Shag Rocks – South Georgia

The Shag Rocks are six small islands in the westernmost extreme of South Georgia, 240 km west of the main island of South Georgia, and 1,000 km off the Falkland Islands. The Shag Rocks cover a total area of fewer than 49 acres. Situated on the South Georgia Ridge, they have a peak elevation above sea level 246 ft and stand in water approximately 1,047 ft deep. 

The average temperatures fall between −1.2 °C to 10 °C and rarely climbing above 15 °C. There is no considerable vegetation, but most of the rocks are covered by the guano of seabirds. The major wildlife found on the islands is the South Georgia shags, prions, and wandering albatrosses.

Shag Rocks has been the site of several shipwrecks. The history tells us, that in 1762, Shag Rocks (Islas Aurora) discovered by Jose de la Llana with the Spanish Ship Aurora. The famous Aurora Islands are being named after to this ship. Moreover, they were visited frequently with the Spanish ship San Miguel in 1769, again by the Aurora in 1774, and in 1779 by the Princesa and the Dolores. The Auroras were finally mapped by the Spanish corvette Atrevida in 1794.

Though, the Aurora Islands are considered by many legends to have been a mistaken sighting that was coincidentally near the Shag Rocks, which were recognized to sealers prior to 1823. Later on, they were later rediscovered by James P. Sheffield and given their present name, most likely because shags and other seabirds frequent them.

They were charted by Discovery Investigations staff on the William Scoresby in 1927. The first known landing on the islands was made by Argentine geologist Mario Giovinetto was lowered from a helicopter to collect rock samples in 1956. The Shag Rocks form part of the British overseas territory of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. Prior to 1985, they came within the Falkland Islands Dependencies. However, the Shag Rocks and Black Rock are laying claims by Argentina.

Black Rock and Shag Rocks are on the route from the Falkland Islands to South Georgia Island, on a seamount of Scotia Ridge. In 1985, United Kingdom formed its overseas territory of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, which includes Shag Rocks and Black Rock. Thus, it is now assumed accountability for preservation and defense of the area.

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Valley of Fire State Park Nevada

Valley of Fire is a popular public recreation and nature preservation area covering more than 46,000 acres located 16 miles south of Overton, Nevada, and 80 kilometers northeast of Las Vegas. Valley of Fire is a breathtaking place in Nevada, and it is one of the largest and oldest state parks in the USA. Valley of Fire consists of lively red-orange Aztec sandstone rock formation. Almost, 19,000 ha land established by the state in 1935 and is illuminated by the desert sun.

It is believed, that when the inland sea receded during the Jurassic period, the rock formations were formed. However, some evidence found that the Ancestral Puebloan tribe was living in that area almost 10,000 years ago. Therefore, different communities have thrived here. One of the communities was Basketmaker culture followed by Anasazi people.

Even at Atlatl Rock and Mouse’s Tank, you can see genius rock carvings and petroglyphs. Hence, with the passage of time, Mormons thrived in the area in 1865. After that Paiute families came here to settle down, which eventually giving more opportunities to white settlers and minorities were invaded the area. Therefore, the native communities were pushed out to nearby reservations. In 1931, almost 8,760 acres of land gifted by the federal government. The Civilian Conservation Corps took many initiatives to construct roads and camping facilities for public use.  

In 1968, it was designated as a National Natural Landmark. Valley of fire is a fantastic geological location with beautiful sandstone rock formations due to the shifting of sand dunes from 150 million years ago. Valley of Fire has many famous tourist spots. One of the most popular areas in the park is natural Arch Rock, formed by thousands of years of rain and wind. Elephant rock is another popular sport in the valley, that is resembling elephant-like shape.

Another famous spot is Seven Sisters, which is a beautiful formation of seven windblown red boulders. The Beehives are distinguished for the exceptional geological patterns that give them their name. Furthermore, all red sandstone rock formations are masses of limestones conglomerates and shales in the park. Moreover, the bright red Aztec sandstone cabins are another interesting attraction in the park. Civilian Conservation Corps built these beautiful cabins for travelers, passing through on the road connecting Salt Lake City to Los Angeles. Thus, these red cabins are no longer in use as accommodations and used as a picnic area now, but indeed are pretty to visit.

There are a number of places to sleep, numerous campsites equipped with shaded tables in the park facilitate with water, grills, restrooms, and even wi-fi available. These accommodations can lodge everything from a single tent to a big RV. Whereas the imposing geological features are the most distinguished things in the park. The valley of the fire has diverse flora and fauna varieties in a desert environment. Also, different animals’ species are nocturnal in the park.

The valley of fire offers different opportunities to see jackrabbits, foxes, coyotes, and bighorn sheep, along with different varieties of migratory and resident birds. Several types of snakes and lizards also roaming in desert plants. Visitors can see many petrified trees and deserts plant throughout the park, including creosote bush, burro bush, brittlebush, and different varieties of cactus including beaver tail and cholla, are also common.

In the spring, season, the wildflowers bloom in a great number and shape the desert-like heaven on earth. The bloom of such plants as the desert marigold, indigo bush, and desert mallow are remarkable along park roads. Valley of Fire is a popular location for shooting automobile commercials and other commercial photography.

Different intriguing hiking networks and trails available to take in all the main sights in the valley of fire and explore everything it has to offer. Moreover, the visitor center offers exhibits on the geology, prehistory, ecology, and history of the valley of the fire and nearby region. The climate condition of Valley of Fire State Park is dry and warm like the Mojave Desert in which it lies. However, winters are mild with daytime temperatures ranging from 54 °F.

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Astola Island, Pasni Pakistan

In the Arabian Sea, approximately 25 km off the coast of Balochistan, a large hidden uninhabited island lies, which is just 7 km long and 2.5 km wide. That is famous as Astola Island (Island of the Seven Hills) with sheer white cliffs surrounded by warm turquoise water. A beautiful slender white beach runs around the periphery of Astola Island. The cliffs shrink inland to make secluded cloves almost like in the Mediterranean.

It is also known as Jezira Haft Talar, which has long been Pakistan’s hidden gem. Astola Island is a mainly untouched site that has all the hallmarks of a tourist getaway. Many thanks to its remote location, the superb beauty has remained unblemished. In 325BC Alexander the Great has sent Arrian people to explore the Arabian Sea and Gulf Sea. However, the Sailors Fleet were frightened at the weird tales about a barren island. The Arrian called it Nosala, and also named it as Carmina, Karmine.

If someone wants to go to Astola Island, then he has to 7 hours of travel from Karachi to Pasni, almost 40 kilometers from Astola Island. Pasni is a seaport in the Arabian Sea, from here, the ultimate destination is 5 hours by boat. Astola the Pakistan largest offshore Island has no facilities only an old lighthouse and a small masjid.

Travelers who visit the secret place of Pakistan, usually camp at the beach and go snorkeling or deep-sea diving and enjoy it chasms and crevices, that is several feet wide. There are several natural caves and coves on the Astola island. The south side slopes off progressively whereas the north face is cliff-like with a sharp vertical drop.

Fisherman catching lobsters, crabs, and oysters between May and September. The best time to visit Astola Island in May and September when a gentle breeze blows throughout the day and the color of the water and pattern of the beach keeps changing with the tide. The water is so clear that one can see the seabed to a depth of about 20 feet. From Mid-June to Mid-August, the moon soon starts, which becomes Island is inaccessible by boat as the sea becomes too rough.

This is mostly a barren island due to the unavailability of freshwater, hence, you will not see too many trees there except a few bushes and scrubs. There is no vegetation on the Island. Nevertheless, plenty of marine life such as corals, dolphins, whales, and diverse fish species. The majestic sandy beaches offering nesting grounds for different bird species such as gulls, godwit, curlews, coursers, plovers, sanderling, endangered green sea turtle and the hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbracata). Therefore, the saw-scaled viper (Echis carinatus astolae) is endemic to the Astola island.

Unfortunately, legal and illegal fishing activities has made big damage to the island’s ecology. The fishermen dump waste and wrecked nets on the coast that gets tangled in the corals and damage them. The sooty gull (Larus hemprichii) once had a main breeding colony on the Astola island, has been getting rid of because of rats introduced from a decade. However, the wild cats left the island to dig out turtle nests and eat the eggs and hatchlings. Furthermore, some ancient ruins of Hindu temple located on the Island known to the Hindus as Satadip.

In 2017, Pakistan declared Astola Island first-ever Marine Protected Area. However, this Asian country is yet to draw up a proper plan on how to handle pollution problems. Therefore, this declaration put some positive aspects, but the ignorance of management raises questions about the protection of the island and the associated biodiversity that is facing multiple issues. In 1982, the Pakistan Government installed a lighthouse on the island for the safety of passing vessels, eventually, it was replaced by a solar-powered in 1987.

The WWF for Nature in Pakistan argued that the development of a management plan for the Astola Island would take time. Pakistan needs to take some time into consideration the socio-economic aspects of local fishers and issues related to livelihood needs. Astola Island needs good practices to be promoted and bad practices should be discouraged. They believe that it is possible to protect the island’s ecology and biodiversity and at the same time promote ecotourism on the island.

Read More – The Tree of Life Kalaloch, Washington

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Mount Thor, Canada

Mount Thor is a mountain with an elevation of 5,495 ft located in Auyuittuq National Park, on Baffin Island, Nunavut, Canada. Mt Thor is located 46 kilometers northeast of Pangnirtung. Mount Thor consists of granite and features Earth's greatest vertical drop of 4,101 ft, with the cliff overhanging at an average angle of 15 degrees from vertical. Regardless of its consistency of remoteness, the mountain is a popular rock climbing site. Mt Thor is one of the great unexplored wildernesses, as only very few have conquered it.

Every year, climbers turn their head to this great vertical drop. They do the camping there through designated campsites located throughout the length of Akshayuk Pass. Climbers looking to scale Mt Thor, hence an established campsite just a few kilometers north of its base, complete with windbreaks and emergency shelters.

The mountain was named for Thor, the Norse thunder. Mt Thor is part of the Baffin Mountains which in turn form part of the Arctic Cordillera mountain range. It is also known as the land that never melts. Auyittuq is full of dramatic fjords and majestic peaks like Mount Asgard and Mount Thor.

Mt Thor, west side is the longest vertical drop on Earth, is about 4,101 feet straight down. Therefore, the slope is steeper than vertical, since the face is actually a 105-degree overhang. This mountain is not for a picnic place, it is no serious joke when it comes to climbing attempt. The climbing attempt took place for more than a month. Near the Mt Thor, multiple other activities are available, like paragliding, and parachuting of Thor’s tremendous height. The best time to climb Mt Thor is in August.

First Ascent

In 1965, Lyman Spitzer and Donald Morton made the first ascent of Mt Thor during an expedition led by Pat Baird. However from the Wes side the first ascent made by John Bagley, Earl Redfern, Eric Brand, and Tom Bepler in 1985. The climbing team faced uncontrollably dangers from falling rocks to declining supplies. Although they brought over half a ton of food, gear, and fuel up the cliff with them. The dangerous ascent took them 33 days! In 1998 the first solo ascent to Mount Thor made by Jason Smith.  

The Tallest Near-Vertical Drop on Earth

If you’ve conquered the Mount Thor, then you are looking for new challenges. Hence, you have to head to Gilgit-Baltistan in northern Pakistan. The Great Trango Tower (20,623) is the world’s tallest near-vertical cliff 300 feet taller. In 1984 the first expedition to scale Trango Towers east faces a cartographic incident when he died on the descent. 

The Trango Towers widely considered being the world’s hardest big-wall climb. Every year many expeditions take place from all over the world to visit The Karakoram located north of Baltoro Glacier. All of the routes are highly technical climbs. Overall, the Trango Towers is the combination of altitude, the total height of the routes, and the steepness of the rock is the most challenging rock climbing. 

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Vaadhoo Island Maldives Sea of Stars

You might have been seen the jaw-dropping images of the surreal beach in Vaadhoo Island, in the Maldives. Vaadhoo Island is 140 kilometers north of the country's capital, Malé. The glowing blue waves caused a natural phenomenon which has been called the “Sea of Stars”. It’s absolutely a fantasy-like experience but before you search out of a particular beach in Vaadhoo to see the “Sea of Stars”. Vaadhoo is one of the inhabited islands of Raa Atoll, Maldives.  Thus it is better to know more about the stunning little creatures that cause this incredible glowing effect and mesmerizing waters of Vaadhoo.

According to when on earth such occurrence is caused by a natural chemical reaction recognized as bioluminescence, which occurs when a microorganism in the water is disturbed by oxygen. These microorganisms of marine microbes are called phytoplankton and many different species that create bioluminescence seen in diverse parts of the world. One of the most common phytoplankton that causes marine bioluminescence is recognized as dinoflagellates, that float, movement in the surrounding water sends electrical impulses around a proton-filled compartment inside them.

The electrical pulses open the voltage-sensitive proton ion channels into scintillons (the flashing unit inside dinoflagellates). Proteins that flow into the scintillation, while the pH in the cytoplasm changes, creates a series of chemical reactions that activate a protein called luciferase, which is together with luciferin are collective in scintillons and when oxygen unite them, the stunning neon blue light is created.

Although dinoflagellates have this blue glow, it doesn’t mean that they’re friendly at all. Some dinoflagellates create toxins harmful to fish, humans, and other creatures. The blue light is supposed to be some sort of defense for these marine organisms. Also, the predators that eat the glowing dinoflagellates may be a magnet for bigger predators because the phytoplankton can still glow even when inside another creature.

Dinoflagellates aren’t the only ones that produce bioluminescence. Other marine animals like krill, deep-sea squids, and anglerfish also have their own ways and reasons for producing their own lights. The Sea of Stars is one of the incredible sites where you can see this occurrence but it can happen anywhere. Within the Maldives, you can also visit the islands of Mudhdhoo and Rangali for this stunning event. The sea of stars Maldives is believed to glitter and glows in such a manner that it reflects the stars beneath which the waves lap and the light emitted in the sea is almost mesmerizing.

Is there anywhere else in the world quite like it? Californian coast of Leucadia, had bursts of light coming from the rolling waves during red tide. Bioluminescence also occurs on the shores of Lakshadweep Islands, in India, and Mosquito Bay in Vieques, Puerto Rico. The marine experience can be best seen during moonless nights. Scuba divers can wave their arms or run their fingers on the sand while under the sea to cause a reaction on the glowing planktons.

The total population of Vaadhoo Island in the Maldives is more than 600. Vaadhoo Island, Maldives is also a hotspot for snorkeling and diving, with corals and various forms of marine life to discover. Therefore, whenever you visit the Maldives, then a sea of stars be sure to venture to the shores for a midnight stroll and look upon the glowing sea that will not only be an embossed in your brain forever but will also give you some incredible images for your social media platforms.

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