4. South African landscape.

As we fly into Capetown, South Africa, over Robbins Island, where Nelson Mandela was held captive for forty years, you make contact with two major landscapes, Table Mountain , and to your right, the Cape of Good Hope jutting out into the South Atlantic. This is where the Dutch West Indies Trading Company set up their trading post in the early 1600's.







At the tip of the Cape of Good Hope, is Cape Point. On the left is the Indian Ocean, and on the right, the southern Atlantic Ocean.













Flying from Capetown to Johannesburg, or Jo'burg as they call it, we visited streets such as this with blooming Jacaranda trees. Quite a beautiful sight. You will notice that I have an attraction to trees.









On our way to Kruger National Park, we crossed from the "low veldt" to the "high veldt" pictured here. This is not in the mountains, but is more analogous to the "high plains" of the US.
















We finally reached the Kruger Park, and spent he first night at the Malelane Lodge, just outside the entrance, and this interesting Baobab tree.















Inside the Park, on one of our daily excursions, we came across this candleabra tree. It was a change of scenery from the many acacia trees with their sharp thorns.









While you are in the Park, you must stay in enclosed camps from about 6 o'clock in the evening until about 5 o'clock in the morning. The gates are locked, so that it is impossible to leave. This is a view taken at dusk near Oliphants, one of these camps. At night you hear hyenas running around the fence and hippos feeding down by the river.






Another interesting tree found in the park is the Umbrella tree. These are often the refuge for many animals that gather beneath their branches during the heat of the day.









Leaving Kruger Park, and heading south through Zululand, we came into the Drachenburg mountains. Spectacular landscapes greeted us, such as this showing the mountains and a high lake.









Moving inland from Durban and on our way to Rhodes University, we passed by this "hogsback" near King William Town.











Heading back to the Indian Ocean, we traveled along the coast to the southern-most part of South Africa, Cape Agulas. This remote area in South Africa is at the very end of a large peninsula that is the "wheat belt" of the country, where much of the country's produce is grown.

3. South Afican wildlife.

Soth Africa..... ever since I was a young boy I have wanted to go to Africa and see the big game animals. In 1993 I had my chance, and spent a month travelling with a South African friend over two thirds of the country. We visited Kruger National Park, Hluhlue Game Reserve and the Mkuzi Gane Reserve. Among the many species, we saw

Zebra.... what are you looking at?









Waterbuck, with their characteristic "target" on their rear.













Large tortoise, slowly moving their hundred pound bulk over the rough path.












In Hluhlue, famous for its rhinocerous, two of which can be seen in this open field. They have very poor eyesight, so one can approach them from downwind, and get quite close. But be careful, they have a strong sense of smell and can run fast!









One of the top predators, a lioness greeted us as we entered Kruger Park.










Impala, a realtively common but beautiful antelope. Often seen at water holes.













Hippopotamous, one of the most dangerous animals in Africa. These were found on the Lower Sabie River. And elephant, so much bigger than you think when seen in the wild. We were driving a VW microbus, and these elephant would tower over us. We were told that when they became angry, a large bull could approach a vehicle and thrust its tusks through the side of the car and throw the vehicle over its shoulder. My advice, keep a safe distance and be ready to move ....quickly.




Giraffe, probably my favorite animal. You would see them from a distance with their heads above the trees, nibbling on the new leaves. The darker the spots, the older the animal.











Cape Buffalo, another one to keep at a safe distance. They tend to cahrge at the slightest provocation, and are unbelievably strong.
If you get the opportunity to visit Africa, do it! It is something you will never regret.

2. Beneath the water of Yellowstone Lake

Between 1983 and 2003 we investigated hydrothermal systems in Yellowstone Lake, Yellowstone National Park. Using SCUBA and remotely operated vehicles (ROV's), we explores the depths of Yellowstone Lake. We discovered active geysers, hot springs and fumeroles; interesting sponges, and sulfide seeps; all of which added to the productivity of the lake. We isolated and decsribed unique microorganisms that wer capable of living at very high temperatures, and which might produce enzymes that could be biologically and economically important. Specifically we found hydrothermal systems that were analogous to the those found in the open ocean, although not as biologically complex. The following pictures illustrate some of these findings. They show the ROV's used, relic hydrothermal structures and chimneys, hot springs in deep waters off Stevenson Island, sulfide seeps, temperature probes,and other features of Yellowstone Lake.

1. A visit to Yellowstone National Park

The first time one visits Yellowstone National Park, the sheer size of the park is such that your senses are soon overwhelmed. You see majestic snow-covered mountains,valley plains dotted with bison, streams and lakes filled with cutthroat trout, and of course, the hotsprings and geyser basins.





The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone














If you are lucky, you might see bighorn sheep, black and grizzly bear, wolves, elk, and moose. Eagles, pelicans and sandhill cranes are among the many birds that you might see. The following photographs are simply examples of what is possible.

A look at the natural world

In our busy lives we tend to overlook the natural beauty that surrounds us every day. I intend to use this opportunity to talk about, and illustrate with pictures, just how beautiful this planet of ours is.

I will do this using my background as a microbiologist, naturalist, and oceanographer. I hope you enjoy it.

Whether it be tropical water fowl, close-up of an Indiana geode , or a wildflower, there is natural beauty all around us.