text:
Harvesting Cholla Buds
For many generations of native people, spring in the Sonoran Desert meant it was time to harvest cholla buds. Now, there is new interest in the prickly plants as a sustainable local food source.
For many generations of native people, spring in the Sonoran Desert meant it was time to harvest cholla buds. Now, there is new interest in the prickly plants as a sustainable local food source.
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06/08/2008, South Pacific
It has been a tough day but we are well on our way to the Marquisas. We were in no rush this morning and everyone maximized sleep before our departure. I checked in to the Pan Pacific Net at 14:00 UTC (8AM Galapagos time). There are a number of boats in route that we will be traveling close to which is always fun. Boats near by give you a better overall perspective of the weather and make for good conversation if not a little bit of competition.
It took us until noon to get everything ready to go. We did a thorough rig check, made sure our remaining prop looked like it was going to stay with the boat and other such tasks not on the normal day sail check list. As we were going over things the generator (charging the batteries prior to departure) began to overheat, again. Maybe another impeller, not sure. I'll be looking it over on the first smooth day, if there is one.
We finally got out of the anchorage at about 12:30. We followed the marks back out into deep water under starboard power and then set sail. The swell is fairly large and not as long as we'd like with a bit of wind chop but it is reasonable. You certainly know you're on a sail boat. We have had a great run though with the moderate trades blowing 12-20. The wind is from just east of south and that works out to 60 to 70 degrees apparent for us. Doesn't get much better. We have averaged over 10 knots the whole way and had stints over 11.
Nobu took over for the first night shift at 18:00 local time. We tucked a reef in the main for night time safety and Swingin' on a Star is still doing 9.5 knots. Hideko is up at 22:00 and I take over again at 02:00.
It has been a good first day but everyone is still adjusting to the constant motion. Poor Roq is having the hardest time I think. Oh well, if we keep this up we'll be in port in 12 days, not likely. Our sister ship posted 17 which I thought impressive. We have a pool going and Nobu has 18 days, Hideko 19 and I have 17.
Nobu says: "I'm feeling pretty good"
Hideko says: "First day has been tough for Roq and I"
2,851 nm to go...
06/07/2008, Isabela
It was our last day in Isabela and we had no real plan other than getting our ships documents and passports back. It was a lazy morning and we all slept in. I did manage to get up at 8AM to listen in on the PanPacific Net.
Nothing exiting on the net. Trades are blowing, one boat has 10 knots from the southeast, one boat has 15, and another 20. Everyone has 1 to 2 meter swell from the southwest. This is pretty much what you seem to get in June from the Galapagos to the Marquisas. We heard friends on Tuppenny and La Danseuse (who left this anchorage yesterday) check in and everyone seems to be having a great passage.
After the net we all headed in for breakfast and another session with the Capitania. It is a new moon and low tide at 9AM is very low. We took a long sweep around the bay which is our favorite route anyway because it goes by the penguins. There's nothing like penguins to brighten your morning on an overcast day.
We tied shooting star up at the base of the floating platform by the gazebo on the inside of the marina and began hiking into town. On the way in we ran across the sergeant. I told him we wanted to pay and head out and he said he'd meet us at the Capitania in a bit.
We continued on our way to the Hotel Abermarle where we meet the British owner, his lovely Ecuadorian wife and their 10 day old baby! There were just back from Quito with the little one. Marco the chef and ad hoc hotel manager was getting a day off though so we would have to find comida elsewhere. The owner recommended a place around the corner called La Choza.
La Choza is a typical Galapagos eatery. The only person in the place when we arrived was the owner. She was very friendly and set us a table. They didn't have a breakfast menu but she made us perfect eggs over easy (believe it or not this is hard to come by), nice fresh bread with margarine and jam, juice and coffee. The coffee was instant and mixed with hot milk to your taste at the table. Not something you would probably choose in connoisseur mode but when in need in the AM passable. The juice, like all juices we have found in Ecuador, was fresh squeezed and wonderful. La Choza has a neat vibe with an old wooden bar and tree stump seats, tables settled in lava rock and an open air style canvas roof above.
After a lovely and relaxed breakfast we crossed the street to the Capitania. Fortunately our friend Michelle was there as well trying to clear out. I think they paid maybe $130 total but they speak Spanish. So far they haven't paid Johnny Romero but I have a feeling they may have to. We got hit for a total of $300 to the Capitania ($23 more than in San Cristobal) and $50 for Johnny Romero, though Johnny went for $100 at first. So San Cristobal cost us almost $500 (largely due to the $150 agent fee to Carmella, Johnny's sister, and the small additional fees for immigration) and Isabela cost us $350. $850 is a lot to pay to visit two anchorages.
Given it to do over I think I would probably repeat, the Galapagos are a pretty amazing experience. If I had to choose one island I would definitely choose Isabela. Isabela is huge, quiet, completely safe, and full of very natural wildlife. The creatures in Isabela can be witnessed in a very pristine setting compared to the much more inhabited island of San Cristobal. Today for instance, as the sun set, we watched a huge squadron of perhaps 50 Boobies dive bombing a school of fish in the bay. Over and over they plunged one after another at amazing speeds right into the bay. Isabela has active volcanoes and higher peaks to explore than anywhere else in the Galapagos. The beach just west of town is spectacular and wonderful to walk on at sunset, the list goes on.
After wrapping up with the Capitania we caught a cab to the Galapaguera. The Galapaguera turtle hatchery on Isabela has many more turtles than the facility on San Cristobal and hosts several varieties of the giant tortoises. The facility sits at the end of a wonderful path that leads from town back trough the brackish swaps that support many Galapagos birds including Flamingos. After thoroughly enjoying the turtles we hiked back into town still enchanted by the lagoons and birds on our third trip through.
We looked around in some stores as we made our way to the marina but didn't find much of anything except three cold Coca Colas. The stores here have only the most basic of necessities. Small light bulbs and specialized batteries were out of the question. We did however find the Iguanamen CD we were looking for. They were being sold out of a small hotel on the beach that I think on of the Iguanamen owns. We first heard the Iguanamen at the little bar on the quay off of the center of town. Smooth Galapagos acoustic blues. Good stuff.
Back at the big boat we put on the Iguanamen as a light rain, Garua in local speak, began to fall. Andres came by in the Pulpo Tours boat to say high. We talked about our travels and looked over charts of the South Pacific together. Andres is a very nice young man and would be a good choice for a guide while in Isabela. After Andre left Nobu and I scrubbed up the outside of the boat while Hideko set about cooking various tasty smelling things.
One of the things Hideko made was a loaf of Banana break for Mary's birthday. Mary and Michelle were going to have to stay until at least Monday when the local doctor would either sign off on little Adrian's cough or they would have to start considering a flight to the mainland. The three of them came over to our boat for a celebration and we all drank champagne and wished Mary a happy birthday.
It was a wonderful day but as we shut down for the night we were all excited about setting off for French Polynesia.
06/06/2008, Isabela
Our fifth day on the island would not be complete without a trip to the Capitania. They have been on our boat or asking us to come to the office everyday since we got here. We have also had to print them pictures of our broken hub for some reason. To repeat my note from a previous blog, I am certain that everything would be less hassle and much cheaper if we spoke Spanish.
We have learned all of the dinghy routes around the bay now. Our first day here some nice guys on a tour boat gave us a ride in to the stone pier from the anchorage on their way to pick up clients. This is a hairy run. Waves break all around the area here even without a big swell. To get in you have to head north toward the fairly dangerous rocks where waves are breaking just off shore. Before you run into them you cut to port to head north toward the west end of the beach. This takes you close in behind the waves breaking to port of the nasty reef that you are now inside. You go through the pipe with the waves breaking to port on the reef, big chop under you and waves breaking on the beach to starboard. A small wall of the stone pier creates a niche of sheltered water with some stone steps inset. You time it to avoid any break on the corner of the pier and shoot into the niche. Once in there is really so good place to tie up. There is a big hunk of rope hanging down from the corner of the pier and a couple of stubby branches on a platform on the beach side you could try to go bow and stern with. Tying up to the rope leaves your dink likely to swing into the break at the corner of the pier. Tying up to the small wood posts leaves your dink to scrape against the stone wall of the platform and at low tide possible the turbulent bottom.
So of course I took this route this morning. It is pretty gnarly. I would not recommend it on anything but the calmest day (it was fairly calm today). I tied up bow and stern and took the short walk to the end of the pier to visit the Capitania, a blue roofed building right on the beach. The return is a little more tricky. You have move your dingy around to the rope side where it is a little more calm near the steps first. Then you have to stand on top of the wall for a bit to get the timing and location of all of the breaks. Next you run down to the dinghy start the motor (while tied to or holding on to the wall's rope), then when your timing predicts an opening to shoot out (you can't see around the wall), you blast into the surf and power back through the pipe toward the cut in the reef. The reef can break even across the opening so you have to time this as well on some days.
The run to the marina from the anchorage is much safer but still tricky. You basically connect the dots from your boat to the next closest boat in the bay moving counter clockwise in a large 200 degree arc. After leaving your boat the next target is a fishing boat anchored in the south end of the bay. This is right next to the small mooring buoys where the penguins hang out. Next you make your way around to the floating dock and the next fishing boat. This circuitous route takes you clear of the large shoal in the middle of the bay. At high tide you can cut right across but at low tide it breaks. At low tide the last stretch approaching the marina is pretty shallow but no problem for a dinghy. You need to go all the way over to the last fishing boat in the bay and then make for the outer most boat moored in the marina area. This of course could all change so keep a good eye out and travel in good light your first couple times.
We moved the boat up deeper into the anchorage today. Right near the yellow mark is fine but a little more rolly than deeper in. If you anchor up tight to the rocky islands you will have very smooth water in most conditions.
We spent the day finalizing our departure plans and watching all of the little baby marine iguanas laying on the beach.
06/05/2008, Isabela
Our forth day in Isabela was designated tour day. We had met a friendly English/Japanese couple on the trails over the past few days. I suppose you're pretty likely to see the same few folks on this island given the population and scarcity of tourists. They were traveling the Galapagos with a great guide who spoke pretty good English. He recommended another guide on the island to us.
Unfortunately we missed our 8AM meeting while sorting out a diesel top up with Fabricio. Fabrico does Taxi work, tours and will also bring you diesel. He is a great guy and highly recommended but he doesn't speak much English.
In town we asked Marco, chef at the Albermarle Hotel if he had any English speaking guide ideas for us. To visit most of the park areas out of town you are required to have a guide by the national park. Marco directed us to Andres, a friendly young man with functional English skills. We spent the better part of the day with Andreas.
Sierra Negra is 1,000 meters high and must be amazing on a clear day. The hike is great with some pretty steep bits to get to the caldera's rim. You can hike all the way around the rim if you want to spend the day. It is the second largest volcano on earth. You can also some up on horseback which would be fun.
Sierra Negra was awash in clouds today. It was still a wonderful sight. It would clear from time to time letting you see how vast the crater is. The vegetation climbing the volcano and throughout the park at the top is also wonderful. You can easily see the arid lowland, transition and highlands zones peel away as you ascend.
After our visit to Sierra Negra we explored some lava formed caves on a lower area of the park and then went in search of provisions. Andres took us to a farm in the fertile hills leading up to Sierra Negra. It was a great experience. The farmer walked us through the hill side where here and there we would find scattered plots of this and that. Four or five rows of tomatoes over here, an odd pineapple bush over there, through some trees and across a culvert to some watermelons, around some bushes and up the hill to the orange tree, native bush, trees and bracken all around. Hideko has pretty much managed our ship's stores single handedly and she was in heaven. She was particularly happy to see green tomatoes. They originally told us they had no tomatoes yet and couldn't understand why we would actually want green ones. At the end of you collecting hike you present the farmer with your sack, he carefully eyes it, weighs a few things and then blurts out $11. The deal of the century on the freshest produce you could possibly ever acquire.
Back in town we had a lovely dinner at the Albermarle hotel with the BBC Galapagos series playing in the background and the sea rolling in on the white sand beach outside. It was perfect. Unfortunately we overstayed our tide window.
We got back to the dock at 9PM, the lowest low on a new moon. Shooting star was sitting eerily still in the darkness of the marina. A quick check from the flashlight told us that we had two or three feet and the same number of hours before there was any prayer of floating out of here. Unlike Little Star, Shooting Star was not a dinghy you could man handle over the sand and lava rock to the water.
We curled up on the wooden benches in the gazebo just above the barely floating landing and waited. We are on the equator in June. Most would assume a temperature in the 80s or 90s. It is actually lovely here this time of year. The cool southeast wind comes in with the cold Humbolt current and the frequent overcast all conspire to keep conditions very moderate. As night though it can even get cold. It was. At least for cruisers wearing shorts, tee shirts and flip flops.
At about midnight I climbed down into the marina, still very dry in parts, and slide Shooting Star gently into the water. We all sleepily piled in and had a quiet ride back to Swingin' on a Star.
06/04/2008, Isabela
We had a lazy day on the boat today. I spent much of the day under the boat removing the hub of the missing prop. The hub was still very securely bolted on and hard to remove with SCUBA. The breaker bar gave me plenty of purchase but I had no way to hold the hub still, or myself, while cranking. Eventually persistence prevailed and I got all of the pieces off and into the cockpit.
We spent many BGAN dollars making satellite calls to the Saint Francis factory in South Africa and Bruntons, the prop manufacturers, in England. I must admit that while I am fairly unhappy that the prop has gone missing, Duncan at Saint Francis and Adrian at Bruntons both were fantastic and we had a new prop in the air within 24 hours. No idea what caused the issue at this point but speculations are that something fouled the prop and forced the prop loose from the adapter hub. I have much interest in discovering how the adapter hub is attached to the prop (I though it was one secure piece previously).
Crazy plans began to develop as we considered how to get our new prop. After all we were in a two boat anchorage in Isabela, Galapagos, Ecuador. Ecuador is bad enough, the Galapagos adds insult to injury, and to try to ship to Isabela, well... Isabela does have an airstrip. That said it is host to no more than prop planes that fly to the Santa Cruz airport on irregular schedule with few exceptions.
Just as I was pondering the all of this I received an email from Margaret, a sailing buddy of ours who joined us in Cartagena for the San Blas cruise. She was writing to say that she wanted to try to join us for the Isabela to Marquisas hop! She said she would happily bring us our prop if she could arrange flights. I couldn't believe it.
In the end it didn't work out because flights out of the Marquisas were a hard to organize from Stateside. We were sad Margaret would not be joining us. We also decided that it was too risky to try to ship the prop to Isabela, particularly given the customs procedures in this country.
Our boat it tricky to handle under power at low speeds with only one prop (on the outboard end of an 8 meter wide platform). It certainly isn't disabled however. The trip to the Marquisas is all sailing and should we need to motor we only ever run one engine anyway. Getting in and out of anchorages certainly requires a bit more care but all within reason. I suppose we're just spoiled being used to the ability to spin in a circle within our own length.
After further considering our options we decided to sail for the Marquisas and impose upon our good friends Pablo and Louise. Pabs and Lou are coming to visit us in French Polynesia. They fly into Tahiti in July and we will then shuttle them up to Hiva Oa or there abouts. They kindly agreed to bring our big hunk of brass and the rest of our mail.
Having wrapped up our high priority business we fired up the genset and relaxed with a good movie and Hideko's wonderful cooking. Meanwhile the boat prepared itself for the crossing; the washer/dryer washed cloths, the water maker filled tanks (under careful supervision), the cold box cooled drinks, the air conditioning allowed us to close up and keep the bugs out (there are some annoying little bugs here at night in Isabela but none that bite have found us), the batteries charged and various other systems hummed away.
06/03/2008, Villamil
I jumped in the water first thing to see if there was an obvious problem underwater. There was. The prop was gone. I quickly called Duncan, the owner of Saint Francis Marine, to get specs for a replacement. Our boat manual lists a Flexofold prop which was no longer used on our boat. We needed a right handed 18" Varifold prop for a Yanmar Saildrive but I wanted to be exact given the $1,800ish price tag. Duncan agreed to help but it would be tomorrow before we would get the information as it was 6PM his time and 8AM our time.
We got out the SCUBA gear to do more reconnaissance. Examining the drive leg revealed a more catastrophic problem that I had originally though when snorkeling in the murky water. The prop had not just fallen off. It had sheared in two. The prop nut and hex bolt that secure it were still in place. They were securing the insides of the prop hub to the shaft but the outside of the hub and the blades were gone. The zinc was loose also.
I check the starboard side and everything was secure and tight. I can only suspect the genset vibration as a possible source of the discrepancy. It also looked as if something from the prop or something from the outside may have snagged between the hub and the zinc. I was now hoping that the saildrive had not been damaged.
As I began to unbolt the remainder of the prop hub the officer from the port captain came buy again on a Taxi after visiting Chantefoc, a new French flagged arrival. While there are water taxi's here (two from what I understand) things are so quiet that they don't work long hours. You can try them during daylight on 16 and they will generally be around but not always.
The officer had brought a friend. They hopped aboard and waved off the Taxi. I looked at him inquiringly from the water with full scuba on and tools in hand. He seemed surprised I actually had a problem. Fernando (Carmella's gopher on San Cristobal) and Victor (Carmella's husband) will tell you that you can visit other islands for a day or two by simply saying you have a diesel problem. This speaks to their integrity and the skepticism of the Isabela officials when you claim a mechanical difficulty. All of the port captains are in contact and the San Cristobal guy is the big boss since that is the official capital (even though Santa Cruz is much larger population wise and economically).
I indicated that I was in the middle of something and inquired as to what they needed. He said something I didn't understand and I asked them if they minded waiting. They did. So I got out of the water changed out of my wet suit dried off and attended them.
The official was saying something I couldn't understand but for the most part it seemed they wanted to gawk at our boat and hit us up for beer. I left the repairs of my boat for this. The new guy, young, took pictures of the saloon of our boat while the older guy continued on in Spanish, knowing we didn't understand. Then they asked for a beer. Hideko gave them two from the cold box. The officer suggested we should give them colder ones. I told them that was as cold as we had and that if there was nothing else I'd like to get back to fixing my boat.
He agreed and told me to take them ashore. They pounded their beers so as not to be seen ashore drinking. Seeing no end to the abuse of power in sight, I dried off the rest of the way, got a shirt and took them to the dock. As they departed I was assured that all was in order and that I would just need to stop by tomorrow to finalize some things. That would make three days in a row dealing with officials who didn't even give me any new paperwork (he told me to use the Zarpe from San Cristobal).
I don't mind official who are formal and do official business. I don't mind official who are informal and want to relax and have a beer and a chat. I do mind official who use their station to trump up phony fees, unnecessary visits to my home and other trivialities. So far I have not been impressed by the Ecuadorian brass.
On the way back to the boat I met Julian on board Chatefoc. He is a very nice single hander who was looking to stay in Isabela for a day using the old maintenance ploy. I warned him that these officials were a hassle and that I had paid $170 to stay, and I really had a problem. He told me that he had cleared in himself in Santa Cruz and only paid $130. He also said it was crowded and more touristy than Isabela.
If I had it to do again I might just come to Isabella and leave it at that. Pay the fees (less than San Cristobal) and see everything on one island, then move on. Isabela has everything San Cristobal has plus volcanoes, penguins and much more in a more natural peaceful setting.
I offered to give Julian a ride as his dinghy was stowed. He hopped on and I motored by Swingin' on a Star to see if Hideko and Nobu wanted to visit the town while we waited for Julian to clear in. The response was positive so the four of us set out for the stone pier. I figured I had been through twice so perhaps I was ready for the challenge. The surf was considerably larger today. As we approached I could find no one spot without a break. Everytime I had though I found the pass a wave would come and crash down and the pass moved 5 meters to the side. After a very slow approach I decided to retreat. We motored back to the anchorage and then followed the line of fishing boats anchored on the perimeter of the bay around to the town dock.
A friendly local showed us where to tie up. The people of Ecuador are wonderful, kind, warm and friendly (with the possible exception of the officials). The dock is modest but beautiful and set into the mangrove lined volcanic shoreline of the bay. As we walked up to the road another official stopped us. We informed that we didn't ablo espaniol. He went of for some time about a problema. We told him that we were going to the capitania. He still went on, saying we needed to get Carmella to get us new Zarpe, among other things. Finally we got a tour guide (these guys always speak English) to help us. The official finally let us go.
At the capitania the official I had been dealing with asked why I was there. I said that I was just dropping another person off when an official told me I had a problem. He said no, you have no problem. Just come back tomorrow with a picture of you broken prop and you can take 9 or 10 days to fix you problem.
We left Julian to his fate and walked down the pier to the little bar at then end. Isabela is truly remote and gorgeous as and island. Repairs and officials aside it is a spectacular place to visit. We played on the kids playground on the beach and waded in the tide pools fringed with black lava as we finished our large cervasas from the pier's beach bar. The sunset was magnificent but it spurred me to see what was keeping Julian as we didn't want to have to dinghy about at low tide in the dark.
Exasperated he had waited for 2 hours to no avail, the official that he needed was not around. We all took a leisurely walk back to the dock and began a careful idle around the bay with new rocks popping up through the low water everywhere toward the center of the bay. As we passed by the outer rocky islands we spied some big lumpy birds on the shore. I turned the boat and puttered over. They were Galapagos Penguins. They were so cool. We couldn't wait to watch them go into the water in the morning when they feed. It was our last big check box for Galapagos Fauna completed.
As we neared the anchorage, the official who had previously stopped us on the dock was returning. He stopped us again in mid water. You can't set eyes on these guys without them announcing some self important business it seems. They aren't organized enough to get anything done in one stroke. Julian it seemed had to return to shore with him. We said goodbye to Julian and told him that we would listen on 16 if he needed a ride.
Having gotten nothing done all day due to the ridiculous official interruptions we returned to Swingin' on a Star for dinner. Shortly thereafter Julian called on 16 and asked for a pickup. Nobu and I carefully puttered along the fringe of the bay to get him. Once aboard he indicated that they wanted money or his immediate departure. He offered his immediate departure. We were sad to see Julian go and promised to look for him in Tahiti.
Late that night we were running the genset to fill up the water tanks and do some laundry so that we would not have to do either underway. At about 9PM we began to notice a eerie red glow on the horizon. Cerro Azul was erupting. Speachless, Hideko, Nobu and I sat on deck and stared and the flowing red colors that lit the black night sky. It was an experience that completely wiped away the frustration of the day and made us once again realize how small a price a little adversity was in exchange for sight few ever see with their own eyes. I called Julian on the VHF to tell him to look back but he had disappeared into the night.
06/02/2008, Isabela
We got up at 5AM to get the boat ready for an 80 nautical mile passage to Isabella, one of the western most islands in the Galapagos. It took us about 45 minutes to get everything ready to go, not to mention the time spent yesterday.
We motored out of the anchorage just as the sun was peeking over the San Cristobal highlands. We put up the main and rolled out the jib just outside of the harbor, falling off to 264 degrees true, a direct course for Villamil, the only real town in Isabella.
The true wind was light at around 13 knots but is was in our sweet spot, on the beam. We averaged 9 knots for most of the run. This brought us to the Villamil approach at about 15:00. We initially made a line for Isla Tortuga just south of Isabela at 1 degree south. There was a dead bit as we passed north of Floreana where the wind died down to 5 knots or so. We waited it out and in 15 minutes or so things were coming back. Before long we were back up to speed and closing on Tortuga.
Tortuga looks to be the north half of a large volcano cone just popping its head above water. The south part of the cone is inscribed on the charts as an underwater obstruction. We sailed north of it, staying well south of Roca Bura and the reef line that runs back to Isabela from its position. Tortuga is definitely an alien landscape with black rock predominating and rivulets of erosion and old lava flows running down its sides.
We sailed for a mark in the neighborhood of 01 south 091 west. At this point you have cleared the off shore reef (really rocks not reef) and head into shore on a bearing of 029 degrees true using the green buoy and shore based light as a transit. We cut this corner a bit watching our British Admiralty chart and the sounder carefully. When we reached the transit line we started the engines and dropped the sails. While I couldn't be sure, it seemed like we weren't getting the thrust I expected.
We motored in on the green buoy and then turned due east to make for the red and green marks up the coast. This takes you behind the rocky shoal toward the anchorage. Waves break to port on the coast and to starboard on the rocky shoal, which is always interesting. Once through the red and green marks you make directly for the large orange mark which sits at the entrance to the anchorage.
There are two places you can go ashore. There is a rock pier with stone steps leading down to the water off the beach to the west with waves breaking all over the place. The town dock is up the coast a bit to the west but you must inscribe the largest possible arc around the bay to get there safely as there are rocky shoals all through the little protected harbor.
Most boats anchor just inside the orange mark. If you head a bit farther in to the southeast you can get out of any swell that might be sneaking in. The anchorage is formed by the coast of Isabela and a collection of little rocky islands that rise a foot or two over the high tide mark.
As we came into the anchorage we targeted the area in past the other three boats to give everyone lots of room. The anchorage had one cruising yacht and two tour boats when we arrived. As we passed the sail boat and head south I noticed a strange lack of control centered around the port engine. Further testing confirmed that the port engine was revving but no thrust was resulting in forward or reverse.
Luckily we have two auxiliaries, unluckily I was now driving the boat with one motor mounted 4 meters from the centerline. I decided exploring the fringes of the anchorage to get the best spot was no longer prudent. Hideko was on the fore deck with Nobu readying the anchor. I told them we had an issue and needed to get anchored smoothly with little help from the auxiliaries and preferably in amongst the other boats where we knew the ground was clear and good.
Catamarans do not need to have way on to maneuver quite like mono hulls. With two props 8 meters apart you can pretty much wiggle in anywhere. However with one prop way outboard things get tricky. Prop wash works but not as well as it would with a mono hull. There's no prop walk because the sail drives place the prop at a 90 degree angle to the surface, making both sides of the prop travel through the water at the same angle. You can go ahead but you need steerageway to invoke the rudder. You can go astern but you get a big doughnut shape arc due to the prop location.
I let the wind blow us back clear of the sailboat to starboard. Once out of the way I revved up the starboard engine to get steerage quickly. After that we selected the safest, not most comfortable, spot to drop the hook and got the anchor down. I couldn't really keep the bow up so we just blew off sideways in the wind. Once on the bridle I did manage to set the anchor with the remaining engine.
We had only planned a day or two visit to Isabela. This was not a happy occurrence. I tried hard but could only imagine one thing having this effect that would not fall into the "fairly serious" category. My dearest hope was that it was just the transmission cable.
As we talked about how to investigate this occurrence the port captain representative arrived. He spoke very little English and our Spanish had not constructively improved since San Cristobal. I told him we had a problem. He climbed on the boat said quite a bit, but I retained "come to the Capitania office in the next hour or two". He pointed at the blue roofed building straight through the crashing surf and then he left.
Not excited about putting our dinghy down and figuring out how to get through the breaks at dusk I began to ponder my options. Hideko saw one of the charter boats heading into shore and hailed them. One of the men spoke pretty good English and offered to take me ashore. I gratefully accepted. The route in to the stone pier on the west end of town is gnarly. I would not try this until you have gone with a local several times. There is one spot where it "usually" doesn't break between a vicious line of rocks running along the east coast and off shore to the into the west. In general you make a straight line from the anchorage to the corner of the pier but you must veer to port to stay off the coastal rocks (a large clump just under water is very hard to see), the head starboard straight into shore until you get past the breakers to port, then back to port to run along just inside of the break, carefully watching for any strays.
The pier is really an enhanced lava rock point with a stone staircase set into an small lee area behind the wall with room for maybe four dinghies packed in tight. The man running the tour boat and I got off safely and, duly impressed, I thanked him and the driver. I made a mental note to ask how to navigate into the town dock for future reference.
The Capitania's office is right on the beach and it only took a minute to walk down the beautiful pier and across the wonderful and peaceful beach area to the gate. The man who had come to the boat said hello and after much Spanish I could not make out told me to make copies of my documents down the street for him. So I waked to the corner, noticing that all of the streets in Isabela are just sand. The island is very natural and the foreign aid that has helped build the organic street lights made from knurled bits of wood and surreal looking glass globes has done much to preserve the feeling on the Galapagos even in the small town of Villamil.
After paying my 10 cents per page at the phone center where many locals make use of the only phones they have access to, I returned to the port captain. We could stay one day (I felt I could have bargained for two) or pay the port fees we paid in San Cristobal all over again and stay as long as we wanted (with an unspoken limit implied). I tried to tell him that two days might be sufficient but I didn't know until I inspected the problem and sorted out any parts I might need. No of this seemed to stick. In the end I just paid his fees so that we could be left in peace (little did I know this was not to be).
We paid about $500 all told in San Cristobal. A chunk of this was an agent fee of $150 to Carmella Romero. This is basically vigorish as you pretty much do everything yourself. Carmella doesn't speak a word of English so there's not even that to her credit. The port captain wants you to use an agent though, you can imagine why, so it is best to do so. The port captain charged us for a displacement of 45 tons because that is our coast guard listed gross tonnage. I tried to explain that this was silly because the boat weights 15 tons and that the gross tonnage is not related to the boats weight in non commercial applications such as yachts. He told me to take it up with the coast guard and charged me $277 total including the $135 for the tonnage. We paid various other $15ish fees to immigration (the police station) and for the Zarpe (clearance out).
The officials in some cultures just feel slimy to me. You grease their palms and all is well. You want to be treated fairly and do things by the book, look out. Ecuador is rated as the second most corrupt country in Central and South America. I would not contest this. There are no clear guidelines as to how you will be treated or what you will pay. If the port captain doesn't like the way you look he can tell you to leave then and there and this is completely within his jurisdiction. It almost feels as if they charge as much as they think you can or will pay.
Unfortunately this is a top to bottom problem in Ecuador. It seems as if all of the ambitious folks in the society believe this is how you should behave. Many have never known anything else. It will take a long time to change the culture.
But I digress. The official continued to ask me how long we would stay. I repeated told him I didn't know, I hadn't even had a chance to look at the problem. If I needed a part flown in how long would that take. He said he didn't know and ask how long I would stay. In the end I gave up and said I would pay to stay since it was unlikely that I would leave in 48 hours at this point. He said that if we did that there was no charge. I convinced him that our sail boat weighted 15 tons and so he only charged me $45 for weight. My total bill was $170, the last $20 added in probably because I didn't contest the $150 number hard enough. There was no receipt forthcoming.
Hideko had wisely handed me the portable VHF as I jumped into the skiff on the way to shore. I now had to figure out how to get back to the boat. It would be unsafe for Hideko and Nobu to try to get to the pier and I wasn't sure how to get to the dock on land or how to safely arrive by dinghy either. Fortunately I found the gentleman who had brought me over relaxing at the bar on the rock pier. He offered to take me back and I gratefully accepted again.
The surf was coming up and the ride back was even a bit more interesting. I was still holding out hope that we might fix the boat, tour the island and leave in time to reclaim our fees.

subset: commoncrawl


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Can I receive my credit reports and notifications online?
How do I change the delivery method of my credit reports and notifications?
Why am I not receiving my e-mail notifications?
How do I update my mailing address or e-mail address?
How do I change payment methods?
How secure is this Web site?
How are credit reporting agencies regulated?
What should I do if I am a victim of identity theft?
What is Our Identity Theft Recovery Unit?
All About Credit Reports
All About Credit Scores
Can I receive my credit reports and notifications online?
Yes. From the Home page, simply activate your account by entering your last name as your User ID and the PIN you received with your welcome material as your password.
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How do I change the delivery method of my credit reports and notifications?
Once you activate your online account you can change your delivery options under the Account Settings section.
Why am I not receiving my e-mail notifications?
You may not be receiving your e-mail notifications for one of the following reasons:
How do I update my mailing address or e-mail address?
You can contact us directly or you can log into your account and update the information under the Account Settings section.
How do I change payment methods?
To change your method of payment, please contact us directly.
How secure is this Web site?
Very. This Web site uses the most advanced encryption technology available: 128-bit encrypted Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) keeps your personal information, including credit card number, secure from unauthorized access. Netscape 4.0 and higher, Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 or higher, and most frame-enabled browsers support SSL.
When you begin a transaction, the rest of your visit will take place on our secure server. You will see a small key or padlock in the bottom right corner of your browser if you are using Netscape or Microsoft browsers, indicating that your transaction is secure.
To further ensure that our efforts in implementing our security policy are valid, we engaged TruSecure Corporation, an internationally recognized security firm, to conduct a security audit known as a Web Certification.
We also comply with the requirements of the federal and provincial privacy and credit reporting regulations, and is in compliance with the processing, privacy and security requirements of the national credit reporting agencies (Equifax and TransUnion).
How are credit reporting agencies regulated?
Federal and provincial privacy and credit reporting regulations grant consumers important rights regarding credit files and related matters, although these regulations vary by province. As well, information provided by credit reporting agencies also varies by agency. Generally speaking, by law you have the right to:
The Personal Information and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) introduced by the federal government in January 2001 sets out the conditions under which organizations may collect, use or disclose personal information, and gives individuals rights of access to and protection of personal information held about them by an organization.
Provincial privacy and credit reporting regulations exist in almost all provinces in Canada today. By 2004, the provinces must adopt or amend privacy protection in the private sector so that it is substantially similar to PIPEDA.
What should I do if I am a victim of identity theft?
Report the crime to the police immediately. Get a copy of your police report or case number. Credit card companies, your bank, and the insurance company may ask you to reference the report to verify the crime.
Immediately contact your credit/debit card issuers. Get replacement cards with new account numbers and ask that the old account be processed as "account closed at consumers request" for credit record purposes. You should also follow up this telephone conversation with a letter to the credit/debit card company that summarizes your request in writing.
Call the fraud units of the two national credit reporting agencies and ask that your accounts be flagged for identity fraud.
Equifax Canada Inc. Fraud Services
Box 190 Jean Talon Station
Montreal, Quebec H1S2Z2
Phone: 800-465-7166
Fax: 514-355-8502
For residents outside Quebec:
TransUnion Canada
Consumer Relations Centre
P.O. Box 338, LCD 1
Hamilton ON L8L 7W2
Phone: 1-866-525-0262
For residents of Quebec:
Centre De Relations Aux Consommateurs TransUnion
1 Place Laval Ouest
Suite 370
Laval, Quebec
Phone: 1-877-713-3393
Keep a log of all conversations with authorities and financial entities. And follow-up! Make sure that all creditors or credit bureaus have received what they need from you.
Contact Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre National Call Centre. Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre is the central assistance center set up by the Ontario Provincial Police to assist victims of fraud and identity theft. They also play a vital role in the collection and dissemination of victim evidence, documentation, statistics and tape recordings to outside investigations.
Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre
Phone: 888-495-8501
Fax: 705-494-4008
Toll-Free Fax: 888-654-9426
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Review your reports regularly and make sure all changes you requested have been effected.
Finally, contact us to receive assistance from one of our trained specialists.
What is Our Identity Theft Recovery Unit?
Our Identity Theft Recovery Unit is a valuable resource that guides you through the process of restoring your credit should you become a victim of identity theft. Trained Fraud Specialists provide information about how to "flag" your accounts with the two national credit reporting agencies (Equifax and TransUnion), help you fill out police reports, and provide you with a Fraud First Aid Kit.
All About Credit Reports
What is a credit bureau?
Credit bureaus or credit reporting agencies are basically clearinghouses for information about consumers credit. When you apply for credit, they provide this information to qualified requestors. There are two main credit bureaus in Canada: Equifax Canada Inc. and Trans Union of Canada Inc.
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How do the credit bureaus obtain information?
Credit bureaus collect information from banks, credit unions, finance companies, utility companies, and retailers about your credit, which they store in a computer database.
Do all credit bureaus have the same information on file?
No, because the amount of time that data stays on the file differs from one credit reporting agency to another and lenders send information to some and not others.
Who can look at my credit report?
Federal and provincial laws are very specific as to who can review your credit file and for what purpose. An individual or company may only obtain a copy of your credit file with your consent or after having told you that they will be reviewing your file. A company must have a legitimate business reason and a permissible purpose, as stated in government regulations, to obtain your credit file. A credit reporting agency may only provide a copy of your file when the request relates to the extension of credit, collection of debt, housing rental, an application for employment or for insurance purposes.
How long does information stay on my credit report?
This may vary depending on credit reporting agency and province but generally public records and collection items stay on your report for seven years. Positive information remains indefinitely, although bureaus may remove it earlier.
At what age do credit-reporting agencies start recording a persons credit history?
Credit Reporting agencies will only accept information on individuals 16 years and older.
Why should I check my credit report?
Just as you have medical and dental check-ups periodically, so should you check your credit report. Knowing whats on your credit report arms you with the information you need your credit standing when trying to secure favorable rates for a mortgage or other loan. Also, if you regularly check your credit report, you can guard against identity theft, the fastest-growing crime in the country.
How often should I check my credit profile?
With the explosive growth of identity theft, experts recommend checking your credit report at least twice a year (every few months if you have been a victim of identity theft.) That way, when theres a change you dont recognize, you can take steps to halt what could be illegal pilfering of your personal information.
How do I dispute inaccurate information?
Immediately contact the credit bureau that reported the inaccurate information. Each bureau has specific information they require to begin an investigation on an item in dispute. The dispute process can take up to 30 days.
What is a Public Record?
Public records include information on tax liens, lawsuits, bankruptcies and judgments that relate to the consumers debt obligations. Most public record items are listed for seven years including successfully completed bankruptcies. A second bankruptcy can remain on your file indefinitely.
What are Collection Items?
Collection items are accounts sent to a collection agency, which are listed in your credit report for seven years from the date the account was 180 days delinquent with the original creditor.
What are inquiries?
Companies that have requested your credit file within the past three years.
How long does it take for a closed account to be removed from my credit file?
The file will be updated in 30 and 60 days, but generally negative information stays on for seven years from date of the last activity.
All About Credit Scores
What is a credit score?
A credit score, calculated from variables in your credit report and other non-credit factors determined by the lending institution, is a rating tool used by lenders to gauge an individuals creditworthiness.
What if I do not receive a credit score?
A credit score cant be generated if theres no information in a credit report, so individuals with little or no credit history will generally not have a score.
To remedy this situation, consider applying for retail, gas or secured credit card to establish credit. Then keep your debt low and pay your bills on time to establish a positive credit history.
What is the credit score range?
Credit scores generally range from 399 to 862 a higher number represents a stronger financial position.
How does my credit score affect me?
Credit scores, calculated from such information in your credit file as total debt, types of accounts, number of late payments, age of accounts, and number of inquiries, give lenders a subjective rating of your creditworthiness. Lenders then consider this rating when deciding whether or not to extend you credit. Its in your best interest, therefore, to keep your credit as robust as possible so you can secure favorable rates and terms. If your credit score is weak, you can often strengthen it by minimizing outstanding debt, avoiding overextension, and limiting new credit applications.
How often does my credit score change?
Your credit score fluctuates as often as information in your credit file changes.
Do late payments affect my credit score?
Yes, late payments negatively affect your score paying your bills on time is the single most important contributor to a good credit score.
Do inquiries affect my credit score?
It depends on the type of inquiry. Inquires for marketing purposes do not affect your score. These include consumer requests for a credit report, lenders using credit information to review an account, or a potential employer looking over someones credit.
Inquiries initiated by the consumer, such as mortgage, auto loan and credit card applications, however, do affect your score because studies have shown that too many are a red flag for credit risk. Inquires do not weigh as heavily, however, as past payment history or number of delinquent accounts.
Does co-signing a loan affect my credit score?
Yes. Any loan or credit card account affects your score.
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text: Home Culture Nearly 2,500 Peaceful Protesters Rally in NYC for Eric Garner Demonstrators marched peacefully Saturday to protest the death of the unarmed black father who died after a police officer put him an illegal choke hold during questioning. By: Lynette Holloway Posted: Aug. 24 2014 9:37 AM 0 The Rev. Al Sharpton marches with protesters at a rally against police brutality in memory of Eric Garner Aug. 23, 2014, in the New York City borough of Staten Island. Stan Honda/AFP/Getty Images The Rev. Al Sharpton led thousands of marchers in a peaceful rally across the New York City borough of Staten Island to protest the choke hold death of an unarmed black father of six by a white police officer, the Associated Press reports. An estimated 2,500 people marched in a call for justice for Eric Garner, 43, who died July 17 on a busy sidewalk after a New York City police officer placed him in a choke hold, a tactic that has been banned for 20 years. A bystander captured the scene on a cellphone video. Sharpton was joined by former New York Gov. David Paterson, civil rights leaders and Garner's family, the report says. "This is a Birmingham, Alabama, moment!" the Rev. Herbert Daughtry said to about 100 demonstrators at a Staten Island church before the march, AP writes. Then he asked people who had been harassed, humiliated or disrespected by police to stand. Almost everyone did, the report says. Garner's death reignited a national debate about the use of excessive force against blacks by police officers. And it came just weeks before Darren Wilson, a white police officer in Ferguson, Mo., would gun down unarmed black teen Michael Brown on Aug. 9. Brown's shooting sparked angry protests that resulted in days of unrest in Ferguson as protesters and police squared off, sometimes in front of television news cameras. Marchers in New York City on Saturday borrowed a slogan from protests in Ferguson: "Hands up, don't shoot," AP writes. The slogan is in an apparent nod to witness assertions in Ferguson that Wilson fired at Brown even though his hands were up in acquiescence to the officer. The New York Post, long known as a bastion of conservatism, seized the moment to run a front-page cover supporting the police department, saying, "As many march today against the NYPD ... we give our support to New York's Finest." But protesters remained peaceful and no arrests were made, the report says. Read more at USA Today and the New York Post. Like The Root on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter. Get what we're watching delivered to your inbox everyday! Sign up for our daily video newsletter below. Powered by Livefyre 0


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Select Local Merchants
Bogart's LoungeRead MoreFor bar nibbles and pub food par excellence, Bogart's Lounge is a top pick. Drinks are also on the menu here, so patrons can start the night off right. From cheap drinks to good eats, Bogart's Lounge's happy hour is a steal. Bogart's Lounge's patrons can find places to park in the area. Bogart's Lounge certainly has all your pub favorites to make an evening comfortable for the whole gang!30100 Michigan AvenueInkster, MI US
Pia's Ristorante ItalianoRead MoreHot cheesy goodness awaits your appetite at Pia's Ristorante Italiano — this pizza joint is the place to go for a serious five-star slice. Enjoy a low-fat or gluten-free meal at Pia's Ristorante Italiano, a local favorite. Find time to peruse the wine list here — this pizzeria offers a variety of drink options. Go ahead and bring your rug rats with you — this pizzeria has kid-friendly food and seating. Home to one of the happiest happy hours, pop in after work for great drinks and good company. Get online for free courtesy of Pia's Ristorante Italiano's wifi. Plan ahead if you swing by during the week when the pizzeria is busiest (reservations are not accepted, either). Don't want to go out tonight but still want great food? Order takeout or delivery from this pizzeria. Throwing a big party? Count on Pia's Ristorante Italiano to provide top-notch catering with the same great dishes you love. Pia's Ristorante Italiano's patrons can find places to park in the area. Pia's Ristorante Italiano s mid-range cuisine will please your pockets as well as your palate. Some people say that if you've had one pizza, you've had them all. Diners who've tried Pia's Ristorante Italiano's pizza say it is the absolute best. High-quality pizza is waiting for you at Pia's Ristorante Italiano, so find out what all the fuss is about and get your hands on a cheesy slice of deliciousness. For mouthwatering pizza in a casual setting, look no further than the highly-rated Pia's Ristorante Italiano. When you need a quick dinner option for the whole family, stop by Pia's Ristorante Italiano and enjoy a hot and fresh pizza.21142 Ecorse RoadTaylor, MI US
Trolley Stop LoungeRead MoreVisit Trolley Stop Lounge for some true American comfort food smack dab in the middle of Taylor's Taylor. Order a bottle for the table if you like — this restaurant has a full bar stocked with the best wine, beer, and more. Trolley Stop Lounge is known for its happy hour deals and steals. Trolley Stop Lounge is a prime location to dine with a group. Music lovers will appreciate Trolley Stop Lounge's freshly mixed tunes spun by live DJs. Patrons pack the restaurant on weekends, so it's a good idea to make a reservation to ensure prompt seating. Whether you're coming from work or a ballgame, the dress code at laid-back Trolley Stop Lounge is come-as-you-are. Trolley Stop Lounge is centrally located near many parking lot options. You won't have to hand them your (whole) wallet at Trolley Stop Lounge — meals often run less than $15. So when you're in the mood for some delicious American dishes, don't look further than Trolley Stop Lounge.8820 Pelham Rd.Taylor, MI US
Drinks SaloonRead MoreFor a tasty treat, head out for a few scoops on an ice cream cone at Drinks Saloon. Score quick and easy seating for your large group at Drinks Saloon. At Drinks Saloon, "dress to impress" is a thing of the past, and jeans are the new norm. A nearby parking lot is readily available for Drinks Saloon's diners. Save the cash for another day and pay by major credit card at Drinks Saloon. When you are craving a creamy treat, swing by Drinks Saloon and scoop up some ice cream.9015 Telegraph RoadTaylor, MI US
Henry The Viii SouthRead MoreYour taste buds are calling for some down home American cooking from Henry The Viii South. Henry The Viii South's diners can make use of nearby parking lots. When you're feeling hungry, head on over to Henry The Viii South and indulge in a tasty and innovative American dish. Make your way over to the highly-rated Henry The Viii South and taste your way through some great American dishes.15480 Dix Toledo RoadSouthgate, MI US
La Perle Hookah LoungeRead MoreAromatic smoke fills the air of La Perle Hookah Lounge's swanky interior as visitors puff on flavored tobacco through authentic hookahs. Sitting in hip white leather couches as TVs play overhead, guests casually inhale from a group hookah in between sipping smoothies made in-house. An outdoor patio provides a respite from the smoke haze, bathing everyone in sunlight or literally bathing them when it's raining.121 Maple RdWyandotte, MI US


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On December 8, 2009, the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) released the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Strategic Research Plan, 2010-2014. This plan defines the strategic direction for the USDOT's ITS research program for the next five years.
The ITS Strategic Research Plan is designed to achieve a vision of a national, multi-modal surface transportation system that features a connected transportation environment among vehicles, the infrastructure and passengers' portable devices. This connected environment will leverage technology to maximize safety, mobility and environmental performance.
The component programs of the ITS Strategic Research Plan form a cohesive approach to achieving the vision of a connected transportation environment and demonstrating that transformation of our transportation system is possible.
It is the nature of research that, as answers emerge for these and other questions, new questions will arise. Therefore, this research plan will remain flexible; the ITS Program leadership is committed to tracking progress against milestones and providing programmatic reviews in order to adjust to new needs and changing directions in policy, technology, and the marketplace. However, the focus and vision of the program will remain consistent—to research and facilitate the delivery of a multi-modal surface transportation system that features a connected transportation environment among vehicles, the infrastructure, and portable devices to serve the public good by leveraging technology to maximize safety, mobility, and environmental performance.
Consistent with this administration's commitment to open government, the ITS Program will implement program management processes that assure:
- Transparency to provide citizens with information about what the ITS Program is doing so that it can be held accountable.
- Participation to actively solicit expertise from outside Washington so that it makes policies with the benefit of the best information.
- Collaboration that ensures that agencies work together with one another and with citizens as part of doing their job of solving national problems.
In conclusion, over the next five years, the ITS Program:
- Is committed to ITS research and specifically to connected vehicles. This Plan is intended to frame out a multi-year research process that brings research into implementation.
- Intends to move the state-of-the-art forward with a concerted focus on the Department's highest priority—safety.
This plan harnesses powerful trends in wireless technologies, both DSRC and non-DSRC, to pursue their innovative application to transportation and transform the system as we know it.
- Next-Generation 9-1-1 Fact Sheet [PDF 601KB]
- ITS Strategic Research Plan, 2010 – 2014, Executive Summary
- ITS Strategic Research Plan, 2010-2014, Fact Sheet
- U.S. DOT ITS Strategic Planning Workshop
- ITS Research Activities between RITA and the European Commission Directorate General for Information Society and Media, Fact sheet
- Five Year ITS Strategic Plan (2010-2014) Presentation [PPT 548KB]
- ITS Strategic Plan (2010-2014) Background and Process Presentation [PPT 3.29MB]


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|The Gunthorpe Transmitter
|The Gunthorpe transmitter is situated a few miles to the north of Peterborough. It is in the middle of a farmers field with the transmitter building being a little way away. There is also a mobile phone mast on the same site. It transmits FM and AM Signals.
The transmitter aerials
The transmitter building.
VHF Radio
Hereward Radio 102.7 FM
Lite FM 106.8
BBC Radio Cambridgeshire - 1449 Medium Wave


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- The New York Post has an item on Robinson Cano going to the Dodgers, and Russell Martin or Matt Kemp being eyed by the Yankees.
- The Dodgers two-year, $45 million offer to Manny Ramirez is not going to cut it, says his agent Scott Boras, according to an anonymous source.
- Outfielder Michael Cuddyer, sidelined for part of last season and then losing his starting spot to youngsters, is being eyed by the Rockies. He is being eyed for his ability to produce runs, and for his leadership in the clubhouse. He could be part of a deal that would send 3B Garrett Atkins to Minnesota.
This story was approved by MLB Rumors.


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|By Marketwired .
Article Rating:
|July 21, 2014 09:15 AM EDT
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 07/21/14 -- SnipGold Corp. (TSX VENTURE: SGG) ("SnipGold" or the "Company") reports that the $150,000 non-brokered flow-through private placement announced July 2, 2014, was oversubscribed and has been increased to $165,465. The private placement has closed, subject to TSX Venture Exchange ("TSX-V") final approval. Insider participation in the placement was just over 40% of the proceeds.
The Company has issued 1,654,650 units at a price of $0.10 per unit. Each unit consists of one flow-through common share and one-half of one non-transferable non-flow through warrant of the Company. One full warrant will entitle the holder to purchase one common share of the Company at $0.12 per share for a period of 18 months after the closing of the private placement. All shares issued have a hold period which will expire 4 months from date of issue.
Fees and Proceeds
In accordance with TSX-V regulations and approval, the Company may pay up to 7% cash finders' fees in connection with the private placement. Funds from this financing will be used to carry out a small verification field program this season; to complete pre-existing field commitments; and for the continuation of the compilation of historic data and interpretive work.
The 2014 SnipGold field program will be carried out their Iskut Property and will test geological concepts highlighted in the interpretative work completed over the last year. This exploration work is expected to be held in conjunction with Colorado Resources Ltd.'s ("Colorado") first exploration program on the adjacent KSP Property ("KSP"). Colorado's 2014 KSP exploration marks the first phase of field work in connection with an earn-in agreement between Colorado and the Company (see News Release dated December 20, 2013).
The December 2013 earn in agreement allows for Colorado to spend up to $10 million on KSP and to make cash payments totaling $500,000 to SnipGold over the next five years to fully satisfy all of their earn in options on KSP.
About SnipGold
SnipGold Corp. is a Canadian company focused on the exploration and expansion of gold resources in northwest British Columbia. SnipGold's board and management have significant experience in discovery, exploration and development of gold projects.
On Behalf of the Board of Directors
SnipGold Corp.
John Zbeetnoff, Chief Executive Officer
SnipGold Corp.
John Zbeetnoff
[email protected]
SYS-CON Events announced today that Tintri Inc., a leading producer of VM-aware storage (VAS) for virtualization and cloud environments, will exhibit at the 18th International CloudExpo®, which will take place on June 7-9, 2016, at the Javits Center in New York City, New York, and the 19th International Cloud Expo, which will take place on November 1–3, 2016, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA.
May. 29, 2016 01:30 AM EDT Reads: 2,465
Enterprise networks are complex. Moreover, they were designed and deployed to meet a specific set of business requirements at a specific point in time. But, the adoption of cloud services, new business applications and intensifying security policies, among other factors, require IT organizations to continuously deploy configuration changes. Therefore, enterprises are looking for better ways to automate the management of their networks while still leveraging existing capabilities, optimizing perf...
May. 29, 2016 01:15 AM EDT Reads: 1,348
In his session at 18th Cloud Expo, Bruce Swann, Senior Product Marketing Manager at Adobe, will discuss how the Adobe Marketing Cloud can help marketers embrace opportunities for personalized, relevant and real-time customer engagement across offline (direct mail, point of sale, call center) and digital (email, website, SMS, mobile apps, social networks, connected objects). Bruce Swann has more than 15 years of experience working with digital marketing disciplines like web analytics, social med...
May. 29, 2016 01:00 AM EDT Reads: 1,390
A strange thing is happening along the way to the Internet of Things, namely far too many devices to work with and manage. It has become clear that we'll need much higher efficiency user experiences that can allow us to more easily and scalably work with the thousands of devices that will soon be in each of our lives. Enter the conversational interface revolution, combining bots we can literally talk with, gesture to, and even direct with our thoughts, with embedded artificial intelligence, wh...
May. 29, 2016 12:45 AM EDT Reads: 2,049
SYS-CON Events announced today that EastBanc Technologies will exhibit at SYS-CON's 18th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on June 7-9, 2016, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. EastBanc Technologies has been working at the frontier of technology since 1999. Today, the firm provides full-lifecycle software development delivering flexible technology solutions that seamlessly integrate with existing systems – whether on premise or cloud. EastBanc Technologies partners with p...
May. 28, 2016 11:00 PM EDT Reads: 2,370
SYS-CON Events announced today that AppNeta, the leader in performance insight for business-critical web applications, will exhibit and present at SYS-CON's @DevOpsSummit at Cloud Expo New York, which will take place on June 7-9, 2016, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. AppNeta is the only application performance monitoring (APM) company to provide solutions for all applications – applications you develop internally, business-critical SaaS applications you use and the networks that deli...
May. 28, 2016 10:00 PM EDT Reads: 2,564
SYS-CON Events announced today that ContentMX, the marketing technology and services company with a singular mission to increase engagement and drive more conversations for enterprise, channel and SMB technology marketers, has been named "Sponsor & Exhibitor Lounge Sponsor" of SYS-CON's 18th Cloud Expo, which will take place on June 7-9, 2016, at the Javits Center in New York City, New York. "CloudExpo is a great opportunity to start a conversation with new prospects, but what happens after the...
May. 28, 2016 07:00 PM EDT Reads: 1,255
The IoTs will challenge the status quo of how IT and development organizations operate. Or will it? Certainly the fog layer of IoT requires special insights about data ontology, security and transactional integrity. But the developmental challenges are the same: People, Process and Platform. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Craig Sproule, CEO of Metavine, will demonstrate how to move beyond today's coding paradigm and share the must-have mindsets for removing complexity from the development proc...
May. 28, 2016 07:00 PM EDT Reads: 1,959
SYS-CON Events announced today BZ Media LLC has been named "Media Sponsor" of SYS-CON's 19th International Cloud Expo, which will take place on November 1–3, 2016, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. BZ Media LLC is a high-tech media company that produces technical conferences and expositions, and publishes a magazine, newsletters and websites in the software development, SharePoint, mobile development and Commercial Drone markets.
May. 28, 2016 07:00 PM EDT Reads: 3,625
Cloud computing changed data analytics for good. It enabled companies to drastically decrease resources and architecture previously assigned with business intelligence departments. It also enabled laymen to run advanced business analytics. Cloud was also the architecture of choice for storing and processing big data. Data piling is a continuous process, which is going to explode with emerging Internet of Things concept. Answer to this issue developers found in new concept called fog computing. ...
May. 28, 2016 06:45 PM EDT Reads: 2,014
SYS-CON Events announced today that Alert Logic, Inc., the leading provider of Security-as-a-Service solutions for the cloud, will exhibit at SYS-CON's 18th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on June 7-9, 2016, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. Alert Logic, Inc., provides Security-as-a-Service for on-premises, cloud, and hybrid infrastructures, delivering deep security insight and continuous protection for customers at a lower cost than traditional security solutions. Ful...
May. 28, 2016 06:45 PM EDT Reads: 2,892
SYS-CON Events announced today that MangoApps will exhibit at SYS-CON's 18th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on June 7-9, 2016, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. MangoApps provides modern company intranets and team collaboration software, allowing workers to stay connected and productive from anywhere in the world and from any device. For more information, please visit https://www.mangoapps.com/.
May. 28, 2016 04:30 PM EDT Reads: 925
The cloud market growth today is largely in public clouds. While there is a lot of spend in IT departments in virtualization, these aren't yet translating into a true "cloud" experience within the enterprise. What is stopping the growth of the "private cloud" market? In his general session at 18th Cloud Expo, Nara Rajagopalan, CEO of Accelerite, will explore the challenges in deploying, managing, and getting adoption for a private cloud within an enterprise. What are the key differences betwee...
May. 28, 2016 04:00 PM EDT Reads: 1,684
WebRTC is bringing significant change to the communications landscape that will bridge the worlds of web and telephony, making the Internet the new standard for communications. Cloud9 took the road less traveled and used WebRTC to create a downloadable enterprise-grade communications platform that is changing the communication dynamic in the financial sector. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Leo Papadopoulos, CTO of Cloud9, will discuss the importance of WebRTC and how it enables companies to fo...
May. 28, 2016 03:45 PM EDT Reads: 2,544
As machines are increasingly connected to the internet, it's becoming easier to discover the numerous ways Industrial IoT (IIoT) is helping to shape the business world. This is exactly why we have decided to take a closer look at this pervasive movement and to examine the desire to connect more things! Now if you need a refresher on IIoT and how it is changing the world, take a moment and listen to Greg Gorbach with ARC Advisory Group. Gorbach believes, "IIoT will significantly change the worl...
May. 28, 2016 03:30 PM EDT Reads: 2,032


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Very informative; thank you!
I had 6 minutes so I figured I would make a quick video on how I approached making bluffs (can be used for mountains too)
The tutorial can be found here:
Here is an example map to give you an idea:
There is also a tutorial in that first link that shows how you can easily make steps and platforms by using shadow effects.
There is no sound in these videos - sorry guys. I usually make them at work during lunch.
If you have any questions, please ask. I am a hack at Photoshop so I may be going about things the hard way
Last edited by dorpond; 05-23-2008 at 01:49 PM.
Very informative; thank you!
Bryan Ray, visual effects artist
Good tutorial, thanks! Gave me some ideas for some other things, too...


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July 18, 2009: Week 20
Shedding still. And still it is only bad hairs. I still have thick healthy hairs all over my frontal area and in my hairline/temples but density is very low. Hoping to get thicker hairs coming from those fallen hairs soon. Nothing else to say really. Still keeping to my regimen. Almost at 5 months and I'm looking for some results by 6 months. If not, well I'll keep living my life.
Until next week.


text: hey all im new to the bmX scene i just picked up a mirra 540 and its sick ,. im on it all day and night even in my apartment im allready doing bar spins and some over the front fork body spins i am totally into freestyle and some jumping like stairs and hand rails so i picked this bike ,. some were lighter and less money but not as strong the one thing is the bike handle bars are a bit big and they keep whacking my legs during tricks and i get cought up in them when i bail sometimes ohh and the pedals are slippery as ____ ! its been three days so far and im loving beating on this thing and myself as well


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B-Girl Be Carnival! Block Party
Part park-party revival by females, part bring-your-daughter-to-hip-hop day, this recurring, one-of-a-kind celebration of women in rap, graffiti, and hip-hop dance is so much fun that its uplift can feel like a bonus. DJ Pam the Funkstress of Oakland rap greats the Coup headlines with witty New York rapper Amanda Diva opening, but the highlights are all around: live aerosol murals going up over the walls, b-girls from around the world, an MC "battle to the death" with male and female participants, an art marketplace, workshops, films, an interactive art exhibit, and other related dance performances inside with separate (though cheap) admission: Beat Contortionists at 2 p.m., and Decipher This at 10 p.m. Inspiring for girls, invigorating for everyone, this is one of the few multi-medium hip-hop parties left. Noon to 10 p.m. Sliding donation until 6 p.m., $5 to $10; $10 starting at 6 p.m. For a full schedule of related B-Girl Be events (including many on other days and at other locations), visit intermediaarts.org.
Sat., Sept. 4, 12-10 p.m., 2010
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Whitney Houston reality showWhitney Houston and husband Bobby Brown are set to star in their own reality TV show.
The troubled singer - who recently completed her drugs rehabilitation programme - wants the documentary to give fans an insight into their private life.
The couple arrived in London on Wednesday (26.05.04) with a two-man film crew to help shoot footage for the show, which will be produced by Bobby.
Yesterday (27.05.04), they were filmed shopping in exclusive London store Harrods, where they had been given a 25 per cent discount. They were then hoping to pose outside Buckingham Palace and other historic landmarks.
The pair, along with daughter Bobbi Kristina, were first filmed for the show at Atlanta's Palm restaurant in March, where Whitney, 40, was filmed singing 'Happy Birthday' to a fellow diner.
Whitney's spokeswoman, Nancy Seltzer, said the singer is only starring in the show to help Bobby.
She said at the time: "It's Bobby's project, and he's her husband. Of course she would do it with him."
It was recently revealed that Bobby, 35, will have to stand trial for allegedly hitting Whitney.
He is accused of cutting Whitney's lip and bruising her cheek during a fight last December at their Atlanta home.
Have an question? Get it answered by AskMen's guyQ.


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I read about a veteran's U.S. flag being stolen, and what he wrote in his letter, "Take good care of that flag," on the Fourth of July. As a U.S. Army veteran and 100 percent disabled veteran, I truly respect what Don Newell had to say and the direction he gave to whoever stole his flag.
The U.S. flag to a veteran or someone who is still on active duty is the heart and sole of his or her service to their country. Our U.S. flag came with us into battle, where our blood was spilled on foreign soil, and our veterans' blood soaked into that soil, and over time, history was written about those battles.
I have seen U.S. flags just thrown into the garbage, which is totally disrespectful of our flag. If you are thinking of doing this, then please give your U.S. flag to the American Legion, and the group will see to it that your flag is destroyed properly.
Marlin G. Dunlap


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View the article below for some great ideas for a last minute summer vacation!
View the article below for some great ideas for a last minute summer vacation!
We are blessed to live in the unspoiled beauty of Northwest Montana. The Lodge at Whitefish Lake is proud to announce as of July 2012 we have initiated an official RECYCLING program including wine bottle GLASS recycling from the Boat Club Restaurant, plastic and aluminum from the Tiki Bar and amenity bottles and soap from our guest rooms. Thanks to the following partners for assisting us in our endeavors, together we are making a difference!
The new owners are making a BIG impact on the valley and we love working with them. NWR recycles all of our glass, plastic (#1 & #2), aluminum and paper. They will even pick up residential glass. Call Teri Schneider at 406-257-5899.
Their goal is mighty, but simple—save millions of lives lost each year in third world countries by distributing recycled soap. Each month, hotels and motels across the world discard tons of slightly-used soap and shampoo. These products often end up in already overflowing landfills and can potentially contaminate fragile groundwater systems. Through their "Hospitality Recycling Partners Program," Clean the World collects and repurposes these products using environmentally-friendly and hygienically-safe recycling efforts and save lives one bar of soap at a time!
This non-profit corporation is led by a volunteer board of directors and two volunteer committees who are committed to protecting Whitefish Lake and its resources through scientific research, education and outreach programs. The Averill family has donated 30 acres, known as the Viking Preserve, to the institute and gladly support the institute's Whitefish Wine Auction held annually at The Lodge in July.
Blackwell Interests, Inc.
A special thanks to Marc Blackwell with Blackwell Interests, Inc. for building our commercial wooden recycle stations in our heavy-trafficked areas at the marina, tiki bar and main entrances.
The Crown of the Continent Workshops
Although we haven't yet joined their program, attending The Crown of the Continent Geotourism Project & Yellowstone Business Partnership Sustainable Business Workshops has kick-started our efforts toward establishing recycling programs.
If you have questions regarding any of our programs of partners please call 406-863-4000!
Join us in a toast to Whitefish Lake and the work for local water resources being conducted by the Whitefish Lake Institute and its many community volunteers.
The Whitefish Wine Auction proceeds go towards the Whitefish Lake Institute, a science and education based non-profit corporation led by a volunteer board, a science advisory committee and a citizens' advisory committee. Founded in 2005, the Whitefish Lake Institute is committed to acquiring scientific research and engaging the local citizenry to protect and improve the Whitefish area lake resources of today, while providing a collective vision for tomorrow.
To learn more about the Whitefish Lake Institute, go to www.whitefishlake.org.
Proceeds from the Whitefish Wine Auction will assist the Whitefish Lake Institute in fulfilling its mission statement in the following ways:
This is a great oportunity to enjoy fine wines, a silent auction and a gourmet meal with friends at the Lodge at Whitefish Lake all while helping an important local cause!
Tickets must be purchased in advance and are going quickly; currently 4 tables remain open, 50 Thursday tickets & 25 Friday tickets! For more information and to purchase tickets go to www.whitefishwineauction.org or call the Lodge concierge at 406-863-4022. We look forward to seeing you there!
Enjoy a slideshow from Whitefish Woody Weekend held at the Lodge on Saturday, June 30th with the Big Sky Chapter of the Antique & Classic Boat Society!
|This slideshow design created with Smilebox
It's already been a busy 2012 here at the Lodge! Check out the links below to see what the experts have to say about the Lodge & Whitefish, MT!
We've received the prestigious AAA Four Diamond Award for the second year:
National Geographic World's 25 Best Ski Towns:
Check out #7 – Whitefish, MT! The Lodge even gets a mention!
Vogue Magazine's Top 6 Ski Destinations:
Whitefish Chamber of Commerce Tourism Business of the Year Award:
Happy Travels,
Monteen Skoczek
Spring comes slowly to Northwest Montana. Sometimes after a long winter, even if it is an amazing ski season, we here at the Lodge are looking for a way to entertain ourselves as we await mother nature to bring spring to us. One way we like to pass the time is to sponsor an event we call Bartending for Charity. We invite six of our favorite local celebrities to compete for their favorite charity and bartend a Friday "shifter" in our busy Boat Club Lounge.
Inevitably this turns into a competition as the Boat Club agrees to match donations with our own $500 donation to the bartender that brings in the most money for their charity. Therefore, our local celebrities like to use their celebrity status to bring in friends, colleagues and anyone they can coerce so that they can win the bragging rights of winning this epic achievement. We have seen costumes, questionable glowing drinks in shot glasses, and emcees for this event. Any and everything goes, and it's for charity right?
So if you are looking for a good way to end your work week and support a local cause, join us for the next six weeks in the Boat Club Lounge on Friday night from 5-7 pm for Bartending for Charity. The celebrity line up and their supporting charity is on the Lodge events page and the Boat Club Facebook page. See you there!
We at the Lodge at Whitefish Lake are pleased to announce we have earned our 4 diamond award from AAA! In the hotel industry, this is a huge achievement because it gives consumers a way to compare our property to others they have stayed at before. Being a small boutique hotel in Northwest Montana without a flagship such as Marriott, Starwood, or another makes creating a brand and attracting customers a challenge. We have to sell ourselves and enlist your trust that we will deliver on what we promise when you make your reservation. We respect that some of our customers only have one vacation opportunity a year, and we here at the Lodge are committed to making that one trip a memorable one.
The requirements for reaching this status are stringent. The requirements are high and the inspections tough. We have been trying for five years for this achievement, and patience makes receiving this award that much sweeter. We are thrilled to represent AAA and welcome the challenge to maintain and improve our operation to uphold this prestigious award. Thank you to our family, staff, and guests for your support.
Whitefish was named in Frommer's top 10 coolest towns in America. Here at the Lodge at Whitefish Lake, we have to agree. What makes Whitefish so cool you ask? There are so many cool things about Whitefish, we decided to divide it into a winter and a summer list. Since we are in the middle of a spectacular ski season, here is our winter list:
1.) Snow Ghosts…..I know, we just blogged about them, but the snow ghost is a phenomenon that makes skiing Whitefish Mountain Resort truly unique. The view from the chairlift as you ride up to the top of the resort looking across a blanket of complete white is amazing. On a sunny clear day, you can see the peaks of Glacier and into Canada. Turn behind you and Whitefish Lake spreads out on the valley floor, small lakes spring up to the north, and Flathead Lake can be seen glistening in the distance. Snow Ghosts frame it all with their white fluffy softness, begging you to hug them. One warning, don't hug them, they are very cold.
2.) Amtrak….Whitefish is one of the original stops on the Amtrak route from East to West. The Amtrak is an easy and inexpensive way to visit Whitefish. A fun day trip is taking the Amtrak from Whitefish to Glacier Park at Essex and cross-country ski the day, or spend the night in an original train car. Enjoy the views of Glacier Park from the windows of the train as you travel. The Amtrak museum located downtown is also a great way to see the history of Whitefish as "stumptown."
3.) Ski Joring….this sport combines two of our favorite activities, fast horseback riding and out of control skiing. Whitefish is host to the National Ski Joring Championships where cowboy and skier come together to create a speed filled rodeo on snow. An unlikely couple, the cowboy and the extreme skier, the two put their differences aside with the need for speed and competing for cash and prizes. The competition occurs during our Whitefish Winter Carnival which is an action packed weekend of parties, events, and a downtown parade. A great weekend to visit Whitefish.
4.) Whitefish Lake…..okay, so this may make the top 10 summer list as well, but the view across a frozen mountain lake is breathtaking. Watching deer, coyotes, and the occasional elk or moose cross the frozen lake at all times of the day is special. The lake freezes solid around the end of January, and the locals and tourists alike enjoy snow-shoeing, cross country skiing, or viewing the frozen lake. Here at the Lodge, we hang lights and clean a section of the lake for ice skating which is open daily. Telling friends you walked and / or ice skated on a frozen mountain lake in Northwest Montana…….priceless.
5.) Cafe Kandahar…….we love our restaurant here at the Lodge, the Boat Club, but we have to toot our friend Andy's horn as well. Andy Blanton, executive chef of Cafe Kandahar, is a culinary genius. Nominated for the prestigious James Beard award for "Best Chef" in the Northwest, a dining experience with Andy is not one to be missed. Located on the Whitefish Mountain Resort, Cafe Kandahar is an intimate evening of dining on gourmet foods with local flavor. Andy ages his own prosciutto for at least a year, and touches every dinner that comes out of his kitchen. On top of that, he visits each table and asks how you enjoyed your meal. His soft spoken, humbleness is almost as spectacular as his food. The culinary delights of Cafe Kandahar is a must do when you come to Whitefish.
6.) Great Northern Bar.…..another highlight to your trip to Whitefish. The Northern as the locals call it, has been the local watering hole since 1919. With sawdust on the floor, retired signs from local businesses, live music in the back and an attitude that anything goes, the Northern is a true Montana bar. Order fries and burgers in the back, play a game of pool or shuffleboard, or stay late and dance until close, the Northern is a the anchor of Whitefish nightlife.
7.) Cross Country Skiing / Skate Skiing…..okay, we get it, its winter and you could do this anywhere. But, in Whitefish you have many choices. Choose from a leisurely round across frozen Whitefish Lake, enjoy the groomed trails of Whitefish Golf Course or Stillwater Mountain Lodge, experience trails at Whitefish Mountain Resort, drive into Glacier National Park to enjoy the many trails, or ride the Amtrak to Essex and you could make a week just cross-country skiing.
8.) Fata Morgana…..wondering what this is? Fata Morgana occurs when the light bends across the top of a thermal inversion, and stacks objects upside down and on top of each other. This occurs above the clouds of the valley and makes the distant mountain peaks look like high desert plateaus. This occurs on a rare occasion when we have a heavy inversion in Whitefish and it is an amazing site to see. As you look out across the cloud covered valley, it looks like large plateau's coming out of the clouds where normally mountain peaks were. The plateaus are so obvious you wonder if you are looking at the desert instead of clouds above the valley. You truly cannot believe your eyes.
9.) Whitefish Mountain Resort…..I suppose this is pretty obviously in the top 10 winter reasons to visit Whitefish, but the thing I appreciate so about the Whitefish Mountain Resort is the absence of lift lines. There are only a few days a year at the resort where you have to wait longer than a couple of minutes to get on your favorite chair. This leads to a lot of vertical in one day. In addition, Whitefish Mountain Resort has many of the original bars and resteraunts that make the flavor so great. It has not been developed so the old bars have been torn down to be replaced by new, more modern versions. Instead you are in an old, rustic building that is cramped with low ceilings and great atmosphere. The Whitefish Mountain Resort has the chair amenities of any good ski resort with the atmosphere and flavor Whitefish is famous for.
10.) Still of the Morning……..The still quiet of a snowy Montana morning is our #10 top reason to visit Whitefish. Take a stroll out onto Whitefish Lake or off the path on Whitefish Mountain Resort and you will be amazed how quiet the snow is. The quiet has a life and quality all of its own and it is impossible to not feel it lift your spirit and quiet your thoughts. The restorative nature of this place makes it fill its tag line of "the Last Best Place." Smell the air when you step off the plane, feel the winter sun on your face at the top of Whitefish Mountain Resort, or just take a moment to hear nothing at all, and you will feel that pull in your heart asking you to return to Montana.
Thanks for reading.
It is said that a snow flake is made up of over 18,000 water molecules. That is alot of molecules when you think about the amount of snow in Montana. We have a special type of snow here in Northwestern Montana called Cold Smoke. Cold Smoke is a very light dry snow that is special to Montana and parts of Colorado because of the low humidity in the air at the time the snow is formed. This type of snow is almost dust like when you toss it into the air and does not make for good snow man building. For those of you that have skied in lake effect areas, consider Cold Smoke the opposite of the type of snow you ski when lake effect hits, the 'leg breaker' snow.
Cold Smoke also makes for a phenomenon in the higher elevations which we call Snow Ghosts. Snow Ghosts are when the pine trees are completely covered in snow so there isn't a hint of green showing.
These Snow Ghosts are every where you turn on Whitefish Mountain Resort and are a local favorite. It is just one more unique item to a mountain that enjoys over 3,000 skiable acres and over 300 inches of snowfall. Are we partial to our local mountain? Why, yes we are. On the very busiest day of the year, the lift lines are only minutes long, and with enough groomed and off pack to serve everyone's needs, Whitefish Mountain Resort holds a special place in every local's heart. We welcome you to enjoy it with us.