Thursday 23 July 2020

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. 

Mt Thor is one of the great unexplored wildernesses, as only very few have conquered it.
Mt Thor is one of the great unexplored wildernesses, as only very few have conquered it.

Mt Thor is one of the great unexplored wildernesses, as only very few have conquered it.

Mt Thor is one of the great unexplored wildernesses, as only very few have conquered it.

Mt Thor is one of the great unexplored wildernesses, as only very few have conquered it.

Mt Thor is one of the great unexplored wildernesses, as only very few have conquered it.

Mt Thor is one of the great unexplored wildernesses, as only very few have conquered it.

Mt Thor is one of the great unexplored wildernesses, as only very few have conquered it.

Mt Thor is one of the great unexplored wildernesses, as only very few have conquered it.

Mt Thor is one of the great unexplored wildernesses, as only very few have conquered it.

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Monday 20 July 2020

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, MalĂ©. 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.

Wednesday 15 July 2020

Just Room Enough Islands – New York, USA

Just imagine in your dream, an island is with just enough room for a home, a beautiful greenish tree, and A pair of bench chairs for the owners to lounge in the absorbing sun. Your dream is perfectly matched with the Just Room Enough Island, located at the Canadian-US border on the St. Lawrence River between Heart Island and Imperial Isle, of Ontario. 

A breathtaking private-owned island is with literally just room enough for its owner’s domestic pleasure. This is the smallest inhabited island, which appears to be around 3,300 square feet. In order to be considered an island in the region, the acquired land must be bigger than one square foot. And it must remain above the water level all year-round and must uphold at least one tree. 

Therefore, Just Room Enough Island meets such criteria, but really it’s more house than an island. If Just Room Enough were a few inches smaller, then the area couldn’t be called an island officially. It seems that someone actually thought, that testing how much room the tiny island had was an unbelievable idea in hopes to get some peace and quiet. 

That’s exactly why, in the 1950s, a Sizeland family bought the vacation lodge and named it Just Room Enough Island. The Sizeland family built a house on the tiny speck of land placing the walls right up to the edges of the island, construct a house that was just big enough to fit and giving the island its idiosyncratic name.

At that time, Sizelands family didn’t expect that this tiny Just Room Enough Island would rapidly become a popular tourist attraction because of its peculiarity. The Island is part of the thousand Islands in the St. Lawrence River. However, it is the smallest of the 1,864 islands in the well-known archipelago shared by the cities of Ontario and New York. 

Previously The Bishop Rock, just off the Isles of Scilly, which Guinness Book of World Records once named the world's smallest inhabited island. The tiny Just Room Enough now takes that crown. Just Room Enough Island also called Hub Island, counts as a legitimate part of the Thousand Islands because it satisfies these state-given criteria:

1.       Above water level year-round

2.       Have an area greater than 1 square foot

3.       Support at least one living tree

Many tourists travel in search of a serene and quiet place, where there is no traffic noise, no annoying neighbors, and no disturbing noises at night, no hustle and bustle of city life. Hence, Island soon attracted hordes of holidaymakers and tourists who broke their placid solitude. The Just Enough Room Island belongs to Alexandria Bay, a village part of the town of Alexandria, Jefferson County, New York.

Just Room Enough Island, Hub Island,
Just Room Enough Island, Hub Island,

Just Room Enough Island, Hub Island,

Just Room Enough Island, Hub Island,

Just Room Enough Island, Hub Island,

Just Room Enough Island, Hub Island,

Just Room Enough Island, Hub Island,

Read More – The Tree of Life Kalaloch, Washington
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Monday 13 July 2020

Garden of Cosmic Speculation Scotland

A 12 hectare private Garden of Cosmic Speculation is a sculpture garden created by Charles Jencks at his home, Portrack House, in Dumfriesshire, Scotland. The renowned landscape architect and theorist Jencks’ work, is inspired by the modern cosmology of science and mathematics. He has also designed the distinguishing Landform at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art. The Garden of Cosmic Speculation celebrates nature, both intellectually and through the senses, including the sense of humor.

The Garden of Cosmic Speculation has black holes, Comets, Big Bang or twisting DNA helixes, and fractals. Normally gardens are having many trees and plants, but this garden is not abundant with plants. However, it sets mathematical formulae and scientific phenomena in a setting that elegantly combines natural features and artificial symmetry and curves. Indeed it is very exclusive among gardens, drawing comparisons with a similarly abstract garden in Scotland.

As the garden is private but generally opens for only five hours on one day each year through the Gardens program of Scotland. The Charles Jencks raises the money for the Cancer Care Charity center for 1,500 tickets sold each year. In 2014, the literature The Long Way Home uses The Garden of Cosmic Speculation as an important plot device in her tenth Inspector Gamache mystery. The Garden is no longer dialogue with the universe; however, it is a monologue about the universe. The Garden of Cosmic Speculation is a representation of an unconventional approach.

According to Wikipedia - In the book of Cameron Jace makes creative use of The Garden of Cosmic Speculation in his fictional novel titled Circus, which is the third installment of his Insanity series. Jace uses many true facts when referring to the 'public' knowledge of the garden, but changed the name of the designer to better fit into the story's plotline. The garden located near Dumfries in south-west Scotland, famous due to its unusual design. The Garden of Cosmic Speculation doesn't boast plant diversity, its symmetry and snail-like curves are surely appealing. In the Garden, there are artificial lakes, staircases, bridges, and terraces that reflect the story of universe creation.

When Jenck’s started the idea of making the garden, the larger issues of the cosmos were considered. However, with the passage of time, he thinks about nature to contemplate and speculate on the origins of the universe. The garden is the most compelling motive idea of the microcosm to celebrate the place in the universe. A water cascade of terrace shows the distortion of space and time caused by a black hole, a “Quark Walk” takes the sightseer on a trip to the smallest building blocks of matter, and a series of landforms and lakes recall fractal geometry.

Garden of Cosmic Speculation Scotland
Garden of Cosmic Speculation Scotland

Garden of Cosmic Speculation Scotland

Garden of Cosmic Speculation Scotland

Garden of Cosmic Speculation Scotland

Garden of Cosmic Speculation Scotland

Garden of Cosmic Speculation Scotland

Garden of Cosmic Speculation Scotland

Garden of Cosmic Speculation Scotland

Garden of Cosmic Speculation Scotland

Garden of Cosmic Speculation Scotland

Garden of Cosmic Speculation Scotland

Garden of Cosmic Speculation Scotland

Garden of Cosmic Speculation Scotland

Garden of Cosmic Speculation Scotland

Garden of Cosmic Speculation Scotland

Read More - The Tree of Life Kalaloch, Washington
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Saturday 11 July 2020

Tree Root Cave, Kalaloch, Washington

The power of nature stuns human beings. Nature shows a true example of how powerful nature is. On the north of Kalaloch, “Tree Root Cave” is an amazing marvel of nature. The feature in the tree of life is like no other has. People call it the “Tree of Life” with its stunning roots seemingly supplying the tree with life in spite of no soil. This seems an immortal nature, leaving humans speechless from a sight that has never been seen before that. Decades of erosion taken the soil supply, but never stopped the tree from thriving.

In the first look, there are several questions that come in mind, how has it not gone? Is this circle of life? How has another tree not taken over like it? Why nature is holding this tree without soil? Hence, with no one really knowing how it keeps ongoing. Therefore, it is famous as Tree of Life Kalaloch in Washington. The Tree of life WA is just 40 minutes from Manitou Lodge in Forks, WA. Moreover, underneath the tree is a cave-like hollow that some people call “the tree root cave”.

The magical tree standing without soil, and not fallen in the intense storms. Your brain will have no logical explanation for why it hasn’t toppled over yet. Surely, some magical nature power involved in the health of the tree. It doesn’t hurt by wind and rain and cemented without a soil anchor system. Many people believe the magical tree can withstand things that take down even the healthiest of trees, right?

The nature lover believes, it is a true example of a freak of nature that isn’t supposed to happen. The Tree of Life Washington goes against all the rules of science and biology. It shouldn't be standing. It shouldn't be alive. And yet, it is! At Kalaloch, it is long by the way... gorgeous coast, beautiful hikes, sunsets like nowhere else, cozy cabins, great food, friendly faces, etc. We could go on, but we're talking about a tree right now and it's a tree that must be seen in person, such as when you vacation at Kalaloch.

The “Tree of Life”, is a Sitka spruce, the largest kind of spruce, and one of Washington State’s most famous trees. This astonishing natural wonder has no official name. As a result, it has many names, the Kalaloch Tree, The Runaway Tree, Tree Root Cave (for the space beneath the tree), and The Tree of Life.

The Tree of Life is incredible – but it’s not the only reason to visit the Kalaloch area. “Kalaloch” is Quinault for “a good place to land” offers a variety of sandy beaches, trails, and scenic overlooks to discover and explore. Wildlife here includes sea otters, shorebirds, tide pools with crabs and sea urchins, clams, and even the occasional sight of whales and dolphins.

The lubin-king.com, written in 2005

“As we approached the tree a couple that was walking towards the bluff commented that they had been coming to this campground for 17 years and each year they had been expecting the tree to fall, but it hadn’t happened yet”
Tree Root Cave, Kalaloch, Washington
Tree Root Cave, Kalaloch, Washington

Tree Root Cave, Kalaloch, Washington

Tree Root Cave, Kalaloch, Washington


Also Read: The Alnwick Garden Poisonous Plants
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Thursday 9 July 2020

Le Passage du Gois, France

The Le Passage du Gois is a natural, periodically flooded passage that is leading to the beautiful island of Noirmoutier in France. The European country is famous for its beautiful beaches, mountains, architecture, and culture. Here in Passage du Gois has a fascinating road that is truly unique, hidden treasure, and a national monument of France.
The beauty of Le Passage du Gois is that when the path is flooded twice a day by high tide. It is located between ĂŽle de Noirmoutier and Beauvoir-sur-Mer, in the department of VendĂ©e. The track is 2.5 miles long. Every year, a foot race – the FoulĂ©es du Gois – is held across it, starting at the onset of the high tide. This beautiful road of France is only accessible during the low tide and only 1 ½ hour before the tide and 1 ½ hour afterward.

Tourist Spot

This stunning occurrence gathers thousands of visitors each year to see the “miracle”, while several in busy collecting clams and oysters. Due to flooded water, the road conditions deteriorate and paved many times. If you go there then you should be very careful in observing the disappearance of the road, as the water level reaches more than 15 feet. However, safety signboards are displayed on both sides of the passage. Whenever you go to France, then Le passage du Gois is a must-see lifetime experience. Indeed this causeway is so distinctive, that you cannot encounter it anywhere else in the world.

History of Le Passage du Gois

In the 9th century, Passage du Gois was first mentioned. However, in 1701, it appeared on the map. People faced a lot of difficulties in the 18th century and they went on foot over the sand-banks to the island of Noirmoutier. Eventually, an official road constructed in 1832. Its importance was converted secondary when a bridge was build between the mainland and Noirmoutier in 1971.

Tour de France

According to Wikipedia France famous tour, de France bicycle race was held during stage 2 in Passage du Gois. Therefore, the bicycles face a lot of difficulties in cop the slippery surface. A fall took place and the crash created a 6 minute split in the peloton which finished the hopes of several bicycles to win the race like Alex Zulle. Who would eventually finish second overall, seven minutes after Lance Armstrong? After 12 years, the Passage du Gois was again used as the starting point of the first stage.
Le Passage du Gois, France

Le Passage du Gois, France

Le Passage du Gois, France

Le Passage du Gois, France

Le Passage du Gois, France

Le Passage du Gois, France

Le Passage du Gois, France

Le Passage du Gois, France

Le Passage du Gois, France

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