You can step aboard a full size pirate ship in San Diego! The HMS Surprise is a 179-foot 24 gun frigate replica used in the movie “Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World”. The Maritime Museum has restored her to seaworthy condition and sails her several times a year.
My picture today is San Diego Zoo Keeper Nate, caretaker and spokesman for the lowland gorillas. Nate is dedicated and passionate about the survival of lowland gorillas, both the ones at the zoo in his care and those in the wild. He ask us all to help by recycling old cellphones. What’s the connection? Well, cell phones contain a rare ore called coltan (short for columbite-tantalite) which is found in central Africa. The popularity of cellphones has increased mining operations in wildlife reserves including Kahuzi-Biega National Park and Okapi Wildlife Reserve. Illegal miners invade the “protected” parks and endanger the native gorillas. How can you help? Turn in your old cell phone to any recycling program where you live. The recycled cell phone will reduced the need to mine more coltan and help protect the wild gorilla habitat. Nate thanks you, I thank you and so do these beautiful primates.
See more Skywatch Friday pictures here.
Memba, 40 years old, is the strong experienced male leader, or silverback, of his western lowland gorilla troop at the San Diego Zoo. Memba and all the lowland gorillas need your help. Please recycle your old cell phone. Read more here.
USS Howard is named in honor of Gunnery Sgt. Jimmie E. Howard, USMC, (1929–1993), recipient of the Medal of Honor for his leadership of a platoon against repeated attacks by a battalion-sized Viet Cong force. Every time USS Howard sets to sea from its homeport of San Diego, it passes within view of Gunnery Sgt. Howard’s grave at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery and salutes it’s namesake.
In November 2001, the USS Peleliu delivered the first U.S. Marines to Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. On August 10, 2008 she responded to a distress call from the merchant vessel the Gem of Kilakari, who was being attacked by armed pirates in the Gulf of Aden north of Somalia. The attack was successfully halted with no injuries.
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| USS Peleliu LHA5 and USS Howard DDG83 |
USS Chancellorsville carries guided missiles and rapid-fire cannons, with anti-air, anti-surface and anti-subsurface capabilities. She also carries two Seahawk LAMPS multi-purpose helicopters for anti-submarine warfare. In 1996 it was awarded the Spokane Trophy by CINCPACFLT as the most proficient in overall combat systems readiness and warfare operations.
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| USS Chancellorsville CG62 |
Officially named Naval Base San Diego it has been known as 32nd Street Naval Station not only by the local community but sailors and veterans around the world. The 32nd Street name was never officially recognized, although the name did appear countless times not only in local publications, but Navy publications as well. It is the workplace of about 40,000 personnel.
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| USS Chancellorsville CG62 |
The 32nd Street Naval Station will celebrated its 87th Anniversary on February 22nd 2009. It was created by President Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. in 1922 when federal spending was $3.29 billon for the entire year. The station now provides 12 miles of berthing for over 50 ships.
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| USS Halsey DDG97, 509.5 ft. long, 66 ft. beam, 31 ft. draft, 30+ knots speed |
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| “Imagine” by Kent Kraber This artwork captures the imagination in all of us. The artist depicts dragons as caretakers rather than fearsome or devious creatures. |
Otay Ranch Town Center, located in the South Bay, is our newest shopping area in San Diego. It feels like a little town with sidewalks, on-street parking and outdoor cafes. Stores include Macy’s, REI, Barnes & Noble, Apple, Sephora, White House Black Market, Gila Rut Aveda Salon plus an AMC 12 screen theatre. Restaurants include P. F. Chang’s China Bistro, Cheesecake Factory, King’s Fish House, California Pizza Kitchen or many on-the-go dining options.
Downtown San Diego may be small and compact but it certainly has some beautiful fountains. This one is near 6th Street in front of Wells Fargo Bank.
Admiral Baker Field Golf Course is the winter home for hundreds of ducks. The ducks love the San Diego weather and look forward to their annual visit. Golfers find the ducks sometimes add to the challenge of getting around the course. The pond near the clubhouse is just perfect for ducks. And the well kept greens and fairways are a great place to eat, rest or simply hangout. Ducks being ducks, they do everything as a group including lifting off in flight.
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The San Diego Zoo is one of the few places in the US to see an Indian gharial up close. This male gharial is named Shook. At feeding time each repitile is called by name and each comes up on the sand to the keeper to receive their fish. Only boy gharials have the lump on the end of their snout. As I watched Shook swam about in the water he he pushed a turtle out of his way. A duck came in for a landing and I saw how quick the gharial could move, but the duck was quicker and got away. The Indian gharial grows to 16 feet and over 1500 pounds.
San Diego Zoo entrance area from the sky ride
Skywatch Friday
The weather in San Diego is unusually warm with beautiful clear skys. Our daughter is flying home tomorrow returning from VERY cold weather in Washington DC and Chicago. See skys from around the world here at Skywatch Friday.
Crosses have been erected on Mt. Soledid (822 ft.) since 1913 but this cross was built in 1954 as a memorial to veterans who have served our country during times of conflict. The US Navy administers the federal land just under the cross. Mt. Soledad and the cross are a visible landmark in San Diego.
Interstate 5 leads south to San Diego and on down to the border with Mexico. To the southwest is Mission Bay in front of Point Loma. And to the northwest is the beautiful city of La Jolla.
The city of San Diego from Mt. Soledad looking south
Mission Bay and Point Loma from Mt. Soledad
La Jolla viewed from Mt. Soledad
All turtles, tortoises, and terrapins are reptiles, have scales, lay eggs and are ectothermic. So what is difference? Turtles, like those pictured below, spend most of their time in water. Tortoises live mostly on land and terrapins live both in water and on land.
These three beautiful turtles live in the Japanese Friendship Garden pond at the San Diego Zoo.
“Meerkat Manor” is a very popular British TV show seen on the Animal Planet Network. The picture shows one of the resident meerkat families in the San Diego Zoo. This family is located across the street from the koala exhibit near the elephants. The other family lives in the children’s zoo. The meerkats charming behavior always seems to draw a crowd. The mother meerkat shown is taking care of 4 pups, oh so very cute.
Our camels at the San Diego Zoo can be a little too friendly sometimes. When visiting you may want to stand back just a little. Spittle production seems to be prodigious so you can expect, may want to anticipate, a curious encounter if you lean in too close. My picture shows our big guy in his full winter coat. He doesn’t wear it too long. Actually, San Diego only has two and a half seasons, so the heavy coat is just for show.
The collection of birds at the San Diego Zoo and Wild Animal Park is extensive. Several walk-thru aviaries provide visitors close up contact with many of the birds. Other birds are part of shows presented daily at several locations throughout the zoo. During a early morning behind the scenes tour I had an opportunity to meet Keeper Mike Grue who stopped to talk with us. His wagon was loaded up with special dishes he had prepared with care for each bird in his keep. In one of the dishes we saw some live grubs, still moving around, a delight for some special bird eager for Mike to arrival.
Anna and Evert are our snow leopards at the San Diego Zoo. Both were born in captivity, Anna from the Memphis Zoo and Evert from Lincoln Park Zoo near Chicago. They first arrived in 2006 and seem to be getting along fine. We all hope the romance heats up this winter so Anna can give us 3 or 4 cubs in the spring.
Senior Keeper Karen Barnes takes care of Anna and Evert along with the other cats on the Cat Walk near Sun Bear Forest. Karen has been with the zoo since 1990 bringing a true love for these beautiful cats.
Cali, our little girl cat
Cali was rescued by local firefighters. They dropped her off at Petco, a pet supply store, where my daughter was working during her college days. Cali was adopted and quickly took up residence in our house. At first Cali ruled over the other two cats with an iron hand. However, her “alpha cat” position did not last long. We rescued a little boy cat, Abe, who immediately established his own control as the dominate cat. Cali’s reduction in rank was a difficult transition for her but peace in the house was quickly restored with all our cats living happily ever after.
Abe, our boy cat
Kenai is one of two resident Arctic Wolves at the San Diego Zoo. Kenai lives and performs at the Hunte Amphitheater where he entertains visitors with a demonstration of howling. He is about 3 foot tall from head to toe and weighs about 175 lbs. Kenai is allergic to cats and takes alergy pills daily. What a beautiful animal.
The Tea Pravilion near the entrance to the Japanese Friendship Garden offers a wide range of delicious loose leaf teas for a spot of rest. 
This symbol of our friendship with Japan was built in 1915 during the Exposition.
Yokohama is our sister city in Japan. Our garden is called San Kei En meaning water, pastoral and mountain. Our garden honors our ties with the San Kei En garden located in Yokohama. This plaque, located near the tea pravilion entrance, remembers our friendship with a song.
