to Lee for the wonderful new Mahi mahi sticker that now rides
on the back of my Ute shell. I did pick up the mail....

Bahamas was a deal of a trip and I recommend that approach if you'd care to
try it.

Now let me talk about Alaska.....

I once heard a non-us resident state that it is hard to justify the expense
of a trip to North America because the diving on that level can be found
elsewhere. I agree that that is a real consideration. But, I now have to say
that what one can experience in Alaska, can not be done anywhere else that I
know of.

I regret that it took 40 years of my life to begin to scratch the surface of
that ecology. It was amazing. Of course you've seen humpbacks in the wild
and you've probably seen Orcas. You might have paddled your kayak under bald
eagles as they take to wing. You might have even watched a number of the
wildlife they have there in one way or another.

Yes, there are pieces of this puzzle available in many places...
Then there are calving glaciers that thunder their songs to all within
miles. There are also other critters and experiences I can't even start to
cover in one email.

The mother black bear and her two cubs seemed not to mind too much as I
stood there for a photograph. I did not get attacked.

Coolest moment-- I was wading in a stream filled with huge salmon racing to
their spawning grounds. Where I thought there'd be 10 fish, there were a
100.
I met up with a local boy who was unaccustomed to seeing adults in the
river. He took me on as a project and taught me the essentials of life as a
boy in the wilderness.
-Which berries to each, and those to avoid.
-Which row was good. Where in the water stream to walk, and the like.
The high point of the afternoon was catching a 40# fish with my bare hands.
It was hard to keep a hold of it - I must say.

"If you never go, you'll never know." Alaska is our Northern Territory.
Don't miss it.

On Hawaii.
We didn't need to dive as much this time. Both Vicky and I have 400 dives in
the last 7 years. Our need to blow bubbles has decreased a bit. Maybe...
We did have a nice trip to Molokini, and an OK trip to south Lanai. Those
were the costly tourist trips. Our highlight was on a $2 fill in a borrowed
tank. We dove a big tourist spot and got 5 spotted eagle rays that "wouldn't
leave us alone," and the dolphins swam by at the end. Boy!

We also took a side trip to Molokai. What a cool island. Very Fiji. Give it
a try if you like the old school island thing.

Well, Over and out for now - we have to go on a w**k retreat now. Yes, we
have to go back to w**k.

take care all,
John